This bank holiday was a strange one for me. It started off with a houseful and I was more or less confined to upstairs at my home. The boys had taken over my living room once again for a two day Napoleonic war-game. They no longer have to crawl on the floor as two 8ft tables have been procured to save aching backs and knees. The boys arrived to set up on Thursday evening and the soldiers and tables were finally packed away on Saturday evening. During this time there were various comings and goings with other friends turning up including a lady I didn’t even know. She gave me a very strange look when I came downstairs to say hello. Not at all what I expected from a visitor in my own home!!
The two day war-game was part of the continuing celebrations of a gentleman becoming a certain age. One of the gifts he received from the boys was a miniature model of two soldiers playing cards on an upturned barrel with discarded wine bottles to the side. This tied in with their war-game hobby and made reference to late night board games evenings accompanied by a glass of wine ‘or two’. Luckily I had a planned hair appointment which took me out of the house for a while. My hairdresser has been absent for a few months and my hair had drifted into a style I haven’t been happy with. I arrived at the hairdressers with photographs of how it should be, to get it back on track. When I arrived back home I was greeted with some sad news. The father of one of the boys passed away peacefully after suffering a long term illness.
Photo copyright TAG.
On Sunday, we had been invited to some other friends’ for lunch for a double birthday celebration. It was only right that we should provide a bottle of bubbly to toast the occasions. After a delicious lunch, we sat and chatted for most of the afternoon before returning to what seemed like a very quiet house.
On Monday the weather had turned decidedly autumnal and damp. I had been looking forward to the possibility of a cycle ride but that was not to be. However the wet weather gave me the chance to catch up with a few chores and to sit and read a book in the restored tranquility of my living room.
Sounds like Sunday was more peaceful than Saturday. Your Monday sounds good, too. I had plans for doings one chores, too, but I decided that a couple of hours out in the New Forest in the rain would be far more enjoyable
Walking in the rain is always more enjoyable than chores
The brothers of my first girlfriend used to play wargames across the entire floor of a big room for days, all governed by the rolls of a dice. I could never comprehend why they did it. But then some people can’t comprehend why I play golf.
Autumn is indeed in the air and on the leaves.
Autumnal golf at 12.44 tomorrow…
Well the boys enjoy the strategy of the build up to the game. It involves a lot of planning and correspondence before the game takes place. Then as you say the outcomes are governed by dice…
I love to play boardgames, the type that I enjoy playing involve strategy alone rather than the random throw of a dice.
I see Autumn on the leaves too, enjoy your game of golf
Now that would have been a good time to be a fly on the wall, Cherry….at least for an hour…then I would have come to join you and keep you company in our own style. I would have brought a good book to read, too!
Hopefully the certain gentleman in question thoroughly enjoyed his special birthday (in spite of the news of the death of his friend’s father, may he RIP)!
You would enjoy it for a while and it is the opportunity to get some great photos. I don’t intrude in their space, although I know they wouldn’t mind if I did
Perhaps I should take a little time to take photos of them in action, I know they would love to see them afterwards 
Wot ?! No thousand bombers? No Harrier jump-jets? No trails of smoke near the ceiling? No QRA parked next to the lounge-room door ready for instant scramble? What sort of a wargame do you call that !?
You would have to pose that question to the boys who are rather fond of the Napoleonic era and warfare strategy
There is however another game that involves WWI aircraft that graces the table on occasions
PS. Those metal chairs out on the patio could have been melted down for the war effort.
Please don’t give them any ideas… They have enough of their own
As I do love the damp and autumnal weather, it sounds like you had a lovely bank holiday(except for the boys taking up your livingroom and the odd girl! I hope that you put her in her place!)
How I long for England in the autumn(and spring).
The weather has not yet turned here-and then we have our Indian summer in September to look forward too.
I like the autumn colours but not the damp. I want a little less damp so that I can enjoy a few more cycle rides before winter
As to the girl, I just said hello and exchanged a few pleasantries and the retreated upstairs until it was time for the evening meal, which we all enjoyed sitting around the dining room table together after the unexpected visitor had departed.
Busy weekend ending in a peaceful day…I have not seen toy soldiers like this in a very long time…
These miniatures are quite spectacular. They are cast lead painted up in the finest of detail. This photo of them does not give justice to the fine detailed artwork.
I know where there is an instant supply of photos to show them off in all their glory
Just adore those stones and that ironmongery.
I like the faded look of the stones too. I have been encouraged to jet wash them to make them shiny and new…
I am glad that you like me wishes to see the ironmongery in tact and not melted down for the war effort