It's Christmas eve...

A Hobbyist's Christmas

Christmas has come, to the hobbyist's house,

And all around the table is as quiet as a mouse.

The paint's stored away and the brushes are packed,

The newspaper's gone and the boxes all stacked,

The table is bare now; no lead left to fettle,

It's gone in the cupboard with the rest of the metal.

No sculpting, no painting or converting to do,

No hours of patience for you to accrue,

Just silence and stillness upon the bare table,

So try and keep busy, just try if you're able.

Luckily Christmas is a time of good cheer,

And you can tinker a bit, until the new year,

But deep in your mind, you'll be thinking a lot,

Of the projects you plan and the new toys you've got.

But take a while now to enjoy festive fun,

And know that your family are glad at what you've done.

By clearing the table there's room for the feast,

And an annual clear-up's a good thing at least!

So I wish all the hobbyist's a wonderful time,

And I felt it so deeply that I wrote you a rhyme,

But let's not forget our significant others,

Our poor suffering housemates, or head shaking mothers,

They put up with our hobby the rest of the year.

So I wish them the best of the festive good cheer!

A prelude to the day after.

Like so many times before, I sit on the day before Remembrance Sunday and ponder things.

I remember the first time I went to Iraq. It was to carry out some maintenance on an aircraft so it was going to just be for a couple of weeks and then a swift return home with the rest of my small team. Although I had received some pre-deployment training, I wasn't due to go out when I did but it seemed fitting that I should go because my training was fresh in my mind.

Getting there was a case of jet power most of the way, followed by a tactical landing in a Hercules... interesting stuff when everything is blacked out. I was very glad to step onto Iraqi earth, I can tell you (I am not a particularly good flier).

The day me and my team arrived, there had been a missile strike and there was an information lock-down... three people were killed. A missile had found its way into the accommodation and they were lost whilst off duty.

It makes you very aware of the dangers. In ten days out there, my splat map was up in the hundreds... that is a count of the rockets/missiles that had landed on the base.

I saw many a brave soul and many a scared heart... and plenty of fearful eyes. Yet through it all, everyone got back up to their feet when the sirens gave the all clear and carried on. That is what we do.

Have a heart tomorrow. Go to a Remembrance service. Listen to the names of the fallen being read out. For everyone we lost, there were many left behind to grieve.

Be still the restless dead, 

Who fell so far away. 

Your sacrifice, remembered, 

Kept us free today. 

 Be still the restless dead, 

 Who fell from azure sky, 

You will be remembered, 

Our gratitude won't die. 

Be still the restless dead, 

Who sailed across the waves, 

They are in our hearts this day, 

Though so many have no graves.

 Be still the restless dead, 

Who strove at home in war. 

Your hardship kept us living. 

Rest... and strive no more.  

Be still the restless dead, 

Who came from foreign lands, 

To help us in great need, 

Our freedom in your hands. 

 Be still the restless dead, 

For you have done us proud. 

We'll sing hymns of your bravery, 

With joy, we'll sing them loud.

I will remember them.

See you from a humble home.

Meandering through memories.

Have you ever sat back and waited for the inevitable... and then it didn't happen.

I once lay in a bed protected by a wall of breeze-blocks with a roof of sheet steel and sand bags and I listened to the rockets getting closer and closer... but the expected one didn't land and I got to go about life the next day.

(Yes, there is a mattress under there!)

Things like that help you focus on what is important and I simply thought that my children would be fine because they had their mum to look after them.

I remember sitting in the Green Bean coffee shop at a US Camp in Kuwait and this US soldier was sitting there with a look of terror written across his face. He was a teenager...19 and he was due to ship out to Baghdad the next day. He was on his own so I bought the guy a coffee, we had a long chat and I would like to think that I soothed his troubled spirit a little. I don't even know his name but I'll always remember his face.

As a senior rank, I have the privilege and responsibility to look after the welfare of the juniors under my command (and sometimes other junior ranks who just need a little guidance in unfamiliar territory) and I have walked more than a couple of chaps around the airfield to hide their tears... but the thing is... they all got through and they all returned to their families.

