A slightly longer gap between post than I had intended - not because nothing has been happening, but rather I have just felt a bit "meh" about putting anything on the blog - not sure why.
Anyhoo, I have got myself motivated enough to take some images and combine them with other stuff to come up with a substantial number of pics, and here they are!
First up - specially for Matt with his recently acquired interest in steam engines - these date from mid December when the local vintage railway at Glenbrook ran one of their locomotives via the main line into Pukekohe station around 2130 one evening - we heard the whistling and decided to head down for a look see.
Standard passenger services were still running - which quite impressed me, given it was around 10pm by this time!
The had a dirty old diesel hooked up to the back of the train to help push the steam loco along!
Next up some products of the garden - some of Ruths MANY dahlia's
And the last of the summer strawberries - the bowl is from about two weeks ago
And this small collection from about two days ago - quite amazing really when I recorded the first fruit on 11 November!
Chinese New Year marked at my work - The Year of the Horse, apparently.
Last Saturday, 21 Feb, we went to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo - at Eden Park in Auckland!
The Tattoo ahs been to New Zealand before, but never to Auckland, so the last time I went I was about eight years old and it was August in Edinburgh - guess it was circa 1970!
I didnt take heaps of pictures because they wont be the best, but here is what I did take
It was the 75th anniversary of the first tattoo, so the massed bands manoeuvred themselves into the number 75
The guard of honour formed by the RNZAF, NZ Army and RNZN
The guard marching off
My dear wife and I even managed to squeeze ourselves into appropriate gear - a gift from my parents before we left for New Zealand in February 1988! Mine is modern Hunting Ross tartan, Ruths is Bruce of Kinnaird because she had the name Bruce from Wick in her family history and Kinnaird was local to my hometown - from Wikipedia - Kinnaird Castle is a 15th-century castle near Brechin in Angus, Scotland. The castle has been home to the Carnegie family, the Earls of Southesk, for more than 600 years. It is a Category B listed building, and the grounds are included in Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
Now - FINALLY - some toy soldiers!
These are Perry plastic French Chasseurs a Chevel - the 7eme Regiment, to be precise
A pink faced unit, so the bugler is pretty flamboyantly attired! Elite company on the right of the line wearing bearskin colpacks
I gave the musician and officer fancy headwear, too.
This Red Army WW2 Gaz truck has been painted for weeks
Its from the 3d printed stuff I received from Poland around Christmas time
The whole thing, including the driver, is one single print
It made painting the driver a slight challenge, but not insurmountable.
I got a couple of red stars from the Warlord tank decal sheet
A really nice model, I am very pleased with it - I just need another four or five!
That's all for tonight - off to Julians for a "Game of Thrones" game tomorrow - should be interesting!
New post! Great!
ReplyDeleteLovely unit and gaz truck!
Thanks Michal - glad you approve!
DeleteNice chasseurs, I prefer the Perry figures to the Warlord version 👍
ReplyDeleteCheers Matt - funny you say that - I have the 16th Chasseurs up next, using a box of Warlord figures 😊
DeleteLots of lovely photos there, but the best were the flowers…I’ve forgotten what ruddy flowers look like…winter just seems to go on and on. Neat kilts too btw.
ReplyDeleteThanks JBM, I am glad I left the flowers in, as I nearly removed them! I don't miss British winters; from what I was reading a few weeks back, it's been a particularly severe one in NE Scotland, precisely where I used to live.
DeleteYou may have been silent but you have certainly caught us all up now! I understand the lethargy on getting motivated to post recent activity from many fronts. I wonder why this happens?
ReplyDeleteIt's quite rare for me Jon, but I don't know why it happens occasionally either. There will be another gap next week as I am away on holiday....although I might try posting using my phone....
DeleteGreat looking cavalry and truck, Keith.
ReplyDeleteThank you Richard.
DeleteReally like the look of the Chasseurs
ReplyDeleteThanks Scotty!
DeleteSometimes it just doesn't feel right or we can't be arsed in general. Either way, just remind yourself that there's no real pressure to post anything at all really unless you feel like it. This blog will still be here waiting.
