I needed a new tube of superglue. I find that I have 14 spare, and 6 spare UHU type. Also, 2 spare tubs of Copydex.

I also have going on for 50 spare brushes, and at least 54 backup Vallejo paints, besides 116 in use and the 114 non-Vallejo paints that I am phasing out.   

I can trace this back to my parents. When I was a child we lived in Germany and there was a toyshop which I remember vividly having Airfix WWI Germans in the window - the casualties liberally daubed in red paint. The owner was an older gentleman with one eye. In my youthful imagination he lost it when his dirty rotten Panzer was taken out by some gallant Brits in a Churchill. There would, of course, be a cry of "take that Fritz!" from the Churchill and he would of course have yelled "arrghh!"*. Possibly after "accursed Tommies" or "schwinehund" - my knowledge of WWII being based mainly on the Victor comics. That the eye could have been lost in an accident or due to disease never really crossed my mind.

Anyway. My dad would usually drag us by the toy shop because he said "if you go in, you have to buy something." I think he took this as a warning, but I think I have taken it as a challenge. I mean, you always need an extra tube of glue don't you?

The second parent, usually known as my mother, was brought up on Shetland. There, a trip to the shops was somewhat of an expedition, so one maximised the opportunity. (My dad was also brought up in Shetland, but his family owned a shop, which, upon reflection may explain his "must purchase" sentiment.) When my mum went to a shop, she made sure she bought everything she needed. Her mantra was "better to have than to want."

So now when I go into the Widnes model shop https://widnesmodelcentre.co.uk/ (highly recommended) for a matt varnish I invariably come out with 2 brushes, 5-6 Vallejo tubs and maybe a Metcalfe n gauge building. Sometimes, I remember the varnish.

Similarly, when doing a food shop I will be drawn into the household aisle, and thoughtlessly chuck some glue into the basket.

In 2023 I'm going to try and bring down that stockpile. I think I only need two - no three - spare tubes of superglue.

Maybe 4?       



* If Japanese, it would have course been "aieeee!"

Such folly can only lead to a sticky end. 

I buy my superglue from poundland and as I go into this store as rarely as possible I always by £5 of superglue. This lasts for ages. Currently i have 10 tubes and 4 bottles

When I need a better bond I use the Gorilla Superglue.

Yes I stick to the poundland stuff

I buy Gorilla Superglue when I'm looking for an item to hit the £40 minimum for grocery deliveries by Tesco and the glue is on offer. I daren't open the drawer to check how many I have now.

I think they are breeding!

I see that we have all moved quickly on to super glue after the glimpse into the childhood of fsn...

With regard to the cheap super glue, I had a good stock of this laid in. But then discovered that most of it had solidified within the unopened jars and tubes. So there is perhaps a shelf-life for the cheap stuff. 

Quote from: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 01 January 2023, 01:05:12 PMYes I stick to the poundland stuff

<<Insert glue joke here>>

Quote from: fred. on 01 January 2023, 02:34:13 PMWith regard to the cheap super glue, I had a good stock of this laid in. But then discovered that most of it had solidified within the unopened jars and tubes. So there is perhaps a shelf-life for the cheap stuff.

Read this. Got tube of superglue - solid. First time that's happened to me. Coincidence?

When I was growing up in Fulham there was a toyshop 2 doors down from the entrance to my primary school called 'The Dolls Hospital'. The window was packed with 54mm toy soldiers doing battle, wild west forts etc. I don't remember seeing many dolls. My school regularly took us to Fulham public library (the normal column of children holding hands) where one day I came across a big book entitled 'The Centenial History of the Civil War' written by Bruce Catton packed full of pictures of men in blue and grey, again doing battle. Next to the toyshop was a sweet shop which sold little packs of bubblegum which came with a picture card of various actions in the American Civil War. I vividly remember the pictures for their blood and goreness. One depicting a Union soldier impaled on a cheval de frise at the battle of Champions Hill sticks out im my memory. Each pack also contained a facsimile of either a US dollar or Confederate states dollar bill. It was the early 1960's

I really never stood a chance.

Cheers Paul

I both remember and had that card, Paul, along with a wodge of others plus a collection of the fake dollars.

My first introduction to the ACW and the trigger to my wheedling a pack each of Airfix Confederate Infantry, Union infantry, Artillery and US cavalry out of my parents.

There was a story in the local paper about a bank teller who exchanged the fake dollars for GBP who was reported as saying something like,"How was I to know? I've never seen a US Dollar bill!"

Quote from: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 01 January 2023, 01:05:12 PMYes I stick to the poundland stuff

How much is it?

I've still got some of those cards somewhere. 

My introduction was the Timpo ranges.


As a kid I spent a lot of time in hospital, and got see my parents once a week. Every week they brought me either one Timpo cavalryman or two infantrymen. 

I had a few of the Timpo figures, but much preferred the Britians Deetial ones I had. I think I perhaps had as many farm implements and machinery as soldiers 

Woo-hoo! Three orders from Pendraken in two days! My cup of joy overfloweth into a faintly unpleasantly scented puddle. (I'll clean that up later.)

Those three orders are obviously for the same project ... right?


The first order was for Ottomans (Ottomen?) for my next phase in Napoleonics which is obviously the Ottoman Empire ... or the Swedes ... well maybe the Swedes, the last order was Swedes ... no definitely the Ottoman Empire. Certainly. Ottoman Empire ... not Swedes. Swedes after Ottomans.
Y'know I've always liked the Saxon Cuirassiers.
 
Second order was definitely the fault of His Obsidian Majesty. I may have intimated at some point that I think the BTR60 is a chunky beast and lo and behold, there appear BTR60s! Marvellous are his ways, and it would be rude not to ... wouldn't it?

Third order was on 1st January. There were two reasons for this. Firstly, I wanted to try out the new feature in my spreadsheet which tracks spending, and secondly I watched a video about the Winter War in the air. I can see some Winter War troops in my future. Just need some more pine trees.

At that point I realised I just needed some T62s to "complete" the 1984 Soviets ... so they sort of got added.
 

So here it is:

• 10 BTR60s
• 2 BRDM2 (Didn't I mention them?)
• 10 T62s
• 4 Fokker XXI
• 2 Blenheim2
• 4 I-153
• 2 Sb2
• 1 unit of Janissaries
• 1 unit of Sipahi
• 1 battery of very big, silly guns
• 0 Hope

Drat! I meant to get Gladiators and I16's.

Anyway, I'll get cracking on them after the Napoleonic Poles are finished.   

   

Good to see you have started the year as you meant to will continue it

'tis true.

I'm OK though. Bern through a bad patch ... few impulsive purchases ... but I've got a plan. I've bought all I need for those odd projects provoked by Pendraken's 2022 releases (Arab-Israeli and Cold War), so I'm back on a even keel. It's Napoleonic Ottoman for me now ... or Swedes. 

Anything else would be a new project and I can resist impulsive new projects (see Winter War aircraft).

Only one project at a time on the go for me in 2023.

I have a plan.

I can resist temptation.

I am strong.

Unless Pendraken bring out a new range.