Bad Karma Attack

It all seemed to start when I was on my last trip to Ohio and just has carried on since then. I had planned my trip for 5 days to Ohio but instead of 5 days of nice weather it turned cloudy and rain arrived on the third day. I did stay 4 days but headed home as the weather got worse.

That is when the Bad Karma really arrived and decided to stay for a while. As I headed up I 75 there were three work zones that each added about 30 minutes to the trip and it became even worse. I had enough gas to reach the tax free pumps at the border but with all the delays decided to get off and add about $10 to make sure I did not run out.

After getting through the construction delays I approached Detroit only to find traffic being moved from the northbound to southbound lanes that were under construction to allow work on the northbound bridges adding more delays. As I approached the exit to Canada traffic was backed up about a mile on I 75 and I could see solid over the bridge. Waiting there would have been at least 2 hours to get back to Canada. No way was I going to wait so headed to Port Huron.

Guess what? As I approached I 94 to Port Huron there was more construction and another 30 minutes to get on the highway. Bad Karma was riding with me.

Made it finally to Port Huron and it only took 5 minutes to get across the border. No cheap gas pumps so headed home with what I had so instead of arriving home with 3/4 of a tank of cheap gas I arrived over 2 hours late with an empty tank.  Sure takes the fun out of it.

Bad Karma has seemed to stick with me as I seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and train chasing has been a series of missed trains and viewing from long distance as I am in the wrong place. When doing video I seem to make errors and screw up shots that would be easy before. Even things like grocery shopping I seem to be a day late for specials or they are out of stock.

Yesterday I planned a trip to Hamilton to do some train chasing and a plus 3C day with sunshine so switched from my heavy winter coat to my shorter winter jacket. Just as I arrived CN 385 was passing and was told it have 4 different locomotives on it, a one in a year happening and I missed it. I left at 7:30 from Beachville and 5 minutes after I left there was a post about this train but Bad Karma made me miss it as I ahd left.. If I had stayed home I would have caught it. Nothing I could do so waited for another train CN 550 and planned my shots. When it did arrive it was on a different track so the video only captured the top of the locomotives as Bad Karma was close by. Next up I waited for VIA 70 and AMTRAK that were both due. I heard VIA 70 says 5 minutes to Aldershot so prepared to capture it. As I waited AMTRAK arrived from the other direction so no chance to get a decent video as the camera was posted the other way. As if that was not enough VIA did arrive 5 minutes later and I turned on the video and prepared to take some still shots. For some reason the camera would not work and Bad Karma prevented any photo. The video had been set to zoom so also missed it as it came closer. Bad Karma won in all 3 instances.

If that was not enough when I arrived the temp in Hamilton was -7C/20F with a 20 kph wind. Add that in and it felt more -12C/12F so I was freezing as I had removed all the winter headgear from the car. Bad Karma again and I had enough. I waited another 30  minutes but not a train in sight. I usually go and catch some GO trains but was froze so gave up and headed home. Bad Karma won again.

Good Karma will show up soon so just have to survive this period and should be fine. I guess the bad times make the good ones even that much better. 🙂

Advertisements

They Were The Good Old Days

Call me sexist or anything you want but this my opinion of where the world went wrong. Remember when women were proud to be mothers and head of the house?

Well no more and now women seem to have time to have kids, get a babysitter, throw them in JK when they are 3, more babysitting then are so busy they never even see them grow up. They invented the term “latchkey kids” as that is what kids do now. My mother was proud to stay home and raise us and look after the house and I am glad she did. I think a lot of the trouble with kids today as they are left to their own as both parents are working and had time to have kids, but no time to look after them. I am sure kids would be happy to have less material things and more attention from their parents.

I am not against women having a career but I think they have to decide which is more important, raising their children or a bigger house? They can always have a career after the kids are grown up. If I had a problem I always knew my mom was there to help me. Now kids are isolated with their cell phones and computers and parents have no idea what is going on in their lives.

No need to go “Hilary”, get defensive and call me names but that is my opinion as I see how things are going today. No mass school shootings or kids joining ISIS when I was growing up as my parents knew what I was doing and where I was. Do parents even talk to their kids these days or is it by cell phone? Notice I say “parents” and blame the family unit of today. As kids we had to deal with boys and girls and now we have 23 different sexual definitions and political correctness to deal with. No wonder the kids are under such stress and pressure and some just can’t handle it and explode.

No idea what the answer is but parents need to look at their priorities and decide what is best for the children they are bringing into this world. We had no private schools, hockey classes, trips to Europe and Florida on summer breaks, no expensive clothes or electronic gadgets for us. I learned the value of money young and my dad told me if I want something “go work for it”

Today it seems parents think throwing money at their kids will make up for the absence of love and not being there when they are needed. I think we can all see how well that is working. 😦

Sorry END OF RANT

I Am Still Here

Haven’t written anything in a while as I am going through another version of male menopause so have an excuse. The winter blahs and the changing world has made me feel like my last years will be spending a lot of time alone as it seems these days if you disagree with anyone’s point of view they get defensive and you are labelled a “phobia” something. I am not so much against others way of life but am against with the way things I disagree with are being forced upon me. Live your life the way you want but don’t take away my right to disagree with you.

Free speech has taken a big negative step in Canada under our play acting PM who has passed laws that prevent us from expressing our views. I don’t run around and look for media attention to make you accept my way of life so why must others force their views on us?

The TV, movies and commercial now must include a minority and it seems every relationship is now a white women and a visible minority. That is not real life, sure there are some but drives me crazy that the world is being portrayed in a false image.  That may make me sound racist but next time you watch a movie or TV keep track of how many you see and then look around your neighbourhood and tell me if this is what you see.  There I go again disagreeing and I can see the slings and errors heading my way. That is okay I was not born in the “snowflake” era and “stick and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me”.

