Normal service to be resumed shortly

My eye infection has almost cleared up and so I will be able to use the computer again soon.

C.O.W. Update

Mr Ben here tonight to catch up on my reports from C.O.W.

I cooked a Thai Red chicken curry with coconut raita and then down to business.

Mr Ben was so impressed with my reports of the new version of AK47 that he stumped up the £18.50 for the rules and begged me to order it via Peter Pig's website. A time for revenge, as he made me suffer muchly when I was without internet access a few weeks back. However, the prospect of a partner in Congola was too overriding, so the rules have been ordered :-0)

Next Tuesday The Pimpernel and Mr Ben are here for an AK47 game. Mr Grizzly declined, which is a shame as we will miss his company. (We will have to talk about him instead).

When viewing T.M.P. we were please to see that Empress Miniatures - see previous post - are the new owners of Anglia Miniatures.

Birthday surprise and Old West developments

On my way home from Wroxham last night, I popped in to see Grizzly and to catch up as we haven't met for some time. While I was there I collected my desert mat that I had lent him for photographing the character cards for the set of rules that he is writing for the Old West. The rules look promising and have the flavour of the cinema about them.

Chris showed me all the models that he either made or painted since I was last there. Honours go to the 28mm scale train that he has purchased - and estimates that will occupy in excess of four feet when deployed on the table. Needless to say there were a large variety of Chris'' usual extras - water pumps, 72 tress and the Sudan toys. Empress Miniatures - and very nice too.

He then presented me with my birthday present. Wow! Don't they look good? No doubt they will feature along with Wyndham Hawkins in Bob's campaigns in the near future.

Busy time at the moment. Have just returned home after taking my mum for lunch to celebrate her 93rd birthday today. Meeting tonight, and singing at a meeting in Norwich tomorrow, so by the start of next week I will start placing my thoughts of C.O.W. 2009 here. Suffice it to say, that it was as excellent as I had hoped - and even surpassed my expectations.

One day to CO.W., but Battlefields Trust Trustees meeting first

Here is a photo of the fish that I caught at the BBQ. You can see the blood worm pattern that I used between the gills and the eye.

The heat of the last few days has played havoc, as ever, with my mobility. So much so, that I had to cancel Mr Ben coming over on Monday to complete the second refight of Ravenna - 6th June 1513. Andy Murray had a long match, and the shots of London by night looked very evocative.

Cassie went off to the cattery today in preparation for my visits to Bosworth Battlefield for my first Trustees meeting of The Battlefields Trust, and then C.OW. - The Conference of Wargamers. The best three days of thought provoking wargames to be had anywhere. Nightmare obtaining the agenda and paperwork - finally obtained a 9mb download five minutes before I had to hand the 'pooter to Wayne who is going to make it run faster than a wheezy Norwich City midfielder by the time that I return from C.O.W. I hope!! If the B.Trust can't communicate within its inner sanctum then what hope has it for communicating with Government and those bodies that we need to work with to protect the battlefields? This seems to be an ongoing problem, that I have raised before as a member and will be raising again as a Trustee.

After the cattery a visit to Hingham to locate the lake where Fatal and Glad and I will be fishing on the 12th July in a competition. The carp lakes are in a beautiful setting and I was fortunate to meet two very friendly and helpful anglers - father and son - and the bailiff who was likewise a jolly helpful chap. While there I saw what I thought were logs floating in a corner of the lake - only to find that they were huge carp - about fifteen of them. You could have walked across the water on their backs. Not being a competition angler for coarse fishing I wanted some info to help save me from embarrassment next week. Twenty four of us fishing so far - 21 from Wayland and us three from Wymondham. It seems that the lake is not too deep, so a 7' 6lb line straight through will suffice for the pole rigs. Was put onto Strawberry as a killing flavour and oyster, so may give that a try on the day. But keeping my tactics safe until after the big day.

Had a quick look at Bob's wargaming miscellany after calling him to see how Sue is. Glad to hear that she is much improved and back to work. Version2 of 'When Empires Clash' is up on Bob's site and he has a hard copy for me to collect at C.O.W. and we will hopefully have a playtest, so good stuff to look forward to in addition to Martin Goddard's sessions on AK47 revisited and the work in progress rules for the American War of Independence - 'Washington's Wars'? which seem to be following the successful and popular format introduced in C.W.B. - Civil War Battles.'

Listening to the Fleet Foxes, and now about to start packing for the next few days.

30th anniversary BBQ of The Norfolk and Suffolk Fly Fishers.

Yesterday was the 30th anniversary BBQ of The Norfolk and Suffolk Fly Fishers. A social occasion as well as a fishing day, whih was enjoyed by sixty members and their guests. £10 for a two fish ticket and the BBQ itself was a real bargain. Due to my recent health and personal commitments this was my first visit to Tuddenham in 2009 - so there are still 17 visits left on my half rod ticket. It was a lovely day, although too bright for fishing, but Allan Kerrigan and I persevered.

I managed a 2 1/2 lb rainbow that took a blood worm at 11:45. When spooned it was packed full of olive buzzers with an orange thorax - the exact fly that I had been fishing with prior to the bloodworm pattern. That is what makes fishing so interesting. As ever, Fatal didn't have one of the flies that was catching, so i gave him one and he too, soon banked a 1 1/2lb rainbow. No more fish landed that day - although I had one further take on the bloodworm I failed to keep it on. The day is not a competition - but if it had been I would have won - how typical. We adjourned to mardle an enjoy an excellent meal, followed by what seems to be the traditional downpour. To match the occasion this was the most prolonged and heavy downpour that anyone present could remember. The rain was so heavy it even brought an early conclusion to the raffle.

Allan and Gladys enjoyed it so much Allan is going to join the Society. Huzzah!