Easter week.

Easter weekend I started a weeks holiday with lots of plans starting with a trip to Stratford upon Avon with JulieS to visit the Butterfly Farm which was great, especially to practise your camera skill, took loads of photos a small sample below (wish I took my SLR). The Butterfly Farm is quite warm being kept between 25 and 30deg C, and at 80% humidity since its full of tropical butterflies as well a few fish, reptiles and birds that don't like the taste of butterflies.





This photograph is stolen from Julie and shows me with a butterfly.


Photo of Julie taking a photo


Mr Iguana


After the butterfly farm we had quick wander around Stratford, which looks interesting, didn't visit any of the other attraction or Shakespeare properties although we did pop in Nash's house garden which was free and full of odd but interesting sculptures inspired by Shakespeare plays.



During the following week I mainly spent my time making steam punk guns, a sniper rifle and kind of grenade launcher which I converted into stun gun for the weekends larp event.



The sniper rifle was made from a old cap gun stock,plenty of screws, bit of brass tube, some smaller tube cut to act has spacer for a toy telescope sprayed with brass paint for the gun site. Added to this was decoration in the form the nozzle from old brass paraffin blow torch,some drawing pins, and a bit of wood stain/varnish.


The grenade launcher used the rest of the paraffin blow torch, a cardboard tea tube, a couple of pipe fittings, a sink strainer, another old cap gun stock, a few screws, a bit glue and some more brass spray paint.


After several days of searching for bits I now have lots more junk to make several more steam punk guns or gadgets.

Last weekend I crewed a larp event and got to play a new long term character, currently called the Hermit, he was a bit of grumpy and plenty of fun to play.



The crew (excluding me and AndyL)


The weather on Saturday was the warmest of the year and with lots of carrying kit up and down slopes quite hard work for a unfit chap like me. Sunday was much better, well cooler anyway.

ChrisA with his new steam tech gun and also the one I made.


Took plenty of photos most are the ascendancy website.



I did also go to see Kick Ass, yet another new movie based on a comic book. Enjoyed it, although found myself quite shocked by the language coming out the 13year old girls mouth, I suppose that was intended. Very funny dark humour, don't go and see if don't like comics books

Clasps, Fair and a Movie

Last week I went to see the Watchmen movie which having never read the comic or seen any previews was quite a shock due to unexpected level of violence, I have no idea how much it follows the comic but enjoyed it enough that the film flew by which I suppose is all you can ask.

Visited TORM on Saturday with Jock and Bridgette, Jock withing minutes of walking in the door and without looking anywhere else finished his shopping buying a pirate frock coat, waistcoat and shirt. I was shocked at the speed, and even more shocked that every item he picked up fitted him perfectly, no growing room though so he better lay off the pie's.

I bought feathers, cloak clasps and a medieval mug, total spend probably around a tenner.

Two of the cloak clasp founds were only in silver pewter, I did find one in bronze and another bronze one at home, anyway following Dave suggestion I gave the silver ones a brown wash and then varnished them before sewing them on opposite to each other as Julie suggested making it less likely they would come unfastened. Result as photo below just to show the advice was useful.

Sunday afternoon I spent painting unit of 20 Lizardmen as per the photo below, while listening to 1st sounds spring which was a lawn mower a couple of gardens away.

A quick round up my weekend

This was a weekend of wind and rain.

After a day of light shopping Saturday, I found myself invited around to Ste and Debs for tea.

On the way to Ste and Debs my car was narrowly missed by a airborne umbrella which made me swerve as I caught sight of it in the corner of my eye.

I enjoyed a meal which Deb was convinced hadn't turned out right, I liked it even if it should have tasted different and had a empty plate almost licked clean to prove it. We then chatted the evening away before watching the Iron man DVD, a film I saw at the cinema and thoroughly enjoyed while the wind pelted the windows.

On Sunday I got up to go to the Living History Fair near Warwick, this started with me squirting a unpleasant jet of cod and haddock cat food into mouth as I opened the foil carton for Jasmine, requiring the gargling of mouth wash to remove the taste.

