I'm back. (2 Viewers)

[mikemiller1955]

Any of you that have followed my posts, know that I live on Galveston Island and my house was flooded when the Island went underwater through Hurrican Ike.

Also anyone that followed my posts, knew that I was working on a Rorke's Drift diorama prior to the Hurricane.

I got several feet of water in my house, but my dio survived unscathed. Not even one soldier fell over or got wet from the flooding. It looks like the water rose to the bottom of my diorama table just barely short of contaminating my lead soldiers.

It took me several months to do the demolition on my house, put in new wiring, new sheet rock, tape, float, texture, paint, put in new flooring, new interior/exterior doors, new appliances, new exterior fences and all new furniture for my downstairs. Basically, every single thing in my downstairs was replaced. Some of the Island was 17 feet underwater.

Thank God for flood insurance.

My home is rebuilt and better than ever. Everything is brand new and there was even a little money left over from the insurance to do a small addittion to my diorama.

I just got back to work on it a couple of weeks ago and have added over 100 soldiers, 50-24th foot and 50-dead Zulus. I've been in a painting mood since being away from it for so long.

I'm posting my newest pictures, taken today, and am awaiting for 60 more unpainted lead Zulus to arrive in the mail.

I got a little carried away with the photos, but hey, it's been a while, so I'm pretty enthusiastic about resarting on this project.

Hope you enjoy, Michael

 

[mikemiller1955]

 

[mikemiller1955]

 

[mikemiller1955]

 

[mikemiller1955]

 

[damian]

Welcome back
That is quite a story and quite a diorama

 

[mikemiller1955]

Thanks Damian, very kind words, Michael.

 

[thebritfarmer]

Glad that are back and that everything has worked out okay in the end for you.

Now about that diorama...............Amazing thats for the updated pics, they are truly amazing and looking forward to more pics of your new arrivals.

Scott

 

[The Lt.]

Welcome Back to "The Land of The Zulus" Michael and what a great return performance you've been missed......The Lt.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Thanks Scott,

Everything worked out pretty well, Galveston is slowly recovering, I heard that only 60% of the residents returned. The scenario is not quite as apocalypitic as my first view, things are sort of coming together.

I never thought that the big news in the city would be a Jack in the Box fast food restaurant re-opening or a Walgreens plans to re-open, but I guess it's the little things that give you peace, security and sanity.

My mail man tells me, he is only delivering to about 30% of the homes in my neighborhood. Living here is now kind of like something out of a Twilight Zone episode. It's eerie, quiet and desolate.

Hopefully more people will return and repair their homes. I believe a lot of people are still waiting on insurance money.

Galveston was once called "The Wall Street of the South", now it's filled with those leafless trees decorated with trash bags, paper and debris that was blown into their limbs by the Hurricane. We call them "Charlie Brown Cristmas Trees".

But seriously, things are coming together.

Thanks for your concern and thanks for the encouraging words on the diorama,

Michael

 

[mikemiller1955]

Welcome Back to "The Land of The Zulus" Michael and what a great return performance you've been missed......The Lt.

Hey Joe, just sent you an e-mail, enjoyed the phone call today and thanks for walking me through Photobucket.

You made it so easy.

Thanks for your help and patience, Michael

 

[1879fanatic]

Mike,
Welcome back and I'm glad you sound so upbeat and positive about recovering from disaster. Now , about this little Zulu thing you've got going,
WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED? IT IS COMPLETE!!! Or are you going to be scratch-building a full size replica of Isandlwana?!
Merry Christmas!
Mike

 

[Leadmen]

Mike: I am happy to hear you are back from that overwhelming experience. The pictures look great and your diorama is still growing.I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. You sure deserve it after this last year. Leadmen

 

[GICOP]

Hi Mike

Your diorama is excellent.

Can I ask where you got the biscuit boxes?

Cheers

Martyn

 

[mikemiller1955]

Mike,
Welcome back and I'm glad you sound so upbeat and positive about recovering from disaster. Now , about this little Zulu thing you've got going,
WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED? IT IS COMPLETE!!! Or are you going to be scratch-building a full size replica of Isandlwana?!
Merry Christmas!
Mike

Merry Christmas Mike,

Thanks for your well wishes and recognizing my postive attitude through my sarcasm about the Hurricane.

Joe told me a long time ago, when I first started this project, "Kid, you can't have enough dead Zulus."

Someday soon it will come to an end.

I've bought about 35 of the King and Country Crusade figures, and have already started on the props for a new diorama. The detail on the figures is unreal.

I'm sending you some photos of the battering ram I built, the ram actually swings and the wheels turn too.

I'm working on a jousting tent while I'm waiting for my Zulus to arrive.

I got a guy that casts me lead Zulus for $2.50 per and I have an order I'm waiting on.

Anyway, once I finish painting the new Zulus, I'm going to start on the Medievil diorama.

Thanks again Mike, and Merry Christmas again,

Michael

 

[mikemiller1955]

Hi Mike

Your diorama is excellent.

Can I ask where you got the biscuit boxes?

Cheers

Martyn

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Thanks Martyn,

Really appreciate the positive feedback.

If you mean the crates, they came from Warzone, thewarstore.com, item #PEG5212, set of 8 for $7.19. I'm pretty sure they are a Pegasus product.

I'm sure Treefrog sells them though. I didn't like the finish so I repainted them to match the ones I made by the wagons.

If you can't find them, let me know,

Michael.

 

[GICOP]

They are the ones

Many thanks for the info

All the best and a very Merry Christmas

Martyn

 

[mikemiller1955]

Mike: I am happy to hear you are back from that overwhelming experience. The pictures look great and your diorama is still growing.I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. You sure deserve it after this last year. Leadmen

Merry Christmas Leadman,

Glad to be back, I've missed this forum.

We all deserve a good Christmas and New Years, I think, so same to you.

Thanks for the nice comments, much appreciated,

Michael

 

[Spitfrnd]

Welcome back Mike. You certainly returned in style with a stunning Zulu diorama. This is made even more impressive by the fact that you painted all those. Well done indeed.

BTW, did you get your bag fortifications at thewarstore.com as well? I saw some there that appear similar but I thought they would be too small for 54-60mm?

 

[mikemiller1955]

Welcome back Mike. You certainly returned in style with a stunning Zulu diorama. This is made even more impressive by the fact that you painted all those. Well done indeed.

BTW, did you get your bag fortifications at thewarstore.com as well? I saw some there that appear similar but I thought they would be too small for 54-60mm?

**********************************************************

Thanks for the welcome back and the nice compliment on the dio, but I got to be honest, I did not paint all of those figures.

Many of them are Frontline, which definitely came painted, some are Brits, which definitely came painted. I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I painted all of them.

I did paint a lot of them, but I can't take credit for all of them.

I like to paint and I'm getting better, but I've got to be honest here.

Yes, the sandbags were from thewarstore.com, they are Pegasus products, they are item #PEG5207 and item # PEG5208 and are $15.99 for 6-4" pieces.

I'm sure Treefrog sells them too.

And yes again, they are small for 54mm, so I ground down 3 of the rounded pieces and glued 3 of the identical rounded pieces on top of them to make the redoubt taller, but they are pretty detailed, so worth the small effort.

Thanks for the greeting and the compliment, I'm flattered,

Michael