This Sunday is the most reverent day of my year. It is the day that I get to stand and bow my head to all those servicemen who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Their motives may not always be for Queen and country but they still laced their boots and put on the uniform and went to do their duty... and they never came back.

If there is a remembrance service near you, make an effort to attend. Listen to the names that are read out. Think of their sacrifice but also think of the families that are left behind.

For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon

 With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, 

England mourns for her dead across the sea. 

Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, 

Fallen in the cause of the free. 

 Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal 

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, 

There is music in the midst of desolation

 And a glory that shines upon our tears. 

 They went with songs to the battle, they were young, 

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. 

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; 

They fell with their faces to the foe. 

 They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning 

 We will remember them. 

 They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; 

They sit no more at familiar tables of home; 

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; 

They sleep beyond England's foam. 

 But where our desires are and our hopes profound, 

Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, 

To the innermost heart of their own land they are known 

As the stars are known to the Night; 

 As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, 

Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain; 

As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, 

To the end, to the end, they remain.

It is the poem of remembrance and it is the thought of all servicemen penned on parchment. 

I am truly blessed that none of my close friends have been taken in conflict but I know so many who have been affected by loss and when I stand and face the memorial this Sunday, I will remember them.

I hope you take the time to share an act of remembrance. Just stand and listen to the names of the fallen in your local town or village. Think of how the names are often linked into families and the effect it had on them.

Dwell on it.

Think of how they may have fallen.

Think of those who were left behind.

Think how you would have behaved in similar situations and how it would affect your family.

But most of all...

Bow your head, show respect and remember them.

You may not think the politics were correct but you cannot question the duty that was undertaken by these people in their country's name... they did what they thought was right and they believed their sacrifice made a difference.

I'd like to make further reference to all those soldiers around the world who died in service to a different land... the Czechs, Polish, Indian, Nepalese (Gurkhas), Russian, French, Austrian, Australian, American and many others who simply fought for freedom and peace.

Remember them... it's only fair... they died in the hope that we could all have peace.

See you from a point of reflection!  

Of Grymn and other things...

Before I start, I'd like to welcome a new visitor to Inso's World, P... B... A... (I can't work out how to type the Russian script). Welcome aboard and I hope you enjoy your stay here.

Last week was very busy for me, both at work (overtime) and at home so I don't have many pix for you today... but thanks to some luck on E-Bay, I have managed to get hold of the last Vulkans for a Tunnel Fighter Clanker unit. Here is the last squad in kit form:

Click the Pic!

The following pic shows the two squads I have already assembled (the bottom image shows the contents of a basic squad):

Click the Pic!

The assembly of the last unit is likely to be my Christmas project... In other Grymn Tunnel Fighter news, I have been painting the OGrymn mystic and have got as far as base-coating it... so I don't have pix. I have also been painting the Visitor bodyguards but haven't got very far there either.

In different news, I have finished sculpting the Space Cowboy and have it all packed up and ready to go on its journey to the Netherlands. Once I have been given the go ahead, I will show off some pix but until then... I'm not allowed. The good news is that I don't have any commission obligations now... so I can relax.

Yesterday I started trimming large cardboard sheets and have begun to paint the Pantomime back-boards. I had no idea that cutting cardboard would take so long... then the paint wouldn't cover very well... but a start is a start.

I hate Peugeot cars. We have one and it is dreadful. The key fob perished so I got a replacement fob. I swapped everything over and the car wouldn't start because it went into Eco Mode. So I charged the battery and still the thing wouldn't start. The RAC were called and he quickly pointed out that there was a chip missing from the key. After a root through the bin and a bit of tinkering, the said chip was installed in the new fob and the car started. The chip was in addition to the circuit board and nib of the key, was exactly the same colour as the fob and was cunningly hidden in plain sight. I hate Peugeot cars.

Well... it has happened... I have two published poems! Here is a LINK to the page but you will need to register to read it (I think that is only due to some adult content). My poems are on pages 41 and 42... I am happy.

