Traveller Returns!

Most of my family trip, was about family - of course!

However, we did make a one day excursion to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival.

While there I sourced out a number of new costume items and ideas (there is an immense market area).

While strolling I also saw a number of games booths and a fun looking "giant chess" board.

I added two new shirts to my wardrobe (Jeff should get a look at them in person eventually), from the period, so that my Hussar 'look' will get a bit more authentic.

My son also got to 'fence' with the sherrif, whom was a good sport and even allowed his diminutive opponent to win (something that the other watchers had said did not happen earlier)!

Upon return to Canada, we had a day in Vancouver, where I made a trip to Imperial Hobbies. Along with a chat with folks there (I get to do this 2 times a year at most right now) and a calm walk thru the store and library sections I came away with:

Osprey Campaign series 97: Bussasco 1810 (in the continuing 'advance study' in preparation for games in 2010)

Osprey Campaign series 157: Trafalgar 1805 (my son has always had an interest in things naval, I am planning to do some naval games in 1/900 scale and what is bigger than Trafalgar in fighting sail?)

Osprey Fortress 12: Fortresses of the Peninsular War (the sheer number of the fortresses involved in this conflict has piqued my interest in getting more details - especially as I am working on a way to 'integrate' siegecraft into a tabletop presentation)

Old Glory 25mm : Village Mob (expanding my collection of guerilla fighters and 'paris mobs')

Old Glory 25mm : Napoleonic Russian Personalities (Finally found the Tsar model, got 5 of other notables at the same time) and

Quebec 1759 by Columbia Games (for a great campaign setting in the battle for a continent)

So back to the brushes, I have 15mm Italiot Romans to finish in time for the LATIVM CVP at the end of October, some more eBay comissions to put the final touches to then a shelf of Fantasy figs to finally finish off along with a dozen or so repairs to the minis my son Alex has been 'sharing' with some neighborhood friends.