The Weekend

Floor down thankfully! Reasonably normal weekend ( if hectic) to hand and thoughts re re basing 18th century figs. I have just finished basing them 60mm by 40mm with 6 figs per base. Now I feel I have limited myself...

Tried experiment yesterday of basing on 25mm LOTR round plastic base. Fig looks good ( still broken digital camera so no piccies) and I feel I have options for Charge, Bill Protz's rules etc. A great deal of work but worth it. What do you think?

Photo from German photographer mentioned of late upon "Wars of Louis xiv " of late.

Link if you are interested:http://www.history-live-foto.com/bgal3/index.htm

I just love her work -it is amazing !

Back to work tomorrow,bases to order,children to educate,house to return to normality and adventures to be had. Have a good week one and all!

Update...

Life is hectic- new term,new boss and the builders in! The kitchen walls are being knocked down to form a larger area incorporating the hall and a new oak flooring is being laid upon the dining/sitting rooms. The upshot is all books are in the process of being moved ,everything is in the wrong place and it is indeed the domestic world turned upside down.

It has meant I have seen books and figures I have not laid eyes upon for years. I am in a dilemma as to wheter to give rules I don't play to the Charity shop. My wife ,sensibly remarked,that I would probably end up buying a new copy in months to come so not to bother!

There are so many uncompleted projects have out of boxes- syw,ecw,ancient ,Victorian s.f ,54mm H G Wells for FLW and many ,many more. The enthusiasm rises,money is spent,figures arrive and then are spirited away . It is hard to focus...

One advantage of the house being like this is I have no chance to paint/game in the foreseeable future and therefore am taking stock of what to do. I don't know about you but I am often too tired after work to do anything much.

On the reading front I am loving "Warrior of Rome " by Sidebottom - a cracking read and great fun - even if you hate ancients ( how could anyone ,I hear you cry) it will make you want to buy Romans!!!! Also reading about a north African philisopher/bishop/gentlemen/general called Synesius of Cyrene who also wrote some cracking poems and hymns- not to mention organising,raising and commanding troops against invaders/raiders. Well worth a google if you have time...

On the audio I am having great fun listening to Florence and the Machine and The Killers. On the visual front Babylon 5 is living up to my expectations and more- I am hooked once more!

Have a good weekend and if I can re set up the computer I will add more over the weekend.

p.s the Picture ( The Traveller ) is one of my favourites, I was using it for an art lesson this week and thought you might enjoy it...

Inspiration...

Well this summer we managed to get a couple of local trips - we went to St Andrews where I went into the sea- it was a warm ,beautiful day. Last week we went to St Monans - a small coastal village with working harbour. I was most taken with the architecture and am considering building a few houses like the one in the picture out of card in the Grant/Stokes/Lead Gardens tradition. these will represent (if they get done )a Tradgardland fishing community...

Sadly our digital camera has packed in again. It did the same last summer and amazingly came right in the end. I remain hopeful .... but no piccies of my hobby stuff for the present. On Friday I had a 28mm game of ancients and fought against Carthage to achieve a winning draw with my Romans. A good exciting game with dbm . I hope to game more this autumn and winter.

Next Sunday we need to move all my books, furniture etc to have flooring put down and the kitchen is losing two walls and gaining space from the hall- it will be great but the work will drag on towards Advent and beyond...

Currently I am painting 28mm 15th century French,54mm WW1 Swiss and trying to resist 28mm Middle Imperial Romans which have lain here for ages. As I am reading "Warrior of Rome " by Harry Sidebottom - a fantastic evocation of the 3rd century and not to be missed, I am finding it hard to resist those A & A figures...

Weather has been torrential rain of late and high winds last night ,with drizzle this morning. After church we zoom into Edinburgh today to see hardwood flooring and then zoom out again to prepare for the new term which begins tomorrow. Finally can I recommend a film " Young Victoria" which we viewed last night . It is a good view and worth hiring. Missed the usual glass of real ale/red wine as I have just begun antibiotics for an infected ankle . Finally can I share my excitement for a dvd which arrived yesterday Series 1 of Babylon 5 - an old rave from the past of mine - can't wait. Enjoy your Sunday one and all

Detail...

Over the summer we have been planning our new kitchen. We hope to get one by a German compamy called Alno. Thereir motto appears to be "Der Unterschied liegt im Detail" which means "The difference is in the details."

On such a theme I have posted a photo I took at the 18th century house in Cockermouth. It's evocative detailing transported us to the past when we were there...

In the world of blogs/imaginations and tabletop armies it is the detail that makes all the difference. The touch in word or image which brings the country or army to life- little details which evoke another time or place ,which transport us ,albeit breifly,to another world.

I have loved these small things of Tradgardland (as well as those of others too) which have given me the most pleasure- thinking up a name,family traits,everyday life and so much more...

We are indebted to Phil Olley and many,many more who inspire us to add more vignettes to our armies - to have big fun in the Wee detail....

The return

New computer arrived today -huzzah! The Grubers are online again. I have begun to catch up with the E vE material and individual blogs- glad to see Lady Emma moves forward. The accompanying photo is of us all at the 18th century house in Cockermouth I previously mentioned. It is good to be back...