My thoughts and what's on the workbench.

[McColm]

I'm delighted to read this!   As Gondor says, let DWP know, and thank them for being prepared to help you.......a little positive feedback will make them feel good, too. 

  My mum did all her own cooking for nearly 80 of her 96 years  and was VERY critical of most microwave meals.   She did however rate Parsley Box  meals as "not bad at all"  and they had the advantage of being ambient temperature storage.   As I recall, the prices  and delivery times were reasonable.

The prices are between £3-6 per meal and its free delivery unlike the rival companies which charge or you have to order £30 worth of food. I've had TV Dinners before usually from the local petrol station or corner shop.
I too prepare my own meals but my mum recommended Wiltshire Farm Foods so I thought I'd give it a try.

[McColm]

Wednesday 29th November 2023

I have nine contenders for the next GB Shelf Queen so the plan to get as many of my other builds finished as well means 2024 will be a busy year.
I still intend to sort of the spare parts into smaller containers with labels on the front, trying to limit the 'where's the other one gone or where's that part?'
 Essential items will still be bought, but I will try not to buy any more kits until the workbench is clear unless they are for my 00 gauge model train layout.
I can hire a hammer drill to help put up a few shelves, so at least I have an end-to-end layout and riig up a light in the cloakroom which I intend to create a walk-in wardrobe. This is still doable and will take months depending on how tired I get.
I also hope to do some decorating, these white walls definitely need a bit of colour.

In the meantime, I appreciate all of your support, comments and IT even if I have difficulty in implementing the instructions.
I'm not the same person since my ordeal in hospital my brain is travelling at a million miles an hour but my body refuses to keep up. In the past I could do these things without having to think about it, now its like learning a new language without an interpreter.
Seasonal greetings, stay safe and take care.

[kitbasher]

Good news regarding the job, Steven.

[DogfighterZen]

If it cheers one up, it has to be good news. But do take it easy with the house work,
Best wishes for the job and everything else!

[McColm]

If it cheers one up, it has to be good news. But do take it easy with the house work,
Best wishes for the job and everything else!

Thanks, something to look forward to when I make a full recovery hopefully in 2025.

[McColm]

I'm delighted to read this!   As Gondor says, let DWP know, and thank them for being prepared to help you.......a little positive feedback will make them feel good, too. 

  My mum did all her own cooking for nearly 80 of her 96 years  and was VERY critical of most microwave meals.   She did however rate Parsley Box  meals as "not bad at all"  and they had the advantage of being ambient temperature storage.   As I recall, the prices  and delivery times were reasonable.

The Parsley Box is part of the Wiltshire Farm Foods group.

[McColm]

Friday 1st December 2023

Insomnia struck again last night and the 1/72 BAe Harrier Hawk is now destroyed as I attempted to attach the Lonewulf tail boom to it plus the new radome.
I discovered the build had been taken apart and thrown in the rubbish bin on the plus side the 1/72 Jaguar T.2 kit is being delivered this evening. As for the Sea Harrier, I'm getting a refund.
The 1/72 HP Victor AEW.5 has a new stand so it' now can be displayed gear up.
I have been painting the 1/144 Shorts Nightwatchman AEW.1, probably will need several coats and decals to follow.
 Since mopping the floors with diluted bleach my furry friends are staying away apparently they don't like the smell, white vinegar has the same effect.

[McColm]

Monday 4th December 2023

I had my last appointment for this year with my Universal Credit Work Coach, I have to reformat my CV with bullet points.

On the workbench a tube of Green Stuff World  Green Putty and two 20gm bottles of Superglue HV. The 1/72 Eagle Harrier has a stand so it's gear up with Luke Skywalker at the controls and CP-30 as the back seater. Parts from the 1/72 Electronic Hog have been used on the Jaguar ECR.5 so naturally the remaining parts from the Lonewulf Sidetrack Harrier have been applied with a tail wheel. The Excalibur now has a solid nose curtesy of the nose radome from the EA-6B, the engine air intakes are from a Harrier cut in half. The nose cannon from the Electronic Hog has been glued on the Ravernclaw KAH.2 helicopter. The Lightning Thunderbolt has also had Green Putty applied and also the Rolls-Royce Phantom Menace.
Further work on the Jaguar ECR.5.

I have found an app that gives me free access to American TV shows and films although they insist on showing adverts, I'm sure that there's a premium service provided, I'm in the process of watching NCIS New Orleans, they have the Harry Potter series of films so that's Christmas sorted.
Got a delivery from Wiltshire Farm Foods tomorrow .
It must be Christmas as there's a rail strike, its usually Royal Mail to justify their actions they put in the overtime for the Christmas rush. The Network shut down and the mad panic of catching the last train.

