Review

Well, Christmas has passed, it's now in the hands of the elf-like creature with the conical hat *. The old chap with the scythe and hour-glass is hobbling towards the exit while the chubby cherub in the nappy (US -diaper) is waiting to make his entrance. Time to review the situation.

Readers of my assorted blogs will have seen that there was very little content this year, usually just a note about something that caught my interest as I went along. This is because I've had a bit of a peculiar time lately. A problem with the ticker and various tubes leading to it led to a couple of heart operations, meaning lots of rest and recuperation (MrsJ made sure of that) and assorted pills meant I felt dog-tired most of the time and able to drop into snooze mode at the drop of a hat. Thankfully this period is nearly over and the doc should sign me back into the world soon.

So nothing much has happened in my various hobby interests lately. Admittedly I've pottered about the shed with odd bits of wood, and a few figures have been sent off to be painted for the 19th century armies of Humperstein, but my attention span was such that many of the projects on the go at the start of 2014 are still languishing on various desks at the end of the year. My resolution is to get these finished before starting anything new, so hopefully there will reports of progress appearing here soon. Another thing I've noticed is that during my lazy months I've been spending far too long on this infernal machine and will be restricting access during 2015 (with priority to the blogs and forums I inhabit, general browsing for the sake of it must be held in check!).

So enough of my rabbiting on, You'll be hearing from me, and A Happy New Year to you all,

* Christmas Carol, Dickens.

Christmas is coming

It is difficult to think that the Christmas period will be over in a matter of weeks, and we'll all be thinking of the New Year and all the resolutions it will bring with it.

Every year MrsJ and I have difficulty thinking of things to buy for each other, but this year we are both happy with our choices (we've had to liaise, so no surprises, though I have got something tucked away in the shed (she'll never look there) for the morning in question. She asked me if I'd get her engagement ring enlarged, as her finger is now too big and she wants to wear it next August during daughter's wedding. I was happy to oblige and suggested a reciprocal arrangement whereby she got me something I really wanted. Both sides happy.

My choice is

 a 1/350 scale model of the Flower Class corvette 'HMS Pennywort', known to my late father and his shipmates as 'The Fighting P'. He served in her ,during the recent spot of bother, for all his wartime service, apart from some time at Whale Island at the end, mostly plodding backwards and forwards across the Atlantic shepherding precious cargoes to our shores. Pennywort is one of the ships mentioned in Martin Middlebrook's book 'Convoy'. Unfortunately my father died just before a letter arrived from Middlebrook requesting an interview. I know he would have found the tales interesting - I did, when he was chinwagging with his mates of the RNA when they came round of an evening.
Anyway, I came across this little model advertised on Amazon and it will soon be mine - only a couple of weeks to wait. I shall really enjoy the construction of it, and will be taking extra care over the finish.

That's enough waffling from me, it just remains to wish you all the complements of the season with all the best to you and yours.