I went to the fayre with Julie and Dave who I picked up on the way, now its usually Julie job to convince me to buy at hat, she failed only to point out a black wig which I bought instead, Dave's job is usually to find me a bargain or shoot a cross bow bolt across the display stands, again Dave failed, he did manage to find his own bargains and loose his scarf, found eventually at the bottom of his bag the 1st place he originally looked. My Job is usually to convince Julie to spend money, well it was my turn to fail, she found Dave a Christmas present and spent away without my help, much more than me for a change.

Didn't see any of the usual suspects at the fayre, did see CatherineW who gave me a massive hug like she had not seen me years, possibly she hadn't. Poor Catherine had her stall of fabric water damaged by a leak in the fayre roof.

I also bought a few Christmas present, a hat, some slug skin cream made from slug slime from Annie the Pedlar that I'm sure will be a hit or a good humoured smack in the face, and then a Jabot for me from Magies Costume the same place I got the wig from.

After the Fayre we went for some pub grub, I took Julie and Dave to the Cocked Hat a place frequented a few time by me, Jock and Bridgette that served excellent homed mad pies, well in the 6 months since my last visit it had totally changed the building extended, entrance moved, grotty bar removed and new pub grub menu installed with a two for one offer. Food was fine, desert yummy, price good, I just missed the home made pies that weren't your typical corporate chain pub food.

By the time we had eaten it was 4 ish so it was far too late to go to mums for Sunday roast, so after I had dropped Julie and Dave off I had to make a call to my Mum to put my dinner aside and I would visit her Monday instead.

I then headed home hitting heavy rain and heavy traffic on the M1, but South bound looked a disaster as passed mile after mile of congested traffic.

I went to see the Big Red

In my still tired state I went to see Hellboy II (The Golden Army) last night.

If you liked the 1st movie I would highly recommend it, by the director that did Pan’s Labyrinth and you can see his style in the elves and other assorted creatures. Some of the scenes also reminded me of the last Cthulhu table top role play game I played; actually they reminded me of it quite lot.

Hellboy is not a cerebral superhero movie like the latest Batman offering, more an action movie with lots one line humour, but saying that it’s a good story that is consistent and makes sense not totally relying on the action, or re-writing the previous like some follow ups do.

I enjoyed it and it kept me awake which is more than I feel now.

I also came home with 4 cakes from Debbie, and half price entry because of a ticket cock up.

Batman

Last night I went to see the latest Batman movie, the Dark Knight, it a bit of epic and a very good film, I got cramp from sitting in one place too long.
While the films punch is from its special effects it does not need them, it as a excellent script and is well acted, definitely one for the adults although I went with my friend Ste and his kid 11 year old plus his mate and they enjoyed although the ending had to be explained, why the good guy was the bad guy etc. etc.

Next week the lastest Hellboy movie, the trailer looked good, can't wait.

The Wushi Finger hold

I've been to see two films at the cinema this weekend and nearly went to see a third.

I went with Andy, Heather and children to see 'Kung Fu Panda' which was a lot of fun even if Andy did have to leave 20 minutes from the end suffering from naughty child syndrome. The film aimed at young kids made be laugh a lot which is good and since our next event is set in the Thunders it will no doubt involve someone doing the Wu-shi Finger Hold which the Po the hero.... (spoiler so can't say)

Also I went to see 'Hancock' which is sold by its trailers as being light hearted comedy, its not..well it tries to mix slap stick and vulgar comedy with a very serious side and they have failed to mix them sucessfuly for me, and I also can't see the funny side of serious nasty drunk which the character started out at. Sounding a bit negative about a film which was entertaining in way, but not on my recommended list, its promise and content left me unfulfilled much like the Jumpers a DVD I watched recently.

The film I missed going to was 'Wanted' based on a comic, Andy & Heather went to see it yesterday so I will wait to see what they thought before I attend, although we have the new 'Batman' and 'Hell boy' films coming up soon so it may get missed for one the them.

My weekend did go to plan

I seem to have spent this weekend with things not quite going to plan, this started Saturday when I was washing a bunch of red and brown coloured cloths at low temperature, something in there must have bled red, since all the white stripes on one Tshirt are now pink, my jeans pockets are now pink on the inside, and other labels or uncoloured items are now pink, not a total disaster since the pockets cannot be seen and the stripes in the T shirt are very thin so I can still wear it, but I did not think die in modern clothing bled so much at 40degC, my mother said I should wash new red or navy cloths in salt first.

