1) A heavy cold is my companion at the moment. Its funny how I never got any sort of cold, flu, or upper respiratory thing during the pandemic but, once things got back to the normal-ish routine, I've had two in the last three months. Could it be that the God-botherers and the freedom fighters were wrong and things like masks, washing up, and keeping your distance actually (Horrors!) work?
Talking of which, I find myself in the minority apparently. I actually miss lockdown, not having to deal with people, doing whatever I wanted to do without interruption, no stupid social obligations others feel I assume by being somehow related or even merely because I draw breath. It was actually quite enjoyable for me. If I'm honest, my life is little different now than it was then, and even an interruption to my day in the form of a physio's appointment, something I "have" to do, is an annoyance.
I do enjoy interactions on my own terms; a trip to the hobby shop, a close friend dropping by for burgers, having the model railway group over for an afternoon's operations, my own nuclear family. No family "gatherings", candle-light suppers, weddings, especially weddings, no crowds. Lovely.
2) Latest model off the bench is this:
It started life as a kit very reminiscent of an old Airfix, though a complicated one suited to the guy having a few builds under their belt. Had to build my own mechanism as the kit is for the superstructure only. Went together very nicely, then paint, lettering, a little weather.
3) In a case of patience being a good quality in which to indulge, it was some four years ago I found a 1940s era Snap-on toolbox at a jumble sale, still with handtools inside marked for Pratt & Whitney engine and the Army Air Forces.
Last weekend I saw a rolling base cabinet, also Snap-on and of the same vintage. A quick measuring off proved it to be intended for the toolbox I had already to hand, so I bought it and now have a lovely rolling toolchest set that would carbonate the collectors' (Oh, yeah, there are Snap-on collectors out there!) hormones.
For me, though, the combination joins the two Craftsman stacks in the workshop as perfectly viable tool storage, though these are also good conversation starters because of their vintage and provenance. I mean, anyone can go spend an obscene amount on a new shiny stack of Snap-on boxes, but to see and use a set from WWII? Even better I have less than $100 in 'em.
GRIN!