Food, and figures, and finishing figures, (and other things)...

The days of summer are behind us now, and with it, this week I saw the first snow flurries at work. Halloween is done, and Thanksgiving is right down the road...and after that Christmas.

The days are getting that crisp coldness and the gray skies that I have always seemed to have enjoyed.

It means that along with the wonders of Christmas, I will be getting more painting and terrain building done. 

I am actually quite proud of myself for this year so far, (with the exception of my battlefront purchase and the Little Wars splurge I did), I kept my "figures acquisition" down quite a bit and my 28mm figures painted projects are moving along.

My wife (Gawd bless her!), always makes sure I am good to go in the "food and supplies, (ie: Coffee, tea, beer, or drinks), department", while I am "slaving away" at the paint table.

Yes...sandwiches, chips and drinks...always remember to wash your hands AFTER you eat, lest you get greasy fingers on your figs....

About three months ago, I stated a "paint 100 figures by the end of the month challenge". So far I have approx 50% of them done already. They've actually come along quicker than I thought and using the Dallimore block method, I'm getting a lot more done, usually batches of a half dozen at a time.  Now remember that the challenge was "painted" not "flocked or sealed".  That still has to be done...but so far this is this months current "finished painted" queue, 20 so far.....

Slaves and Egyptians, and sailors, and a "soiled dove", old ladies, and fellows up to no good...a regular "Rogues Gallery"...(to steal an old D&D term)...

Here's the "to be flocked, sealed" queue. The paint jobs are finished and now all they need is a the groundwork, some washes for some of them, and sealing.  I've broken them down into my "monthly progressing. August is in the clear box on the left, Sept is the first four figures on the front left column, October is the next two three ranks behind, (as well as the Coca-Cola machines), and now November is on the right, By keeping them in lines of five, I can keep an accurate count of each progression.

I do have a few figs that I might be able to finish this afternoon, but my wife and I have a midday lunch with some friends, and then who knows...perhaps some shopping or a movie. I have told her that I would like to see "Fury" today.

But there is something that is disturbing me.

Yesterday I posted the sandwich picture up on FB. I basically complimented my wife for bringing me lunch while I painted, and said that "I am blessed".

While most responses have been positive, there was one that stood out....

I am not sure if he was trying to be humorous and it didn't carry across or not. I just don't know, since internet reflection is neutral, but my natural human tendency is to see it more as insulting than humorous.

I've sent him a response to see if he meant it as a joke.  If he did, I hope he can explain it. If he didn't then I hope he will explain what the problem is. If he continues with the attitude, well...I haven't the time, energy, or desire to deal with him, not the want to deal with him, so it will be one less friend on my list....ah well....se la guerre.....

Of Notebooks and thoughts.

In my last post, I had posted photos of my Egyptian Agent painted up as a cemetery statue/spectre...and a couple of people asked me about "what colors I used". I stumbled a bit until I remembered. Then the flash of genius hit me...(like a brick)....

"You should keep a notebook on your gaming things like this, so you can keep track of information like this...so you don't forget it if you need it again...."

Thank you oh, gaming muse...this is a great idea and well...something I should have done a while back. Just a simple spiral notebook that I can well....put notes in on colors used, how I do things, etc...for reference....ideas/thoughts, the whole nine yards sort of thing....

I think I am going to call "Wargamer's Notebook"..(yeah, real original....)

And I don't think it will become a blog...although I might put some of the info up here in the near future. 

What do you think?

Little Wars 2016....

A recent post on TMP discussed how Little Wars is going to be moving from the DuPage Expo Center to the Westin Lombard Convention Center in the West Chicago Area.

This is giving me some serious mixed feelings.

On one hand I love the Little Wars convention and plan to attend and probably run a game in 2015.

On the other hand it's further out but still in Chicago, and as a result of it's geographic location, there is really no easy way to get to it other than paying massive ugly "tolls".  My recent experience on Chicago tollways is that the city is the perfect definition of the term "Highway robbery"....Four dollars to get ONTO the tollway and then anywhere from 1.85 - 5.00 for every 2 1/2 miles it seems is a bit much.

Plus the hotel does seem a bit on the "pricey" side....

Here's the TMP link discussing it: http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=362702

And here is the link to the location: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1526&language=en_US

I have yet to see anything about room prices for the convention, but I think it's not going to be pretty.  See in Chicago, even the taxes have taxes!!!!

Okay that is it for now, as I must get going....however I hope to have another quick update here soon, as I finished shading, and sealing my figs and getting some of them properly photographed and a suitable background for them.

More to come!