Normal service temporarily suspended

It's been a long time in coming and I've "bored for Britain" on the joys of architects, builders, ground source heat pumps, insulation, solar panels and sundry craftspersons, but the Duchess and I are finally moving (permanently we hope) as of next week. I thought on my wargaming blog it might be appropriate to show some photos of the space I've negotiated for myself on the ground floor.

This will be the first time in my married life I'll have had a space of my own dedicated to my hedonistic pastimes of wargaming, model making and painting pictures. Because it will have multiple uses my plan is not to have a large permanent wargames table but rather a series of semi permanent work tables and then lots of sturdy collapsible tables that can make up the desired table size. With any luck, allowing for the more rotund members of my group to get round it, we'll have enough space to do our Waterloo games next Summer on a minimum of 12 feet by 6 feet with sundry add-on bits depending on the scenario.

Of course it also has to house cabinets of models soldiers, cupboards of scenery and terrain boards  (stored in the roof space by the windows). The cold look of the tiles should be offset by the underfloor heating (so you'll be warm enough in stockinged feet, Pete!) but some rugs might help it feel softer. There is plenty of lighting provided by three flourescent lights, a bank of movable spotlights for the cabinets, and some LED down lights.

If the game gets boring the view from the windows is not bad - looking over one of Stroud's five beautiful valleys.

This is a photo looking down on the small area outside the back door, which on nice days is a sun-trap, facing South-west . We've had it landscaped and seeded to make a space I can work in the fresh air, but it will also make a nice breakout area during games for the players to discuss tactics etc.

There is never enough storage space so luckily I will have half the double garage to keep the less precious stuff.

There's always a down side isn't there? For us it's that the house is far from finished and when we move in there is an awful lot to do to make it habitable and before we can unpack and find homes for everything. Also, being way off the beaten track, getting decent internet is near impossible yet and I'm having to use a limited data package. I've no idea how severely I'll find my on-line presence curtailed and will be feeling my feet for a few weeks. Hence the title of this blog as I'm unlikely to have much time to post any news  or have anything worth showing for a while.

Also my email address, which I've had for about 12 years, will change (apparently it will still work for a few weeks) and I'll be notifying regular contacts, but if you want to know it just try the old one or post a request on here.