Time Flys!

It really is true ~ Time Flys when you're not painting and blogging!

Somehow it's mid-January 2009. Yes, we have been busy with lots of work. Which is a Very Good Thing. Yes, we are finally almost better and almost over the nasty bugs that we've had since the weekend after Thanksgiving. (Before Christmas the Doctor actually told me that I had worked myself sick, and ordered me not to talk . . .)

And yes I have gotten a little painting done! But not as much as I wanted, or hoped. We're past Christmas and the Holidays. The house is back to normal. And it's time for me to get back on the painting wagon! I need to paint ~ and I need to paint regularly!!!

I must have been pretty good last year . . . Santa Aelf supplied me with a four figure sample pack from Askari Miniatures and a copy of Two Hour Wargames Colonial Adventures rules. The figures are 28 mm and beautiful ~ perfect porportions and great animation. The detailing is amazing! They are very worthy successors to my beloved Ral Parthas. Colonial Adventures look like a great set of fun playable rules too!

Now I'm planning a French Foreign Legion, and Enemies, collection for once I've finished The Secret Project! I'm really looking forward to it too.

In the meantime I'm following Al Maurer's excellent blog, which you can find at http://edsarmy.blogspot.com/ . I highly recommend his lines and company! Al is great to deal with and I am really looking forward to acquiring and painting a lot of his figures.

I was able to almost finish painting my sample Berber while our Family was here for Christmas. The other three figures are primed and waiting. I hope to post photos and review soon.

We did get to play/fight Tim the Elder's brillant Battle of Barnet (which he called "Stay Misty for Me"). It was a great game and I have a bunch of backlogged correspondance to post yet. (Which I will do. The lead up was so much Fun that I really want to preserve the, ahem, "historical record".) I have an incredible number of photos of the game to sort and edit too. So continuing the Barnet Saga is definitely on my to do list.

In the meantime though, as of today I'm getting back into my regular painting and posting regime!

I'm including this photo of my character figure since long psots without any photos can get boring. (Goodness knows my recent posts have been long and haven't had any photos!)


This 25 mm Dixon figure was a gift from Tim the E. Half of the horse armour is finished for the mounted version. Of course I still have six more figure characters to paint for Tim's Castle Devin games!



Even though I'm not very happy with his eyes I do like how he turned out.

Next up is a unit of six Ral Partha AElvish Archers. They are truly beautiful figures that have been waiting for me to paint them for about thirty years!

My goal for The Secret Plan is to finish painting one unit a month. Since I want to get back into the routine and get a unit finished this month I think a small unit is a perfect start! The figures are cleaned and washed and ready for me.

Before I begin I'm going to write back to my sister Terry. She sent me a wonderful note this morning. Pat and I got so busy, and so sick, that it's been awhile since we've been in touch and a lot of really exciting things have happened!

More soon and more photos to follow!

Updating & Future Plans ?

Well, at some point, awhile back, I did say that I wasn’t sure how much painting I was going to be able to get done in the next couple of weeks . . .

Man, was I right!

I haven’t painted or posted in about a week. I started a long rambling update yesterday. Instead I’ll just hit the highlights and get back into the groove of writing and painting!

Last week was a long one for both of us. We were both still sick and everything seemed to take a lot longer than usual. We were due at Arrowcraft, in Gatlinburg, to be the visiting artists at their Jewelry Focus’ Open House Saturday and Sunday.

Jeannie was back in her shop so Pat went in Friday. Around noon Laurel called from Arrowcraft, to make sure that we were okay. I was in the middle of finishing up the pieces that we were taking. It took me a couple of minutes to understand that she was calling because they expected us there Friday and Saturday!

Talk about embarrassing. Fortunately she was laughing and understanding. (I still can’t believe that I wrote down the wrong dates!)

I stayed up late finishing the assembling and pricing. Made it to bed by 3 AM. The alarm went off at 7. Yeah, another long night followed by a long day. I was barely able to speak while we were there. That made demonstrating and interacting with the public kind of difficult!

I wasn’t able to prepare any food. I wish I had. Their spread was spectacular and a lot of fun! Great folks practicing great hospitality. It was really good to get to spend some time with Ken again. Craig and Laurel and I had some good talks too.

