2017's extremely overdue update...

Weird.

Last thing I remember it was December 2016, and I had just finished a blog post.

I get up to get some coffee and use the men's room, and then suddenly, *BLAM!* 

It's April  May2017, and a lot has changed.

Okay so getting up to things as I had actually already started a draft post but never finished it.

This was an original draft started in January and then saved and just sat alone and unloved for almost 3 months.

First off...

Some figures and scenery!

A nice little 19th Century Victorian Gothic Horror Vignette:

WIP: Various figures in a setting.
“The darkness grew thick and ominous outside of Billingsley Manor. One could barely see further than three feet out the windows into the inky, blackness of night that seemed to surround the manor home and cover it like a funeral shroud.
Inside (from L to R); Miss Morgan (the private educator), ran her fingers through her hair while holding tightly onto the leather strap that held the two ancient, ominous, tomes of forbidden lore while discussing the current situation with Lord Billingsley in the East Wing Study of Billingsley Manor.
Behind her Mrs. Elsbeth Mustard fanned herself and listened carefully to everything that was between Lord Cecil Billingsley and the teacher. Her husband Horatio stood nearby her and behind Cecil with his shotgun open and ready to be loaded.
Lord Cecil Billingsley carefully did his best to explain that “He knew it was a mistake to try to say the words on the ancient scrap of parchment that had been given to him by the old gypsy woman, but that was his only son lying in the casket in the family tomb, and well….”What would you do???”, he asked in desperate exasperation as if trying to find an answer to what has caused their dilemma.
Before anyone could respond a loud ominous shuddering groan was heard outside of the house.
Horatio’s friend Arthur Kensington took that moment to make sure his shotgun was loaded with the special shells they had made. Powdered silver, pure iron pellets, and blessed holy wood ash slivers were mixed with a fair amount of gunpowder in each shell. “Let us have faith that these shells will do exactly as Father Hogan said they would.” He said to everyone while checking his shotgun once again.
Meanwhile their good friend, Nigel Chepley held his shotgun at the ready and quietly waited for whatever would come next…
He did not have long to wait….
For come next….it did….”
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Figures by: Pulp Figures and Wargames Foundry/Casting Room Miniatures.
Furniture by: Frontline Miniatures.
Room: Scratch-built by yours truly.

"The fearsome winds outside in the inky, black, night made the old manor home shudder as if in fear of what was to come.
Inside the study, the heavy table had been moved against the door to offer further protection from anything trying to force it's way inside. Meanwhile, Nigel Chepley watched outside of the left window while Arthur Kensington guarded the right window. Horatio stood nearby his wife Elsbeth, while Miss Morgan and Lord Billingsley conversed quietly.
"Laird MacDougal and Lord Cummerbund should have been back by now." Elsbeth said quietly with a strong tone of concern in her voice.
"If I know Duncan and Basil, they will be back soon enough. Duncan is a plucky enough Scotsman to get through things thick and thin, and Basil is wily enough also." Billingsley replied trying to add a tone of cheerful confidence to the thick atmosphere of dread that permeated the study.
"Yes, but Basil's older and his heart isn't what it used to be." Horatio said quietly, reminding Billingsley of that cold, sobering fact...
And once again a thick silence came upon the small group in the room as each of them was absorbed in their own thoughts and wonders of what the next few moments would bring..."

WIP: Lord Cecil Pennington Billingsley (Approx. Late 19th Century), in his favorite "walking out" clothing.

WIP: "19th Century Figures" and Scenery.
"Bartholomew J. Peters discusses business terms with Mr. Smith, (purveyor of fine goods and other things for Lord Hawkins) as he examines the current merchandise he is interested in buying. "Well, yes, although we all know here that slavery is illegal after we beat the Southerners in the war a while back, I think that if the offer you make to me is acceptable for Miss Josette here, I can look the other way, and she can become the property of Lord Hawkins." Bart Peters said, while smacking his lips at the idea of the large amount of hard gold currency that Mr. Smith was willing to pay to "purchase" young Josette here. Bart thought quickly. New girls were showing up every week, and no one would miss Josette here at all....Hell's Bells, in two weeks no one would remember her at all either, and those that did, would just think she skedaddled out for greener pastures or went back home to her little town in France.
Josette blinked her eyes and looked on towards Mr. Smith. She knew that she was being sold again like a cheap piece of meat and would soon be earning her keep in a bed somewhere. After all, it seemed that that was all that every man had ever wanted with her....
Mr. Smith smiled at her, and nodded in agreement. "Thank you Mr. Peters. I am sure you can enjoy the money that Lord Hawkins has given you for this delightful young lady. She has quite the look that he likes. The eyes, hair, skin color, and the build...yes...yes...she looks like she can be ridden around Lord Hawkins private rail car with a saddle on her back and a bit and bridle in her mouth..."
Smith knew that a red hot branding iron would also be waiting for the young girls tender flesh, as his lordship always liked to make sure that "His property was properly marked as his..."; but why say anything about that here and now and raise eyebrows or concerns? Besides...what the poor girl didn't know wouldn't hurt her...for now..."

Figures by: Knuckleduster Miniatures, Wargames Foundry, and Old Glory.
Scenery by: Acheson Creations.
Twisted Backstory by: Yours Truly...

And for the folks with a more "20th Century Flair"....

Cubby "Flash" Olsen is one of the beat photographers for The Dominion City Tribune. Armed with his trusty camera, extra flash bulbs, film, and his "PRESS" ticket card in his hat band, he moves quickly to hot scenes to get "The winning shot."
Eager to please but not having a full plate of common sense and personal safety skills, he has on numerous times been caught in situations where if it weren't for more diligent people around him, he'd be sporting a brand new toe tag down at the morgue while being the subject of a by-line story in the paper he works for.
He read somewhere a while back that in order to get recognized you had to have a "keen nickname", so he's been asking people to call him "Flash" for his photography skills.
Miss Marge Gerine calls him by his first name, Cubby (Which he hates), while Editor-in-Chief Howard Draper calls him "Kid". Only Investigative Reporter Karl Coldcheck plays along and calls him "Flash"...
He also has a thing for Miss Sabrina Hepburn, the beautiful, darling, mysterious, socialite daughter of wealthy magnate Rutherford J. Hepburn.
"But what's a gal like her ever gonna see in a two bit schmoe like me?" says to himself dejectedly, as he sucks down another Hires Root Beer at the Soda Fountain at Gower's Drugstore on 43rd and Suncrest while waiting for the next "scoop photo opportunity".

Figure by Pulp Figures

And for you purists at heart, here's a B&W one:

Meanwhile back at the office:

Beat and Scene Photographer Cubby "Flash" Olsen; Society, Horoscope, and Gossip Columnist Miss Marge Gerine; and Howard Draper, Editor in Chief of The Dominion City Tribune (aka "Draper's Paper"), discuss the recent late night shenanigans at The Seven Seas Nightclub and Ballroom involving wealthy playboy Blake Wolverton and singing star Miss Diana Midnight....

Figures by the ever wonderful Pulp Figures

And for the B&W purists out there...

Okay we'll end this post up today with this one.
Stay tuned for more as I have a ton of other things to discuss, including 15mm vehicles for Bongolesia, my review of Little Wars, and my purchase of "The Chicago Way".