I went shopping in Derby's new Westfield centre, but ended up getting everything I needed from local indoor market, I also called in on AndyL & Heather on the way back from Derby, I only nipped in but ended staying 3 hours, discussing characters, looking at Paris photo's and other stuff, so by the time I done most of the day had gone of a weekend I needed to get busy.

Later that evening I went along to Andy's & Heathers they had arranged a baby sitter for a evening for the 1st time in months and I was going to the cinema to see Iron Man with them, on arrival they had just had a poo disaster their youngest girl having got runny diarrhea exploding over a blanket, they had to cancel the cinema and the baby sitter. I trumped she said, to which Daddy replied you did a little more than trump.

I stayed with them and watched a DVD once the kids had retired, the DVD was called Night Watch a kind Russian version of the Matrix, about 1/4 of an hour into the film I was really struggling to follow the plot via subtitles, they did not make sense, then further into the film Andy says I think we are missing 1/2 the conversation so he went back into the menu and took us off hard of hearing mode onto the dubbed English version. The film then started to make more sense or at least the conversation. I was entirely unconvinced by the movie, which to me was weird for weird sake.

Sunday I set out to put some costume bits together, I made a neck tie jabot (sorry don't know if that's the name for it) type thing which did not turn out to plan, but is good enough for now. but having took far longer than planned, spending time updated maps, playing with ribbon, I never made it outside to cut the hedge, I will have to find time one night this week.

I did eventually get to see Iron Man Sunday evening Heather rang, they had re-arranged a baby sitter in the form of Meridian Ariel. Great movie if you like that sort of thing, and I do.

So I only did half of what I planned for this weekend, and the things I did didn't end up quite right, so I now feel ready for day off to catch up.

Food, bikes and haircuts

Saturday started with me getting up late around 8am after a late evening playing cards till midnight, followed by a trip to the barbers which was heaving and saw me sandwiched in the waiting area between a far too chatty grandmother (suspected grandmother, possible great great grandmother) in her miniskirt and 3 kids having their hair cut and a 25 stone man listening and singing (out of tune) to his ipod while exuding a very unpleasant garlicky odour. One of the Grandmothers kid dropped a lollipop on the floor, the grandmother picked it up gave lick clean before handing back to the child, which I must say made me wince a little looking at the state of the very hairy barbers floor, still I remember my own Grandmother doing something similar things and even rescuing a chicken out the dust bin my mother had discarded.


In the afternoon I decided I needed to go look at bikes, it could be one of my the worst investment, but I've decided I needed to give riding to work a go, I've no excuse as my friend Julie says I work close to home and its downhill all the way (uphill all the way back though) and I need to do something other than sit in car, sit at a computer at work or sit at home painting figures or reading books. So inspired by Julie and Dave I will see if I can make it work, but I may in a months time find I have a bicycle shaped trip hazard or bicycle shaped clothes hanger. My friends laughed at me (jokingly) later that evening at the idea of me biking to work and suggested I hang a bike on wall as a trendy decoration...hmmm, I didn't fight back since its likely they may proved right.


I quickly called in to see AndyL after a Ste phone me after a particular comic/magazine he couldn't get. AndyL looked shattered from his 3 late nights in a row and it was free comic day so shop the shop was quite busy.


On Saturday evening I went to my friends AndyT & Linda for tea, (Chris's parents for my LRP friends) with other friends Ste and Deb. The food I hate was far too spicy (I don't mind small amounts of spicy, so long as its not too hot) and combined with the 1st 3 glasses of wine i'd drank in while, meant I ended up waking up in the night with heartburn and could find no form anti acid in the house, so had a bad nights sleep. Apart from the food and drink which didn't agree with me it was a very good evening.


Yesterday morning I went to Halfords to buy a bike, the cheapest one in the shop of the style I wanted, I also purchased a helmet, bike lock and maintenance after asking for advice.
Then a practice run on some quiet roads, well I did half an hour, but on the last very steep hill my legs had turned to jelly and couldn't get started and travel in a straight line at the same time, so pushed the bike until the hill got a little gentler and then finished my ride back home, feeling extremely unfit and nowhere near ready to cycle to work, more practise and a lot more stamina. I went out again today, this time finding a route with no steep hills, a very difficult task in Derbyshire, I travelled around the local council estate doing a couple of figures of eight, still only about half an hour, but that felt plenty. I found I also need to build a little confidence especially at junctions where traffic is behind you or you need to cross traffic, currently I'm either getting off and pushing the bike across the road or waiting for the car to pass me before I attempt the junction.


