Steel Penguins braying

[NARSES2]

I don't really want to have to dig a 750L pond hole, by hand ( you can call me lazy if you want but ... )

Nah - pragmatic. 

Less work for them ? If they insist the work sheet says "fill hole to complete job", slip them a £10'er 

[Steel Penguin]

the hole was on the plan, so I wasn't too worried.   and I got back from work today to a new hole for the pond, and all the soil piled up to form the base of the cascade    whew less digging for me.

[NARSES2]

Result mate 

[zenrat]

Having dug three ponds in my time I think you got the best result there.

[Steel Penguin]

sorry for the delay, things have been "busy"
in hole things, the ponds in, and full, has the fish back, and weve purchased a filter system for it ( the old one used a couple of gravel beds on the cascade)   it still needs more soil and sand packed round it but that's getting there.
the slabs are down on the front and back lawns, the drive has been re-tarmacked as well  the fence between us and our neighbours  is back up, but the sheds not been re-assembled and the gates not been put back.
My mum in laws had a fall, but aside from some bruising is fine ( whew,  both Mrs SP and my self had a very panicky drive down to Abergavenny,  when we got the call concerning it at 7am one day)  She was kept in over night but then released after x-rays and CTs showed no damage. weve seen her several times since and shes doing well
I had 3 days off, one of which was doing things for mum in law, ( cat to vet for boosters etc), one was getting Mrs SP to the dentist and back  and one was visiting Warhmmer world in Nottingham, I want a copy of the re-print of Warhammer 40000 Rogue Trader, note the still current form of that desire,  the book is only available at warhammer world, not by mail order ( I phoned and asked) and should be a stock item at the store,  when asked I was told "sorry weve sold out, but the new stock is here, come back in a bit and we should have it"  so we had a brunch, a look round the gaming hall, and a look at the exhibitions,  still no book.  The staff said that they would take the money, and post it out... so ive paid up, and the postage is free, and I think " well itll only be a couple of days"  that was Monday, I phoned today and was told " er the bloke who does the mail order has been busy, itll be out I a couple of days"       I think I may call Tuesday if ive not had news, and ask for a manager  If its a stock item, keep it in fricking stock, and then make certain its posted quickly

the tanks still being a episode of frustration, a few more parts are on, and it WILL get finished..

and having seen the New Dr Who mini trailer, ill wait and see,    ive said the same thing at the start of each series since the re-launch, and haven't thought that the bad out weighed the good yet,  I worried that each regeneration and new companion would spoil it, and bee pleasantly surprised.. so hopefully itll be good, id hope fr brilliant, but settle for not a disaster. 

[NARSES2]

Busy lad, glad the important things are o.k. 

Bit like you re Dr Who. I'll wait and see. Must admit I didn't take to "Bill" when she first appeared but by the series end thought she'd grown into the part  Be a shame if she's gone for good, but with a lady Dr (tasty as well  ) do we get a boy companion ??

[Steel Penguin]

Ty Narses.  yup family healthy and ok is far more important. 

Conquer is fighting all the way, im now attaching the holders for the side skirts, they have a contact area of approx 2mm * 2mm on the tank and a T on the holder, getting them to contact is hard enough, but getting them it sit a at consistent height is a nightmare     im using matchsticks and a piece of resin model poor sprue, as they are just the correct height, but it means I can only do 1 or 2 of the 5 per side at a time,  then it'll be get the tracks on, then the skirts, then finish painting, hahahahha.
id not recommend the kit much at all what with the body plate not fitting, and all the other small problems, its in the bottom half of the 1-> 10 scale. im not certain what ill be doing next as I fancy something "easy"  possibly a run through some of the HLBS 1:48 stuff ive got.

who can guess with Dr Who,  it may be male, female or possibly an android, or alien.  I will miss Bill as a character, as you say she has grown well into the part, well written and rounded as a person.

