Saturday, but I've had to work a few hours today to catch up. While the fair was good fun, the rest of the world lacked the good manners to provide any slow down at all to compensate for the working hours lost. Annoying, but at times, it's life as it is.

Last night, Babet the storm rolled in, bringing strong winds and loads of rain. This morning, we discovered that a large dead ash tree had broken off a few meters up the trunk, and then fallen across our little road. No big problem, really, but it's always a good idea to be careful when taking a chainsaw to a windfall, so we went slow. Nevertheless, after some ten minutes of work, the tree was cut in pieces and the road cleared. Pleasing, actually.

The wind weakened as the day went by, but it was still raining to such a degree that tonights dog walk was a very wet affair indeed. As it happens, I've just had my old and very well used Barbour Border coat renovated and rewaxed, so it actually stood up remarkably well against the pouring rain, keeping we surprisingly comfortable despite the abomination of a weather we are having. The little beard rat, not really being an all weather type, really wasn't impressed at all, getting quite drenched, and he has been a dog (pun intended) to dry.

One would, quite reasonably, think a day like this would have provided the perfect opportunity for some modelling. However, it seems my mojo has vanished rather completely as it stands. Instead, besides working and clearing trees, I have spent the day with a book. Not a bad thing as such, but it is for some reason still a little bit annoying seeing all the all but completed Russian fighters on my desk, now under a thin but clearly visible layer of dust. One would perhaps have wished for just a little drive towards the paint drawer.

For tomorrow, I am regrettably aware of the fact that I will have to make the trip to the cottage and back, just to clear the boat of the rainwater left by the not so lovely ms Babet. And that will, I fear, consume the remaining available time for modelling this weekend. On the other hand, given the irritation I currently seem to sense when sitting at my desk, maybe I rather should clear it off, stow those soviets away and, in time, begin on something different? While this course of action undeniably further crowds the Shelf of Doom^TM, there is, equally undeniably, so many available alternatives in my Stash^TM, that I actually fear just that fact will impede my ability to rediscover my mojo. A developed world dilemma, if ever there was one.

Well - I think I'll continue reading for now, leaving tomorrow to its own devices. And with that, I bid the a good night indeed.

Storm Babet in some parts of the UK and we've had 3 or 4 deaths attributable to it. Some of the flooding probably justifiably qualifies for the description "historic" so I hope you've not had it that bad.

Quote from: Pellson on October 21, 2023, 02:42:51 PMAs it happens, I've just had my old and very well used Barbour Border coat renovated and rewaxed, so it actually stood up remarkably well against the pouring rain, keeping we surprisingly comfortable despite the abomination of a weather we are having.

I got a Barbour many years ago when they were fashionable and it's survived to still be up to the job it was actually intended for all these years later    The fact that it's a rather scruffy looking coat even when new seems to help in bad weather as it doesn't bother you when it gets wet and mucky 

Quote from: NARSES2 on October 22, 2023, 06:19:42 AMStorm Babet in some parts of the UK and we've had 3 or 4 deaths attributable to it. Some of the flooding probably justifiably qualifies for the description "historic" so I hope you've not had it that bad.

Quote from: Pellson on October 21, 2023, 02:42:51 PMAs it happens, I've just had my old and very well used Barbour Border coat renovated and rewaxed, so it actually stood up remarkably well against the pouring rain, keeping we surprisingly comfortable despite the abomination of a weather we are having.

I got a Barbour many years ago when they were fashionable and it's survived to still be up to the job it was actually intended for all these years later    The fact that it's a rather scruffy looking coat even when new seems to help in bad weather as it doesn't bother you when it gets wet and mucky 

I've just   had  the Barbour jacket I inherited from my dad  cleaned and refurbished by the manufacturers in  South Shields. It's as good as new, which isn't bad for a 47 year old jacket!

I bought my first Barbour, a Cowen Commando, as a teenager for my first pay. It's still going strong, but in retrospect, I should have bought a longer one from the start.
I also have a Border and finally a full-length Burghley, the latter inherited nigh on unused from a friend who in turn inherited it from his uncle who only wore it twice.

The Border, reaching half way down your thigh, is by far and away the most practical for daily use, and it's the one really getting some mileage. It's inherited too, but I got it well used and it really looks the part, worn, stained and repeatedly patched up over the years. While it seems to show a new tear for every one I have mended, I'll never replace it. I've had it for some twenty years now, and it's at least double that age, and it shows! And yet, it's perfectly timeless. Magnificent piece of work, that 'un.