I also watched The Golden Compass DVD having missed out at the cinema, the film was great really enjoyed it and recommend it.


So what else did I do this weekend, I finished the last 3 of 7 maps of the Ascendancy Continents for the website, a complilation of bits of the maps below and did a bit sewing.

I failed my resistance role

On Saturday I went to Torm (The Original Re-enactors Market) in Coventry taking my friend Jock’s wife Bridget while he stayed at home to watch Rugby on TV.

We arrived around 10ish and quickly scouted the halls, before making purchases, I was looking for a pair of breaches, which I found and that was all I actually needed. For the last 2 fairs I’ve resisted buying a paticular hat, I bought something else expensive last time and DaveP saved me the 2nd time by pointing out a bargain hat which I bought, this time I broke, it was £75 pounds for this hat (A kind of Puritan Witch Finder General Hat) that I don’t need, I walked past the stall several times before my resistance broke, I’m happy but I really do have to admit I have become addicted to hats.

Talking of hats and bargains, DaveP left me with 15 felt hats which we unloaded from Julie’s car to mine, he got these fine looking hats for £1 each which is something only master bargain hunter DaveP could do, these are good hats which will be probably be turned into tri-corns, I dropped these off later that afternoon to AndyL who was equally impressed.

After the fair we went for a bite to eat at the Cocked Hat in Coventry, which we have been to several times. This pub was at one time a smoky smelly pub that you would avoid, but it now does a excellent selection of its own 6 or 7 different meat pies for a under a fiver, which while not healthy food are very tasty, with well cooked chips and peas.

I dropped Bridgett off home in Ripley, then walked round to Chimera, spent some money, then went next door for a bit thread from the sewing shop, before going food shopping to the supermarket and buying the new Elizabeth the Golden Age DVD.

I didn’t get chance to watch the DVD since I got engrossed by figure painting, before I knew it, it was quarter past midnight.
I’m currently painting an Undead/Forsaken army see photos below, most of the figures were assembled 15 years ago by AndyH but never painted. Sitting in box, with glue decay for that long they were a little worse for wear and quite a few needed bits gluing back on, where missing arms, shields and had broken spears, so I spent the evening repairing undercoating them. I also added several figures of my own enlarging the units.

I did find the lost Painted Zombies and Skeletal Crossbowmen, they just need the bases doing.

A few nights ago put finishing touches the Empire figures painted by DaveP (photo below) which at his request had the flesh highlighted and the bases flocked.

Jasmine likes spear men since they are easy to grab and run off with, to protect a little against this I made myself a painting box (picture below), which means I don’t have to put each figure away between painting sessions, I can just carry the painting box and shut away in a cupboard out the way.This does not stop Jasmine totally who hovers over my shoulder while painting and takes a quick swipe to grab a figure, she then moans with pathetic Meow when I say Nooo.

Day off

On Tuesday I went to see Cloverfield, a movie made to look like it was all filmed as diary on a hand held camcorder, I won't tell you what happens but its a sci-fi Horror set in New York, and very harrowing. I enjoyed it if thats the word since can a movie with not laugh to be found, just lots of traumatic scenes be called enjoyable.

Then yesterday I had the day off work to wait in for the electric supplier, to swap my meter and also to take my car to the garage for a gear selection problem which turned out to be clutch problem.

I took my car to garage and was back home by half eight and set myself to wait in for the electric supplier, they turned up at 10 and were gone by 20 past, so I managed to get out house, after painting a few figures I visited Chimera and few other shops.

My car is still at the garage and I have the courtesy car for a extra day, while they replace the clutch arm (whatever that is) under warranty.