Most of the demonstrating fell to Pat. She did a great job. Fortunately some of the customers that expected us Friday came back on Saturday to meet us. And our favorite collector came to pick out her Christmas presents! Pat made her a pair of oxidized shield earrings with a nice 5 millimeter citrine to go with her new amber pendant. (She doesn’t suspect a thing about the special rhyolite pendant that her husband choose to surprise her with!)

Since I could barely speak we stayed home Sunday. Pat mainly spent it writing and reading. After I ran errands and did the shopping I was done. Totally. No energy for painting. I cooked a small standing rib roast, roasted a squash and diced beets. (It was good too!) Then I took to the couch and watched movies.

Pat went to Jeanie’s this Monday and left me with orders to take it easy. I did. Same thing today. Lots of napping and coughing and hacking.

So that pretty much brings us somewhat up to date. Except that as part of my resting regime I’ve been spending a lot of time online mainly browsing some great SYW Imagi-Nations sites and TMP. Pretty cool and exciting stuff.

I really am excited to be working on my Ral Partha AElves. I am determined to finish them in time for our Game Day in June too! I had been thinking that after them I might begin work on my own 17th or 18th century Imagi-Nations. I may have changed my mind . . .

I read a couple of after action reports about games using the Colonial Adventures rules. Which lead me to http://www.askari-minis.com/ beautiful 28 mm figures.

I’ve played, and enjoyed, plenty of TSATF games. But I have to admit that these rules have some really interesting ideas in them. (And I’m beginning to wonder about trying them for future games using my Ral Partha Aelves against the barbaric orcs!) I’ve always wanted to do the French Foreign Legion, in their classic blue uniforms. (Maybe because my Uncle Ely served in the Legion?) These figures are beautiful! The ranges seem to be complete and through.

Legionairres and Saphis and Tirailleurs, and Zouaves??? Oh my!!!

I wonder if I can limit myself to buying a unit or two at a time and painting them before I buy the next . . .

Yeah, I have to admit I really am thinking about it!

Isn't that part of the Fun ???

Sick Songs

We're both still sick . . . and it sucks! I thought I had passed the worst of it Tuesday night. Turns out I was a little optimistic. I think Pat is a little better, but she still isn't over it yet.

I did get a little painting done Tuesday night. I was all ready to work on the chestnut Centaur when I realized the mail needed highlighting on both figures.

I had a major, fatigue-induced, slip on the grey. Yeah, a whole swipe of wet brushing that I'm going to have to go back and re-do. I finished up both of them; highlighting with Shiny Silver.

Then I gave up in disgust.

I haven't had the energy or concentration to paint since then. It's pretty much been a case of eat, maybe doze off, cough and blow my nose. Go to bed. That's been it for both of us.

Since I don't have a stylin' progress photo, it's time for another Game Day Song by Tim the Elder. (I have no idea when this one dates from, but I will never forget him singin it, on his knees, hand in shirt, newspaper bicorne on his head . . .)


The Ballad of Napoleon the Frog

Come and listen to my story bout Napoleon the Frog
Who tried to gobble Europe like an insane bloated hog
But then one day he was shootin at some Krauts
And as his men came running by
He heard their screaming shouts

Prussians, Sir!
And big, nasty, sharp-pointed-teethy Limeys

Well the next thing you know, ole Nappy starts to pee
Bayonets and round-shot where his hemorroids used to be
They kicked his ass so high he now sneezes when he farts
And he keeps a weiner in his pants
'Cause they blew his bone-a-part


I told you it's a sick song. And we laughed our butts off.

I'm glad I posted it ~ I needed a smile this morning.

We did get the Jewelry Focus pieces shipped in time. Now we're trying to get everything else done, and the repairs, and we're both hoping we get our voices back before Saturday!

The next song I post will have to be Tim's classic "Why, Why Can't Johnnie Come By?" Which dates back to when he became Poppa John . . .

Re-Arranging Progress.

I didn't get any painting done Monday. But I did get a lot more done on re-arranging the living room! I had hoped to get it finished, but of course didn't. So that's today's project ~ after I get our materials order in!

We decided that by switching the roll top desk and the larger book case (which holds many of my cookbooks and a some of our pottery collection) we could open the living room's area up more. This should make enough room for me to put a comfortable chair for painting in the living room!

The roll top has been holding my paints for some time now; well, since I began slowly painting over a year ago. I can free up some room in the book case for storing the figures I'm currently working on.