[Steel Penguin]

well I have no copy of 40K, I called last night, as no e-mail on delivery had been sent, and was told " were waiting for another run to be printed"  and when I asked how long, was told " don't know".   needless to say the conversation went rather quickly to me asking for a refund, and then pointing out that I don't live in Nottingham and would not be able to "drop back into the store" to get it,  I was then passed to a manager, who promised that some one would call me today to arrange a refund.  I got the call this evening, call and had to reiterate that I wanted a refund, in cash, not in " store vouchers" and that no I wouldn't be able to come up to the store to get it, as its 70 ish miles each way and around 2 hours driving.  The person in customer services took bank details and said that it should be done on Thursday, so ill check Thursday evening / Friday am.
So games workshop are off the spend list.  3 different story's concerning getting the book out, and the fact they cant seem to be able to do a in store refund electronically, and cant seem to understand that if you make a thing a stock  item, available at only one place, when people turn up expecting it to be in stock, and it isn't, tend to have rather exacting expectations.
not a happy Penguin.

[NARSES2]

not a happy Penguin.

I can understand why. I get the impression that some of these companies start to believe their own publicity and it's almost the "but don't you know who we are ?" conversation 

[Steel Penguin]

   had to take the side skirt holders off of one side, id glued them on the wrong way round.     a combination of brain freeze and the assembly diagrams 
when i say this kits going together slowly, I mean that hydrogen decay may be faster.   Im close enough to the end I can almost taste the paint, and I will not be defeated.

still haven't had the refund, bur Mrs Penguin has said that if GW are doing it by Bax, itll be Monday or Tuesday before the money shows up, so im waiting for that, and if its not done by Tuesday, I know that the customer "support" will be in till 18:00 again, and so will be back on the phone.

[Steel Penguin]

I did have on side done so got the track on,  knocked 3 of the 5 holders off wile doing it.     did I say 
considering how easy the bazooka plate holders went on the Tamiya chieftain, this one is just c**p. tiny contact points, and just so badly thought out parts.

[Steel Penguin]

I got the GW refund to day, so consider that matter closed.  Bit of a shame it had to come to this, and as I said above, I wont be getting anything from them now.  But it means ive got some cash to spend on something else, possibly a FV 432 kit 

both the tracks are on the tank, and im slowly putting the side skit mounts back on , again...

[Steel Penguin]

after falling off the wagon today,  . I figured I had better continue with my nemesis. And get some space.   got the 2 side skirts on one side, and the headlight guards on.  that leaves 4 parts    the other 2 side skirts, then paint. then the 2 headlight lenses 
As a broad question does anyone know of a producer for a 1:25 scale female looking robot figure, that's not a: going to cost the earth, b: dressed in a jumpsuit or similar ?   Ive decided that I want her as a companion piece to the Jaguar XJ220 that ive got to convert into a hover car. so I can do a verse from ELOs "yours truly 2095".

[Steel Penguin]

I will add to my earlier ramblings, the Womborne show was a nice little walk round and more than the normal number of younger kids, and partners, were present, with a good variety of models on show, car, plane, ship, tank  and a few Whifs  including a couple of the resin huntsman conversions, and a good few of the faces behind the tables,( gasp) talked to and engaged with you, there were a few of the ones ( and Mrs SP is the one who mentioned this, and I agree) who seemed only at the show, on a stand, to ignore the general populace, and carry on doing the painting / gluing, irrespective of people being interested in the display.    Its seems daft, to put all the effort into getting finished things, on the table, then ignoring the passers by, when you could be interacting and drawing them further into the hobby.
sorry rant over.

[PR19_Kit]

I'd agree with your last 100% Lawrence. It's endemic in the model railway world I find, with loads of guys 'heads down' in their scratchbuilt all brass 1922 Fred Nerk 0-6-2 saddle tank that you've never heard of but would like to, and he can't be bothered even to raise his head!

There's a similar group who man their stands at our shows but are so busy chatting among themselves that you can't ask a question because they just won't look at you. 

I'm happy to say that NEVER happens on the UK WhatIf Sig stand, we always have someone on 'answering stupid questions' duty.