Sunday, January 6, 2019

Christmas and Bday loot!



I'm catching up on blog posts from the winter holidays still, and today we talk about the greatness of gift giving...

Fun Fact

The closer your birthday is to Christmas the better person you are.  It's true!  Think of all the worse people you know, and they're probably born in June. Trust me I know, because several people in my family and extended family have birthdays in June.... Conversely, the best people in your life are likely born in December and January.








Da Booty


Did I mention that my birthday is the same week of Christmas?  It might of come up. 
Sometimes this works out for me because people double down on the gifts.  Other times I have to buy myself gifts because I know I am unlovable (you don't have to tell me).  If the last part of that sentence now has you singing a Morrissey song that came out in 1986; then our brains are frighteningly in sync.  

Wargamers are indeed hard to shop to for, especially by non wargamer types.  I always tell people that gift cards are perfectly acceptable, though gift cards tend to result in purchases of large amounts of miniatures that just increase the lead pile (I still have stuff from last Christmas yet to be painted).    This year I must of been loved because I got some excellent and exciting birthday and Christmas loot.  Here are the highlights! 


Daughter #1 (age 5)  made me an activity book from pages of here coloring books.  Super cute and I plan to spend an evening completing it so she'll know it was appreciated.  maybe we can do it together.

Son #2 (age 9 months) made me a promise not to spit up on me which he later broke, but also promised me not to eat my wargame stuff as long as I kept it off the floor and out of reach and behind a closed door.

From the wife:


brushes and wet palatte that keeps your paint from drying out.  Seems cool.




Rocks and sticks.  I use these rock clusters a lot in my ACW games to denote...(wait for it)... rocky ground.  I'm not sure what to do with the sticks but I'm sure something will come to me.




I also got a gift card to the the Warstore.  Always something to buy at the Warstore.


Since I've taken my over my father's life and caring for him, moved him from southern CA. up here to Northern CA and he'd be around for Christmas, I decided that it be a good idea that he have some gifts for the family.  He wasn't up for shopping with me so I took care of it all; naturally this resulted in generous gifts for his dear oldest son.  I got these and had the wife wrap them so I didn't see the actual stuff until Christmas or my birthday.  So from him but really from me to myself:


A Frontline Gaming Ocean Mat.  A lot of the times when I view Age of Sail games on TMP or blogs I would ask what ocean mat they were using; and the answer was usually from Tinywargames or Frontline Gaming.  Tinywargames is based in the UK and the shipping across the ocean to America was too much (probably because of the size), while Frontline has a US presence.  Previously in my AoS games I've been using some blue calico fabric which seems to work well enough, but I wanted a mat to see if there was an improvement in appearance.  Time will tell.

Bonus points for Frontline Gaming that the Mat comes with a carrying case
The size is 6 x 4


Timecast Latex fields.  I can always use more fields.  Also based in UK (the UK always has the cooler stuff..) but the shipping for a small box was much better priced.  While I have made my own fields with some success, the plowed fields never come out quite as I picture them in my mind, so I'll give these a try.  These are the medium and large fields and require painting.




Though my favorite gift has to be this knit cap that is shaped like a Viking helmet..(also from the wife).


YAAARRR!  I'm ah Viking! 



I swear the next post will have some actual content.  Promise!  

16 comments:

  1. The Timecast fields are very good and being latex, once on the table they don't move. They do a pack of smaller pieces which are ideal for adding to building bases or field and hedge combination bases when modelling terrain pieces, just to get some visual texture.

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    1. Thanks Norm! The smaller pieces do seem real small but used as you say might be worth it. These seem to be a decent size but still perhaps a little on the small side to be used individually. Maybe good a group.
      I dunno. Have to paint them first. 😀

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  2. The hat wins as best loot for me. Nice haul!

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  3. A great set of gifts. I'd use the sticks as hasty fieldworks with my ACW if I were you. My 6 yr old son would be pointing out that vikings didn't have horned helmets if I got one of those.

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    1. Now you know that and I know that and your son knows that but my wife and the people who made the hat sure didn’t. 😀
      I’m thinking the same thing about the sticks.

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  4. Your knit horned helmet and my nuclear submarine & reindeer sweater (jumper) would make a great combination. Happy Birthday!

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    1. Thanks Ed. Have you worn your sweater outside yet in public? Because I’ve worn the hat. 😀

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    2. You win: no I haven't. BUT...it's because I didn't get it until Xmas day this year, and it would have been out of place (well, more out of place) to wear it after that. Next year, though, I'm looking forward to donning it during the season.

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    3. 😀. Truth be told we all got funny hats and wore them out together so I wasn’t alone in looking silly.

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  5. Quite a bit of great stuff there! Pity though about that promise from #2 son.

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    1. He frequently breaks his promises! Luckily he’s super cute and makes up for it. 😀
      Thanks Las!

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  6. Nice hat!

    My birthday's on the 18th...that hat is now in my wish list!

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  7. Nice range of stuff, not sure about the winter children versus summer, you get a raw deal as far as presents counting for both,my grandnephew who's birthday is 27/12 celebrates his name day in the summer instead,luckily my birthday is much closer to the longest day!
    Best Iain

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    1. Yes that is all true but he is an excellent person is he not? 😀
      I was told growing up that it built character.

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