After the weeks of anticipation, Christmas has been, and gone, for another year. We had a good day here, the weather was very nice, warm and sunny without being too hot, and we had dinner rather than lunch this year, which certainly seemed to reduce the stress levels on the catering staff immensely!
This year, our daughter had suggested a fixed price Secret Santa, to which one could submit "suggestions". The amount fixed on was $80- $100 NS (£40-£50) and I suggested a selection of Perry and Black Powder plastic box sets, that are available online from NZ suppliers.
In the event, I got one box (see below) and a genuine surprise from my daughter Amy (I was just glad I didnt get my wife, she would have ignored toy soldier suggestions I imagine!).
I also got a a "PrezzyCard" from work and some cash from the mother-in-law, so some new year purchases will definitely be on the cards - just have to decide what it is I want to get next!
Christmas Day started with a late breakfast, accompanied by a Margarita cocktail, courtesy of our daughter Amy.
A useful addition to the Napoleonic French collection (to my shame, I still have the Perry British Hussars box my son Michael got me for my birthday in August, unassembled - need to get my finger out and get both these done in the next couple of weeks!)
Boxing Day walk in nearby Waiuku Forest today for a couple of hours
I had a couple of requests for some New Zealand sunshine from those in colder climes, so here it is
And just to really rub your noses in it cheer you up, here is our weather forecast for the next week....
Its not totally accurate though, as its now just after 430pm and here is the actual weather.....
Lastly, I finally got these SCW vehicles photographed, as they have been completed for a couple of weeks
The iconic Trubia-Naval tank
IGC Sadurni Tankette
Four wheeled UNL 35 Armoured Car
And the larger Chevrolet armoured car
I decided not to add any markings to these, so I can have some flexibility on which side they fight for, depending on the scenario.
Just as a warning, I am considering trying to beat my all-time high annual posting record of 132 in a tear - this would require almost daily posting from now to the end of Dec - which would obviously be "manufactured" as I won't have enough interesting things to post about every day. I really should have done more in early Dec and I would have achieved the target with genuine post content, but I had a bit of down time and not much got done.
Keith, your weather is certainly more pleasant than what I see out my front window. On top of the snow has fallen about a quarter inch sheet of ice. A treacherous, impromptu ice rink everywhere. Nice motorized additions to your SCW project. Money for models is always welcome. With an upcoming birthday, my wife asked me today if I wanted figures for a gift. She said, “you can always use more figures, right?” Who am I to say no?
ReplyDeleteYes, just been watching your weather on the TV news Jon - although it was concentrating more on the NE to be honest - no mention of Washington State!
DeleteYou seem to have a very well-trained wife - I don't know where I went wrong :)
Keep in mind that all of the National media are headquartered on the East Coast. Reports of a storm are always worse when that region is hit. Since storms typically move from west to east, we saw the brunt of this storm a few days earlier although the freezing rain hit here on Saturday/Sunday.
DeleteI guess that is the reason Jon, seemed like most of the reporting was around the New England states
DeleteIf your goal is to break a posting record, I am sure you have much material to share. What do you attribute to the uptick in postings this year? Perhaps that can form the basis for your next post? For me, I find the 120 posts/year makes for a nice, sustainable pace. A pace you kept over the last two years. Did this increase in posting frequency come about as a direct result of COVID lockdowns?
DeleteBoxing Day is still a few hours away here. But it’s been a day of family, delicious food and eggnog and I’m about ready to go to bed. Lol!
ReplyDeleteThe weather here in the Central California Valley has been all too bearable, quite the opposite of poor Jon in the frozen PNW.
Liking the new additions! Looking forward to the next game involving these
Eggnog eh Dai, you have obviously become very Americanised! Glad you have had a good day though, and that your seem to have rather better weather than most of the US at the moment.
DeleteAn SCW game wont be "the next", it will be The First! Must try and get one on the table sometime soon.
Hi KIETH- Been a bit warm here - Christmas Day was 33deg C, to-day on Boxing Day it is now 35deg C...spent most of the day with early Grocery Shopping and sleeping away the hours...it is now 5:30pm and 33.5deg C. Cheers. KEV.
ReplyDeletePhew, that is a bit too hot for my liking, Kev! Our 27c forecast for most of the coming week is getting hotter than I like, to be honest!
