A Quiet Day Here in Zum Stollenkeller. . .

The Swedish Chef and a friend from The Muppet Show. . . My particular culinary idol.

Happy Friday everyone! Not a whole lot to report here at the moment. Picked up the Grand Duchess yesterday evening from the shuttle bus that shuttled her from Chicago-O'Hare, mowed the grass today, and puttered around the house a bit.

Here in the United States, we are gearing up for the long 4th of July weekend that marks our "succession" from British rule in 1776. However, I harbor no grudges. I mean, the nation that gave the world The Beatles, Micheal Caine, Sean Connery, Donald Featherstone, and Charles Grant can't be all bad, right? ;-) The weekend is also seen as the traditional half-way point of summer, which has always struck me as a bit odd since summer more or less begins on June 21st each year. Strange.

The poor Grand Duchess hurt her back weeding the vegetable garden earlier this afternoon, so she's having a rest at the moment before I fix us dinner. We'll probably have it on the foot of our bed as we watch a DVD of those great old Peter Gunn shows from the late 1950s. They just don't make TV programs like that anymore, but fortunately we have Net Flicks! Depending on how Sonja feels later, I might slip back down here for some late night painting, to begin finishing up those last 20 RSM Prussian Fusiliers that have waited so patiently on the painting desk for the last few weeks.

On a related note, The Plastic Soldier Review (the link is at right) will shortly review the newly released Zvezda set of mid-18th century Prussian grenadiers -- Keep an eye out for that one! While I have a self-imposed a moratorium on the purchase of any additional figures until my lead/plastic mountain shrinks a bit, I am very interested to see what the PSR people think about this particular figure set. In general, Zvezda figures are very nicely done, and this latest release could possibly provide a reasonably priced alternative to the various metal figures currently on the market, an important consideration for younger wargamers, those on a budget, or those who wish to "try on" the mid-18th century for size without laying out too much hard earned cash.

Oh yes. There was one more thing. About mid-November this year, the Grand Duchess and I are expecting the arrival of a tiny heir to the Grand Duchy of Stollen. . . In other words, Sonja is just over five months pregnant! I am simultaneously thrilled, nervous, scared, excited, and just about any other adjective you might be able think of. But, from everything I have read on the subject of expectant fathers so far, this is not unusual.

So, besides the usual state of affairs here in the Grand Duchy, we have a bedroom to paint and convert into a nursery, a hospital to tour, a few more routine check-ups, and all of the other usual things you do to prepare for the arrival of a baby. I imagine it will be a terrific period of adjustment, but I'm confident that we'll manage just fine. And time passes so quickly anyway. By the way, Sonja is doing very well, and, her tender back muscles notwithstanding, looks and feels fantastic.

Now, it's off to the kitchen for me, men! Tonight, it's going to be simple -- pasta with some sort of sauce followed by fresh fruit for dessert. Hey, I can't walk in Julia Child's shoes all the time, you know.