thanks to all whom replied with well wishes. as most of you now we can focus more on the scenery aspect on our layout.
yes I'm fortunate that my wife loves trains as much as I do and seeing she has the artistic talent it leaves me to constructing the buildings but we work as a team.
we have amassed quite a few scenery items and today as we were in a nursery looking for plants came across bags of what appears to be a form of lichen in a 12"x12" bag for 12.00
I still have the logging loop to complete yet it was an after thought and a yard area but hey if up until 4am who cares were living the dream.
best wishes to all who are retired and to those getting closer still.
to those just begining best advice I can give is start paying yourself now towards retirement it arrives sooner than you think.
$oo