Last weekend was a long one with a public holiday on the Friday. My plans (well hopes more accurately) were to do some work in the garden. What with our trips to Canada and to the South Island and the exceptionally wet weather of late things have gotten away and in 25 years we have lived in our home I have never seen so many weeds in the flower beds and the gaps in the paving are thick with moss. But my plans (hopes) were dashed by the weather again...not that is rained that much, but the ground is so saturated that garden work is all but impossible. I did manage to mow the front lawns (leaving wheel ruts and foot prints in the soft ground), but chose not to try to push the mower into the morass that is the backyard for fear that it would be irretrievably lost.
The positive side of the weekend was that I was able to work on the FPW French and have completed the 32e Régiment.
This regiment had a hard fight at Spicheren where it held the left flank of the French line in the iron works, along the railway line and in the streets of Stiring Wendel successfully defending against the turning movement in the Prussian 28th Brigade, losing 20 officers and 310 men of the 1,708 that took the field that day. It fought equally hard at Rezonville, counting losses of another 15 officers and 333 men. It was only lightly engaged at Gravelotte, losing 3 officers and 87 men. In those three engagements across twelve days regimental losses totalled 38 officers and 730 men.
The Second battalion
The Third Battalion
The whole regiment.
Waiting in the wings, assembled and ready for undercoating is the next regiment, the 55e.
Another beautiful couple of battalions to complete a terrific looking regiment Mark. Nothing better than a rainy weekend to force one out of the garden and back inside.
ReplyDeleteI would like to get outside though...seem to have been trapped inside for too much of the year. I can't recall if you were still here in the mid '90s, but here was one winter when we had 40 days straight when it rained, not continuous, but rain every day nonetheless...this has that deja vu feeling about it.
DeleteTotally agree with Lawrence - the weather is to be appreciated - saves you having to waste valuable hobby time in the garden! Mind you, my dear wife did manage to cajole me into cutting our grass midday Friday, after a three- or four-week period when it had been left unmolested! I still managed to get quite a bit of painting in, though. Great work on what you occupied your time with Mark!
ReplyDeleteI prefer to do my painting and modelling work in the evening so I actually have no problems getting out in the garden in the weekends. I like the idea of starting in chaos but ending in order.
DeleteMy plan is to try to get the whole of the infantry for the First Division finished by month's end.
Great brushwork, good luck with finishing on schedule.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe. I'm pretty confident I can meet the schedule, there are only 47 figures to go!
DeleteSteve J, sorry I managed to delete your comment, but thank you, and yes this is a wet year - less than seven months in and we have already exceeded the annual average. It can only get better from here on it...
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like yet another argument of why outside is just a terrible place.
ReplyDeleteI have the opposite problem. It’s so hot here right now that going outside after 10AM is forbidden. I could be getting a lot more hobby done if it weren’t for the wild children. 😀
Good looking miniatures and I’m still loving the red pants. 😀
Yes you guys are frying while we are floating...
DeleteIs a small amount of whiskey in their Coolaid the answer to wild children?☺️
The red pants will be back on these pages soon enough.
A lovely looking regiment Mark…
ReplyDeleteI think Nottingham has come out in sympathy with you… I’m having trouble remembering what a blue sky looks like…
All the best. Aly
Yes what colour is sky blue...is it a mix of black and white?
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