Large Scale Central

Devon ..How are you doing...

Haven’t heard from Devon for a while …

I wonder how he is doing…

Steve have you talked to him lately ?

I have seen him post on FB, so at least we know he’s still on top of the dirt.

Talk to him on Facebook, he is … well, ok. Plugging along

Same thoughts, thanks for an answer.

Devon is doing ok, just not great. I saw him about a month ago, at the initial run on his layout. Yes, he finally finished it.

Hey guys,

I apologize for not checking in. I have had my mind on just about everything else besides trains. But that’s no excuse for not poking my head in.

I am doing okay. Not great. But I honestly dont care anymore. That sounds bad but I dont mean it that way. We are at a point where I think it’s as good as its gonna get. Not much anyone can do to improve my situation. I would say my shunt works about 70% of the time. The rest of the time my fat head plugs it. It’s called slit ventricle syndrome which is a side effect of VP shunts. So i just live on a roller coaster of good days and bad. I’m over it. It is what it is and it could be worse. So I’m done complaining and have moved on. Bottom line they ain’t cutting on me anymore. I refuse.

Now that aside. I have been preoccupied with politics and cooking. If I am not ranting on Facebook about the state of the Union I am cooking.

Some of the weird things I have been up too. A local farmer was sitting on an entire crop of potatoes because of the market collapse. They were giving them away to anyone and everyone instead of pushing them in a hole. So I hauled three truckloads and gave them away to people who needed/wanted them. I also processed about 100# for myself between freezing and dehydrating. And another local ag distributor was sitting on onions. So I hauled 3000# of onions and distributed them. Again i processed 30# for myself by dehydrating or making onion powder. Then we (my family) bought 5 hogs from a farmer in Nebraska (part of a larger group buy) and we slaughtered and butchered them.

Now I am learning to have fun with milk. I bought three gallons of raw milk. I made butter with the cream and salvaged the buttermilk and have been cooking with that. Tomorrow I will be making cheddar cheese with the remaining milk. I have never made cheese so that should be fun. I will make whey caramel from the leftover whey from the cheese process. Kinda cool what can be made from raw milk.

And finally I am adventuring into sourdough. I made my own starter by catching wild yeast out in my yard. I have been making something every week with that. Tortillas, bread,English muffins, and tomorrow I am making chicken and sourdough dumplings.

So I am still above the dirt. And have been pretty active. Oh yeah and pike and bluegill/crappie fishing. But trains have not been a high priority. I get some pictures posted of the june train club meet at my house. That was fun and finally got to show it off.

Anyway thanks for the concern as always. Sorry I neglected you guys.

Hmmm a Devon cult …isn’t this how they start …Great to hear from you Buddy …

I dont know about cult?!..maybe one of those anti government survivalist/hippie/conspiracy communes

Sean McGillicuddy said:

Hmmm a Devon cult …isn’t this how they start …Great to hear from you Buddy …

To join you have to make a tasty dish with potatoes, onions, and raw milk. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Great to hear from you once more Devon! My you have been busy. Trains can be a life saver you know. Please post the pictures soon. You know what they say…no pictures, it didn’t happen. Stay well.

Your friend

Joe Zullo

Good to see some Devon activity. Hope the good days are more frequent and more memorable than the bad ones!

Devon Sinsley said:

I am doing okay. Not great. But I honestly dont care anymore. That sounds bad but I dont mean it that way. We are at a point where I think it’s as good as its gonna get. Not much anyone can do to improve my situation.

That outlook is understandable. And you’ve been doing some interesting agricultural type stuff!

Forrest Scott Wood said:

Devon Sinsley said:

I am doing okay. Not great. But I honestly dont care anymore. That sounds bad but I dont mean it that way. We are at a point where I think it’s as good as its gonna get. Not much anyone can do to improve my situation.

That outlook is understandable. And you’ve been doing some interesting agricultural type stuff!

I do suspect that there could be some “Devoning” involved…

Bruce Chandler said:

Sean McGillicuddy said:

Hmmm a Devon cult …isn’t this how they start …Great to hear from you Buddy …

To join you have to make a tasty dish with potatoes, onions, and raw milk. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

And bring a train to run.

Jim Rowson said:

Good to see some Devon activity. Hope the good days are more frequent and more memorable than the bad ones!

They are Jim. That’s why I am done complaining. Its knowing my limits and the triggers. There are definite triggers. Getting overly tired (from work or play) or getting a lack of sleep are the worst. But I am learning to manage. And when I want to do something that I know will set me back I plan the following couple days accordingly. I manage my spoons. I linked what I am referring to below. Thanks to Steve Featherkyle. This is a great way to explain what its like to deal with chronic pain with a hidden and not so evident illness/condition.

Spoon Theory

And I HEARD he gets triggered by certain posts…I’ve tried to limit mine, but…

Oh I can get triggered that’s for sure. But hopefully I can do some triggering myself. If you are friends of mine on Facebook you might have guessed I’m opinionated.

You’re triggered? I thought you was Roy Rogers. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Devon Sinsley said:

Jim Rowson said:

Good to see some Devon activity. Hope the good days are more frequent and more memorable than the bad ones!

They are Jim. That’s why I am done complaining. Its knowing my limits and the triggers. There are definite triggers. Getting overly tired (from work or play) or getting a lack of sleep are the worst. But I am learning to manage. And when I want to do something that I know will set me back I plan the following couple days accordingly. I manage my spoons. I linked what I am referring to below. Thanks to Steve Featherkyle. This is a great way to explain what its like to deal with chronic pain with a hidden and not so evident illness/condition.

Spoon Theory

Yeah, it really sucks to have to “manage your spoons.” I’ve been doing it for the last 15 or so years. Some days I just don’t have enough “spoons,” to do the things that I have to do, mush less, the things that I want to do.

Hey guys,

Its been a little while since I have posted. I figured I had better catch up with you all before you all start letting your imaginations run wild and i find out that I have joined the Australian Marine Corp or something. Seems like I have to check in here every so often to find out what new and exciting things I am up too (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif).

Well one of the main reason that you haven’t heard from me is that model RR has been about the last thing on my mind. I have been doing virtually nothing with trains other than look at the mess that is my hobby room. However, for those who I am friends with on Facebook you have or will have found out very shortly that I am once again battling the brain cloud. I haven’t been saying too much about it because frankly I am just kinda sick about whining about it. But I am in a complete relapse. Had some recent testing and skipping the boring details its one of two things. A tube blockage or a faulty valve. Either way it likely means surgery #8. I have one more test they want to run which should determine the answer to that. They will inject radioactive dye in it and see where fluid is going and how fast it is going there. That should tell them whether or not its blocked or broken. Its pretty much kept me bed ridden, I don’t have much physical or mental energy to do anything, plus I am in a constant state of seasickness.

Anyway, I don’t really want to complain but you all have been so wonderful in pulling for me and praying for me that I want to keep you informed and keep the prayers heading the way of the Great Healer himself.

On a positive note, with what energy I have mustered I have spent it in my wood shop working on Christmas presents. Pictures forthcoming.

God bless and stay safe my friends. You may not realize just how important you all have become to me. Thank you.