mtdoramike

Heck, after going through open heart surgery, I'm just happy to be able to get up in the morning and put my feet on the floor by myself, so old or not, I'm good with it.

Thanks for the offer CD, I went in yesterday and fortunately the fluid has seemed to absorb back into the body and if it continues then no readmittance into the hospital for draining tubes, OUCH. My white blood cell count was slightly elevated which shows signs of an infection so they put me on antibiotics for that. Rehab has been postponed due to these setbacks, but hopefully I will be able to partake of the cardio rehab soon. I have a couple of build offers, one is a Sterling Century Sea Maid 20' mahogany runabout that someone started and never finished, from what I could tell the previous work looks decent. I'm quite looking forward to it, I LOVE these old 1950's kits, I hate to see a kit like that started and then kicked around from pillar to post for 50 years and no one take the time to finish it. The same fellow also has a Victory tug boat he's wanting built. But I'm not committing to anything yet until I see how things go. I've done been told by my doctor "don't go expecting to much to soon, it can take up to 6 months to really start getting back into the swing of things. I'll keep your offer in mind CD if these other things fall through. mike

I sure hope so Dave, trying to stay positive is getting a little harder each day.

Well, I was in the process of looking for something to build to occupy my time while mending, a little something to piddle with, but found out I might have to go back into the hospital for fluid build up in the lungs and around the heart. Jezzz, if it aint one thing it's another. mike

WOW, that is some pretty bad looking orange peel finish for sure. You would have been better to use slow drying enamel and a foam brush. Yeah I don't see any way around the sanding it down.

The model is absolutely stunning and the cross stitching is awesome as well. There's nothing like keeping your hands busy especially if you can turn out stuff like this.

Thanks John, they have me scheduled for rehab in a couple of weeks for a 12 week program. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm able to move around a little bit better today. Triple bypass was not something that I was suspecting when I went into the hospital. But I'm glad they caught it though and replumbed me. mike

Was recovering from Pmonia a couple weeks ago, went to the hospital and had to undergo open heart surgery. I'm back home now after nearly two weeks in the hospital and doing a bit better. mike

Well the Queen embarked on her maiden voyage to her new port in a storm last night. The new owner was ecstatic over the results and wasted no time in picking her up. I hated to see the Queen leave, but a deal is a deal even with my wife who at times will let me fudge a little. But I promised I would let current and future models go once they are completed and not hoard them (once I had as many as 15 ship models, 12 of them in a eight foot by eight foot storage cabinet the length of a wall that I built to house a few model hahahaha). mike

Thanks John, it was a pleasure and an honor to finish Tony's model. I just wish he were still around to see it. The display base was actually part of the building board. It was some what of a pain because there is an aluminum fin that is built into the center bottom of the hull that sticks down from the center of the hull a good two inches, so I had to cut out a slit in the center of the board to accommodate that fin. I believe the fin is supposed to give assistance in turning and makes the boat a bit more maneuverable with the paddle wheel and the three rear rudders. The white pickets between the railings were supposed to be placed on thin plastic sheeting and just wrapped around each deck on the boat. I hated that idea, so I bought some heavier plastic, transposed the pickets onto the thicker plastic and then took my trusty Dremel tool and grooves into some thin wood stock, glued in the plastic between the two railings and then installed them onto the model. To me, this gives it a more finished look. This was just one of the modifications I made to the model. I also caulked all around the bottom or boiler deck just in case water splashed up over the deck, water wouldn't be able to make it down to the hull interior and the electronics. Unlike the original model, I made each deck to be able with just a bit of effort to be removed separately with the removal of 4 small screws on each deck. mike

I have the Queen pretty much finished with just a few odds and ends to take care of, I had to modify and scratch some elements since the kit was quite incomplete when I received the half built kit. But I was able to take a pigs ear and make a nice purse out of it.