Back from the Dead

Look at that, a good 14 months since I last made a post here even longer if you're after a post of some significance. Truth is, I have been distracted by all kinds of things, Layouts in IKEA APA boxes, marathon running as well as the most beautiful rubber bumpered MGB in Minnesota. Time flies by and all of a sudden you find you've done nothing with more with the concept.
Today I got a shot in the arm/kick up the arse with regard to the concept. It was the Granite City Train Show again and so I took Wingetts recycling out of retirement as it hadn't been seen for a while (nearly two years) and put in front of the viewing public once again.
The weeks before the show were taken up with adding a chain link fence between the front siding and the middle siding. This was something that I'd wanted to do for a while but never got around to doing. The impending showing gave me an excuse and I used my old standard method of using Tulle (bridal veil material) for the fence and styrene fence posts. Quick, easy and very effective. I also cleaned the wheels and track. As nothing had been done to it for 14 months.
So, this morning we set out for St. Cloud in a relaxed leisurely way. Setting up is always a breeze with Wingetts it has been done so many times.
But wait!
Calamity!
The operating handle of the leading turnout on the layout broke off leaving me with no way to operate the turnout. A repair would have entailed digging up the scenery to solder the handle back on. Not something I was prepared to do 45 minutes before the doors opened. So I made the decision to operate the turnout by switching the roads with a chopstick that I use to help the Kadee uncouplers when they refuse to co-operate. Not an ideal state of affairs but it would have to do.
Ten am came and the doors opened and as usual we were swamped. I have often said before what a great show it is so very busy, yet so very friendly. Friends old and new turned up to see the layout and many people paid a lot of attention to the operation. Aside from the aforementioned turnout issue the layout performed almost perfectly and I came away from the show feeling tired but very rewarded. I had my enthusiasm for the hobby renewed.
"This is the best layout you've ever built." One person was heard to say. I won't disagree, though I do like the Purespring watercress layout.
I remembered how rewarding it was to build this layout against the clock to a deadline. I really want to do that again now.
I think you can be fairly sure that there will be some kind of update coming here soon