Who will be the last person to add to this "never ending" thread?

[Marg Shurtliff]

Marg, you maybe could have drunk one hot, taken the other home for iced tea later.

(so, how many pit stops?)

Never have liked ice tea much . Only one that's not bad is Lipton's low cal with lemon . Haven't even had that for many years now . And for the record just got up once . Staying up to watch half a movie and some time at the computer was enough delay .

4 added posts and mine got 6 hours and 9 minutes and 6 hours and 1 minute .

[Steve Mershon]

Hi Marg. I'm glad to see that you skirted the new NYC proscription on 20 ounce drinks, had it been applicable, by purchasing two 16 ounce drinks. Clever. Should have been a lawyer.

I waited to post until you had 48 hours. But as time passed, I wonder about the lack of a response to your last post. I hope that everyone hasn't decided you are the winner, and I just didn't get the memo.

Hope you have a great week.

[Marg Shurtliff]

Steve that NY thing is carbonated drinks , not herbal teas !!

Thanks for adding a post Steve . After 60 hours and 22 minutes being last I was ready for some conversation .

[Steve Mershon]

Steve that NY thing is carbonated drinks , not herbal teas !!

Thanks for adding a post Steve . After 60 hours and 22 minutes being last I was ready for some conversation .

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Or a single sip. Today, carbonated beverages. Tomorrow, they'll go after those sugar infused "hippie" teas. just wait and see.

Can we average out your time of possession?

[Marg Shurtliff]

No sugar in black peppermint herbal tea so it won't make the banned list . Now if they want to put coffee on the banned list , I could easily live with that !!

[Jim Chabot]

No sugar in black peppermint herbal tea so it won't make the banned list . Now if they want to put coffee on the banned list , I could easily live with that !!

Easy there Marg............ We wouldn't want to impose our wishes on others, and I think you know what I mean.......

May you have a warm winter, I'll gladly take the snow over here on my side! Although it would be nice if it's cold up around Simcoe.

[Jim Chabot]

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Or a single sip. Today, carbonated beverages. Tomorrow, they'll go after those sugar infused "hippie" teas. just wait and see.

Can we average out your time of possession?

Sometimes a journey of a thousand miles ends badly.

[Marg Shurtliff]

Easy there Marg............ We wouldn't want to impose our wishes on others, and I think you know what I mean.......

May you have a warm winter, I'll gladly take the snow over here on my side! Although it would be nice if it's cold up around Simcoe.

Simcoe is over 200 miles away near our church campground in fact . Our swim times were at Lake Simcoe . I guess you could walk it but then there'd be little time left to swim . The drive took five to ten minutes . Anyway , snow there would be fine .

[Steve Mershon]

Good morning, y'all.

[Jim Chabot]

Simcoe is over 200 miles away near our church campground in fact . Our swim times were at Lake Simcoe . I guess you could walk it but then there'd be little time left to swim . The drive took five to ten minutes . Anyway , snow there would be fine .

As you can see, he enjoys riding on Simcoe! This year he is hoping to break the 150mph mark. Yikes, I've never gotten past 125, that was fast enough for me!

[Jim Chabot]

Good morning, y'all.

Right back at ya Steve! And all!

[Marg Shurtliff]

8 added posts and mine got 10 minutes , 4 hours and 24 minutes and 21 hours and 24 minutes .

Mornin' Steve and Jim

[Jim Chabot]

Morning Marg and Steve and Gina and Glenda!

Ready to go! Bright eyed and bushy tailed!

[Marg Shurtliff]

Morning back to you , Jim .

Finally a post added and mine got 21 hours and 12 minutes .

[Steve Mershon]

Hi y'all. I'm on a quick trip to South Bend, IN, so didn't have time to return the greeting this a.m. Took a little time to walk around the Univ. of Notre Dame. Pretty campus. The Golden Dome and "Touchdown Jesus" were impressive.

[Marg Shurtliff]

1 post added and mine got 9 hours and 48 minutes .

[Jim Chabot]

Morning All! Slept in this morning, looks like I had better get cracking!

[Marg Shurtliff]

Morning Jim . Don't work too hard ! I'll be sleeping !

[Jim Chabot]

Hey guys, I have a "Gina" story to share. I still remember reading Gina's posts when she was going through some terrible times with a used car that turned out to be a lemon. It seemed as if she could never get either satisfaction or a straight answer from anyone, and had no place to turn for relief. Back then, I prayed that she would get through this and I was thankful that as a former service station owner and mechanic that this wasn't something that would ever happen to me.

Until today when a fellow made an attempt to "green" me. I'm not real happy about it and I'm getting a better idea of Gina's struggle.

Our car has had the anti lock brake light on for quite some time now. I haven't worried about it because it's fine, the fancy anti skid stuff is out of commission but the brakes still work just like all brakes have worked on all cars since I can remember.

Last week it presented a new problem that needs to be addressed. On a couple of mornings when the car was cold it would smoke while idling. I checked it out and determined that it wasn't oil or antifreeze, it smells like fuel. Yesterday the check engine light came on and today we shipped it off to the dealer.

This afternoon they called and said that there is a crash detector in the steering wheel and it had triggered the anti lock brake light. $525 to repair and I thought, ok no time like the present, its there, get it done. Then he tells me that the engine problem is a bad MAP sensor and two bad O2 sensors, and I'm thinking that it should be one or the other but not both. He continues to tell me that the engine is full of sludge and needs to be replaced or the problem will be right back again and it needs a turbocharger since it is shot as well. Whoa, back that up! I remain calm and I ask him what specifically they found wrong with the engine, he tells me that he will get me the technician then puts me on hold. After five minutes he comes back on and tells me that the tech won't be back for another ten minutes. I tell him that I think I've got it figured out and I'll pick up the car.

So it's off to another dealer on Monday morning for another go at this. Got to admit that I'm still really surprised at how bold this little punk was, I'm getting sad thinking about people who don't have the experience to deal with people like this.

As to your lemon Gina, I'm sorry for what you went through all over again, you were on my mind all afternoon.

[Marg Shurtliff]

Whew , Jim . I'm afraid I'd be stuck like Gina . Glad you know more .

3 added posts and mine got 7 hours and 49 minutes and 11 hours and 47 minutes .

[Gina Stevenson]

Whoa! And UGH! too, Jim! That albatross really cost me. Barely got a thing out of it, yet have another, too, that does not stop everytime we turn around, like the albatross seemed to ... but even this one is not cheap. Just picked it up this afternoon for nearly $230 for hoses!! What I tho't would be a simple tranny pan seal (puddle was tranny fluid) was tranny-cooling hoses (had not even tho't of such a thing before ... hoses going from tranny through radiator cooling the tranny fluid?). Duh!

What kind of vehicle are you talking about, Jim?

[Jim Chabot]

Whoa! And UGH! too, Jim! That albatross really cost me. Barely got a thing out of it, yet have another, too, that does not stop everytime we turn around, like the albatross seemed to ... but even this one is not cheap. Just picked it up this afternoon for nearly $230 for hoses!! What I tho't would be a simple tranny pan seal (puddle was tranny fluid) was tranny-cooling hoses (had not even tho't of such a thing before ... hoses going from tranny through radiator cooling the tranny fluid?). Duh!

Yes, there are two hoses that run from the transmission to the cooler in the radiator. On most cars they are steel lines until they get to the radiator where they switch to rubber to allow for flex. The lines themselves are short money, it's the labor to change them out that adds to the bill. They are usually routed in hard to get at and hard to get them back into spots. I'm guessing that it's a common repair in Michigan as the salt eats at them over the winter months. I did hear an interesting theory last winter though. My neighbor up in Maine was telling me that they keep their cars outside so that they stay cold. He tells me that when the temperatures stay below zero for extended periods, it's too cold for the ice to melt and the rust can't work. I'm thinking that places like southern Michigan and Massachusetts are breeding grounds for rust as the ice always seems to be melting off of cars, with the salt.

What kind of vehicle are you talking about, Jim?

It's a 2005 Volvo XC-90 that we purchased new. I keep cars for 15 years if I can. I did some reading on the sludge problem last night. Amazing what is out there on the web if one looks hard enough. I seems that it's a common problem, but it also appears that there are remedies short of replacing the engine. I'm going to ave the dealer repair the anti lock and assess the other issues. If sludge remains an issue, I may tackle that one on my own as it appears to be labor intensive. Once the house I'm building now is finished, I'll have some down time, I'm thinking that I can get it done over a couple of relaxing days in the garage.

[Marg Shurtliff]

2 added posts and mine got just 2 hours and 27 minutes .

[Jim Chabot]

Wow!! What a night!

Took a ride into Boston last night to help out some friends with sound system problems at their church. Problems is an understatement but I digress.

In the process I got the cooks tour of a building that has fascinated me since my youth, what an experience as I love exploring old buildings.

Here is the view from the old sound booth that was used years ago for their radio broadcasts.



Here is a view of the old console, I'm guessing it's been a while since someone sat up here.



Here is a place that I'm thinking few people have seen. This is a picture of the sanctuary taken from inside the pipe chest some 75 feet up, I'm looking out between the pipes.



And a dirty little secret is revealed! The pipe chest is a fake, years back when the organ began to fail, the church opted to replace it with an electronic organ. It is absolutely amazing, they have speakers grouped approximately where the ranks they replace were located. When the organ is played the sound comes from the correct locations, there are even speakers located 87 feet off of the floor in the rear of the sanctuary for the strings, it sound as if the string section is coming from the ceiling. Amazing!

And no, that's not me. His name is Ray, he is one of the members of the building maintenance committee. AKA my personal tour guide.

[Marg Shurtliff]

Very interesting , Jim , especially the part about the pipes .

