All the leaves are brown, except for those a little reddish.

 

It is not merely leaves on the line that the station staff have to contend with…

Bear necessities

 

A rather frightening encounter today on the Penedredfel Light Railway…

Eventually the bear got fed up and went off in search of other food.

Update

 Things have been quiet here. I am pleased to say the cellulitis has sorted itself with the help of antibiotics and resting. I have reflected a lot on how fortunate we are to have antibiotics. 

A visit from the Black Dog , who popped by , has ended and I am feeling a lot better and more like myself.

Today I will be hosting a VBCW game to continue our familiarisation with the Bolt Action vehicle rules. We will be using these as part of ir-

Both Dinky toys, the bigger was a recent eBay purchase, the smaller came from eBay a while back.

The tank had lost its gun and metal bit to help the turret rotate , easy repairs to make. At the side is an obsolete 19th century gun which was actually used in small numbers in 1940 . I will be using it in today’s game having been painted and a crew found. It will serve as a low velocity anti tank gun.

I noticed a previous owner had scratched a name on the wee tank “ Onward” and that l shall use for it.

It appeals greatly to me using toys from the period in my game , albeit they are more 1/72 than 1/56. The scale doesn’t matter to me. Another appealing aspect is they are the same kind of toy my father had in his youth and which l enjoyed playing with as a boy. On high days he would get the Dinkys out for me in their slightly  tattered boxes and the Dinky/ Skybird figures wrapped in old tissue paper. I really liked them.

Sadly the small collection got lost during some move or storage occasion. The above tanks bring the past and present together for me…

For me l am so pleased to seeing these old toys being used again and not just on a shelf being looked at.

Finally thanks to you all for your kind words and concern, they were greatly appreciated.

Home and not away

 We had a VBCW game adding vehicles to try out the vehicle rules-

The Village people transport- van for the Automobile Association section and a rather splendid car for the command group. I also had a steam lorry and some armoured cars etc.

G, my ally takes out an improvised armoured car wjth his first shot from the Boys anti tank rifle!

The Automobile Association disembark from the van, lets hope that they cut the mustard !

My improvised tank on the right brews up a Liverpool People’s front T26. All fun and a useful learning experience.

In other news l have managed to succumb to cellulitis again and have been given antibiotics and told to rest . I have had to cancel my forthcoming retreat near Grange over Sands this weekend. I will have to content my here. A tad fed up but grateful for modern medicine being the main emotion.

Interesting link. On Copenhagen and its fortifications… Followed by some navel gazing…

 https://elisharesearch.com/2020/09/25/the-old-fortifications-of-copenhagen-and-how-it-shaped-the-city-today/

Yesterday the books came out-

I’ve been trying on and off for thirty years to bring the Danish Napoleonic experience to the table. Only success was a 15mm Battle of Koge demonstration game at the Kirriemuir Wargames show we put on around 27 years ago. Other than that there are lots of bits n bobs around pertaining to failed attempts to do Koge 1807 or skirmishes around the Seige of Copenhagen of the same year. A Sharpe Practice one, a battalion level game idea based on the wee booklet of rules etc on the Peninsula War by Barry Edwards and a Trangen inspired skirmish. Not to mention Trangen .

There was much less info around thirty years ago and a big file of cuttings and articles was built up , now superseded by such printed sources as above. I am spoiled for information.So the question is , filled with the recent holiday enthusiasm ringing in my ears , do I try to take something Danish and Napoleonic forward..

Cons:

Lots of failed projects in this period, lots of half completed other work on the work bench from recently- Craigshire, VBCW Welsh Nationalists, Hawaiians etc etc, lack of energy and enthusiasm at times, a need to downsize my collections to spare my daughters later.

Pros: thirty years of being fascinated by the Napoleonic period in Denmark, bits and bobs which could be take forward, a now or never feeling, winters quarters are coming with indoor hobby rather than outdoor hobby work to the fore, ld like to have a go.

Currently wondering if my 25mm British/ Hanoverian civil war collection ( based for the Portable Wargame on 60mm square bases) and old school Minifigs/ Hincliffe  and painted would provide the attackers and l could cobble together, adapt, possibly buy some Danish defenders. One base as a battalion. Portable Wargame or Volley and Bayonet as possible rules

Hmmm much to muse on. Any suggestions or advice?

Back 3 or the third day in Copenhagen

 Again in reverse order , evening to morning 

Daughter number two with a scary denizen of Tivoli!

The magic of after dark in Tivoli , a magical place.

Pumpkins predominant in the decorative scheme. 

Some posters seen at the interesting Danish Design museum.

Lur Horn statue outside the town hall in the square.

Carvings just outside the Town Hall. 

A lovely church in Vesterbro near where the hotel Jan’s and I first stayed in over thirty years ago. As we were passing I sought out the hotel and was pleased to see it still going strong.

Wonderful painted illusion in the meat packaging district, a revitalised industrial area now full of trendy places to eat , drink and shop.  

Another view of the above.

Daughter number two had researched this place as a must see . We had a splendid beer and meet lunch here.

Lovely building en route to Warpigs. 

As was this…

Prior to leaving the hotel in the morning we checked a website and discovered the water quality had changed for the better and so we returned to the swimming site of yesterday where an excellent swim was had .

Another mermaid seen . The sun was out for my daughter’s swim and she was delighted after yesterday’s disappointment. Many locals were availing themselves os the swimming venue too. All was preceded by an excellent breakfast in the hotel.

Back 2 or the second day in Copenhagen

 The day in reverse cause Blogger uploads like that , very odd.

Evening meal at a Taco concession alfresco. Daughter number two is a bit of a foodie so had researched places to eat, this was the food market. Very nice too.

She went up the round tower where Jan and I went on our first visit. A ramp not stairs to the top btw.

View from coffee concession in  Ulim Bolighus, I went out but came in quickly as I don’t do heights!

A different way to see the city , by water on canal tour, absolutely fascinating and a new perspective completely. First time doing this. Would recommend.

 

Great to see the sheds where the Danes kept their gun boats in the napoleonic wars. There were lots of shed. A big gunboat fan I really enjoyed seeing these.

It was fun going under the bridges. Not a lot of clearance.

Interesting sign above the door, wonder what lay behind it…

As we had Copenhagen Cards I took my daughter in to see the beloved Lur horns as well as the Bronze Age and Iron Age exhibits.

A lovely court yard just off the street.

Anna is a keen wild swimmer and we went to do this first thing. A notice advised against swimming due to poor water quality. Disappointing in a way but excellent in another.

The splendid swimming area decked out so well by the Danes. There are quite a few places like this.

After breakfast we walked to the swimming place past this wonderful bridge just crying out to be modelled and used in another context like as a space outpost on a planet…

Great day but walked more than we intended. Copenhagen does that to you 😀