I am departing from my usual armour models although the two tanks I had been working on are pretty well completed. The above shows a Viking ship kit I bought very cheaply on evil bay. The delivery charge was more than the kit! It is tiny and as I subsequently discovered the mast is missing as are the instructions. With only seventeen parts I am unlikely to make any major errors in assembling this. I have done some background reading, looked at umpteen pictures of various Viking era ships and I have a better idea as to the colour scheme, rigging and assorted extras I will add including a material sail to replace the plastic one. I shan't bother with figures because the model itself is not much larger than my mobile phone! It's a bit of fun and I will attempt to do this old kit some justice with a decent rendering of an old Viking vessel.

Mrs C has been very poorly this past week with some horrible leurgy and confined to the sofa with daytime television. Mainly American crime re-enactment shows plus ropey old B movies. With the grey, damp miserable weather and the post Xmas ennui it has been a very quiet household. The moggies have either plonked themselves on her or are gathered about me near the radiator. Touchwood we have avoided the flu thus far although Mrs C has sensibly taken to carrying a hand sanitiser with her when she has gone out. I have been out walking each day but sadly since my fall the walks have tended to be short and local because of the discomfort in my right knee. Some days are better than others but it's frustrating as I can have a couple of good days and believe I am making progress. Then this morning where I had to walk slowly and I eventually cut it short and returned home, limping and enviously eyeing up the walking sticks carried by various pensioners! Diet and gentle exercise will be the order of each day.

I have also started to peruse the job adverts but no hurry to return and I enjoy having little to do unless I choose to do it. It's only six weeks since I finished but it feels much longer and last year feels a bit surreal, like it was a dream (Nightmare!) and I will step out of the shower and discover it didn't really happen. Odd that and hard to explain. I am off to watch that historical documentary about the Vikings with Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis playing the leads for further tips.

TTFN.