I took some before photos of the living room. The area I did last Monday still looks good and we are both happy with it. I can't wait to get this finished ~ not least of which because that means it will be time to find the right chair! And then paint even more!!!

The Best Laid Plans.

The best laid plans of AElves and painters . . . seem to have gone astray! Two days without a bit of painting. (I may be feeling the first faint stirrings of withdraw!)

It was worth it though. I wasn't feeling well Friday afternoon and Pat flat out told me to stop working and take the rest of the day off. I was so out of it I didn't even feel up to painting. We had a nice evening relaxing together and I felt better Saturday morning.

Saturday was Pat's sixty-fifth Birthday! We had a nice loaf around morning, then spent the afternoon shopping and just having fun. I did make it by the A.C. Moore craft store. Picked up three more bottles of acrylics and a nice Loew-Cornell #2 Round Comfort brush. (A type I highly reccomend! Comfortable in the hand, they come to good points, they hold and spread paint well.)

By the time we got home I was pretty done in. So I set up her new microwave oven, opened a beer and loafed for an hour or so. Then it was time to prep dinner . . .

If I say so myself (and I do!), it was a great meal!

Most of my prep time went into the potato au gratin . . . Mandolin-sliced potatoes, celery, mushrooms, hand diced bell pepper, garlic, paprika, fresh ground sea salt and black pepper (I forgot a bay leaf). Mixed with grated mild white cheddar and parmesian cheese and heavy cream. I buttered the sides of my favorite David Grant Perfect Pot and put it all together. Into a cold oven, turned to 450 for about fifteen minutes, then down to 350 for another hour, hour and a quarter. Wow, it was good. (And the left overs will be even better this evening!)

Then asparagus with a great olive oil, fresh ground sea salt and black pepper grilled. I microwaved the salmon with a little olive oil, a splash of soy, and slices of fresh lemon with a light peppering. Just like she likes it.

The sauce took awhile but was incredible! Finely diced sweet onion, celery and garlic sauteed in olive oil and butter with thinly sliced mushrooms. Heavy cream, a liberal splash of Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon with an equal amount of Coors. Thickened with corn starch, finished with a little more cream and butter.

We had a delicious meal and then watched her new copy of Across the Universe,which Pat has been wanting for awhile now. It was a really fun relaxing evening. She says it was just what she wanted for her birthday dinner.

Now today I am going to get some painting done! Time for a quick run to the store then home to cooking shows and AElves with halbreds!!!

But I have no idea what I'm making for dinner tonight! It might be time to finish off the left over chili I made Friday . . .

Today's photo is The Mayor, from our last Road Rash game. He's a MegaMinis figure. I didn't quite finish him before the game. I'm still not satisfied with him and need to finish him before our next game.

The buildings are from Tim the Elder's collection and are by Games Workshop. Brent G. gave them to me years ago. Tim wouldn't let me just give them to him when he first brought the Chateau d'Vin to town. So he gave me seven of his fine Ral Partha spearmen, painted who knows how many years ago?

Tim spruced them up and added bases to them. He unveiled his new buildings and roads, and more fields for his Road Rash game. It was a lovely table and a heck of a fun game! Here's in overview of the table, that I took standing on a chair! To the left is the main gate of Castle Devin. Just out of view to the right is the outer gate and walls.

Battle Hymn

Nope ~ didn't get any painting done last night. By the time we finished dinner it was 9 PM. Though I did get eight meals made and in the freezer. But it's just not the same as an hour or so of painting time . . .

I think I need to make some changes to my schedule!

As I mentioned before, I am very blessed to have some very good friends. Each are special and talented in their own ways. Since Tim the Elder likes what I'm doing here, tracking my painting progress and recording some of our gaming adventures, it's time for something new . . .

Tim the Elder has for years regaled us (and literally reduced us to hysterics) with his gaming songs. Generally they have something to do with that day's battle. They have almost all been written on his drive to my house, or scribbled in a parking lot. They range from the sublime to the ridiculous. He has made us laugh so hard that we have cryed with our sides splitting!


If you think that's tough, imagine being on his side in the game and getting to be his back up singer ~ 'cause he'll hand you the lyrics, tell you what tune it's sung to and off you go! As in this picture, from January of 2006, I'm obviously stunned in disbelief as Tim gestures to get the accent right as he sings the lead!

