Can the Department of Homeland Security please not unpack my models this time?

As most of you know, I'm shipping out for the States next week for a fortnight (cue jokes of, "We'll see you in six months then, ho ho ho!") and right now I'm packing the important stuff for the trip.

Yep, I'm packing up my toy soldiers.

Well, there is a tournament in a month's time (Bristol Vanquish , if you're interested http://www.bristolvanguard.co.uk/BV/Vanquish_09.html).

I need to get some painting done for said tournament, and I need to something to do whilst I'm out there, so I might as well take the Fists. I may even get a game or two at GW Stoneridge Mall (or if you're Willard Foxton, GW San Dimas - Wyld Stallyns!).

Anyhow, this is the main thing I'm going to be painting - a squad of Thunder Hammer Terminators.

They're very bad ass, in theory. They'll be led by Captain Hammer himself, Captain Lysander, and most likely the good Dr Octavius. I had considered taking Captain Shrike (modelling a yellow, lightning clawed, jump packed captain and calling him Captain Strike) to make them all super fast Teriminators, but that was by common consent, too bent for words. So, the one man wrecking crew, the unit-in-a-model, the man with eight limbs that is Forgemaster Octavius will be joining Lysander in building bases and smashing aliens.

In other news, I've been cooking more lately. In a terrible bout of middle aged middle classness, Dom, Ben and I have been comparing notes on cookery. Dom did a very nice Normandie Pork chop with apple cider sauce and shallots and some very tasty meatballs in special sauce. Ben and I have been concentrating on Chinese, particularly from Ching-He Huang's book. Here's a picture of my chilli chicken and noodle with spring onion garnish.

I've also done some sweet and sour chicken (sauce made from scratch) for our gaming night on Monday. Everyone said it was good, so either it was, or they're just trying not to hurt my feelings. I choose to believe the former.

Snowmen and other fun

I'd meant to put these up earlier, but through a combination of slackness and other things didn't quite get round to it. The weather's been... unusual lately - just the opportunity for everyone to slack off and frolick in the snow instead of going to work and school. Unfortunately, walking to work these days I didn't have much excuse to stay at home. Although at least one morning I did leave the house and Jason with, "I'm just going outside - I may be some time".

Anyway, Laura came up at the weekend and we built a snowman, which was a lot of fun.



We couldn't exactly agree on what to call him, so as a compromise, he became known as Bob Frosty.

And then Dom forwarded me this photo - no idea where it is, but there's some great ones in there. Check out Ninja snowman (he's camouflaged), alien snowman, and Bert and Ernie Snowmen. Jason now has it as his computer desktop.



Continuing the snowman theme, we have Calvin and Hobbes. On seeing these photos, Jason said, "It's all very Calvin and Hobbes". So I investigated (i.e. I typed Calvin Hobbes Snowman into Google) and came up with these gems:




And finally, a real life version. Which is AWESOME.



ACTUALLY finally, I had to post this as well. Although it's on Youtube, I didn't actually find it there... I found it in a much geekier place...

"Small cars parked in fields fear many things... They fear discovery, they fear retribution, but most of all, they fear the Wrath of the Space Marines!!!"

I had been planning to write a new post this week (I don't update this as often as I should) and it was going to something cheerful and jolly, like playing in snow and with silly models.

But right now I don't feel like it. The father of a good friend of mine has died this week, and I'm sitting here feeling increasingly angry about it. I'm not sure what I'm angry at in particular, but I do know that it shouldn't have happened. I also feel sad that now I shall never get the chance to meet a man I've heard so much about, who sounded so witty, brave and interesting. I find myself wondering how many more are going to be affected by the times we live in.

I'm so sorry for you Will, and all your friends are here for you if you need us. You've got our phone numbers.