A gift

 This book arrived in the Duchy recently. It was an unexpected and most kind gift from S. 

It was accompanied by this card telling a most moving and inspiring story in words and a beautiful stained glass window.

The book, which I am reading currently, is an exciting first hand account and I would recommend it to you.

Thank you S.

Kitbags and running in armour

 Interesting post here -

https://onceiwasacleverboy.blogspot.com/2024/03/kit-bags-across-centuries.html

Watch the videos, fascinating!

Recruits

 Yesterday saw me painting some East Tradgardland troops and civilians-

Some new recruits arrived-

They are resin , got them off Etsy and had them printed at 28mm rather than 32mm which l think will fit in nicely with their fellow easterners. They come with separate heads and on first glance look nice, crisp figures.

A strange week

 The day after my birthday Jan would have been 62. When we met it was an amusing conceit to have birthdays a day apart. However it often resulted in hers being sort of left behind or conflated into a joint celebration. I wish we had gone for one of us having an “ official “ birthday in the summer but Jan wasn’t up for that.

For my daughters particularly it is a strange roller coaster of a week. The highs of Wednesday moving to the depths of Thursday whilst gearing up for Mother’s Day on Sunday. To my mind it has become so commercialised and it cannot be got away from , even in the e mail inbox  where one is asked to opt out of  the advertising. 

In other matters rebasing has sort of stalled but hopefully will restart next week. East Tradgardland has gained some recruits from the lead pile in the shape of woodsmen with bows, not to mention irregular cavalry. I have been trying to resist the 20mm Early Wars Miniatures interwar British vehicles which look beautiful. It is as if Pathe News footage of 1920/30s manoeuvres have come to life. 

Yesterday l had planned a day away as a distraction but ended up staying locally and began the process of getting the garden geared up for another year. The sun was out, it was not too cold and it was a diverting experience which has whetted my appetite for further endeavours.

In Falkirk on my birthday

 I went to my eldest’s for lunch in Falkirk today, Wednesday . I like going there because l lived for a year in Falkirk and the place holds happy memories for me. So a few photos of murals, plaques and buildings not to mention some purchases.

An interesting book and a couple of toy soldiers from the collectors shop, couldn’t leave them in the shop window could l?

Above and below murals pertaining to the battle. I believe the faces of local folk were painted into the scene.

Interesting plaque pertaining to the Jacobite battle…

Linlithgow, which I passed through on the bus from Falkirk to Edinburgh. The bus drove past 

 many of my old haunts, some  changed almost beyond recognition. The village l lived in has an incredible amount of houses, schools , shops etc being built in it!

64- A Beatles or Zoo Lane birthday!

 I turned 64 today. Went to my eldest’s for lunch, went back to Edinburgh and had a meal out with the family. 

Not to mention presents-

Breakfast left for me by my middle daughter before she left for work this morning.

A good day!

Napoleonic jumper

 Really enjoyed seeing this jumper-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68452333

It would be fun to paint a figure wearing this…