Well I woke up this mornin'... Bugger off, I'm not going to think up some witty lyrical exercise in the style of B.B King at 06:30 on the last day of my holiday! Actually, my holiday has been pretty good after two disatrous years previously due to one reason or another beyond our control. And as I sit listening to Spyro Gyra (how can I have missed such wonderful music?) I'm feeling rather chipper. I've hosted two games and as of yesterday afternoon, cleared 122 figures from my 140 figure pile of leaden shame (AKA, the stuff I was too tight to pay for having painted, or which I actually said; 'Hey, I'll paint that myself!' about). OK it was a 20 minute paint job, but it did get those numbers well over what I had planned and with 6000 fantasy figures, the imperfections and slapdash style will blend into the background:   Actually, it also included that bloody big palanquin too, so that's a bonus. The truly liberating thing, is that I can switch off my nor...

 It seems that someone, unscrupulous and almost certainly not from God's Own County, has been trying to scam wargamers by offering models that they don't own, on social media. In this case, it's figures belonging to Ken Reilly, A.K.A 'The Yarkshire Gamer'. Ken writes: 'A bit of a worrying post today, someone has been trying to sell my figures, no jokes today, someone has been using pictures of my figures, saying they are theirs and offering them for sale.   Pretty low and I really don't want anyone getting scammed, these figures are not for sale, in fact I have no figures for sale. The picture below was I believe the one that was used, its been removed from the group it was posted in.       I can't see all the #wargaming #tabletopgames groups, so if I could ask a favour and ask anyone who sees my stuff for sale to let me know and report it to the group owner as well.    Thanks to the person who informed me.   If you do want to buy the unit of 3...

 Well, I'm counting down the days now until my return to work, and the onset of Autumn. Ho-hum... So far we've been to some excellent restaurants and less illustrious yet still wonderful eateries over the last month. Today, the Memsahib has had to stay close to home, as she has a rather important meeting to chair, what with the recent election etc, so we slummed it and went for a lunch with a traditional British seaside vibe. I had a rather excellent prawn salad, with gorgeously freshly boiled prawns and a simple but equally fresh salad: It transpires that my wife has never tried a Knickerbocker Glory, that quintessentially English seaside treat, which if done properly, is both healthy and an artery-clogger in the same glass. I have not had one for well over 40 years and my month-long childood holidays on the coast. So it was decided that we should indulge ourselves. I was not disappointed: Neither was the Memsahib... After the great game on Sunday, I was out in the games room ...

 Well, I am into the last ten days of my Summer break, and looking forward to another 4 course lunch out at Chatsworth in the Cavendish restaurant followed by a few hours in the Peak District, just 'being'. I've been mulling over a few things in the last couple of weeks, one of which is the idea of picking a single period for historical gaming, commissioning a couple of thousand models and then once they are all done, adding a unit per month for the next decade or so. This seems to me, to be a sensible way to go, as I get older and more inclined to larger games, less often in my own games room. It could work... The problem is, which period to go with. I've discounted Napoleonic and ACW, straight out of the gates, but there's a sense of warmth in my loins for something involving men in tights and wigs - no not the Pink Oyster Club - so it may make sense to go with the Marlburian era, or maybe the Great Northern War. It's almost that time of year when I cease gami...

 Well, I reached the youthful age of 56 yesterday, and spent the day at Leeds Art Gallery which has some great works of art...    and some really dire contemporary 'sculpture', which makes me think that the Arts Council funding needs a severe overhall, because someone must be letting their guide dog make the choices, or is getting financial kickbacks. No pics of this, because frankly it was laughably bad stuff. The cafe in Leeds Art Gallery is a magnificent 19th century tiled cathedral, which itsel, is a work of art:   Our very enjoyable morning was followed by lunch at Estabulo, a very good Brazilian grill, which is pretty much next door, and which was where I almost met my mortal end, due to a surfeit of grilled meats and wonderful salads, which I openly admit to over indulging with - but hey, it was my birthday after all... The birthday gifts were few, but fine gifts indeed:   As you can perhaps see, there were some primo old school models in there. On Saturd...

 Well, in three days I've got the 72 'wild' giant wolves finished for my Red Orc (Red Goblin) army... I still need to get the twelve compulsory wolf riders finished. You had to have 1 wolf rider per 5 wolves, to control them... I have around as many wolf rider cavalkry to go with these and around 160 (at last count) infantry. The Red Orcs were a polarising range, a bit like Marmite. I like Marmite...  I bought loads as a kid, but it's only in the Autumn years of my time on this world that I've completed it - along with many other armies. I'm currently hoovering up every Aly Morrisson High Elf I can find to complete the final army in my Great Fantasy Project, then I shall return once again to the realms of historical wargaming and mundanity.

 It was a sad day yesterday, with the funeral of the late Steve Roberts.  Even sadder was the attitude of some of my former friends and gamers after the service, at the wake which followed. I'd reluctantly decided to go to it for an hour or so, after paying my respects to man who - despite  he furore following comments I'd made privately about Sheffield Triples - demanded and got my eternal respect. He was a big man in every way, surrounded by smaller and pettier men. The memsahib and I arrived at the wake and were invited to join two of the newer (30 years or so ) members, and a 'senior' member, who upon finishing his drink, ordered another and went and sat with a group of similar hardcore 'Party Members' after ignoring us for half an hour. And this folks, is the attitude - or one of them - which screwed up a great show, a fantastic club and some great friendships. Of course, my pointing out a few glaring issues, didn't help, but if those issues didn't ...