Well...that's over for another year.
For the first time in many years I did not enjoy Christmas. It felt like any other Sunday but on a Wednesday, a day off from work and a roast dinner. It could have been the last several months but I don't know. I enjoyed watching A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sims (twice) and another version with George C Scott. I also enjoyed the past few days of BBC Radio 3 festive offerings but this year...nothing. I have written before about the commercialisation of the celebration and BW's FOTCR hits that nail square on. TV and radio adverts always muted but the invasion of advertising on social media is also a continuous onslaught. This year it was a very muted affair with DVD's and modelling as my preferred activities. The cats are full of turkey and gammon including our now regular visitor as Sherlock displays below his indifference to the season.

I have a few days off as Sue has a hospital appointment tomorrow and fingers crossed this will be it apart from an occasional follow up. I have now nearly got rid of the cough after eight weeks although worryingly I have had brief episodes of breathlessness and rapid irregular heart beat which I will have to see the GP about. I suspect it is linked to the recent virus but one can't be too careful. Anyhow, here is my current work in progress...

Plus the recently completed Ventura in 1/48th scale.

I am particularly pleased with the Ventura as my airbrush and paint brush skills have improved and it finally shows on this build. Patience, care and attention to detail finally acquired and applied.
I have also signed up to a group build starting January 1st which sees us building a kit from start to finish in fifteen days. The Anson was originally set aside for it but I couldn't wait and the bus I want to build will require more than fifteen days to do it justice. I will have to look through the stash for a simple small out of the box build.
Back to Aretha playing on Spotify and a cup of tea.

TTFN.

                                             Happy Christmas folks!

Day off today only to discover that the equipment I need for the early Monday morning visit on my doorstep is under my desk back at the office. So a trip in to collect that otherwise I am stymied next Monday. The election...well, the conservatives won and although I am happy the extreme left won't have power, being  slightly left of centre politically I am not entirely a happy bunny. The political system in this country needs to change with proportional representation needed, an elected second chamber and greater honesty and transparency in politics and the media. I am glad this is over and hopefully some stability at last. Given that a major financial crash is looming on the horizon the gods know what happens next. I will follow the guidance from my advisor pictured below...

Take to a warm comfy bed, ignore social media and the general media and apart from my trip into the office, enjoy my days off.

TTFN.

I am afraid this is becoming a weekly update as the past week was busier at work than the previous week and I tend to get in from work, eat dinner and slump in a comfy chair to read or watch TV. Not the healthiest or best lifestyle but I find myself working long hours again as management panic in response to yet another visit from the CQC. Staff are beginning to look for other jobs and plan to leave. I will probably plod on as I know I have a definite plan for the future and with my experience I know all the necessary wrinkles to continue doing the job at my pace. It's sad to see staff with several years of experience decide they have had enough and move on. A story for another day and I promise I will tell it.

Sue had her final radiotherapy and we are attending an appointment after Christmas with the consultant. Hopefully that is treatment finished and it will be follow up monitoring only. She is exhausted, sleeps at the drop of a hat and is experiencing various side effects of treatment which we are hoping will lessen with time.

Work continued on the Ventura today with further painting in between cats wanting to know what I am doing. I don't see the little feline buggers but I set the table up and they emerge from their hidey holes...five of them today as Fluffy (Elvis) joined them. Final parts to be glued in, a further clear coat followed by chipping, pin wash, another clear coat for decals and it will be completed. I have lined up the next build...

I intended to start on another RAF bomber but I spotted this in my stash and I am keen to build this. I have the bus crew which I bought separately and I have also ordered some passengers. I like the style and colour scheme and for once I bought this kit from a bricks and mortar model shop in a nearby town where I do many of my visits.

As for the election...I will vote but I have now stopped listening to / viewing any of the election news. What a choice...vote for idiot A or Idiot B. I have only had one party canvassing at our door and as I was ill at the time I told them politely to go away and not come back. I should have entered one of my cats as a candidate.
Vote for Watson! Free tuna, comfy boxes for all and a tax to be introduced on all dogs except guide dogs.
I bet he'd have garnered a few votes.

TTFN.