Absent Friends And The Year Ahead

 Another week of painting and basing is behind me and, I'm looking forward to an easy weekend.

I've had a few nights of seriously interrupted sleep patterns, so I'm not at my sparkling best, but I'm hoping to do a little reading and planning for the year ahead.

As I mentioned previously, I'm looking at the WoFun plexiglass figures, to reduce the time between buying and playing. It's a brilliant way of approaching periods which I am more interested in gaming rather than owning miniatures for, if that makes sense?

It's also great for those periods with lots of possible opponents, such as Ancients. When my wife was pregnant and couldn't sleep, we played some massive games pitching Ancient British versus Macedonians to WRG 6th edition. Now we are discussing doing it all again, but I really can't be bothered with 'real' figures, and so the WoFun option seems sensible.

I also noticed the range of Maratha stuff, which is one of those subjects I always fancied but just couldn't be arsed in putting together, so again, the WoFun stuff seems a great way of playing it.

My painter has enough work on the go, so I'm not looking at piling any more on his shoulders quite yet.

I've been thinking of absent friends again this week. Much in my thoughts has been the late Anne Bishop, who passed away a few years ago, much too soon as is so often the way.

Anne was funny and frank, and was like a big sister when I was younger, keeping me in line at the club and also doing likewise with other older gamers when they were taking the piss.

It was Anne, who at my wedding stopped her partner from standing up during the ceremony and declaring that they did indeed know of a just impediment and so forth... As we exchanged vows, there was a muffled squeal from the row behind.

It turned out that said partner had made his move, only to have Anne bend his wrist back, forcing him to behave himself, much to the amusement of those present. PHEW!

30 years have passed since that day, but it seems like a couple of months... Ho hum!

I may sound a little maudlin, but in fact I'm not. Sure, the thoughts of lost friends do sadden me, but equally, they make me smile. The people I've met and been lucky to know have given me so many great memories. 

I'm winding down for the gaming year at present, culminating in Recon in two weeks time, but in the year ahead, I really want to get a lot of gaming done and as I have previously intimated, I'm determined to revisit a few periods I've ignored for a couple of decades or more.

I'm getting close to having my fantasy rules finished and then I'm going to get myself into the right mindset for some more memoir writing, revisiting the period I avoided in my first book in a warts and all manner.

This introspective mood is I believe, due to comments made by Geddy Lee about memories having a shelf life based on the longevity/mortality of those who played a part in them. But I digress. 

I'll bid you farewell for the present as I want to watch a few episodes of Laverne & Shirley whilst eating a decent lasagne.

TTFN