I'm ba-a-a--ck !

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

So with the completion of the Rafale K and my only Real World build for this year - a JASDF T-33 - my year of building frenzy closes.

Now that isn't a final as it might sound. What is about to happen is this:
When Frau Doktor Hunter-Gatherer and I moved into Schloss Jackson some four-and-a-half years ago, there was just the two of us - admitedly we were three months pregnant. In those early days, I took posession of the larger of the spare bedrooms, mein Frau took the small one. When No1 son arrived just over two years ago, I knew I'd have to give-up my beloved office/model room and take-up residence in another wing of the aforementioned schloss.

Well that time is now. Both Frau and I are leaving le premiere etage and heading up to the former servants quarters in the garret. The stonemason's, chippy's, sparky's and plumber's will be descending on us imminently and be with us for approximately four weeks from when they first get on-site. Finish date for the conversion is week before Weinachten. After that there's the fitting out, carpets, shelving desks etc. Hopefully all done-and-dusted by mid January.

When we're finished, Frau will have a large south-facing office with a large dormer window, I'll have the smaller room, but a very similar size to what I have now, but with just a pair of Velux windows and over the east wing the roof void that is currently unused/wasted, becomes the new general strage area for the usual family detraetus (luggage cases, Weinachtbaum, Hunter-Gatherer's stash !)

To that end, today I started moving the aforementioned stash into the painting shed, (Hence the TSR2 and Canberra being offered for sale - I forgot I had them !!) should have that all finished-up by lunchtime tomorrow, in time for drinkles with DtKS, then move the built-up stuff out there on Monday.

So that's it from me in terms of builds for this year. Next year there wont be as many What If builds as 2010, already planning to finally make a start on my VAST Tamiya 1:32 F-4J in the spring, as well as take part in three Group Builds over on Britmodeller.... But I'll still be here, but only in words.

Ian

[ysi_maniac]

This guy can control his addiction.
ADMIRABLE!

[AeroplaneDriver]

Sounds like a positive time on the home front, but I dont like the sound of your reduced presence....

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Well the aforementioned artisans arrived this morning at 10am, by 1230 they had already knocked a pair of big rectangular holes in the north facing roof, and by 1510 I had a neat pair of Velux windows fitted..... And so it begins 

Ian

[Ed S]

Sounds like fun (NOT).  We look forward to seeing your work once you get back to model building.

Ed

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

It's mid-February, and this afternoon, I finally laid the carpet-tiles in my new hobby-room, and wrestled some large, heavy and uncooperative furniture up the narrow staircase; followed closely by several mountains of books. Seven hours later and I'm still bl**dy exhausted and aching.

Tomorrow I'll try and get the aforementioned reading matter onto the shelves, then next week it's off to Ikea to buy a pair desks and maybe a cupboard or two !!

Hopefully all will be finished (in my room at-least) by the end of the month.

Ian

[Old Wombat]

(snip) ... general storage area for the usual family detritus (luggage cases, Weinachtbaum, Hunter-Gatherer's stash !) ... (snip)

Ian

Oddly I think I just found some of Hunter-Gatherer's stash in my shed... Well, it's a couple of kits that I don't remember buying, anyway.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

It's done !

The latest and in-all-likelihood the last major addition to the Schloss is completely finished, and I'm moved-in (well almost). In mid December when the builders had finished the major works, my new hobby room looked like this:











Now eight weeks on and today I manoeuvred the last of the stash into place. Mid morning it looked like this:











By one-o-clock just before we went to fetch the little Hunter-Gatherer's from kindergarten it looked like this










Not too shabby, but where the computer desk is – so close to the bookcase – leaves very little manoeuvring room for my chair. If anybody is interested, here's a couple of shots of the accessible sections of the stash... there's more at the end of the computer desk, behind the two grey cabinets and behind the front column of Hasegawa stuff:













So all I need to do now is get back to building, painting and finishing stuff !!

AFN

Ian

[Taiidantomcat]

nice!! 

[kitnut617]

Looks a bit small Ian --- 

Where's all the built models go ?   

[ChernayaAkula]

That looks like a really nice place, with all the light and fresh air!

Note-to-self: get two Helmers from IKEA for own modelling room. 

[Rheged]

Very cosy indeed!   I'm allowed to share my younger son's desk in his room but only whilst he's away at Uni.  The communal stash is on a bookcase on the landing. Please, nobody tell him I've borrowed some of his Citadel Miniatures paints!

[Radish]

All very tidy, Hunter, but where do you actually model?

[kitnut617]

I actually like those big windows in the roof,  I've been thinking of doing something like it in a couple of our rooms (not the hobby room though, which is in the basement)

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Note-to-self: get two Helmers from IKEA for own modelling room. 

Highly recommended, Moritz... 

Ian