End of year and December 2016 update...

 Greetings dear readers for perhaps the last time for the Year 2016.
I'm not sure how I missed November, (actually, now that I think of it, I am pretty sure that I know why and how I missed November, but that is another story), and so we are onto the last month of the year, and all that goes with it.

So to wind up the month, (as well as the year), here's the December update!

ON THE ROAD TO WISCONSIN:

So a few months ago, I talked to my best friend Dan, about making a weekend road trip in December up to Wisconsin, (Milwaukee area), to check out an old game store and do some Christmas shopping,),
Unfortunately the weather wasn't so accommodating as a wintry slush rain/ice/sleet storm had turned I-65 North into a skating rink.
That Friday night the Interstate was shut down as there were over 200 slide offs and people were stuck 5-6 hours.
On Saturday morning we decided to brave it by moving down alternate routes before being able to get onto 65.
The trip went relatively well, even though, when we were back on 65, the evidence of the ice on the road and what had happened was pretty plain to see.

Ouch! An ISP, (Indiana State Police) cruiser that had it's rear end kissed by an 18 wheeler. The truck was about 100 feet further down the road....

But eventually we were able to get through it and then through Chicago, and even had a balmy 3 degrees weather in Kenosha as we zipped past on our way to our destination!

Nice! Break out the shorts and flip-flops!

But eventually we got to our destination and started with the shopping.

Part of the joy is looking through boxes, and boxes, and boxes, AND boxes of old figures, and finding those that make you go "OOOOOH!!!"

Yeah..bet there's some treasure in there....

But it is also an exercise in patience as there is just "so much".

But eventually I did get down to some purchases: 

A nice cleric figure for my wonderful wife (Gawd bless her!)...

And a "Not Disney Evil Queen Stepmother" Type...

And a female pirate. If you look at the front of the figure you can see the initial discoloration of initial lead rot beginning.

I'll be honest with you, when I saw these figures the first thing I said aloud was "Oooooh...Collateral Damage!"  And then I was ashamed because that is how I viewed them...

And some evil things for future fantasy game scenarios....

I was also able to pick up some RAFM fantasy stuff, like these Demonic Servitors:

Yeps, just the thing to summon on those long, dark, nights...

And another "Witch" to my collection:

"Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble"...

But I made one big purchase while there.

It was something I had had my eye on for a while, and since it was OOP, I decided, "It must be mine!"

Plus it's my first MBA purchase, so I decided "Go big or go home."

So I "Went big"...and then I went home...

Just the setting for an adventure don't you think?...I could name it "The Slaughtered Lamb"...

Make no mistake, this is a BIG BOX...It is definitely the largest, (and most expensive) piece of scenery/terrain I have ever gotten.

But it looks so worth it...

And so we headed back home on Sunday, passing numerous vehicles on 65 that were still there from Friday nights mishaps; in this case an 18 wheeler laying on it's side...

AT HOME AND AT THE TABLE:

So yesterday I sat down at my painting table for the first time since Mid-October.
It was like coming back to a long, lost, friend, that has been waiting patiently for you.
October was supposed to be my "Halloween month", as evidenced by the figures I had on my painting queue.

Witches, vampires, and all sorts of figures galore...to include Pirates, Arabs, Pulp, Angry Grandmothers, Damsels in distress, and whores....always more whores...

Plus I was working on some scenery pieces; in this case, wood piles for campfires, and two rows of barrels that could be used as supplies:

I'm a bit irritated that the months of October and November went by with me not finishing what I had planned but this thing called "real life" intruded and so once again I am behind. There is no way that I will be able to finish out the year 2016 how I wanted to, (with approx 60 odd figures finished), but in retrospect, seeing how 2016 seemed to be a suck year for everyone, this should be expected.
I am hoping that 2017 will see more figures painted, and more importantly....MORE GAMES!

Here's wishing you and your's a happy holiday season and a Happy New Year!