Crazy Busy, Train Trip

Thursday morning December the 6th, 5:07 a.m. I’ve seen my news feeds, refilled my coffee, put the steel cut oats in water to simmer, and checked on Holly. She is sleeping at the foot of the bed on top of my old plaid blanket. I used that blanket all through my tenure living in Lancaster, PA. It was a XMAS present from my dad nearly 50 years ago. For the past few decades that old plaid blanket has been used as padding for moves. Cleaning out the workshop I gave it a closer inspection and decided it deserved a better fate. A good cleaning and airing on the line improved it immensely. Hopefully this weekend a new binding will replace the worn frayed one.

Blanket hanging on the line:

Holly’s selfie of the day.

I was talking to Joe yesterday. Our friendship spans back 35+ years now. I was lamenting how I had to have a picture taken for my new driver’s license. It was time to change my hair colour from brown to gray on this new card. In this new picture I’m looking straight ahead instead of up so my chin really sags. I look like an old man.

Due to the late fall train trip I’m behind in my Concept 2 winter challenge. I should be able to meet the 200,000-meter requirement to get my pin and earn money for charity. This will be my 10th year doing this challenge. If anything is a gage how I’m slowing down this year’s challenge is it. It is beating me up but I will complete it.

The road trips I used to engage in at the drop of a hat now take more time to recover from. What happened to that boy who would drive 400 miles all night from a New Jersey party to report to the plant direct from the road at 6:30 a.m. on a Tuesday morning after calling in sick on Sunday night?? LOL!!

I’ve heard people say how “60 is the new 40” and reply “Bullshit.” My body is still 60+ years old and I feel it. I’ll keep doing what I love for as long as I can. That is what life is all about.

There is a Musical Box Society meeting late next month in Tampa, FL I want to attend. It is a haul to drive but it will be another adventure. Billy said how he and Linda may attend and we could all share a room. I was diplomatic and said how I thought my own room would work out better.

On the family front I finally made contact with my oldest sister. She never answers her phone. After a few days of leaving messages she called me Monday morning. She is in poor health mentally and physically. She always manages to find doctors to give her prescriptions. Her motto is, “Better living through chemistry.” She is 72 years old so I just figure as long as she is happy that is all that matters. She asked me Monday if it was XMAS day…. God only knows what she was on….

Got my XMAS decorating pretty well done. Greens from the yard really give a holiday feel to the house.

I have to laugh in I still display the “fake dog poop” on the marble hearth. The first time I had it out was Thanksgiving when Chloe came to live with me in 1992. My nephews were scandalized thinking Chloe left a “treasure.” Poor mom would lament, “The house looks so nice except for that fake poop!!!” It is a tradition that lives on….

Back to documenting the train trip:

Sat out on the platform until it got too dark to see much. This is my first southbound trip on the Crescent in many years.

Between Anniston and Birmingham, AL. A forgotten bridge going to nowhere:

I love travelling through “cuts” like this. The old bridge over the tracks evokes memories of the old “Cold Springs Bridge” in Lockport. We called it the “rickety bridge” as kids because when you crossed it you could hear the wooden boards slapping against the supports.

Between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa AL on a siding. The northbound Crescent passes us:

The track traverses through a lot of familiar little towns south of Tuscaloosa crossing the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers.
Approaching the bridge over the Black Warrior River on the raised roadbed:

Crossing the Black Warrior River:

The train station at Meridian MS at night:

Crossing on the causeway across Lake Pontchartrain at night seated on the platform was an experience of a lifetime. The full moon high on the right, the track lights were on, water on both sides. I was reminded of what a young woman told me when I did this trip in 1975 crossing this causeway, “All you’re going to see is sky, water, and two rails.”

We got in to New Orleans too late to go out anywhere. To tell the truth I was ready to crash anyway.

!!! Friday, November the 30th. We are in Philadelphia on the “quiet car”. This annoying lady had her phone turned up to full volume on a conference call. The entire car could hear every word. Finally, a lady across the aisle stated to this oblivious lady that cell phones were not allowed in the “quiet car.” I chimed in, “It is VERY annoying.” A few others joined in that it was indeed annoying. She turned off the call and I said “thank you” to the woman who initially started the confrontation. The offending lady replied to me, “You’re welcome!” Just at this time a disheveled young man bolted out of the car and it sounded like he was “blowing chunks” between the platform and car. It was welcome comic relief. The lady in the seat ahead was coughing and hacking sounding like Camille on a bad day. Hope my resistance is up…. After typing this all out I realized the annoying “phone lady” had moved… all this is part of my trip adventure !!!