Ever have one of those years where it seems like every time you turn around, life smacks you in the face, and just when you’re getting back on your feet, POW! – it happens again?
so i’m not the only one?
Yep, just gotta get back on the iron horse and show him who’s his engineer. 
Ray,
I’m having a very “Bi-Polar” year.
Smacked in the face a bunch of times while also having some very wonderful things happen too.
I have to take the bad with the good and keep my focus on the good 
I hope things get better for you.
Ralph
Yes Ray since 2000, I have had nothing but problems, and they just keep coming, just take one step in front of the other always progressing forward. My English teacher once gave me some really good advice. “This too shall pass” and if things get really bad, and your having trouble coping, just go take a nap, and or go sleep for awhile when you wake up things won’t seem so bad. Let me tell you in 2008 my life turned completely upside down with my wife and her health. Changed our lives forever!! “Always fall forward” Hope things get better for you! Remember things aren’t so bad that they can’t get worse, and for me they usually do, and go run some trains that usually helps me deal with the day to day bullshirt I have to deal with everyday now. Regal
Nice article in Garden Railways, Ray.
We got hit by Irene this year. Some damage. Upside? Now I have a painted, bright basement to work on trains during the hard winter I expect.
There is always an upside - sometimes ya just gotta look real hard for it!
Hey Lou, send one dem upside’s to me and leave off the down part K??? Hah LOL Regal
P.S. been lookin since 2000 ain’t found it yet???
Well, look in the obits first thing in the morning. If ya ain’t there,it’s a good day!
I totally understand Ray. After being diagnosed with leukemia 2 years ago our entire world was turned upside down. My poor wife had already dealt with the lose of both her parents and her sister to cancer and now me. I had to close my business down and come to the realization that I would never work again, not to mention the thought of, “How long do I have”?
But through it all I have found a, “New Normal”. The Chemo pill that I take everyday seems to be doing what it’s designed to do, I still have both good and bad days but I always know that it could be worse. Through my faith in Christ, my wife, kids, and grandkids life is good.
I have some great friends in this hobby that I look forward to seeing every week as we get together to run trains, drink coffee, and tell lies. I have found that life is what you make of it so go enjoy it.
I hope and pray that what ever your situation is, that it will get better soon.
Chuck
Life does like to give you a shift kick every now and then but this too shall pass!
The hole in my foot still hasn’t healed but I started planning for an open house on June 16. Getting the D&D ready will be a challenge but it will be ready. And every time I get to work on the layout I forget all about the medical issues.
Ray hang in their. It will get better. When you feel stressed or down in the dumps run some trains, work on the layout or go for a hike. Helps clear the head.
Misery loves company… Build something, Read a book. Compose a huge rant - then don’t post it. All of it helps a little.
And always remember the motto of the world was summed up in the wisdom of Dave Allen, “Don’t hit a man when he’s down, kick him it’s easier”… sometime you gotta kick back just a little.
All in all, I’m having a better year than JoePa.
While sitting in a fighting hole, with a USMC Gunnery Sergeant, on a cold, rainy night near the DMZ in South Korea, he leaned over and said, “Doc, no matter how bad things seem right now, they stand a perfectly good chance of getting worse, and probably will.”
And you know what, he was right! :lol:
Mik, we could help Ray start a huge anal retentive rant on the various scales using the wrong gauge track!!!
Ray it is the gloomy weather.
This too shall pass.
Thanks for all the encouraging words, I appreciate it. Things could be much worse, I just needed to vent a little. The latest bit of unpleasant news (chemo and hair loss for Cris) kind of blind-sided us because her surgeon jumped the gun and told us it wouldn’t be needed.
Ray, my wife is on her 48th chemo treatment since 2008 she’s getting 2 weeks on 1 week off now. She is losing her hair from this latest new chemo just started about 2 mos. ago, so I share your disappointment, and or anguish, but just keep on keeping on, and at least they are still here for us, you, and your family like us!! It’s a terrible thing, you can’t or we can’t imagine what they are going thru, we only see what we see, and don’t feel the internal problems they feel. We only see what’s on the outside, and go thru their outward feelings they show to us or let us know!! Try to stay positive, and just enjoy the time we have with them, bad, good, or otherwise!! Thinking about you guys Regal
Ray, I feel your pain, I really do. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer about 1 1/2 years ago. She had the standard treatment, surgery, radiation, chemo. It was hard on her as you know and it was hard for me too, helplessly watching without being able to help or to “make it go away” - a guy’s supposed to take of his family, right?
Now the good news - she’s currently in remission - we’ve gratefully taken that and are making the most of it. I’ve had a couple heart-pharts and quadruple bypass a few years back and as a result have adopted an attitude of making the most of every day because you don’t know about tomorrow. I guess at the time Gerry didn’t fully grasp how or why I’d adopted that attitude, now we both live by it. We treasure each and every day we have together and try to scratch off as many of our “bucket list” items as time and resources allow.
I wish you and your family the very best and would encourage you to make the most of every day you have together. It’s very difficult but try to stay as positive as possible for your wife’s sake.
walt
My prayers are with you guys.
Ray, I hope that your wife gets better. I will add her to my prayer list.
my hopes and prayers for a speedy recovery for all… I can relate…