Skip to main content

Has it been three years already?

Today is the Young Master's third birthday!  Bells are chiming in the capital city Krankenstadt this morning, and the Grand Duke Irwin Amadeus II (with the help of his trusty valet Hives) has declared a national holiday throughout the Grand Duchy of Stollen, which will be marked by a large parade of troops through the downtown area mid-afternoon and an opulent costume ball at The Residenz this evening.  

Here in our little neck of the woods though, where in the heck has the time gone?  It seems like just yesterday -- and at the same time like it has been forty years -- that the Grand Duchess was wheeled away into the delivery room for preparation at an extremely early hour, and I was handed some scrubs to don before following to hold her hand throughout the procedure that brought us young Paul.  How funny and strange the passage of time is, and nothing makes one realize that like having a child and watching him or her grow up.

We are off to an area zoo today since our weather is bright, sunny, and cool.  A wonderful autumn day!  Lunch at a Middle Eastern restaurant will follow since the Young Master loves hummus and pita bread.  After the return home and a couple of hours of the usual "quiet time" in his room with a few books in bed, we'll enjoy some pizza (another Paul favorite) with chocolate cake for dessert, and the opening of several gifts to Paul from us and his grandparents.  An hour or two of play will follow before pajama, toothbrush, and story time.  A full day indeed, but a much needed respite from the frustrations of Monday through Friday life.

Comments

tradgardmastare said…
Happy Birthday to the Grand Duke from all at the Duchy of Tradgardland.
Enjoy his youth,my oldest is 18 and the youngest 16,tempus fugit as they say!
Bluebear Jeff said…
Sounds like young Paul will have a full and happy birthday.

I hope that he (and his parents) enjoy it fully.


-- Jeff
Fitz-Badger said…
Happy birthday to the young master! It does seem like it wasn't that long ago.
A J said…
Many Happy Returns to the young shaver, what! =)
Andy McMaster said…
Happy Birthday to the young one! Sounds like you have a good day planned and I hope you all enjoy it!

Andy
Peter Douglas said…
Stokes

Hope the day went well. Enjoy him while he's home, mine's ships off to University next fall and it seems like yesterday that she was a preschooler.

Cheers
PDF
Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes to the Young Master. He had a wonderful day and received a number of nice (and fun) gifts, but the hit of the day was the chocolate cake his mother made, and which he enjoyed again after dinner for second evening in a row. Clearly, we are bringing him up right. ;-)

Best Regards,

Stokes
marinergrim said…
hoping you had a great day. word of warning - every year goes quicker and quicker from now!!
Conrad Kinch said…
Congratulations!
Old School ACW said…
Happy Birthday young man!

Greg

Popular posts from this blog

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

Taking Stock Part II: The (As Yet) Unpainted but Planned OOB. . .

  Two companies of Reichsarmee grenadiers painted back in 2017 or 2018.  Minden Austrians of course. A lovely early autumn day here in the grand duchy.  Bright sunshine and a light breeze with cool temperatures will make for some very pleasant late afternoon lawn mowing in a little while.  But first a bit more discussion of painting plans for the future. Last time, I looked back at the various and sundry units, support troops, and civilians that I've managed to paint in the last 17 years as the Grand Duchy of Stollen project has developed.  So today, let's look into the seemingly bottomless Drawer 'o' Lead to my left for a clue to the new direction.  Be forewarned, it's not going to be a quick job getting everything painted and based, but there we are. The following plans are based on the pile of unpainted figures already here.  Any future purchases will be limited to small things that might be needed to fill out the envisioned units (the odd few officers mounted o

Having a "No Day". . .

  F or the almost 20 years that she lived in Mexico, one of my late mother's Irish friends frequently mentioned having a "No Day."  A day with no social obligations, chores, tasks, or other work that interfered with whatever personal interests took one's fancy on the day in question. Since today -- a gray and chilly Saturday -- is Mom's birthday, the Grand Duchess is out with friends, and the Young Master is ensconced on the sofa in the TV room with a cold, yours truly is taking his own such No Day.  I think Mom would approve of my decision to make the world go away, as the old Eddie Arnold song intoned, even if only for a little while. So, I will spend Saturday afternoon focused on that first squadron and small regimental staff of Eureka Saxon cuirassiers.  These have stood waiting  untouched over on the painting table for almost three weeks while we skied and otherwise gadded about with snowy, winter outdoor activities. I hope to share a painting update Sunday a