Hopefully, I'll get as much done as I did last week and instead of it being mostly work, I hope this week will be mostly hobby. I guess we'll just have to see!

See you from the wings!

An ode to Friday.

It is Friday and I have had some news. It would appear that a couple of my poems are to be published.

I am rather pleased.

That is all.

See you from under the up-turned bucket!

A quiet week...

I have had another one of those quiet weeks. Virtually no hobby stuff, a bit of writing and a bit of fun. I was talking to my daughter about nonsense poems and I suddenly thought of the Jabberwocky so I found the words and put my poetry hat on...

The first poem I thought of was Ning, Nang Nong but that one is less dramatic.

I am off to a wedding reception today. I like it when I am driving somewhere and I only get the details when we leave... life is so exciting that way and it never causes any argument.

I am not sleeping at the moment so I have been thinking a lot about drop-ships. It is going to get to a point where I am seriously going to have to bite the bullet... I just wish I could draw what I am thinking about because it would make life a whole lot easier. The main drive of the design is to have enough space for four Old Crow vehicles and thirty troops. The main cargo area will house the vehicles and there will be gantry steps up to the passenger area above the cargo bay. I have been pondering the whole 'rotating engines' thing but I am really in two minds about it because it seriously complicates things... but at the moment, it is all shapes and lines... and a lack of space.

I have finished my latest story and concluded the trilogy. If you are interested, click these:

The Duplicate Adventures

Rebirth and Realisation

Eastward Endeavours

For my next stories, I am thinking that a walker pilot would be a good character. I may give the walker a robot personality or something...

Henry will be arriving soon.

Henry is a little black and white kitten.

He is going to be my daughter's... but he'll still be in the house so he'll still be fun for me too.

Have a nice Saturday.

With Remembrance in Mind.

Remembrance Sunday is tomorrow.

Every year, I think of those who gave their lives in service to their monarch and country.

Each year, many more fall and each year, many more are wounded of body, mind and spirit as a result of the work they do.

They are suffering every day, as a result.

We owe them a debt and that debt is paid by keeping their memory safe and by handing it down, from generation to generation.

Tomorrow, with my family, I will be at a remembrance service to hear the names of the fallen called and to give thanks for their ultimate sacrifice. It will also be a time to think of those who have been injured, maimed or mentally scarred whilst doing their duty. They suffer their duty every day.

A poem I wrote today...

Remember Them.

Forward to the breach my son,

Grab a bayonet, grab your gun,

Charge with purpose at the hun,

You can rest when you are done.

In the heat of battle cry,

As blood is spilled and bullets fly,

Give your guts now, don’t be shy,

If courage fails then you will die.

Think of friends at home, at rest,

Give for them now, do your best,

Now’s the time to take the test,

Give your all, although hard-pressed.

You’ve done your utmost from the start,

Rest your head; you’ve done your part,

Sleep my son and still your heart,

Lay with brothers on the cart.

Through mud and snow and sun and rain,

Lay peacefully, you’ve earned refrain,

Unburdened now from earthly pain,

Just memories of you remain.

Of sacrifice for home and King

Of how you gave up everything

Of how you lay down in the spring

And now, in gratitude we sing.

Show not sorrow. Shed no tear.

Just remember every the year,

Those who pushed, through pain and fear.

Protecting those, who they held dear.

See you at the going down of the sun.

Season's greetings!

T'is the night before Christmas
And I've a sore throat,
I should have gone Pagan
and slaughtered a goat!

The tree's by the telly,
The presents are there,
There's plenty of spirit
For us all to share.

The snow's on the ground,
The weather is cold.
I should be elsewhere,
But I'm just not that bold.

It's Christmas at home,
Instead of with Dad.
I'd be in a hotel
But the weather's too bad!

So tonight I'm reflecting,
On what it's about.
It's not all the 'things',
It's family that counts.

So I'll tilt my glass,
to all you out there,
And to those you hold dear,
And this Christmas you share!

