I have completed the two builds that have sat on the desk for the past four weeks as I slowly worked through them. The above is a 1/48 scale SBD Dauntless by Revell in Royal New Zealand Air Force colours circa 1942. I have since added a pin wash using oil paints (ochre and brown) to weather the aircraft but it's put aside away from my fingers and the cats and will dry eventually.

The smaller 1/72 scale Heinkel He 162 is awaiting weathering but it is essentially finished. This is a small kit and I crazily bought some aftermarket brass parts to enhance the build. Tiny tiny tiny parts which can barely be seen and I realised I could have scratch built those extra pieces. But all in all a cheap and very very enjoyable build.  

Now...Imagine a team whose manager is now absent, either sick / working from home / temporarily assigned important desk duties, other staff off sick plus a long term absentee who is with another team and then it is discovered a lot of work has not been completed and people are expecting a service. Complaints are flying in from all over and whoever is the duty worker each day has to prioritise and deal with all of this plus their own caseload and the caseloads, clinics, etc...of the absent workers. Various managers coming in to 'help' as they have only just realised that team is about to collapse because of too few staff and too much work. Chaotic would be a mild description as the team members continue to function and do the important work of ensuring people are safe. Those hapless team members have requested extra staff but no sign of the seventh cavalry on the horizon as the wagons are circled. All of this happening amidst a major pandemic / shutdown just to add further spice to the mix.

Thankfully that is only an imagined scenario and couldn't really happen...?

Here is a picture of my next build with a sleepy Watson escaping the heat and supervising the work. Cats, models and music are great for reducing tension.

I have a couple of days leave booked so a long weekend and a much needed break from work. Last night required a takeaway meal and a lot of gin and I suspect others will be doing the same this weekend. Take care folks, it is hot out there and not just from the sun.

TTFN.