Wednesday 15th February 2023

I'm feeling a lot better today. Started on the Airfix Aircraft Recovery Set and the BAC TSR.2 (decals are missing).cockpit painted in acrylic sea grey. Probably ending up with twin tail fins and a maritime strike aircraft.
This is what I have been upto today:
The 1/24 Lincoln Barris dry from a coat of grey primer. The 1/72 Airfix BAC TSR.2  coming together nicely although I had a few problems fitting the wing.


The 1/72 BAC Lightning Thunderbolt, soaking up the sunshine with the cab from the Airfix 1/76 Aircraft Recovery Set. The 1/24 Matchbox Ford Capri V-12.


Looking a bit battered and bruised the 1/72 Avro-Grumman P-45/MR.45 Charlton.


Forgot about the 1/72 Avro Golden Arrow

Saturday 18th February 2023

Almost back to normal after my cardiac gym session on Friday. I only spent an hour doing a workout.
The 1/72 F-14A has been stripped for parts for the Avro Golden Arrow and XF-111B. The vertical tail fin from the Airfix Avro Vulcan B.2 has been glued on to the Airfix BAC TSR.2. The double boggie landing gear looks a bit flimsy so I will be using just one wheel on the strut. I have an idea for the nose,  if I can find the Harrier GR.5/7 in the spares boxes.
In-between model builds,  I have started filling in cracks/dents in the walls with Pollyfiller. Small sections at a time.
After a night of letting the glue set, this is what I have managed to do so far.

Sunday 26th February 2023

Well the can of white Tamiya acrylic paint didn't cover as much as I thought it would. The 1/72 Grumman F-111B looks promising to get the anti-flash decals from the Airfix Victor kit. Whilst the Avro Golden Arrow F.1 just got a light dusting.
Work has continued on with the RAF Recovery Set, I'm using dark green acrylic paint instead of the recommended blue.

I didn't know that you can apply Pollyfiller with a paint brush,  so that's what I have been doing to fill in some of the cracks in the walls and ceilings of my flat. It's good exercise for my arms as the ceilings aren't that tall. I'm 5ft 11inches/ 181-182cm and I can touch the ceiling with my hands. I been filling in a section at a time.
I have had some furry friends checking out my builds from underneath the washing machine and via the airing cupboard,,the infrared plug-in pest control does deter them until they use a different route. I will get some traps, I would have thought with the numbers of cats in the neighbourhood this wouldn't be a problem. Stalking pigeons takes priority!

I have gone back to exercising for an hour at the gym,  light weights but I have increased my time on the treadmill to 20 minutes at 1% elevation at a speed of 2-2 kph. The static bike speed is 2 and the hand bike is 7 for 10 minutes. On a good week I can do two sessions but on a bad week it's just the Friday morning.
I now know what my limits are and what happens if I push too far too soon.
May isn't that far away which makes this two years since I was admitted to hospital, my body still feels tired although I still don't know why I have freckles on my feet and my hair refuses to turn grey all over. I get marks on my nose from wearing my glasses for long periods of time, even when whiffing as the parts numbers seem to be getting smaller.
Is there any way to stop my glasses from steaming up when I'm drinking a hot drink?

Always found the best way to deal with mice is to get a cat, but it was many years ago when I had to deal with the problem, touching all the wood possible.

While getting my tools out the shed on Friday I found evidence of mice. On the shelf above the tubs of bird food they had eaten their way into 2 boxes of Wilko's cheapest rat poison!

The only problem keeping a cat is that I'm allergic to some cats and living on the top floor would mean taking the cat for a walk every so often. My older sister had two cats who lived up on the top floor of a block of flats in Acton. One of them escaped when she left the window open,  having never been outside on his own, he didn't last very long. Got attacked by a fox.

Ah right.

Sunday 5th March 2023

What a week,  now you all know that I was a member of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force 1986-1997, trade AATC and spent 13 weeks during 1984 in the TA as a Sapper that's a nickname for the Royal Engineers. Yes I did get to fire a whole range of weapons and operate a Searchlight.

I started the Group Build with the tried and trusted 1/72 Airfix Fairey Rotodyne  which does have a few faults which I think that I have addressed. PSR and a suitable paint scheme is the next stage.

