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Friday 10 July 2020

A weight off my mind

Fairly quiet week where the lockdown really got on my nerves, I had to put a rictus smile on my face as people came in wanting to be served and further annoyed me while I sat falling asleep in the corner in my 'Frasier's Dad's Chair'.



I did manage a few things, the Paras are ongoing with the 1st Squad complete, the second ready for varnishing and the third next in the queue. Not difficult to paint and lovely figures to boot so I may have them dropping into Nazi held Europe fairly soon, even if it is solo.



In between the above I kept going back to my station, I decided to make some place names, so that I can get the most use out of it I made three, French, German and Russian, I was also tempted to do a Polish one as my Red horde close in on the Reich, but that can wait for now. I also managed at last to get the foam ballast I have been looking for, this is lovely stuff as the rails fit into it and you get 5m of the stuff for a reasonable price. I had wanted a textured ballast but that remains unavailable and having no patience I took the basic one, considering how often we have rails in our games I could have waited but no.




On the same subject mate Stuart designed and printed off a pile of luggage for my station, I had asked for a couple of suitcases but he has outdone himself and has produced some excellent pieces. They are waiting for me at the local PO depot as there was not enough postage on the package, and here was me thinking I was in 'the trade' so to speak and these things were irrelevant to me, wink, wink.

 
 Up until recently I have had no mapping projects, I got a small one in a couple of weeks ago, but this morning I have gone to the opposite end of the scale with the publishing house open for business. The Atlas now has a completion date of February 2021 so this means at least seven maps a month until then, however these have to be done in between other work and I have to rely on the author sending maps far quicker than he has done so far. Hard on the heels of the Atlas news I received eleven maps to be drawn for "Eighth Army versus Rommel" by James Colvin, there will be no falling asleep in the chair now.

As you can see the end of the week has brightened up for me, I also managed a haircut, I had to jump through several easy hoops to get the cut and hold a mask on throughout but I managed, so with a weight off my mind (come on) I skipped back to Casa Anderson. Oh and one grateful customer mentioned my new look today, oh pleeease.

Ugly Duckling.
Beautiful Swan.


21 comments:

  1. Sorry for being slow to post, I am having a ton of trouble with safari trying to post on blogger as it does not allow me to stay signed in!

    Your last post about the CoC British paratroopers is interesting, I have used them quite often and there are problems with the design of the platoon, I am not sure I will change mine up but your post gave me food for thought.

    I really enjoyed Kingdom and I am not even a fan of Zombie series, everyone I have recommended it to has also enjoyed it. I also liked Money Heist although have not yet watched season 3.

    So on to today, the lockdown has not bothered me too much, as I am not a great mingler anyway unless I am in a foreign country. That maybe because I am stuck in the US and outside can be a scary place here especially when you can listen to other's conversations! I think it will be months if not years before I can go home to Canada, but so it goes.

    That foam ballast is terrific, where did you get it from and what track is it?

    Good to get a haircut, I was very relieved when I could get one.

    Best wishes, John

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    1. Hi John, I also cannot leave comments from Blogger, no one can I think. We reached the end of Kingdom the other night, looking forward to the next one but possibly end of '21. We were raging at Heist last night, we are almost finished Season 4, no spoilers but aaaaaargh! The ballast is from Peco and is OO/HO scale why two I don't know but it is basically 1/76, if you can find it they do a brown and grey with texture on them and that was what I really wanted. I got the track from ebay, reasonable price as well.

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    2. Money Heist: We finished Season 1 and began Season 2 this week. Riveting stuff and a great recommendation from you, George.

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    3. Putting me under pressure Jonathan, not sure what the next winner is, started the new Perry Mason last night, jury still out.

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  2. Your plate is filling with a lot of map work. Hope it will be possible to provide teasers as work progresses. The foam rail ballast looks interesting. I have not seen this product and would work better than the cork ballast I use today. Nice haircut too!

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    1. Yes looks like the brakes are off Jonathan. I have shown several from the Atlas and the Western Desert I have drawn several times and covered the whole area, I could look those out but by the time I do and convert or amend to what the new author wants it is faster to redraw. Sharpest subpostmaster in the Northwest Johnathan :)

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  3. The luggage looks pretty good, is it commercial or privately just for you?

    The hair cut - surely you just put Brillcream on or what ever you naval types do and just combed it back:)

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    1. I don't know if Stuart will sell it, I expect so but I will ask. As for Brylcreem that was the RAF :)

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  4. Have you considered a career change - not sure the Post Office is a perfect fit for you? I seem to remember with the Trix train set of my very early youth, the tracks sat on a sort of tarred strip with tiny bits of cork stuck into it. Looked the business but doubtless toxic and carcinogenic?

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    1. Not at my age Jeremy having given my young years to the defence of the Empire and my middle years to keeping the economy running. I deserve a rest here in Brig-a-doon.

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  5. Fine looking additions, particularly like the multi use station signs. Good news on the map front, the Anderson Map Fortune looks like it will grow in due course.

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    1. Thanks Phil, yes the people at the LMF (Legendary Map Fortune) are pleased with the lifting of the lockdown, but apprehensive that the boss will now require funds for soldiers.

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  6. G'Day George, love the station names - yes thrown in a Polish one! It's interesting what a good haircut can do. The before photo brought back memories of an old drill serjeant who used to stand behind you on parade and say: " Am I hurting you son? Well I should be, I'm standing on your hair! Cheers Greg

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    1. When I was in the Mob (RN) we were at last allowed to grow our sideburns long, I left in '79 still not having managed it, I was too 'skin' (young and fresh faced). I love the opening scene in 'Guns at Batasi' when the soldier is pulled up for not saluting, priceless.

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    2. Great Movie. I've know a number of RSMs who appeared to have modelled themselves on Richard Attenborough's RSM Lauderdale. Cheers Greg

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  7. The station names signs are my favourites there. As to the customers disturbing your repose, well, no rest for the wicked! Looking forward to seeing the paras in action!

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    1. Thanks David, I also look forward to seeing how the Paras get on. I reckon at this rate another two weeks should see them done.

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  8. Splendid paras sir! Plus a very dapper hair-do ;o)
    Glad the LMF will be looking healthy. Now... What to get you to spend your money on eh? I do hope you have all the right supports for those paras. Can't leave the lads in the lurch against the might of the German war machine. Speaking of Germans (and going back 2000 years) those Foundry figures look rather good don't they? Wink, wink
    Cheers
    Matt

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    1. I have already got all the supports for the Paras and some, PzIII command tank and a Luchs are on the list, maybe another truck for the Russians, lend lease along with a Valentine, one of the Shock armies attacking Berlin was completely equipped with Shermans, anyway, lots of choices. Some of the WAC warbands will get new recruits but that IS IT! I do look dapper if a tad older.

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  9. Terrain and figures, superb as ever.
    Signs are quite inspiring.
    As for haircuts, Mdme Le Duc runs the razor over 'ma heed'.
    'A 1 and a 2 please luv'.

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