Oh such a perfect Saturday (1 Viewer)

[NZGary]

As I sit on a later summers Saturday afternoon at the laptop in the dinning room I can hear the symphony of sound wafting from the study as my wife plays a little classical music intertwined with the occasional slow jazz melody. She is an accomplished musician and the music soothes me enough to put me in a reflective mood.

It's genuinely been a tough week but we feel removed from the world in our beautiful country residence. In the same study as the piano a parcel from TG has resided for a couple of weeks. Life has been to busy to play with toy soldiers but a brief oasis of tranquility over the weekend enabled the contents to be finally unpacked. After an early morning stroll to the French bakery in the centre of our tiny country village I return armed with warm fresh croissants. I put on a pot of rich dark Italian coffee and armed with these treats the parcel is carefully unwrapped.

First up are the Dacians. Boy these little beauties are remarkable in their detail. TG asked us for our views on future lines. Well for me its ancients all the way. TG are cornering the market for this era and there is so much scope for expansion. Let others do Napoleonics or World War 2. Give me Romans, Greeks, Persians, Celts, Dacians and if only Egyptians, