Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down
Especially when the rainy day is a Saturday morning in the summertime in Ottawa!
"Why is that?" you ask.
Because we can't get our train ops session in! That's why!
Well, the next best thing is to visit a few friends in the boardroom at Fred's which is what we did!
While Father Fred was as disappointed as all of us were with Mother Nature on this day, we kept dry indoors in the boardroom and in Fred's workroom.
Bernie continued with the monitoring of the payments for Lawrence's donated items.
Fred will be inspecting these three pieces of rolling stock before they go out on the railroad for our standard gauge operations.
The windmill has been lubricated and is ready for planting back at Windmill Siding in Ironwood.
The CP reefer is also ready for service once more.
Fred, Bernie & I received a rather pleasant surprise when an old friend of Fred's called Fred up to donate this locomotive to our collection which will be up for sale for anybody who wants it.
Fred tells us that it should be in good running order and I believe that the gentleman sent along the throttle with the locomotive.
Fred tells us that it may need a new battery.
Along with the steam locomotive this baggage car came in the mix...
...as did this passenger car fit for the end of the train.
A simple carrying case comes with the engine.
The two cars came in a "Rube Goldberg" cardboard box carrying case.
Fred tells us that the locomotive and two cars are from the Bachman "Big Hauler" set.
This little assembly is quite eye-catching.
Love the royal blue reminiscent of the B&O RR.
A close up view.
She's Number 1332.
This kind gentleman also donated this CNR flatcar with stakes.
We also had another copy of this puppy up for sale as part of Lawrence's collection and apparently a couple of lads bid on it...so now this specimen would be available for purchase from the lad who had earlier lost the bid.
If you are interested in purchasing any of these items, please let Bernie know.
Robin arrived later in the morning to pick up his items which he paid for. It was great seeing you out, Robin.
Bernie captured this pic of little ole me, Mike, with a single feathered headdress atop "me head" in white and red!
Now, there's a better shot!
Hey, yesterday Lisa and I attended the inspection of the ceremonial guard by the Governor General, Mary Simon. Afterwards, she and her husband, the renowned author Whit Fraser, conducted a read-aloud with young children in the kick-off to the "United in Literacy" campaign held on the grounds of Rideau Hall.
I am pictured with Lisa in the upper left corner and you can see the GG & Whit in the midst of all the youngsters in this image taken by the official photographer at Rideau Hall.
We see Mary Simon and Whit Fraser with the president of the United in Literacy campaign...I do not recall her name.
Our daughter Alison was the Master of Ceremonies at the kick-off event at Rideau Hall yesterday. She is the Manager of Visitors Services at Rideau Hall.
This is an older image when she received her Masters degree many years ago.
That's her older sister, Karen, on the right helping to celebrate this fine honour. Karen is a high school teacher at Nepean High who also has her Masters Degree.
These next two images come from the official website at Rideau Hall showing the inspection of the ceremonial guard.
Quite regal indeed!
Alison's office window is on the upper flow second from the right. She looks down over the fountain.
The "Fountain of Hope" was built to honour Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope.
Seventy brass jets spray water around the fountain creating a perfect sphere. In the image above found on the official website, we note that the Canadian Flag is flying atop Rideau Hall.
On the day this image was taken, the Governor General was not on the premises.
This is the Governor General's flag. It is blue with the crest of the Arms of Canada in its centre.
A symbol of the sovereignty of Canada, the crest consists of a gold lion wearing the Royal Crown and holding in its right paw a red maple leaf. The lion stands on a wreath of the official colours of Canada.
The flag was approved by Queen Elizabeth II, on February 23, 1981, and it follows the general pattern of the governor general's flag in use since 1931.
The governor general's flag takes precedence over all other flags in Canada except The King's, and it flies wherever and whenever the incumbent governor general is in residence.
Finally, here is an image of one of the many bands in which I play taken during Stittsville's PorchFest event this past Thursday.
Some thirty to forty bands and musicians played throughout the many neighbourhoods in Stittsville while raising money for mental health.
It was a joy to "give back" to the community in a fun way.
Our band raised some $300.00 alone.
Now multiply that by thirty to forty bands and singers! Loads of fun!
Thanks for checking in on today's activities in the boardroom at Fred's and out and about in our wonderful city on the two days previous!
All the best, Fred, Bernie, Robin, Mike and the entire OVGRS gang of friends
Here's hoping we can get our operations underway next Saturday!
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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