Oh and I saw my neighbor for the 1st time in 3 years since he abandoned his renovations, started 8 years ago, he never moved in. He had been burgled while I was in York so he was cutting his hedge down, which seems really odd, now hes done it, I can see the road, I'm not sure yet if I like it over the privacy his tall hedge created, but he thinks it will help security since people will now be able to see his house from the road. Its also seems his extension did not pass planning permission which was why it was abandoned it with just the walls up to mid height.

Good film

On Tuesday night I went to see "Stardust" a fantasy film at the local Odeon cinema, my friend Ste described it as Fantasy chick flick, personally I disagree I thought it more a light hearted fantasy in the same vein as the Princes Bride, anyway I really enjoyed it.



Based on a book by Neil Gaiman

Bushey tailed cat

Last coughs of my cold, I wish, I'm never sure if the worst part of a cold is the initial headache, feeling tired, the follow on running nose, sneezing, eyes watering stage or the recovery when it turns to a horrible dry cough, I can live and function with a cough I guess, even if it make sleep hard.

Anyway this weekend I was slowly recovering from my cold, but still did the shopping rounds and ironing. On Saturday I went round to my friends Ste & Debbie for a meal and jolly nice meal it was. Debbie stole a Jamie Oliver recipe card from Sainsbury's with Chicken, rosemary, cherry tomatoes, bacon, some very nicely done potato wedges and various other bits which I couldn't get enough of. The stater was nice too, and then we finished with a very, very rich, shop made orange and chocolate pudding, one spoon would have been sufficient to fill you.

By about 10pm however my cold had caught up me and I was feeling decidedly drowsy and uncommunicative, so by 11 I left and not too soon, it was a short 20 minute drive home but long enough to have been feeling quite dizzy.

Tonight I was supposed to go to my brother Roberts house for fireworks, but Jasmine had gone very bushey tailed (her tail had expanded to the thickness of her body) and wouldn't leave my lap with all the banging and fizzing outside, she was not a happy cat, so I stayed in and watched 'Nacho Libre' which was quite a funny DVD.

My week

This week started with a trip to friends on Monday evening, a trip to South Wales for work in tiny Peugeot 207, new roadworks just before A449 joins the M4 at Newport delayed my journey since I hit them a rush hour.

I went to see Bourne Ultimatum at Derby and did enjoy it, much of the same thing as the 1st 2 movies in the trilogy but it works and story was concluded, it would take a very warped Holywood mind to make another to earn a few extra dollars.

Other than that I had record (for me) 4 meals out, 1 on Monday, 2 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday, spent some dosh on nice new coat, doodled with the web site since its all done (I will put a link here when its officially released), read the web site blog as Julie wrestled through the problems with forums, and finally watched the new Casino Royale DVD.

That's it, not really a week to remember.

Weekend haircut.

Yes my weekend did not go as planned, not that it was planned in the place.

Saturday morning I went to the barbers and while describing what I wanted to have done I said I wanted a no.2 for the beard on trimmer, this was not heard correctly by the barber who shaved my head with it, me only realising when I saw a lot more than the usual amount of hair falling in my lap, too late. Anyway it doesn’t look bad and will grow back, besides most of is gone anyway.

I spent Saturday playing with the website, then watched the film Independence Day on the telly, I have no idea why I dislike the movie, only realising why when Will Smith punched the alien, still I enjoyed a big bar of chocolate which gave me a headache Sunday morning, the curse of me and chocolate.

When Sunday did arrive I discovered Jasmine had decided the cat litter needed spreading around the kitchen, the cat litter tray was obviously not big enough.

I visited my brother’s new house in Cromford, which is old Arkright Mill house, with 2 foot thick stone walls, internal gutters, tiny windows, no mobile phone or radio reception and lots of other odd feature’s, it’s protected by English Heritage and cannot be altered. It also has garden which you need mountaineering skills to get to, going up a very steep unsafe path, which winds between other peoples gardens you get to level which about 6 stories above his house and gives you a amazing to view across the valley to Blacks Rocks a local site seeing attraction.

Sunday evening I watched Return of the King which is a good movie, although I did intend to watch Micheal Palins latest adventure.

Megatron

I went to see the movie Transformers last night and really enjoyed, it was an action packed explosion fest, not a short movie the start time was set at 5.55 and we did not get out until 8.45.
You don’t need to know anything about the cartoon the back story is crammed in, not that its that complicated anyway, just switch off brain and enjoy lots of missiles, destruction, car chases, robots being thrown through buildings, and high school humour.

