This week in Tradgardland

Saturday here at last. I am sitting here with my coffee prior to getting a train into Edinburgh. I am taking my mother out Christmas shopping in her wheelchair to the gyle shopping centre. She can walk around the house but needs the chair to be transported in and for any distances. She rarely gets out so I hope she enjoys this one...

Last weekend saw the Kirriemuir show and it was good to catch up with people- esp the Tulloch brothers from my uni gaming days,putting a face to Republicofalnwick (from gwp3) and Phil Olley.The show was small but a good mix of traders.Not to mention Scots pies and coffee. What caught my eye was a superb battle of Harlow game with amazing hilly terrain and a 1920's Irish scenario with wonderful street scene with innovative buildings flanking a wide street.Figures could be put at windows from the table's edge. I browsed much at the b&b and traders,resisted some things and bought only a few Impetus bases from warbases.

Phil W ( my regular opponent and driver to the day) has given me two 24 fig Roman auxiliary eastern archer units to paint- thanks Phil,. One is Garrison and the other Greenwood and Ball- he has had them in his garage for myriad years.They will beef up my Romans excellently and enable me to deal more effectively with his ad69 revolting Germans under civilis or his Celts. Having come to the end nearly of painting my matched BI armies- Highlanders/Islesmen versus Scottish Fantasy I need to decided what to do next. I am tempted to tweak my vbcw forces for a game and need to paint only a few companies. Energy levels are low after a very demanding week at work,not to mention planning to do tomorrow so we will see.
Finally today's picture is of Jim's stout Syldavians which have set up camp here with me for the present. They are splendid fellows on parade as the photo shows and have settled well into their winter quarters here. Their days are spent drilling and their nights singing and telling tales,around the campfire, amongst the autumn leaves under the starry skies. I hope they will get an outing against the Bordurians very,very soon...