A nice quiet day and evening. . .

Austrian staff on foot by Minden Miniatures (photo 'borrowed' from the Minden Miniatures blog).

A very quiet birthday yesterday, celebrated with the Grand Duchess and the Young Master (who is now a devotee of all things chocolate) over a delicious Indian meal that I picked up and brought home for us early in the evening from one of our local Indian restaurants (we are very fortunate to have three within just a few miles of us). A chocolate cake with a few candles followed that was baked by my wife, with "help" from our son, and then some cards and a few nice gifts, including a recent finger painting by the Young Master and a bottle of Glenmorangie single highland malt whisky from the Grand Duchess. Oh, and on the miniature soldier front, I placed a small order to Minden Miniatures late yesterday afternoon for Austrian and Prussian staffs on foot plus some more Croat grenzers and a couple of other odds and ends to fill out a few things in the collection here at Stollen Central. All in all a delightful way to mark the passing of yet another 29th birthday. ;-)

Prussian staff on foot, also by MInden Miniatures. This photo too has been 'borrowed' from the Minden Miniatures 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!

Keepin' an Eye on the World Going By My Window . .

'The Nap at the Palace' by Jose Triado Mayol N ot much in the way of hobby-related activity happening here in the Grand Duchy lately. Sigh. And no surprise there really since there are only so many hours in the day, only so much mental and physical energy to spare, and you sometimes simply just have to give in and know when to say, um, "When!" A glass of wine and/or evening yoga by the hearth with the Grand Duchess (who has practiced for over 20 years), and then off into la-la land. Zzzzzzzzz. More immediately, I'm recovering, mentally speaking, from a grueling Friday in which I was involved with three (online) conference sessions, one right after the other, followed by a 90-minute meeting at the end of the day. Also virtual. My brain has been mush ever since, so an easy, completely unproductive Saturday watching intermittent snow fall outside (no accumulation however) and drinking coffee while the visiting handymen completed some repair work down h...

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...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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