Looks like my work is cut out for me. . .

As my Grandfather used to say many, many years ago, “Happy Day After!” He then toasted us with his usual scotch and water on ice.

The last couple of days have indeed been great days here at Stollen central. First, issue #10 of Battlegames arrived with the mail on Christmas Eve. Early perusals reveal that it’s another triumph filled with all kinds of interesting stuff. I look forward to examining the magazine more closely in bed this evening.

Even better, guess what was waiting under the Christmas tree yesterday morning? Not only did the Grand Duchess Sonja have 80 RSM95 Prussian fusiliers (men, officers, NCOs, and a mounted colonel), carefully disguised in a Famous Barr shirt box, but her parents Nan and Dave sent more than 30 RSM French musketeers in the firing pose along with officers, NCO’s, and a mounted colonel! I was so overcome with surprise and joy that I was simply without words for quite some time.

To say that the RSM figures are lovely is an understatement. The Prussian fusiliers resemble the grenadiers in pose, stature, and equipment. I’m already planning ahead to paint them in white coats with some kind of colorful facings and smallclothes plus the beautiful fusilier caps. The French musketeers are in the firing pose and resemble the red-coated “Willie” Irish troops shown on the front and rear covers of Charge! So much so, that they will be painted in the same or similar uniforms, depending on how well I can discern uniform details. Sigh. It looks like I’ve got my work cut out for the next several months. Life is just so unfair sometimes! ;-)

Best of all, the Grand Duchess Sonja and I had a lovely day together that included many nice gifts, telephone conversations with family members across the country and internationally, a brisk walk in the late afternoon past a house on which we might make an offer, and too much delicious Christmas dinner. We followed with starting a puzzle together on the coffee table. It was a very special time. As I told Sonja over dinner yesterday evening, one of the many reasons I like December so much is that this was the time of year, seven years ago, when I first realized that my feelings for Sonja were turning into something more than simple friendship. So, this time of year is always special when it comes around.

Ok, now it’s back to those Spencer Smith cavalry over on the painting table, ‘cause we’ve got a small battle coming up tomorrow. See you then!

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!

And It's the End of September!!!

Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November. With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important, I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...

Happy September 2nd!!!

T his weekend, the question of what, precisely, constitutes an "imagination" came up in an online forum of which I am a part. To be fair, the issue originates from further afield in a Facebook group that I am not a member of, but I weighed in with my own view. The following was in response to the question posed yesterday (Sunday) morning by an exasperated member of my own rather more gentlemanly town square, who had been met with a strident response to information he shared about his (admirable) hobby activities on said FB group. Here is, more or less, what I wrote: To my mind, the concept of imagi-nation(s) is a broad one. It can range from historical refights or what-if scenarios/battles/campaigns between armies of a particular era, to completely made up combatants operating in a quasi-historical setting, to the rather generic red and blue forces of the Prussian Kriegspiel that examine a particular tactical problem, task, or exercise. ...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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