Going to cinema straight from work (since I was going with a mate and 3 kids) did not please Jasmine who made plain her unhappiness by running around crazily thundering up and down stairs trying her best to keep me awake all night, at least the cold I thought I was developing on Monday does not seem to have materialised.

People I visited this weekend

On Saturday I went to visit my friends I only called in around 2 for quick natter and ended up staying for long chat, tea and watching a film.

While there, his lad who is 10 managed to break a greenhouse window while playing Basketball, so we got in to when I was a youngster mode, talking about all the opportunities kids seem to have now, basket ball clubs, music lessons, computer games, mountains of other toys, and they still get bored. When I was a lad we had none of these opportunities, yet I don't remember being bored, we had garden, fields, Lego and imagination, its all probably us looking rose tinted glasses since who remembers being bored.

Today I got invited round for cup of tea by another mates wife, to plan what we going to do when he's away on his motorbike trip to Spain, we where going to a music festival but I think with changed our minds, but not sure.

Anyway while there I got to see his new motorbike, hmm well not being into motor bike enthusiast it was silver, and had two wheels which was useful, but other than that I think it was a Yamasukitriumphondaraliegh or something like that.

I then watched Shoalin Soccer, a martial arts football film, by the same people has Kung Fu Hustle which was a laugh.

A web weekend

I spent this weekend working on a website not seeing daylight apart from a visit to my mums and the supermarket. I did this not because I had to or anything but because I was enjoying it, pulling all the bits together after getting a ok from the Andy & Heather on the layout.

Friday night I did go out going to see the movie Four the Rise of the Silver Surfer, not sure why they dropped the word Fantastic from the title. It was a good film far better than 1st Fantastic Four film and while not fantastic I would recommend it.

Before the movie I went for the 1st time to Frankie and Bennies. I was not expecting much these food chains can produce fairly bland food, but the food wasn’t bad, my friends treated me as a belated birthday present, so I tucked into a hot brownie, chocolate sauce and ice cream desert, at least I didn’t have the sparkly birthday desert of DaveP’s birthday earlier in the year.

Other than that I was sent a link to Facebook a kinda livejournal/blog/networking thing which I’ve joined, although not sure why yet, when I get time I will have a better look around.

Spiderman 3, 4, 5 & 6

Went to see Spiderman3 tonight, and it was a mess of a film with enough going off for 10 films, I was very disappointed, 3 out of 10.

I nearly missed it, Jock purchased the tickets and took us to be seated, we then watched the opening credits of a different film, at 1st thinking it was a trailer before realising we were in the wrong screen, Jock having read the seat number G7 for screen 7 somehow, daft sod.
I won't go into the rest of Jocks organisation skills other than to say I suggested going to Mansfield cinema for about 8pm & him picking me up, we ended up in Derby at for 7pm showing, me driving, with just enough time for snack food after getting home from work before going round various peoples house to pick them up, made it for 7 just, luckily films never start early since they need to put plenty of adverts in 1st.
Next time I will organise things, its far easier.

Films that may be good to see this year

So have you seen the new fantastic four trailer, for those into the comic, silver surfer, the trailer is ace.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/fantasticfourriseofthesilversurfer/

or have you seen the trailer for the film 'The 300' I got graphic novel for xmas

http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/

TV is a Habit

This year I forgot how to watch the television, I’m not saying I don’t watch it, I’ve just got out of the habit.

It started because I was busy at work, busy with Shards, busy online, busy reading, busy making bits and bobs before I new it I had missed a couple of episode of this or that and couldn’t get back into them. I’ve gone from someone who watched 3 or 4 series a week, plus news, and the odd other program or a film, possibly 2 hours of telly a day when in, to someone who struggles to watch 2 hour a week unless you count DVD’s.

I’ve tried to get interested in TV over the Christmas break and failed, the telly was switch on tonight I was going to watch a DVD but I’ve failed to watch it, the Telly is still on I can see the light flickering off the wall, best go watch whatever on or switch it off.

So far since Christmas Eve I’ve watched Dr Who and a bit of news tonight about a helicopter crash.

So who has seen the trailer for ‘The 300’