Sorry to hear this Ric. If there is a silver lining it might be the timing. If you had made it to NY and then had to turn around it would be a tough trip home. Hopefully Jan can be with him when the light fades. As you said, he’s had a good run. Our thoughts are with you and Jan during this tough time.
Please include my sympathies with the others Ric. You both will be in my thoughts
Missouri is a decent place to come home to. Even when it has been a good life and you know it is time; or, when there has been illness and it seems like time for eternal peace and relief, the decline and eventual passing on somehow just doesn’t seem right , like what people were originally meant to do, it’s like there’s an error in the universe’s hard drive.
Peace, comfort, and strength to all y’all.
Sending a big hug Aunt Jan !!
I know you like hugging me anyway but this is a big one!
Thank you for the kind thoughts, they have all been shared with Jan. Yes Rooster, even yours. The end is coming for her Dad, but of course, the when is unknown. Jan’s Dad has rallied and Jan is calling the shots for our travels. Her latest thoughts is to begin travel north and east on Tuesday, if things remain status quo. Rooster, that means the same as now. Warnings will be given as we approach areas and destinations. The destinations, friends we meet, changes, detours and all that goes with it are part of this life and death. I guess that provides the excitement, adventure and satisfaction of what we do.
Sunday 10pm CDST -
Could somebody please get a message to Barry that we will probably not make his ops? We are headed toward Fred’s if Jan’s Dad stabilizes, but I don’t know if I will get up there by Wednesday. Hopefully leaving tomorrow, Monday morning.
Ric Golding said:
Sunday 10pm CDST -
Could somebody please get a message to Barry that we will probably not make his ops? We are headed toward Fred’s if Jan’s Dad stabilizes, but I don’t know if I will get up there by Wednesday. Hopefully leaving tomorrow, Monday morning.
I sent Barry an email and also your ph# and email address. Hopefully everything will turn out for the better, but both you guys are in our thoughts and prayers.
I’ll call Barry…
Sorry to hear the news about Jans Dad. Never an easy thing. Keep us updated on your travels. Would love to meet up again and maybe we can get Jon to head down as well.
Thank you all, Barry has been notified and called me yesterday. We are on the road and, at this time, plan to be at Fred’s on Friday. Could get called back at any time, that is purely Jan’s call.
Time to enjoy friends and operations.
Our prayers are with you both. It is always difficult to lose someone you love and have lived with for a long time.
Lou & Susan
Shawn Viggiano said:
Sorry to hear the news about Jans Dad. Never an easy thing. Keep us updated on your travels. Would love to meet up again and maybe we can get Jon to head down as well.
Yup - Keep us posted.
7/14/15 - We have tied up for the night here at the Finger Lakes Live Steamers. Plan to be here until Thursday about 1000 and then head up to the Ottawa area.
Yes, we could make a rush trip to Barry’s, but we just don’t have that in us right now. Besides, without being at a local campground near him, we have this critter concern like we did last year. Best to just cool our jets for a couple of days and see which way we are headed.
Had some off and on rain on the drive across Ohio and New York. Only one major downpour. FLLS and this part of New York looks like it has had as much rain as Carlyle. Beautiful lush green and current temp in Clyde is 69 degrees, compared to 82 in Carlyle. Clyde had a high of 78 today, Carlyle 93. Nice time to be north.
July 21, 2015 - Tuesday evening at Finger Lakes Live Steamers. We had a great weekend in Nepean at Fred’s and Doug’s in Manotick, Ontario. I can’t tell you how sorry we are that we didn’t make Barry and Bonnie’s. Everyone said it was a great time. 5 ops sessions at Fred’s and Doug’s. The railroads get better every time. Finger Lakes Live Steamers (FLLS) is the greatest kick and Roger Ciaizza has created a fantastic passenger operations session. It has been tweeked over the last 3 years and its a challenge.