Have a very Happy Christmas and a merry New Year...and if you don't do Christmas, have a great holiday and I hope you spend it doing what you want!


See you through the tinsel!

A busy day

Before I start with today's post I'd like to welcome a new follower to Inso's World; crowmag99...Welcome! I hope you enjoy your sojourn through the labyrinth that is my world!

So...where do I start? Well I have been doing a bit of drill practice over the last couple of weeks and have attended the Festival of Remembrance today...I'm in amongst this lot somewhere:

Click the Pic!

It was a solemn affair, as you would expect; with the reading of the names of the fallen of the village being the most poignant. It is only when you listen to the surnames of those who fell in the various wars that you understand that some families were decimated...sometimes as many as five of the males in a family were killed during WW1...effectively ending the family unit. A terrible price and one that should be remembered.

So...

This week I have been ticking away with the easy stuff again and have put the base coat on the first of the Brutish Dogs:

Click the Pic!

I reckon that it looks so much better now that it isn't pink! It obviously has a long way to go...ink wash and highlight...details etc...

Now I really didn't fancy slapping a wash on it this week...so I assembled the second one and gave it a quick base coat:

Click the Pic!

As you can see, the mech project is ticking along nicely...

I don't know if I have mentioned it but the other day a friend of mine brought me a present...a piece of old fish-tank backing...the foam, rock textured backing that you see at the back of aquariums. Well I thought it would look nice as a bit of backing for my photographs so I have started to paint it up (after re-doing the texture with Polycell) and just have a bit of sand to add to it to finish it off...Here is an Ogarix to show it off a bit:

Click the Pic!

On top of this I have paint-stripped a bunch of miniatures (to be revealed at a later date) and have put all of my Tyranids into a nice case...so generally speaking, I have managed to achieve nothing of detail...but lots of 'general' stuff. Hopefully my coming week of leave will let me recoup a little sleep and help me get back to some more detailed work again...or not...who knows?

See you through the poppies...

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Life...

Yesterday I completed a fitness test successfully. That may not sound too much of a big deal but in all my years in the mob, I have never failed a fitness test. Is it because I am super fit? No. Is it because the test is really easy? No. Then why have I always passed? I would say that I am fairly fit but need just a little effort and personal pride to pass...that and the fact that I would never be able to face myself in the mirror again if I failed.

Today, I got to conduct a parade. It was only a small affair...a Dress Uniform inspection for about 30 troops. There we all were, looking highly pressed and polished and I felt genuine pride in the troops under my command. The inspection went well but the one thing that always makes me smile is when people have known me for a long time but have never seen me conducting drill...or HEARD me for that matter. There are always comments of surprise after the fact because of the volume I can create using my fairly slight frame.

I haven't slept for a few days so I am extremely tired. It must be showing because our snooty little cat usually ignores me but at the moment he is being sociable with me. I think it is down to the fact he can't see very much of my eyes...

The regime has started. After reading all of the side effects and taking note of all of the things I shouldn't have had prior to taking them, I have finally started the anti-malaria medication. There aren't usually too many side-effects but I have never taken the meds before so I am hoping that I don't suffer 'nightmares, loss of sleep, chest pains, depression...or even...wanting to kill myself!!!" How can you possibly feel safe taking medication when one of the side effects is "there is a slight possibility that you may feel like killing yourself"...the best bit is that it also says "if you show signs of any of the side effects...stop taking the medication!"...Now I don't want to sound condescending here but "DUUUHHH!!!"

The trouble is...now that I have taken the anti-malarials, I don't feel happy taking any meds to help my sleep so it is down to hope and a bit of luck.

I have started to paint another Halo Grymn. He is looking...bright! Obviously, he isn't the green crewman for the artillery gun, he's the other one. I've finished converting the gunner now. he needs the green-stuff to dry before getting any paint. The trouble is that I can't paint too precisely at the moment so I'm limited to undercoat and block painting...

At least I have a cup of de-caf tea to keep me sane...good old PG Tips!

See you through the arrow slits.