DeleteGreat additions to your SCW collection, you are also a lucky chap to get wargames goodies for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteCheers Scotty, yes, any wargaming related presents are definitely a bonus!
DeleteThe tankette is an unusual creature, I have not seen one of those before.
ReplyDeleteThat's the good thing about Minairons being a Spanish producer I think Norm, they do some really nice, unusual vehicles!
DeleteLovely SCW armour and it seems like you had a lovely Christmas. Great idea with the fixed price secret Santa.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lawrence, the SCW vehicles are rather nice, aren't they?
DeleteGreat to hear you had a nice day and with some nice pressies too. Postal strikes here meant that I put off buying anything as my 'surprise' gifts until things settle down, plus a book due in December hasn't been released yet.
ReplyDeleteThanks for some nice pics, as here it was mild, some brightness to start, then it just rained. At least we shouldn't complain given the bomb cyclone most of the US is suffering with.
Lovely vehicles from those Minairions chaps as always:).
Thanks Steve, low key but enjoyable would be how I would describe our Christmas this year! The UK strikes seem to be almost as universal as the US bad weather!
DeleteI do believe it was your good self who requested some pictures of the sun a couple of weeks back!
I agree, the Minairons stuff is great - quite tempted to get more but I think I probably have enough for my purposes!
'Twas me indeed Keith! But this morning we have some sunny weather and warm enough to sit outside in, which is nice. Also with the Winter Solstice having been and gone, psychologically I start to think Spring etc is on the way. Foolish thoughts I know!
DeleteGlad you had a nice Christmas and thanks for showing me what sunshine looks like. It’s been LSG (Limousin Suicide Grey) here for over a week. Spanish tanks look lovely, but it always surprises me how small they actually were, bit like the PZ 1.
ReplyDeleteCheers JBM and you are more than welcome on the sunny pics front!
DeleteYes, totally agree, some of these vehicles are incredibly small - a few even make the PzKfw I and FT 17 look quite substantial, although the T 26 is far and away the most significant looking tank of the conflict.
Thanks for the photos of some warm weather days. Glad to hear your family is enabling you in your hobby. Looking forward to more SCW games featuring your new stable of vehicles
ReplyDeleteFrom the curious no snow but very cold outpost here in New England.
Thanks Joe, glad both sets of photos meet with your approval!
DeleteLovely looking vehicles!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michal
DeleteLove the tanks! And the weather; I'm just off the Great Lakes and we got negative temperatures and 50 mph (80kph for civilized countries) winds (though thankfully our power only flickered, and didn't go out), but just a dusting of fine powdery snow. My parents, 80 miles west of us, got almost 4 feet of snow. My wife ordered some miniatures for me for Christmas but they haven't arrived yet, more to her dismay than mine.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bill, it sounds like you have been one of the lucky ones with the weather, and your wife's attitude towards wargaming!
DeleteExcellent tanks, and envious of the get-together and weather after watching my car get encapsulated by 6-10mm of ice last week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Greg...some of the TV images have been quite apocalyptical, reminding me of that film where most of the world north of Mexico/The Mediterranean is left unihabitable due to a sudden weather change! There were even shots of illegal immigrants huddled against the cold along the US/Mexico border!
DeleteHow very unseasonal the weather is in your part of the world! ;-) Sitting here shivering in the study I feel is far more appropriate; although having the central heating and even the gas fire conked out is not so much fun in a house that is cold at the best of times! Nice landscape shots and a fine collection of SCW vehicles too. All the best for 2023, David.
ReplyDeleteThanks David, sounds like your heating situation is quite what one might like it to be, sorry to read that! I hope you are enjoying the season, nonetheless!
DeleteThat should read "isn't " obviously 😏
DeleteNice presents and love the vehicles Keith. My wife just laughed at how thrilled I was to get a big box of much needed MDF bases from under the tree.
ReplyDeleteThanks Richard, I think my wife would be equally bemused at a box of mdf bases!
DeleteBreakfast Margaritas ? Doesn't sound very NZed 😁
ReplyDeleteI am glad you had a good Christmas and thanks for all your posts during the year and all the best for 2023.
The Margaritas were the influence of a younger generation Ben, personally, cocktails don't really do it for me, but one did no harm! Thanks to you too for becoming a " regular" on my blog and supporting my efforts. More to come in 2023!
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