On Monday I'm getting a new batch of medication, same brand but a new name. Edoxban. It's not the medicine that keeps me awake but what's going on inside my head. My body seems as though its gone into limp-mode, gets the basics done but won't go any further.
In the free time I practice my handwriting skills,  so frustrating not being able to write a letter longhand all at once.
On the cookery side,  made chicken stew on Thursday. Tasted really yummy,  finished eating it on Sunday evening.
I've noticed that Easter Eggs are already in the shops as well as hot cross buns. It's a bit early but the weather is definitely getting colder which only bothers me when I need to go out.
There's plenty of things to do in my flat and I have learnt what my limits are so it's a ten minute session and plenty of rest.

Quote from: McColm on March 06, 2023, 01:00:45 AM..I have learnt what my limits are so it's a ten minute session and plenty of rest.

Good man. I tripped on that before Christmas so I've had to slow down a bit for a while. Now better again, but it is sodding annoying not to be able to do all that fun stuff you once could.

Quote from: Pellson on March 07, 2023, 02:31:37 AM

Quote from: McColm on March 06, 2023, 01:00:45 AM..I have learnt what my limits are so it's a ten minute session and plenty of rest.

Good man. I tripped on that before Christmas so I've had to slow down a bit for a while. Now better again, but it is sodding annoying not to be able to do all that fun stuff you once could.

Thanks,  so many places that I want to visit but I think that I will stick with the Maritime Museum in Greenwich. I don't think that I have been to this one and I can't rely on the Woolwich Ferry as every time I want to catch it it's out of service. Yes I have walked under the River Thames through both foot tunnels but its not the same. RAF Hendon is another day out but requires a bit of planning first.

Tuesday 7th March 2023

A slow start to the day was spent cleaning my kitchen. I can never get the door hinges to work on the Airfix Fairey Rotodyne kit so they have been glued shut. The gaps where the hinges should be have been filled in with Micro Klear.
Whilst waiting for this to set, I started painting the 1/72 H.P. Jetstream AEW in RAF Light Earth acrylic paint with a brush. Which looks like a darker shade of hemp and in some angles metallic. This was also put to on side.
The BAE-158 AEW.1  (twin turbofaed BAe 146) now has two engines from a A-10A and the tail fins from a broken model. I'm using the two part Miliput to hold everything together as I have used it in the past as an adhesive when I don't have any superglue.
I will find out tomorrow if it has worked.
 I had a strange idea to build a scale model of the Cutty Sark. I helped my stepfather build a sailing ship when I was a teenager. Back then as my fingers were small I could manage the rigging and sails. It didn't last very long, as my mum decided to dust it. Well that was the end of that,  I moved on to building a scale model of the USS Enterprise 1701 to get the modelling badge in the Cub Scouts. I think I traded that in for some Action Man equipment.  Those were the days!

Quote from: McColm on March 07, 2023, 12:44:50 PMI had a strange idea to build a scale model of the Cutty Sark. I helped my stepfather build a sailing ship when I was a teenager. B

Well you've the real one relatively nearby to use for reference 

Saturday 11th March 2023

There must have been a big league team playing Charlton Athletic this afternoon as I have never seen so many coaches parked up outside my kitchen window,  yes the 486 bus was on diversion when I got back from the Food Bank in Welling Kent.
There was a bitterly cold wind and when in an enclosed corner it felt rather warm.

Yesterday I went to the gym and stayed for an hour and ten minutes,  I tried a new piece of apparatus. It's a bit like a rowing machine but the seat doesn't move, all in the arms, good for the upper back and shoulders which worked well for me as I managed to sleep for 6 hours straight.

I can't believe that so many of my started builds are so close to being finished but the list of what next keeps growing. Train set layout, the buildings first and keep it simple.
I will definitely need to get hold of a printer/scanner and a airbrush.

Quote from: McColm on February 27, 2023, 02:59:46 AMI get marks on my nose from wearing my glasses for long periods of time, even when whiffing as the parts numbers seem to be getting smaller.
Is there any way to stop my glasses from steaming up when I'm drinking a hot drink?

As a very long term glasses wearer, marks on the nose are inevitable,  and there is no way of stopping them steaming up when you are enjoying a hot drink.  I take my glasses off when having a coffee (Americano, extra shot, black, no sugar)    and am thankful that my eyeballs don't steam up.   As to the part numbers, yes I'm sure that they are getting smaller and sometimes more blurred too.

Quote from: McColm on March 11, 2023, 11:22:25 AMSaturday 11th March 2023

There must have been a big league team playing Charlton Athletic this afternoon as I have never seen so many coaches parked up outside my kitchen window, 

Not big as such, but for various reasons a good away support ; Accrington Stanley and the gate was just under 12,000.

Accrington Stanley are the first team I remember being taken to see Palace play against back in 1960, simply because Palace won 9-2 in Division 4. I think Accrington went bust that season ?