Wow! I can’t believe it’s been nearly two months since my last post. I gotta do better. This will have to serve as the big catch up.

So, I can’t paint. I haven’t been able to paint since Friday (3 days ago) and I won’t be able to paint until well after June 1st. No nothing bad. I had to dismantle my painting space, which is also my entertainment space, because we are remodeling that part of the house. We’ll also be gone to Europe for three weeks, and the work will be done while we’re gone. It works out great in the end, but no painting short term.

As one who actually enjoys painting little men, it’s like yikes!!! I find myself rummaging through the pantry a lot and wondering how to fill my time. Well, that is after I walked 6-8 miles a day for the past four days, while schlepping heavy boxes and furniture back and forth to the garage and a POD in our driveway. That’s a product of having 1,500 or so vinyl records in my painting area They had to go out to the garage for fear of the heat out in the POD. Nothing like a bunch of warped vinyl.

It’s been an interesting and fun couple of painting months. I have abandoned my usual focus in order to keep painting and enjoy it. No Enfilade, no Enfilade projects. I’ve painted all of my Japanese and American 1/1200 cruisers. I’ve sold off all the ships I don’t believe I’m going to paint. So, no Germans, British or French. I’ve also begun gearing up for a project Shoe and I talked intensely about–the air campaign against Rabaul. I assembled and painted nine Japanese ships in 1.700 scale. I painted a small handful (3) American planes, but ordered a bunch more Raiden planes from I-94 Enterprises. I even read a bit about B-25 development and acquired a couple of books of camouflage schemes. I’m stoked. They’ll be here when I get back.

I’ve picked at my AWI figures. I’ve worked on some stray Maximilian figures. I finished my Xenos Rampant army. Each and every one of them have been fun.

When I return from Europe, I’ll have lots more to do. I could make a big ol’ list, but honestly I just find so much fun in the doing. And I really miss doing. If I wasn’t able to paint regularly I’d be one of those bored retired guys, like one of former work buddies who is now driving 20 hours a week for Uber. Ack! Or watching the news nightmare all day long. Double ack!!!

Though I haven’t played a ton of games the past couple of months, I have played SAGA a couple of times. I’ve learned to love my ridiculous Irish. They are great missile troops but mostly have to hide in bad terrain. Not very good in a melee, though nobody has quite figured out how to get at them yet. I’ve been able to turn the table into a Gaelic shooting gallery, but it’s just a matter of time.

In any case, I’m taking a little break for vacation and as I have to re-set my painting area when I return. Lots to look forward to.