Today I bought the four adapter pieces of track I need to connect the 30" sections to the existing track. See, the track in the train set is Lionel's "FasTrack" and the sections I bought was like the original Lionel tracks used to be. They're not interconnectable unless you have adapter sections.
So I go to set up the train set under the Christmas tree, and for some reason the box only has two of the four 10" straight sections in it. I have no idea where they went; they should have gone into the box with the train set when I put it away last February--but obviously they did not. Fortunately the transformer connector section was there. Shit.
...but now I have a broad oval layout some eight feet long and as about three feet wide. The train runs quietest on the 60" of traditional track, and it's much nicer to run on this big wide oval than it was to run on the little bit of track that came with the set.
So then we finished decorating the tree (having lighted it Sunday) and it's beautiful. We're happy with it.
* * *
The Svensmark hypothesis has accrued some evidence in its favor.
* * *
This handy flowchart will help determine who is a filthy commie bastard and who is not.
In the same vein, A handy checklist of who supports net neutrality.
* * *
Anyway, still no idea for the Christmas vignette, and it's already after midnight on the 20th. We'll see how this goes!