The new front door was fitted yesterday and it looks very good and the difference it makes to the house astonished me. The house is much warmer and quieter with a huge reduction in noise from the street outside. I now wish we had done this years ago because it is surprising how much noise and cold air was coming into the house via the leaky old door. It is also very secure and given the various incidents over the last ten years it is much needed. No.1 son is looking at buying a video door bell for the front door for extra security and it will also keep an eye on the cars parked outside as well. I would put a photo up but with our house number emblazoned on the small glass insert in a lovely shade of blue, best not to.

BW would have won any bet we made about not buying kits as the Breda 65 aircraft and the replacement canopy for the SM 79 arrived yesterday.

I dug out the SM 79 from the stash for a quick out of the box build on Monday and started working on it. I then discovered the glass canopy was missing so I ordered an aftermarket replacement. During my search for the canopy replacement I discovered the Breda 65 advertised as a new kit re-issue. The very kit I have wanted for years but no longer in production and the old kits are very expensive but there it was, a new one. I promptly ordered it and it was delivered into my eager hands. I have a vacuform kit in the stash which I intend to build but happier now as I can build this first and prepare for the vacuform build, a model form I have never made.

I like WW2 Italian aircraft and this has delighted me no end. I intend to buy some aftermarket decals and some figures for the kit as I hope to build it as a North African diorama circa 1940 - 41. In the meantime I am painting and tidying up some unfinished kits and figures and I started on the following kit...

One negative from the door replacement is the impact upon the cats with Sherlock once again very anxious and Maisie similarly affected. Both extremely skittish, unsettled and Maisie wandered the house yesterday evening howling and wailing, unusual behaviour for her. This work and visits from Jerry has upset them all although we now prevent Jerry entering the house. Poor little beasties. A good excuse for me to stay indoors looking after them and avoid going out in this damp miserable weather. I have been looking at trips out for later this year including a couple of air museums here in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Suffolk as well as plans to travel down to Essex. It's time I saw some of these aircraft in the 'flesh'!

TTFN.