Monday 31 January 2022

Unexpectedly Catching Up….Part 2


 Now I wonder what this could be? An odd piece of MDF (34cm square) used as the basis for a 3 x 3 Fast Play Portable Wargame using the block armies perhaps? For the record the corner squares are 11cm whilst the central square is 12 cm. I am undecided about using the double or single sized block option for this at the moment

Well I did not see that one coming! After ten days straight visiting Laurel in hospital and taking the required daily Lateral Flow Test, this morning, for the first time during the pandemic, I tested positive!

I take medication for my blood pressure which has the side effect of giving me an irritating dry cough. This has been aggravated by wearing a face mask for several hours at the hospital so I did not pay much mind to it. Yesterday I experienced the symptoms of a head cold - I had a bit of headache, a scratchy throat and a streaming nose but certainly did not think it was anything more. I was genuinely surprised at the test result. I shall be isolating for 5 days followed by (hopefully) two clear tests which means that I will then be allowed back into the world. My daughter tested positive at the same time so two of us are down with it after having safely avoided it for some two years or so.

Of course the concern is have I passed it on to Laurel whilst unaware I was infected. Only time will tell with that and given that I was fully masked for the duration of my visits hopefully this will have sufficed.

Laurel is making slow progress but things are gradually coming ‘back online’ so the next step will be for her to be admitted into a residential rehab facility. Contrary to what Amy Winehouse said it was definitely  ‘yes, yes, yes’ when asked about rehab rather than a ‘no, no, no’. As anyone that knows her would testify, Laurel is a pretty active person and so ANYTHING that can get her back and functioning sooner rather than later would be most welcome.

Rome was not built in a day and all that.

Work have deemed me to be off sick for the week (despite the fact that my job is fully remote) so I find myself with effectively 4 and half days in which I can do what I like. Assuming I can focus on anything for a reasonable amount of time I intend taking full advantage of it! Reading is a little challenging and writing will be in fits and starts but there are a number of things I can do.


ACW ships. I have a further mast building session to undertake which is wonderfully therapeutic. The masts you see will be for one of the two sloops (top left) and I will need a further set of these plus the two mizzen masts. The bottom left is the additional frigate. Note the ship in the bottom centre - destined to be the U.S.S. Ozark.

On the subject of matters MDF related I have a selection of models from TT Games to build. These are spaceships and there are four races in total, each of a dozen ships. These are very simple models - I would describe them as being first generation MDF types - with the largest being around 40mm long. The thing I like about these is that they could easily be used as the usual battleship, cruiser and destroyer types or as star fighters which is how I plan to use them with Wiley Games Starfighters rules from their well known ‘Fistful’ series.


Simple models to put together and for around £14 for 48 models plus rules, game tokens and scenery an absolute bargain in my book!


The core set and the expansion - Portable Starship Wargames anyone?

Mention of matters Sci fi related has reminded me of Stargrave from the Frostgrave family. Quarantine 37 is a supplement for the base game with a solo system contained therein. I have some figures lurking about that could be pressed into service for a laugh but we shall see.


Skirmishes and adventures across a ravaged universe yadda, yadda, yadda but definitely with the ‘Pew, Pew’ factor!

Of course one of the things I shall be looking at for definite is the whole 3 x 3 Fast Play Portable Wargame  concept. From an original idea by Mark Cordone this has spawned a whole heap of ideas from gamers across the blogosphere. I have a few of my own but want to try the raw set first before I start tinkering but if this works for me then I will even less excuse for not painting some figures than I have already!

Make no mistake, I would rather be visiting the hospital at the moment but it would be remiss of me not to take advantage of the time available in some way - as long as I am able to do so.

BTW my last blog post had just shy of 2,000 page views. Methinks some bots have been busy!

14 comments:

Maudlin Jack Tar said...

Best wishes for a speedy recovery, and hoping you haven't accidently passed the wretched thing on.

The Jolly Broom Man said...

Bots… never! It has to be content of the posts drawing them in. Hope you both get better soon!

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

David,

Get better soon. In the meantime, take things easy so that you can expend your energies getting well.

All the best,

Bob

Steve J. said...

Fingers crossed you feel OK soon and get the all clear on the tests front too. Glad to hear Laurel is making slow but steady progress and hope that she can move to the rehab centre as soon as possible.

You certainly have lots of stuff to keep you ticking along with your time off and hope to see some updates soon:)

David Crook said...

Hello there Maudlin Jack Tar,

Cheers old chap! I sincerely hope I have not passed it on but only time will tell on that one.

Fingers crossed and all that!

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hello there JBM,

I would like to think so but sadly it would be most unlikely! I had a similar experience a few years ago when it topped out around the 3,000 mark as I recall.

I sincerely hope we get better soon - we seem to have more than our fair share of misfortune over the last six months or so.

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Steve J,

Thank you kindly sir! Hopefully Laurel will be moved soon and to a venue that is easier to get to! I tend to have many things bubbling under so to speak so hopefully I can get some of them tackled during this enforced break.

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Hi Bob,

A marathon and not a sprint! I have a feeling that my constitution will not let me run rampant over various projects even if I wanted to!

All the best,

DC

nundanket said...

Flipping heck David, have you run over a black cat?

Seriously, hope the thing doesn’t linger long.

tradgardmastare said...

Vexed to hear Covid has got you. Hope you feel better soon. Encouraging news of Laurel entering rehab.

David Crook said...

Hello there nundanket,

I reckon I must broken a mirror, stepped under a ladder and then ran over the black cat! It really feels just like a cold at present although my daughter says that her face is hurting. I am not sleeping well although that is not anything new at present. I am hoping to be rid of it by Friday so, all being well and I can get two clear tests in a row (separated by 24 hours) I can get back to the hospital once more.

All the best,

DC

David Crook said...

Good morning tradgardmastare,

The timing could not have been worse really! I don’t feel too bad really - think heavy head cold and you would pretty close - and am hopeful it will soon pass. Laurel is really pleased to be going residential for intense physio so she can be back on her feet (literally) sooner rather than later.

All the best,

DC

Archduke Piccolo said...

What lousy luck, David - wish you a speedy recovery. Colds and flu are bad enough without the pandemic.
Cheers,
Ion

David Crook said...

Hello there Archduke,

Thank you old chap. Dame fortune has proven to be a fickle mistress at the moment and there is nothing worse than a fickle mistress….

All the best,

DC