ReplyDeleteLovely pics mate. Haven't been to a proper military show since I Was very small. Think I even remember servicemen hauling artillery over an obstacle course or something equally nutty?
Cavalry are very dashing! The pink... is an interesting choice.
And the Gaz truck is a nice print - shame about the driver tho. Pretty poor design but I guess one shouldn't complain if the price was right?
Thanks Dai - I don't stress about it ....much!
DeleteWe were talking about that gun race at Julians tonight actually - they do it at The Royal Show and I think I saw it at the original Edinburgh version I mentioned - but this latest version in Auckland was all just band music - apart from the Norwegian Guards doing rifle drill. Not that its a bad thing, but that is all they did...... lots and lots of military bands!
Sometimes a break is a good thing to reinvigorate the desire to post again, and you have certainly been busy enough. We just had the tattoo in Brisbane so Auckland must have been the next stop.
ReplyDeleteLovely chasseurs and a beautifully done truck.
Thanks Lawrence - a change is as good as a rest to a blind man! Yes, I think the tattoo has been on the road for a couple of months
DeleteVery nice cavalry and an appropriate start to the Year of the Horse.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that the truck was a single piece. Amazing design but obviously not by someone who paints them.
Good to see the garden is going well. Mine goes from heat stroke to swamp.
Thanks Ben - I was pretty impressed they could print the driver inside like that too, even though it made painting him a bit of a chore!
DeleteA nice mixed post there Keith:). Real life has put the kaibosh on all things gaming related, so know that 'meh!' feeling only too well. Good to see you wearing the sporran, given the FIFA has allowed them to be worn at the forthcoming World Cup!
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve - I drew the line at the Sgean Dhu (or however its spelt!) My wife did ask me where it was but I decided carrying a knife on me in Central Auckland might not go down well with the authorities - although they probably would not have cared!
DeleteGreat to see the Tartan oot and aboot ...giving the legs an a bit of sun! LOL
ReplyDeleteCheers GW - I would not have bothered probably, but the Kiwi friends we were going with "suggested" I wear it - got lots of admiring comments from members of the fairer sex too, which is always nice, especially at my advanced years! It was a wee bit ticht, but I squeezed into it!
DeleteLooks like you have been busy Keith! Good to see a pic of you and having a great day out too. I last went to the Tattoo in Edinburgh in about 1991 - it was absolutely superb. My then fiancee drove us up from Oxford in her old 1973 VW Beetle...what an adventure that was! Your Chasseurs look really good - those Perry figures are hard to beat. Fabulous green shade on that Gaz truck and a really nice looking model.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jason, glad you like my efforts! The Tattoo was a good night out.
DeleteAn entertaining and mixed post…
ReplyDeleteYou have certainly kept yourself busy…
Lovely looking Chasseurs the dark green with the pink facings makes for an attractive unit.
All the best. Aly
Thanks Aly,I liked the pink as a facing colour too.
DeleteWow, lovely Tartans, stadium, chasseurs à cheval and truck...Impressive post!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for your comments Phil - glad you enjoyed the post!
DeleteSeems we both took some time off from the hobby. You've certainly gotten back with the painting projects - as well as fun outings. You both look great in kilts!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dean - and I then had a full week off all "normal" life, so not much been done since late Feb - I have got to get back into it soon!
DeleteNice mixed post, I remember going to the Royal Tournament at earls court as a kid , thats where different naval bases compete with dismantaling a victorian gun moving all the bits over an obstacle course ,reasembling it and firing it to recreate some now obscure bit of colonial history, thats what Dai is talking about I think? Nice flowers, great looking truck and lovely chasseurs, Ive got a unit of these Perry figures, if not on the painting tray at least in a box primed next to the painting table! I think Im with Matt, the perry ones are much nicer than the warlord ones, plus you get another complete units worth of extras and the ones with the blanket rolls formed the core of my campaign looking provisional dragoons!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks Iain - yes that RN gun race thing relates to an event in S Africa I think - not sure if it was 1st or 2nd Boer War - or maybe even something else?
DeleteI agree with you both that the Perry figures are better than the Warlord ones - and will shortly prove it by posting some images of the latter!