Friday Morning Ritual

I have a Friday Morning Ritual.

I walk into the town's Market Square, have coffee and a pain au chocolat and read the Guardian Review Section at a coffee shop, then visit the Friday market. All very civilised and cosy. It is a small market of about a dozen stalls, one of which is run by a baker and from whom I purchased the cheese and red onion focaccio pictured above. This is now filling our kitchen with a lovely aroma. I shall try a small piece, just for quality assurance purposes.

This weekend will be dominated by the local hunt. B will spend a large part of Saturday preparing her horse and then Sunday by going to Sledmere in the Yorkshire Wolds for the meet. The horse has done this previously, he loves it and so he will be very excited when he is taken out of the horsebox and he realises what is happening. All this means I have a free weekend.

These are photos of the same event but taken two years ago.

(For the historians - Sledmere is the home of the Sykes family, and was inherited by Sir Mark Sykes, he of the Sykes Picot Agreement that carved up the defeated Ottoman Empire in 1918. It is the current seat of the 8th Baronet, Sir Tatton Sykes.)

"Stan and Ollie"

We went to Cityscreen again this weekend to watch "Stan and Ollie". Both of us enjoyed this film very much. It covered the period after WW2 when the duo fell out of film fashion and were touring the UK, performing their double act on the stage. Very funny, very entertaining, a little sad, very well acted, particularly Steve Coogan who played Stan Laurel. I have always been a big Laurel & Hardy fan and I had doubts when the film was announced but those doubts have been dispelled.

"The Favourite"

Saturday trip to the cinema to see "The Favourite".

We both liked the film, myself a lot more than B, great acting, good script, great location work, a very good eye for historical detail; however, neither of us understood why it is classed as a comedy. There are some funny lines and banter, there are some funny set-ups and situations but there was no really comic pieces, nothing that got the cinema audience roaring with laughter. Please don't let this dissuade from going to see the film, it is great.

A Plan for 2019?

Happy New Year to all.

We are back from house-sitting and pet feeding duties in Gloucestershire. Whilst there and away from my painting desk, I gave a little thought to painting and unit plans for 2019.

The main plan is the same as most wargamers - paint more and buy less. I will continue with my Ottoman force as I am really enjoying this and I have something like ten units to complete but I will also paint a couple of European units. Also I have bought 18 Japanese Ronin as a Unit deal from Dixons, I'm not sure what role they will play but I am keen to start them. (Finish what is on the table first.)

In early December I saw a series of photos of a wargamers SYW Indian table.

I think the buildings are from a company called Tinned Fruit and the plants from Adrian's Walls. I was very impressed by this table and has pushed me to getting on with my own Middle East village.

I have started the last building I bought from Warbases.

I have also bought some trees and pots.

So, plenty of thought, plenty of words, now just get on with it.....