This year at FLLS we started OPs on the “1 inch to a foot” ride ons. Gives a whole new meaning to playing with trains. It is waybill/car card controlled and a full session just getting the cars out to the locations. So all total, 7 operations sessions so far. Yes, I have used the “expand a siding” switching maneuver a couple of times, but notice more and more people are using tracks stops and limiting that useful option. Technology can really mess up a good strategy. The KVRwy Switching equipment worked withouit incident and our services are available where allowed.
The current plan, as of this evening, is to be here until next Monday and then start home. However, it is all Jan’s call and right now her Dad is holding his own, but is day to day. He has quit asking for his morning shot of Brandy, so we are talking about things being really serious and probably part of his future demise. Jan is really strong and has been working at this for over a year, now. We have pulled the plug on going any further south, to Ken Brunt’s and an ops session there with the Chandler’s. Maybe next month or in September.
All is well. Tomorrow is a work day here at FLLS and then Saturday is Model Railroader Day here. Our first, and should be fun.
Hey Ric it would be nice to see some pictures of the OP’s on the “1 inch to a foot” ride ons.
Hi Chuck,
I agree! Don’t think it is that developed, yet. We’ll see what happens on Saturday. When it happens, I’ll get them posted here.
07/28/15 - Spent the night in a KOA on the Ohio Indiana border as we head back to home trackage and turf. Pulled out of the Finger Lakes Live Steamers yesterday morning after a great week of operations, trains and friends, old and new.
The ops Saturday with the 1 inch ride ons went well. There are pictures floating around, but we didn’t take any. Sorry. Just having too much fun. Jan used her expertise in trimming some of the club’s box woods and we enjoyed much cooler temps than home, but the locals thought it was awful hot.
Back in Carlyle to regroup, check on parents and head for a rodeo with grandkids on Friday. Father in law is there, nothing else to report. At 98, each day is a new experience. Of course, I guess we can all say that.
Big news in Carlyle, is that it looks like the old B&O mainline from Cincinnati to Relay Station in East St. Louis has finally shutdown. Trains have run on these tracks since 1858, but with mergers CSX has opted for a more direct route to Indy on old Conrail/NYC trackage. These were the tracks of the National Limited. Maybe the old B&OSW trackage will be picked up by a shortline, railbanked or a bike trail. Time will tell.
3 August, 2015 - It is official, track crews and signal maintainers are bidding on other jobs. The old mainline through Carlyle is being mothballed and officially abandoned for service at this time by the CSX. Future is unknown. Maybe a shortline will pick it up.
We completed being the support vehicle for the Illinois Junior Rodeo Association participation by our second granddaughter and her family in Hopedale, Illinois. She took 8th over all in her division and continues to improve in all categories.
It also is official that Jan is once again hosting the grandchildren at the local campground on Carlyle Lake. The cat, Shadow, has joined in. Kassie, the dog and myself have taken to higher ground and keeping a low profile at the house. It is a difficult time in Carlyle.
Schedule is for us to leave for the Finger Lakes, Boston for Train Ops and points beyond on Monday, the 10th.
As always, subject to change.
10 August, 2015 - The “Grandma Golding Week of Camping Extravaganza for 2015” is now complete. 4 females on a holding tank and the quantity of toilet paper used is a floating disaster, but after a couple of hours work, we made it flow down stream like a river in Colorado. Poor Luke had to just find a tree or public out house. But, the solution to pollution is dilution and that is how it was resolved. The Carlyle City Sewage Treatment Facility has been able to meet the challenge. At leas,t that is what we think, however we are sneaking out of town today.
Headed north to deliver Mara, our middle granddaughter, back to her parents and continue north out of this heat and humidity. Hope to be in Michigan and eventually back to the Finger Lakes Live Steamers by the weekend. Life, as we know it, goes on. Looking forward to TrainOps2015 and then the exploration of the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum. A light house or 2 may be viewed, also.
Safe travels my friend. We’ll miss you, Jan and the rest of the gang in Massachusetts as we are heading West!