Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Embarking the Troops

For the last few months I’ve been haunting thrift stores, looking for empty biscuit tins among other things (a $1 Armani Collezione tie was a nice bonus).   The biscuit tins are to start loading my figures for the upcoming move in July.   Thanks to a kind friend I have a goodly supply of adhesive magnetic sheets that I can use either to line the pans for those figures based on metal washers (below left), or to put on the bottoms of figures based on rounds of wood cut with a circular saw (my previous practice before I discovered laser-cut MDF bases).   Here are all my individually based American Civil War figures in one biscuit tin.


Once the tins are filled, I’ll fill them with packing peanuts, generously supplied by another friend, and load them into boxes for the trip.  We’re close enough to our new posting that I can load the most sensitive of my toys and drive them in my car, which will be far better than entrusting them to the packers and movers for a long trip across Canada.  When we moved to Alberta from Nova Scotia (almost clear across Canada), I had all my figures packed in boxes with This Side Up marked on them.  I gave strict instructions to the packers to make sure they were properly loaded.  The young lads nodded and smiled.  When I unpacked the shipping boxes, the little boxes with my toys had been crammed in any which way.  I am sure I cried for a bit that day.

I have to say that this method of loading troops is probably much easier and more orderly than what it must have been like in the ACW, if this period photo (Baldy Smith's IX Corps loading for transport to Fortress Monroe) is anything to go on.



In a few minutes Kay and I will meet up with our realtor and we are off to look at houses in the area of Barrie, Ontario, which is about an hour north of Toronto.   We have certain things will be looking for.  Price, foremost, since we are close enough to Toronto to feel the effects of its insanely priced housing market.  Gardening potential, for Madame Padre.  Commuting distance to the base for me, and somewhere down the list of priorities, a suitable gaming room with (one hopes) natural light.

Wish us luck.

Blessings,
MP+

20 comments:

  1. Good luck! Hope all does go very well. 6 more years till I hang up my ruck, unless I'm offered a slot that entices me to stay longer. The PT tests for 50 year old troops are hysterical! ;)
    I plan to retire from my civilian job in 25, then permanent fishing and gaming in Michigan's UP!...if my legs/hips are still good! ;)

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    1. Thanks David. For me it's about 7 and 1/2 years until I hit CRA (Compulsory Retirement Age), which for chaplains/padres in the Canadian Forces is 60. I may decide to go earlier but I'm reasonably fit for a chap my age and still enjoy the life. All my friends who have retired tell me that there comes a point when you just know it is time to pull pin, and I may find that time comes on me earlier than I think.
      We changed our PT testing recently. It used to focus on pushups, sit-ups and cardio (the timed shuttle run) but it's now been changed to focus more on core and upper body strength, so I spend more time in the weight room these days, though I still try to run. I agree that the legs/hips are the weak links for old soldiers like us.
      You're retirement plans sound idyllic, and I've always wanted to see the UP so I may visit you for fishing and gaming.
      Cheers, M

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  2. All the best with the house hunting- sounds almost like a quest for the Holy Grail but more difficult...
    Alan

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  3. Good luck in house hunting and upcoming move, Michael.

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  4. Good luck with the move, Mike. Te rest of us will try to do fun hobby stuff for you to at least look at while all your toys are packed away.

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  5. Yes, good luck with house hunting and moving...... and may your figures travel safely.

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  6. Good luck with your move. I moved my figures from one side of Australia to the other, mainly wrapped in paper towel. I have no idea how they survived, but there were very few breakages. Here's an old post on the damage: http://onesidedminiaturewargamingdiscourse.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/copenhagen-breaks-leg.html

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  7. Best of British with the hunt Mike. Your lack of faith in the movers is well placed I think.

    Model on!

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  8. Best of luck in the house hunting
    I hope that after retirement you and Mrs Padre pay us a visit in Madrid, now that ypu'll have the time

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    1. That could be a very nice tour of Europe. Madrid, Stockholm, St Albans, Helsinki, Antwerp...

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    2. Goodness, but it'd also be a pricey one!

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  9. I found another box of packing peanuts for you!

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  10. How are we to get regular gaming updates between you and James!? Outrage!

    Good luck Mike. It's been almost 4 years since the last time I moved and thankfully it was "just down the street", but still a pain in the rump all things considered. I have no taste for moving any time in the next 4 years.

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    1. Fortunately CFB Borden is only 2.5 hrs away. The Padre and I hope to schedule wargaming days a few times a year.

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  11. Best of luck with the move! And as for house prices, I feel your pain - I live in Sydney (Australia, not Nova Scotia). We too have a completely insane housing market!

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  12. Good luck with the move - I don't envy you!

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  13. Good luck - I like the sense of historical perspective when thinking about packing soldiers into small spaces.

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  14. So I'm not the only one to store miniatures in biscuit tins! I wish you luck in your house search Padre.

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