Signs of life: patience, progress and plans

Providence decided to test my patience and level of unconditional love.

I returned home yesterday to find that our youngest dog, Raven, had enjoyed a little party, more like a one-dog orgy of playful destruction, in my wargaming shed. I was not amused.

Spot the difference: one of these pachyderms has been Raven's plaything

I had a more minor incident of it early in the week, but thought that I had been necessarily firm with her in indicating that the table and all the 'delights' on it are clearly out-of-bounds. Obviously not. This time is was some lovely elephants from one of the sets of "Hannibal Crosses the Alps (Elephants)" by Linear-A that were her 'target'. I had washed them and they were under a towel for drying and to keep dust off. I'm guessing that she began by playing with the towel and then the 'bonus' of the figures were presented to her...

Mauled v not, with the bits that I retrieved.  I'm hoping to be able to rectify them with a bit of knife and putty work. It will be an enjoyable challenge to try!

Raven's first strike'. This Roman cart, now three-wheeled, was not too badly affected. I assume that the fourth wheel is deposited somewhere in dog poo. Fortunately I have some spare wheels that will do the job.

This time I was more effusive in expressing my anger (and I was more angry). Let's hope it got through this time. But hey, it's hard enough to be angry, let alone to remain so with such a beautiful creature, your mate, who knows the meaning of unconditional love and looks at you with those puppy eyes, shivering with fear at being told off so severely?! She is but one year and one month old.

How could anyone remain angry at this? I certainly cannot. Raven with her older, more sensible, 'sister' Xena behind.

I had been leaving the door of the shed open as she likes it as a haven in case of thunderstorm, other loud noise or 'scary occurrence'. I'll keep it closed for now when I am not around, with no rain nor storms forecast for a while. Hopefully she'll grow out of it, with a bit more reinforcement of boundaries from me.

Progress?

I have not posted for ages as there has not been anything much to report. Covid going around at work messed up May. Nearly everyone caught it then, including me, who passed it my wife. It slowed us both down for around 10 days followed by mild (for me) and more serious (for her) long-covid effects. June and July were a mixture of busy at work, being too cold to paint at night and a bout of the 'flu that got hold of me a bit. I got a little bit of painting (and organising) done last weekend, but it was kinder steps. This is chiefly because I have lots on the go at once and tend to throw more in as I go along (current count is 2 535 in the ‘active’ painting queue). I'll take a few hours here and there to apply some more colour to some more figures today and tomorrow.

On my desk/painting board: some of the 2 535 in the 'active' painting queue. Great Northern War Saxons and a few undercoated Roman slaves/prisoners (above) with more Saxons and some Prussians for the Great Northern War (below)

 

Julian is coming over in a couple of weeks for another game of Klissow 1702, this time testing out the Polemos Great Northern War rules. That will provide fodder for a more substantial post!

Saxons and Poles, ready enough for the next go at Klissow, at one-and-a-half times the scale of the previous game. Hopefully I'll finish them completely before the game, but we'll use them regardless.

Some more Saxons which, along with those on the desk/board will make up the army at the larger figure and ground scale.

Swedish army. As with the Saxons and Poles,  I hope that I'll finish them completely before the game, but we'll use them regardless.