It is strange that these things have been going on for hundreds of years but only now that they are on the front page has the world turned upside down and minorities now make the rules and laws for the majority. Now wonder we are in such a mess.

I will only be here for another 10 years or so and am glad I was born in a time when everybody seemed to respect others and we actually got along. Sure we had world wars but within our own borders life was pretty good.  When the so-called sh*t hits the fan I feel sorry for those that will still be here and have to live in a world where freedoms will be repressed and discussion will be behind doors for fear of reprisal. So sad and not sure this broken world can be fixed.

Just my opinion and I think I can still express it but not sure how much longer I will be allowed to.

Have a great day and do it your way and let others think what they want as they will anyway.

FU Stands For Friggin Unreal

Not much more to say about -30C temperatures for weeks at a time except why am I still here? Sunny warm skies in lots of places so why I am still here suffering through these ridiculous temperatures is beyond me.

I did spend a couple of days outside freezing my butt off to chase some trains but those were moments of insanity. In this picture taken by a friend I actually look like I am having fun so old age does bring days on insanity.

The other problem is with such cold temperatures that air is so dry in my apartment I feel like everything is out to get me as sparks flying off my fingers every time I touch something. I went to turn on the power pack for my model trains and was greeted by a lightening bolt causing me to flip my arm up right into the bottom of the board they are mounted it. I hit is with such force all the little people must have thought it was the end of the world. Railway cars derailed, deer grazing in the valley tossed to their death as they fell into the gorge not to mention the pain in my hand. I not only hammered it into the table but dragged it as I pulled it out causing a nice 2 inch bruise. Us old people have to be careful of course all these shocks I am getting can’t be all bad as they are giving my heart a bit of jolt each time to keep it humming along. Last year it was defying gravity and this year looks like trying some of Ben Franklin experiments seem to be the choice for this year.

I hope Santa was good to everyone and New Year came in without any surprises. Me just another lump of coal to add to my collection but a mystery Santa did leave me $500 so I guess now I have to decide what to spend it on. I am sure the car or some other not planned expense will gobble it up.

Have a Great 2018, I plan to.

We Have An Excuse

Christmas is fast approaching and people will be visiting their families and enjoying this festive time. We forget so many are alone at this time and will wonder why they are not part of those festivities.

This time of the year people get down and withdrawn but it is only natural as we have had about 10 days of depressing cloudy winter weather. Looking at the next 10 days they are not much better with only a few flashes of Sun to tease us.

I find the best way to get through these days is to keep busy by doing what you like to do. I am lucky as I have my model trains, photography and even learning new skills on the computer. They keep me busy but I still go out and chase some trains or just go for a coffee. I don’t feel left out as I have friends who have invited me over if I want to go and have had many wonderful Christmas and many good memories to keep me in a positive mood.

If you are feeling down, drop me an email at railpast@railpast.com and maybe we can cheer each other up.

I wish everyone and all my family and friends a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful Happy New Year 2018 .

Patience

Chasing trains not only requires timing and lots of luck but huge reserves of patience as trains run on their own schedule. Mine was put to the test on Wednesday as I bundled up and headed out to one of my favorite spots around 7:30 am as I wanted to catch VIA 70 as it arrived in Woodstock Ontario at 8:10.

Cleaned off the car of snow , loaded the camera equipment and was off as camera settings whirled around in my head. The Sun is lazy these days and does not show up until around 8:00 am if at all.  Climbed up on the small hill just before the station and waited. The arrival time came and went and still no train but figured with the snow would be a little late. I should have checked the computer to see if it was on time but it usually is so did not. More waiting and I heard a train horn but no train in sight so jumped into action then realized it was VIA 71 that arrives at 8:30 heading west. I could not see the station from where I was but knew what train it was.

Time to drag out the cell phone to check and was at least encouraged as it showed arrival at 8:43 so it was late but at least was still coming. The temp was around 15F but I was dressed properly and no wind so continued to wait. The new time passed and nothing but figured a CN freight would be through soon so paced around and waited some more. The scanner screeched to life and let me know CN 397 was in the area and would be here soon. Checked the phone and the new VIA time is 10:01. CN 397 blew through and still no VIA 70. More waiting and time to check the phone again. What! New time is now 11:15 and I have been standing on this hill for about 3 hours. More stomping of feet, some dance steps and singing and decided to go check the display at the station. As I drove up to the station there was a bus there and the screen shows the train was cancelled and people were being “bustituted” as the train was cancleed due to mechanical issues. Guess they forgot to plug it in.

Only train I caught was the CN freight after over 3 hours. I know it sounds silly but at least I was outside enjoying the weather and watching people go about their days. Beats sitting inside doing nothing. Did catch VIA 72 at 11:30 which was on time.  🙂

Only nine more sleeps till Santa arrives. Still figuring out what he will bring me this year.

BRRRRRR

Today there is no doubt winter has arrived with about 2  inches ( 5cm) of snow overnight and another 4 inches (10cm) expected tonight. Looks like another cold with temps around 10F and windy day but if you dress right it can be fun. Here we see VIA 70 blowing through Beachville Ontario this morning..

Lucky for me the small station in Ingersoll is there and spent the morning in it shooting through the window as winds were sure blowing the snow around not to forget about the snowstorm the trains bring with them. I caught a number of CN and VIa trains and have uploaded the video which is below.

My left knee is still aching and seems to come and go hurting a lot at times and making me winch with each step and then just throbbing at others.  Tylenol helps but hope it goes away and is nothing serious. It is not in the joint but just on the side hear the front. Putting the heating pad on it seems to help a bit so will keep doing that.

Be careful out there as this is the time falls can be serious, just ask he as I am a bit of an expert on them. 🙂 Keep warm and get out and enjoy the winter.