So, today's installment was first sung, to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, by Tim the Elder on February 19th, 2000.

The Battle Hymn of the Wargamer

My dice have been responsible for losing all my wars
Whenever I need sixes they will always come up fours
My game buddies all laugh and tease about my lowly scores
Bad dice roll on and on

I'm such a whiz at flank marches until I roll the dice
My troops that were in hot pursuit are now as cold as ice
It's hard to turn a flank when your own men have turned to mice
Bad dice roll on and on

Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Bad dice roll on and on

I can occupy the high ground with my back towards the sun
I can fortify positions but before my turn is done
I can test morale and watch my men surrender, die and run
Bad dice roll on and on

I have seen my veteran infantry marching like they were lame
I have seen my charging cavalry run back from where they came
I have seen my 12 pound battery go up in smoke and flame
Bad dice roll on and on

Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Bad dice roll on and on

I can change the rules to help me but my friends would give me lip
I can change the army lists to make sure mine are best equipped
I can change my name to Gladys Knight to get a decent "pip"
Bad dice roll on and on

Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Lordy, Lordy how they screw ya
Bad dice roll on and on


If only I can find a photo of him on his knees wearing a paper bicorne, with a hand in his shirt, as he was singing his Ballad of Napoleon the Frog . . .

No Excuses.

Despite my best intentions I haven't gotten any painting done all week ~ I got a lot of other things done, but absolutely no painting. No excuses. Time to make it happen.

The general online consensus seems to be that putting in an hour a day painting really adds up quickly. I had hoped to make up for my lost time by getting in a full day over this weekend. Reality intruded and I didn't even get the paints out yesterday. I know that I'm not going to be able to put eight hours in today. But as soon as I finish this post I'm making my run to the store and sitting down to paint! No ifs ands or buts.

I hope to take some before and after photos to help record my progress here. For now though, I leave you with some older photos. The first is from our "In the Cardinal's Garden" skirmish game.

I am truly blessed by having some very good friends to game with! And each and every one is talented in many different ways. Tim the Younger designed a brillant set of Three Musketeers skirmish rules that are card driven and a real hoot to play. For once all four of us can play on the same side, as the King's Musketeers against, of course, the Cardinal's Guards. Being Gentlemen the idea is to wound and incapacitate your opponants rather than simply kill them. (After all, when duelling is illegal why add murder to your problems?)

We had a great time playing and giggling. Unfortunately I only have a couple of photographs. The two Tims supplied the figures, which are pre-painted "toys". We played on my 2' by 3' foot mini-table. I made all of the terrain the week before. Determined to surprise Tim the Younger I busted my butt and ended up staying up most of the night finishing everything before they came. It was worth it!

The flower beds are flocked bases, with craft store flowers glued on very early that morning. The bench is constructed of foam core board. The statue is a knight from my chess set ~ otherwise I would have painted it too. The statue's base is a craft store wooden plaque painted as stone. Unfortunately the fountain I made is just out of sight behind the statue and figures. The trees are smaller scale ones that I use with our 15 and 5 mm games. The pots are craft shop candle holders spray painted red.
This photo was taken on June the 10th of 2005. The last of the Cardinal's Guards has just been driven from the field!

In August of 2006 Tim the Elder came up for a visit and to (drum roll!) unveil his Chateau d'Vin!

We had been talking about it and emailing information to each other for a long time. Tim had worked on it off and on for, I think he said, about thirty-some years . . . Through every move and change in his life he held on to his idea to make a modular castle for 25 mm gaming. No one had ever seen it until that day. He brought along the first version of his De Bellus Skirmishus rules for the two of us to test play.

No, he wouldn't let me into the room until he had set everything up. When I opened the door this is what I saw!

For now, this is the aerial view of the Chateau d'Vin! Tim actually designed it to fit on my table. This first set up is just a rough overview as we tested his rules. Things got much more finished and elaborate in later games and the Chateau de'Vin is now Castle Devin.

The rules work and we have held a number of great games using his castle in the last couple of years. More photos to follow.

Now, just as I am finishing this and about to go to the store so I have the whole day free and ahead of myself for painting . . . Some of our very best friends called asking if we wanted to go to lunch and spend some time together this afternoon . . .

We have eat so this will be a very nice bonus! When we get home I am painting some AElves !!!