Speaking of breaking in an oilskin - there is a rumour that  the royals are leaving their new coats to their groundskeeper for a year or two before taking them on themselves, getting the proper worn-in look. For those of us lacking personnel, I suppose it's just a matter of carrying on on our own.. 😉

My full length Swanndri drovers coat is ideal for the 2 days a year here when it is both wet and cold.  Otherwise though it is too hot or too heavy.
Years of wear while motorcycling in the UK broke it in nicely.

Seems that this Barbour Stuff works ,  i made a small Serie of heavy winter Jackets from used OLD  british army tents ,  but washed the wax of before Production ( i made custom Outdoor clothing since 1991 )  .   But modern fabrics are realy a step forward , If you're out in the fields for some weeks , trust me 👍🧐 .  Modern military ( and Sport )  use only synthetic Material .

Quote from: Rheged on October 22, 2023, 08:30:51 AMI've just   had  the Barbour jacket I inherited from my dad  cleaned and refurbished by the manufacturers in  South Shields. It's as good as new, which isn't bad for a 47 year old jacket!

I never realised they were based in S Shields. Only a few miles from where the tribe are now based.

Quote from: NARSES2 on October 20, 2023, 02:10:11 AMAs for politicians and experts ? I found it amusing how once experts entered politics they seemed to lose all that hard earned expertise ? Or am I just a cynic ? 

Yes, but I won't say you're wrong...

Maybe it's the thought that suddenly their opinions aren't that anonymous any more and they can be publicly proven wrong by the opposition/media/public and Look Bad?

On annual visit to the Danish relatives after an eleven hour drive, mainly on back roads. Tired, but ridiculously pleased.
No plans for tomorrow, so I might try to catch our resident master of RDAF worn green as he's located less than 20 min from where we stay. But that's for tomorrow.

Awful weather but really nice hangout with the Danish relatives here in Jutland. While there's no modelling by far, today I managed to pop by our own Mat to have a closer look at the magnificent Northrop Fang he just finished. And wasn't all. There was a very well structured set of display cupboards with an abundance of really good projects.

Interestingly, I recognised a good part of the resident research library, and also discussing Stash^TM, we found a lot of similarities in size, storage and procurement strategies (or lack thereof) 

A very, very nice visit indeed! Or, as we Scandinavians put it: really hyggligt! 

While at it, I took the opportunity to drive some back roads going to and fro, and as there's been quite rainy, there was quite a few solid puddles to negotiate, bringing equal joy to me and the Defender, and fear to your average Kia driver who more than once had to find alternative routes. Good fun!

Glad you had a good day and it's always fun to meet a fellow enthusiast 

What's a 'solid' puddle? Is that a frozen one that you just skate over the top of? 

Mud, presumably.

And if you can actually bury the Kias, that's More Points... allegedly, apocryphally...   

At home again, after having concluded the Danish trip in better weather, driving through the characteristically colourful foliage.

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En route, and quite by accident, we got the opportunity to have a closer look at the remnants of one of quite a few medieval fortresses, a motte, these days situated in a forest. Back in the 13th century, though, I think it's safe to assume the landscape in which it was built was a bit more open.

Having come home late on Wednesday, we spent most of Thursday traditionally in the Kolmården Zoo, where they every year dress the park for Halloween, including some ghost houses and loads of skeletons, pumpkins etc. Good fun, as always, and as every year, the equally traditional bad weather provides for a very different rollercoaster ride (they have one of the best rides in Northern Europe on the premises) in the dark, foggy November evening. Strongly recommended!
Concluding the evening, there's a fire show that admittedly gets smaller every year, but that still has some visually pleasantries to offer.

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All in all, a nice Halloween week, so far, and on Sunday, we're capping it by lighting some candles for those we have lost, blending paganism with Christianity and joy with loss, thereby in a way mimicking life as it is. Mixed but beautiful.

And as a final extra icing on that cake, the trip, and not least the visit at Mat's, may very well have restored some mojo for my stalled RDAF strikers.

Autumn's a tad late here in the South East of England as the leaves have only just started to turn, those still left on the trees after storm Ciaran that is 

Quote from: Pellson on November 03, 2023, 05:28:15 PMAll in all, a nice Halloween week, so far, and on Sunday, we're capping it by lighting some candles for those we have lost, blending paganism with Christianity and joy with loss, thereby in a way mimicking life as it is. Mixed but beautiful.

And as a final extra icing on that cake, the trip, and not least the visit at Mat's, may very well have restored some mojo for my stalled RDAF strikers.

It's amazing how many traditions blend paganism and Christianity without the majority of people realising it. Glad the mojo's back, obviously needed a break.

It's Guy Fawkes weekend over here and I've never been certain if we are meant to be remembering/celebrating the foiling of a plot and the execution of the plotters or the plotters themselves in their attempt to blow Parliament up ?