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The Missing Gulyás. . .

The until recently missing figure, known henceforth as Goulash the Shirker.
 

Sounds like a lost episode of Wallace and Gromit, eh?  Sean the Sheep might want to keep his head down though.

Just returned from another extended ski weekend sans the Grand Duchess and Young Master, it's Spring Break Week, and time to get myself back to the painting table to maintain some forward momentum.  There's a skate ski reference in their somewhere given my work on V1 and V2 Alternate technique the last few days.  But I digress!

I've decided to name this particular figure Gulyás the Shirker because, well, he is something of a sad sack who manages to avoid his duties, delay following orders, and go suddenly absent without leave.  Sort of a Balkan Beetle Bailey who gives his sergeant fits and, as a result, is more or less on permanent KP duty.  Or at least anywhere the action is not. 

The moniker seems rather fitting for a misplaced figure that has managed to escape my painterly attention thus far in the ongoing efforts to paint this final company of mid-18th century Croats. Once back from the optometrist later this morning, base-coating with white gesso and painting proper will commence.  I'll come up with some special coloring or markings to help him stand out on the table once he joins his fellows.

To conclude on a cross-country skiing note, I have finally achieved that holy grail of the sport and can balance on one leg while moving swiftly forward on flats and down hills.  Balance and weight shift from one ski to the other and back again.  Still much to learn and perfect next season, of course, but things should begin coming together rather more quickly than has been the case for the previous quarter century.  Hurrah!

-- Stokes

 

Not sure which one of the instructors took this particular photograph, but I like its unaware, unposed nature.

 

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