Working Christmas is similar to working on a Sunday, quiet in the morning, then back to normal in the afternoon. Unlike working at the Northwood Command Centre over the Christmas period of 1996, now I know why they called it the skeleton shift. Happy times.
.

[McColm]

Wednesday 6th December 2023

I saw my first urban fox sniffing around the wheelie bins in the close where I live, I have seen foxes before when I used to work at Batts Cables in Erith and their babies but upto this point never in Charlton Southeast London.
Wednesday was an odd sort of day,  I painted the 1/72 SEPCAT Jaguar ECR.5 Jowler medium gunmetal grey the same colour as applied to the Royal Navy Sea Harriers.
The 1/72 BAC Lightning Thunderbolt now has a green and medium gunmetal grey paint scheme, nonstandard scheme but it looks like part. Whilst listening to the radio show The Navy Lark on YouTube.
After lunch I fell asleep didn't wake up until 9pm. Watched PMQs and went back to sleep again.

[NARSES2]

If you want to see urban foxes then come to my part of S London in the early hours. Scores of the so and so's, and they seem to know exactly which of the communal bins will be full and when.  It's the screaming and howling at night that I find disconcerting.

[Pellson]

Ben Aaronovitch, of among others Dr Who fame, has included talking urban foxes in his lovely "Rivers of London" fantasy book series. Not entirely without reason, it seems.

[McColm]

Friday 8th December 2023

The 1/72 SEPCAT Jaguar ECR.5 Jowler build is now complete, yes there's glue on the clear parts but the overall look is okay. Just leaving it to dry overnight.
Meanwhile painting has begun on the Westland tiltjet in prototype colours, sanding continues on the Shorts Sea Lion amphibious maritime surveillance aircraft (Hasegawa Shinmeiwa PS-1 flying boat).
Sanding has also started on the 1/72 Convair EB-62 Peacehaven AEW.1, forty minutes at a time as my muscles start to ache in my arms.
 Asphalt 8 the car & motorcycle online racing game has had another update, everything seems to have gone well, I have kept all my vehicles which is a good thing. The graphics have improved and there seems to be some newer vehicles as to the concept cars there's one or more that I'd like to build in 1/24 scale.

[McColm]

Wednesday 13th December 2023

I have been painting the 1/72 tilt-jet AEW and the Ravernclaw KAH.1,  they have a made-up colour scheme based around the early models of the Boeing V-22 Osprey. The Mcdonnell-Grumman Panther-Harrier has a medium gunmetal and green colour scheme, the same scheme applies to the Fairchild-Republic EA-10B Sidetrack Hog.
Whilst the Lockheed Starlight Express MR.1 is undergoing PSR with a few parts that have broken off. The ECM pod has been reshaped and the taillets removed.

I received my first Christmas card so it must be 12 days to celebrating Jesus's birthday which always reminds me of the Peter Cook and Dudley Moore sketch based on the reporting of the birth.

[NARSES2]

which always reminds me of the Peter Cook and Dudley Moore sketch based on the reporting of the birth.

That takes me back a bit 

[McColm]

Monday 18th December 2023

I have 35 started builds and 10 that could be finished by the end of year if I don't run out of paint or decals. The ones that have been finished will need a coat of clear satin to prevent the decals from rubbing off.

Yesterday I went food shopping at the Iceland Food Depot, Stoneleigh Retail Park. Only one check out open and a very long queue with trolleys bursting with goodies. I have to admit that if you are on a budget then this is the place to shop,nothing too fancy but in really big varieties.
I'll be going out again today to get a few items that I need from them the corner shop.
 Even with my radiators turned off my flat is incredibly hot, still got to pay for the service charge for the communal heating whether it's switched on or off.
I'm upto the fourth Harry Potter film on my new app,yes it does have annoying adverts but it's free and displays the descriptive text which is an added bonus.
I can play with my 00 gauge train set as I can use the two clockwork locomotives running in opposite directions around the two oval tracks. I will get around to painting them and adding some weathering. So that's me sorted out for the Christmas period until my allowance arrives.
The Cost of Living payments will arrive in February 2024, this will be the last one for the
 2023-2024 period, it's a pity that they stopped the heating vouchers as the price for electricity has gone up again it used to cost me £20 per month, this year it's £30 per month next year it will be £40 per month.

Well on the positive side, the New Year's sales and the presents that nobody wanted reduced to clear.