Typical Cat...

I saw a cat,
The cat saw me.
I said hello,
It turned to flee.
I caught the cat,
it scratched at me.
I stroked the cat,
It struggled free.
I watched the cat,
Climb up a tree.
And there it sat
And glared at me.

Remembrance Sunday.

I wanted to write a separate post for Remembrance Sunday.

Ignore all the politics. Ignore all the protests. Today we remember those who have fallen in combat. They fell carrying out their duty, for their country.

From WWI to the present day, many of our military personnel and those who support them, have selflessly given their all, whilst carrying out their duty.

A Tribute to the Fallen:

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

I will remember them.

A path well trodden...

Another Sunday and another post on the blog. I have had a week of this and that and in amongst things I have traveled to England, got the keys for a new house and even managed to slap a bit of paint on my Interpol troops:

Click the Pic!

As you can tell from the pic, they are far from finished but they have progressed quite a bit since the last pic.

I am currently in crisis. I have been getting completely obsessed with Armoured Troopers Votoms lately and it just won't go away. It is getting to a point where I will HAVE to get hold of a 1/60 scale Scopedog kit or I will go completely mad (well...madder than I am now...if that is possible!).

I have a plan, you see...

...rank upon rank of piloted robot suits with transport vehicles, technical back up and a few defensive troops (just to protect the suits when they are not being driven).

The only problem is that even if I manage to get hold of one of the long out of production (OOP) kits, I won't be able to get hold of enough to satisfy my obsession so that means I have to use the kit as inspiration, build my own out of plasticard and green-stuff and then get to casting them up (something that I have never attempted)...I guess we shall see where that takes me (and whether anything comes to fruition...). Obviously, they will be Grymn based...

On another note, I bought a book of poems to keep me busy whilst waiting for my plane at the airport. I must have got some funny looks because I laughed out loud on a few occasions while I was reading.

With great sadness and in memorium, I will now re-produce one of the poems to remember those British soldiers who have recently died, with honour and distinction, in Afghanistan.

The Soldier
If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is forever Britain. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
a dust whom Britain bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of Britain's, breathing British air,
Washed by the rivers, blessed by sons of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by Britain given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under a British heaven.

I have changed 'England' to 'Britain' in order to reflect the fact that Welsh, Scotish and N.Irish soldiers are serving in afghanistan...and some are amongst those who have fallen.

This is the only poem that I know of, that completely sums up how I feel about the situation.

May they rest in peace.

See you on the dark side.

Friday.

What a week! So much to do with so little time. Sleep? What the hell is that? It's too damn humid to sleep! On the bright side, it's Friday at last. That means I have a couple of days to get away from it all...apart from Sunday (when I have to go to work in the Morning...but at least I get to play with real helicopters...so it can't be ALL bad, can it?).

So...with packing aplenty and lots of trips to the dump, I guess I'll not have too much time for the hobby this weekend...but you never know :).

Well, I've finished painting Sola:

Click the Pic!

You could say that she is painted in an explosion of colours but I think it makes a change from a lot of the drab stuff I've been painting lately...

...mind you, looking at all of the crew so far, I guess they aren't as drab as they could be:

Click the Pic!

The last one (before the release of the mystic Panda), is the robot and he still needs a bit of putty work before paint goes on and I doubt that he'll get any before the move.

To be honest, I've got a lot on my mind at the moment...a fighter squadron for a start...a group of 'giant robot heroes' (made from super-deformed Zakus), a 'Dark-Grymn' gang (to go with the Grizzlies), a tank squadron backed up with APCs and infantry...but it is all on hold until I've moved, unpacked, put in a few orders (for TOYS!!!!) and bought an airbrush...THEN I can start on the Macross mechs, Pilum dropships, Tiger APCs and a host of other projects...

...obviously I'm thinking about the move...but that's just boring, isn't it?

Tree Poem

If I was a tree,
I'd have green leaves
And live with other trees
And all together,
We'd be a wood...
...Now wouldn't that be good?

See you on the dark side :).