The November Report

This week marked six months since we left the sun-drenched shores of my native Antipodes and landed up here on these mist shrouded isles at the edge of Europe. I do love it here and have no regrets about the move,  but there have certainly been some ups and downs since arriving.

To recap a little, we have been living at my in-law's house (down), for free (up). Wee Hotspur took his first real strolls only after arriving in Ulster (up) and is now competently feeding himself with a spoon (up).

Wee Hotspur inspecting (London)Derry's 1641 ordinance.

I didn't get the dream job straight away (definite down); and have instead have worked on some pretty average archaeology (down), some of which was actually really amazing (big up) but was so incompetently directed that the crew felt the need to start a mutiny which only ended with the direct involvement of the Minister for the Environment (a huge down topped with a bit of an 'up' cherry).

An editorial in the most recent CBA publication on the site in question

My wargaming supplies sent from Australia arrived in pieces (down) but I have used that to fix up a whole number of things that I wasn't quite happy with (turned it into an up). I have now re-finished my HotT army of Cheddar and have my Irregular Wars Spanish further along than they were when I left Sydney (up). I started and finished my SAM-in-10mm project (up), have raised another SBH warband (up) and made a stack of new scenery (up up up).

Now, as the nights and days get colder and my patience and tolerance for other people's houses is wearing perilously thin, I'm happy to announce that we are moving into our own place next week. Situated about 20 minutes outside of Belfast, it is a charming little detached house in the country (enormous up - couldn't be happier!).

...a very nice house in the country...

Academically I have had several articles accepted for publication, dealing with Macedonian-Paionian relations, and Roman client-kingdoms in what is now Turkey and Lebanon, as well as the manuscript of my third book accepted by the publishers (all big ups).

So what's in store for the near future?

As soon as the dust settles from the house move (and considering I'm working away in the mud during all my daylight hours that may be some time) I plan on doing a series of posts on Irregular Wars: Conflict at the World's End, illustrating battle recruitment and providing a couple of AARs detailing some of the features which make the game unique (and some might say, 'fun'). More play testing is required for the companion naval rules and for the ancients modification (eventually). I'd also like to run my SAM -in-10mm campaign, the 'Apocryphal Annals of Saint Neot the Lesser', a four game narrative chronicling the struggle for sovereignty over Venta Belgarum (Winchester) in the mid-fifth century. Insha'allah.

Lets all raise a glass to the prospects of the future!