Only a added post and mine got 17 hours and 36 minutes .

[Gina Stevenson]

Yes, I wonder if there are any who have not yet figured it out re those now-dormant pipes.

[Marg Shurtliff]

Very tired tonight and heading to bed now . Would have liked to stay up for the 11PM news . Guess too short a night last night . To make things worse I woke an hour early and didn't get back to sleep . Nice long one tonight !!

[Jim Chabot]

I'll be in bed in twenty minutes. I need to stay up to supervise a bid on a video game on eBay for my little man.

Hopefully up in the AM at 5 so I can make Home Depot when they open and get in a full productive day. We'll see?

[Steve Mershon]

Thanks for the church pics, Jim. Just curious about your Home Depot comment ... Does your "end of the day" time change with the earlier twilight?

[Marg Shurtliff]

Congratulations to Jim on another snarf . A palindrome one this time . And no Burma shave posts either !!

4 added posts this time and mine got 3 hours and 53 minutes and 6 minutes .

[Gina Stevenson]

Congratulations to Jim on another snarf . A palindrome one this time . And no Burma shave posts either !!

What!? No BurmaShave-ing!?

[Marg Shurtliff]

Jim isn't actively seeking snarfs these days . And he still gets them !!

[Jim Chabot]

Thanks for the church pics, Jim. Just curious about your Home Depot comment ... Does your "end of the day" time change with the earlier twilight?

Why yes it does! It's nearly impossible to get anything done without sunlight, and too inefficient to move lights round to see, so I just get up earlier and work while there is light, because night is coming, when no man can work.

[Jim Chabot]

Jim isn't actively seeking snarfs these days . And he still gets them !!

Who says that I'm not actively seeking them? I've just got my eyes on the really big ones! Just 1768 posts until..........................

I've got patience you know. I've wondered what it looked like behind those pipes for 35 years or more! And I have dreamed of someday singing there for at least 20 years..................it's getting closer!

[Steve Mershon]

Why yes it does! It's nearly impossible to get anything done without sunlight, and too inefficient to move lights round to see, so I just get up earlier and work while there is light, because night is coming, when no man can work.

Sounds like a discussion I had with my wife recently. I tried to convince her that "twilight" was coming, and perhaps I might work less. She voiced the same quote. And suggested that I trim my wick and get back in the field. A mixed metaphor.

[Marg Shurtliff]

5 posts added this time . Mine got merely 2 hours and 25 minutes and 2 hours and 5 minutes /

[Steve Mershon]

Back to your church pics, Jim. Could you please tell us about how old the church is and what denomination uses this church? The grouping of seats is interesting with the three levels. The decorations shown in the first picture would make me guess Orthodox, either Greek or Eastern, but the lack of furnishings on the platform would suggest something else. Episcopal?

[Marg Shurtliff]

Just 1 added post and mine got 20 hours and 4 minutes being last .

[Steve Mershon]

This thread sometimes makes me feel like the Rapture has occurred and I've been left behind. Wish I'd paid more attention to that pre- vs. post-millennialism discussion over on the Theology forum.

Calling Car 54 .... Where are you?

[Jim Chabot]

Back to your church pics, Jim. Could you please tell us about how old the church is and what denomination uses this church? The grouping of seats is interesting with the three levels. The decorations shown in the first picture would make me guess Orthodox, either Greek or Eastern, but the lack of furnishings on the platform would suggest something else. Episcopal?

Would you believe American Baptist? This church has an incredible history. Originally a theater, it was purchased by a religious society who determined that pews would not be sold, folks were to come for free. This church was also an integrated church from the beginning, those who supported slavery were barred entry, this was an abolitionist church.

Abraham Lincoln gave an address here in the lower hall back in 1848. Sam Houston gave a speech against slavery there in 1855. Charles Dickens gave a public reading of "The Christmas Carol" in the main hall, at that time it was said to seat over 2000 people, I believe the present capacity is 1750 or so.

From what I can find, it was originally built in 1827 as a theatre, it was unsuccessful and sold in 1843 to be converted into Tremont Temple. It was completely destroyed by fire in 1852. The current structure was opened in 1896

I've been enthralled by the place since my late teens when we would go there with the church youth group for "songtime" with John DeBrine. For over thirty years I've dreamed of one day singing there.

Last night, my dream begins to morph into reality. My wife and I went at a concert at a church in Sharon, MA to hear The Lesters. It was the last concert of the year in this particular series, a friend of ours is the promotor and the pre concert pianist is Geoff Hicks who serves as minister of music at Tremont Temple. After the concert Geoff yelled over to me. "Hey Jim, come over here, I need you." "Need me for what?" I replied. He said that he needs a tenor to do Messiah this year, I said that he must have a bunch of tenors at that big old church. He said, "I don't have any tenors half as good as you, so you've got to come and make this thing sound real big."

I sure hope that I can learn this thing and do it justice. This is quite a surprise.