Slowly does it

I have started on the 33rd Regiment of Foot, my first Seven Years War unit, I am completely new to this period and chose the 33rd as it was one of the small number of British units fighting in Europe, the SYW for us was mainly about taking Canada, India and sundry other French colonies and bases. Apart from the Prussians the main Allied army in Europe was mainly Hanoverian with some help from Hesse and Brunswick, the main Allied general was the Duke of Brunswick. Although I could probably get enough British battalions to give me a decent little army it would not be representative so I shall add Hanoverian's, Hessian's and Brunswicker's later on.

The 33rd is led by John Griffin 4th Baron Howard de Walden and have a red coat with what I thought would be simple white lace and trimmings, although the figures have some of the lace standing out quite prominent my painting of it could be a lot better but I am going for the mass effect while trying my best. Most of the uniforms of the period look unnecessarily complex to modern eyes and must have been expensive to produce, although no doubt savings would be made somewhere and who knows what they ended up like after a month or so of hard campaigning.

I normally have something playing in the background while painting but I find that I have to concentrate so much on the lace that if the programme is even a little interesting I miss parts so will go back to finding documentaries or history lectures until the complicated bits are done. I have not spent a lot of time painting during the week but even so until yesterday I had only managed six figures. I now have thirteen done, this is going to be a long project. Once the lace is finished I can see me getting back up to speed as only the musket, some leather work, shoes and gaiters are left, oh and the hat.

I received my flag finials and cords yesterday, the idiot postman had delivered them to the George Washington pub, the package was addressed to the Post Office, why should Britain tremble.

I got to watch Black Panther last night, and although I like a good superhero this one just doesn't work, it's not the hero it is the background story which you get hit over the head with until you understand, but of course all you have is more questions. You get almost an hour of nothing but mumbo jumbo before anything remotely interesting happens. We checked the timer and it still had 45 minutes to go, click, bed. I am hard to please but not impossible, I look forward to the third and final installment of the superb Jeremy Thorpe scandal tonight.

I have been asked recently about Washington House since there has been no information since I put the white flag up to the world's madness on the View. We are still in Limbo, the possible buyer was given access to carry out in depth surveys of the property and was supposed to sign on the dotted line at the end of May, to which end John (owners brother), gave me the keys to give to the new owner when he turned up. That was over a week ago, still got the keys. The plaque on the wall says "James Rex, 1612, RWS" the one opposite may be a builders mark of some kind, my house dates to 1690's.