Nick's Notes

[kitbasher]

My storage method has gone a bit awry. Last week I went out and bought some more Wet n Dry sandpaper because I was on my last sheet. I moved a box this morning and under it was a full pack I'd forgot about. 

Welcome to the AAM - Association of Aged Modellers 

Do we get a badge to wear?
Doesn't matter, I'd forget to wear it in any case 

We did have a badge but Health & Safety said we had to find an alternative to using a sharp pin to attach it with and we are struggling for alternatives 

Velcro

[Steel Penguin]

gaffa tape 

id suggest super-glue, but me blog comment concerning running it down my fingers shows how bad a choice that would be 

[PR19_Kit]

Velcro

What I said, yes.

Doesn't the RAF do exactly that with their badges Dave?

[kitbasher]

Velcro

What I said, yes.

Doesn't the RAF do exactly that with their badges Dave?

No idea, Kit (didn't see you post before I posted, soz).  Sharps were allowed during my time!

[Nick]

The Demon is ticking on but it will be a rush finish. The Tiger is still in its cage - just might do it for the 1 Week GB.

Went to Specsavers this hot afternoon and ordered my new glasses. Expensive but worth it. Pick them up in 2 weeks.

I had an email today from the Telford Whitehouse Hotel which I'd booked for this years SMW. They've been closed since March this year and have just seen I'm still booked in with Booking.com, who should have told me what was going on.
Not a disaster as I have alternative plans at the Travelodge in Telford itself. But I am a little peeved at Booking for not trying to tell me.

So, double check your hotel bookings.

[NARSES2]

Went to Specsavers this hot afternoon and ordered my new glasses. Expensive but worth it. Pick them up in 2 weeks.

What do you call expensive Nick ? Mine were over £400.

I had an email today from the Telford Whitehouse Hotel which I'd booked for this years SMW. They've been closed since March this year and have just seen I'm still booked in with Booking.com, who should have told me what was going on.
Not a disaster as I have alternative plans at the Travelodge in Telford itself. But I am a little peeved at Booking for not trying to tell me.

So, double check your hotel bookings.

Lucky the Whitehouse noticed and had the decency to get in touch with you, otherwise you'd have been right up the creek without a paddle.    Interesting you've Travelodge down as your backup. Most of the major chains are fully booked a day or two after the previous year's show. Premier Inn open their bookings 364 days in advance and it's booked in 2/3 days.  Best of luck with it.

[Nick]

Went to Specsavers this hot afternoon and ordered my new glasses. Expensive but worth it. Pick them up in 2 weeks.

What do you call expensive Nick ? Mine were over £400.

I'm paying £418 for one pair of varifocals and one pair for reading/modelling. Much of that is in the thinner lenses and quality varifocals - not going for the cheapest.

[NARSES2]

Went to Specsavers this hot afternoon and ordered my new glasses. Expensive but worth it. Pick them up in 2 weeks.

What do you call expensive Nick ? Mine were over £400.

I'm paying £418 for one pair of varifocals and one pair for reading/modelling. Much of that is in the thinner lenses and quality varifocals - not going for the cheapest.

Mine were £430 for a single pair and most of that was for the lenses 

[Nick]

So many ideas, so little time. And life keeps getting in the way 

Today being Fathers Day I took Dad out for lunch at the Woodman, a local pub I haven't been to for a very long time. My sister, her fella and his lad came along too and we all had a rather filling lunch. Sunday Roasts of course. 

I keep having ideas for my next builds but I'm trying to focus on my part-built stash. My first priority is to complete the French Demon with weapons/fuel tanks and varnish it.
Next is my Ready to Paint pile: Bf109 G6, Hunter, Hawk, T-45 Goshawk, F-14 Tomcat.


I've got to think about a new job. Herts County Council have announced that because Work From Home is going so well they don't need 2 half empty buildings in Hertford and Stevenage. They plan to keep the nice Grade 2* 1930s County Hall building in Hertford for the elected ones and sell off everything around it for housing or offices. The rest of us will have to work in Stevenage.
We don't know the exact dates yet but they want it done before the end of 2024. Details yet to be thrashed out and confirmed.

What this means for me? A longer commute with higher petrol bills, wear and tear on the car, earlier starts and later getting home. Don't really want any of that. 

[NARSES2]

Glad you had a good day out Nick, but bit of a B re the job. At least you've got a fair bit of notice and you can always commute whilst looking around if necessary.

Good luck mate 

[Pellson]

Stevenage. Not the place of your dreams..

Depending on the type and art of commute that'll hit you, the experience itself can, actually, be quite ok. It gives you time to gear up in the morning and to clear your mind in the evening. The petrol bills - well - that's something that only with difficulty can be seen as positive.
Looking at the very reason for the change - you don't think you can work more from home? That would obviously mitigate a lot of the commuting as well.

Anyway - for the time being, you have a job and an income. That's taking some stress out of the equation, and that's a profoundly good thing. You'll find something more enticing with time, I'm sure.

[scooter]

What this means for me? A longer commute with higher petrol bills, wear and tear on the car, earlier starts and later getting home. Don't really want any of that. 

I feel ya.  I work in Trenton, 73 miles (one way and as the soldier stumbles).  My day starts when the alarm goes off so i can catch a 6am train, and doesn't end until I walk back in the door around 8 pm.

[Nick]

Trouble is that my specific job is not a work from home one, I have to be in the office.
Commute wise it wouldn't so bad if it was a more direct route. The short route involves lots of traffic lights and roundabouts, the long route is the motorway.

As you all say at least I have a job and income and I've got some warning of the changes to come.

[Nick]

We had an online meeting yesterday and while a lot of the detail is yet to be sorted, it was stated that they see those of us in specialist teams as moving last. That means I should have a year before anything happens.
Still not keen on the move so am keeping an eye out for something new.


Models!
There is a kit of an F-18 out there which describes it as a 'USAF trainer'. Zhengdefu. Shame that USAF trainer schemes are so boring white. Still going to do a Hawk in that scheme though 

Opened the Airfix Fouga Magister kit last night. It's not too different from a Zephyr which was the French Navy jet trainer. RN seems a bit too obvious but Netherlands using it on a proper carrier?
Or I could really mess with people and create a Belgian Navy version with a carrier 

[NARSES2]

Or I could really mess with people and create a Belgian Navy version with a carrier 

How about a combined "Low Countries" carrier. Work on the basis that the revolution of 1830 resulted in a Federal State of Northern and Southern Netherlands rather than an independent Belgium ? Both could be semi-autonomous but combine on the big issues like defence ? This scenario also affects Count von Schlieffen's planning. Not to sure about what he'd do ?