Ahoy Mateys!
After yesterday's uncommonly serious nonsense, we are back to a tour-de-farce of umpteen subjects. Do keep up!
The Storm Gate/Grozovye Vorota
This is a Russian mini-series set in the Caucasus in 2000, focussing on a company of Russian paratroopers under attack from vast numbers of Chechen rebels. I am watching a version with subtitles that beggar belief - about one sentence in ten is actually comprehensible, whilst the others are composed of achingly literal translations that make no sense, peppered liberally with Russian words or phrases. Maybe, one day, I can find a version that Makes Sense.
The British Heatwave
IT'S NOT A BLOODY HEATWAVE IT'S WHAT WE CALL "SUMMER" AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS YOU LIGHTWEIGHTS! There. I feel better now. Also my purchase of an ice-cream maker proves to be providential in these temperatures. Latest ice-cream version is mint-chocolate, thank you for asking.
Trees
When we moved into this house 16 years ago there was a sapling in the back yard. This has now grown as tall as our house and created a vast bank of shadow across the back yard. We have been tackling the branchy barstard over the past four days and have reduced it's size most impressively, to the point that dappled sunshine plays o'er our baking flags. I have to say, the amount of work required to reduce a tree by any significant amount plays tribute to Nature's design capabilities.
Capitalist Conrad's Cake-baking Calculations
I suspect that only accountants would find this bit riveting, but here goes. I bake on a weekly basis and have done for over a decade. Friends at work would oooh and ahhh at the cakes I made and say "Rob -" er no sorry that should be "Conrad - you should open a shop and sell cakes!"
Advance the clock to 2010 when I am unemployed and signing-on at the Job Centre. I give them a potted account of my life story and what do the various DSS staff say? "Conrad - you should open a shop and sell cakes!"
I'm not sure I'd enjoy the transition from sideline to What Pays The Mortgage. It has been done - Pete Berry of Bacchus Miniatures used to be a civil servant who produced miniature wargaming figures in his spare time, and who then went solo and is solvent and happy.
Anyway, I was ordered/it was suggested - that I calculate how much it costs to make a cake, which I have been doing over this afternoon. It isn't as straightforward as you might think, but it is interesting. My Banana and Walnut Loaf comes in at £2.75, whereas the Hummingbird Bakery's Four Layer Carrot Cake was only £6.34. This calculation echoes a passing comment from colleagues at work, who laughingly said "It must cost you a fortune!".
Then only last week Jane, an old friend (in the sense that I have known her for years - okay Jane? if you are reading this, and not in the unflattering sense of - ah, whatever) had some advice for me. What was it? "Conrad - you should open a shop and sell cakes!"
Division, Regiment, Brigade and Battalion
I think I'll allow MG units to be allocated down to Battalions, and light mortar/minenwerfers as well, but the medium and heavy mortars/minenwerfers are only able to be split up and allocated to Brigades or Regiments. This means a bit of fudging at battalion level for MGs but no need to massage the numbers for the heavier weapons.
The Book Barn
After the Great Cull of 2010 I despaired of ever buying books again. However, my total now stands at 392 Military History books, with a few more due next week. This, I hasten to add, is not really very impressive. Several years ago I was boasting in front of Andy at a wargaming convention about how many hundreds of books I had. He effortlessly trumped me with his casual mention of three thousand books.
Well, I've got to go create some counters for that hex-and-counters boardgame.
Toodle-Ooh!
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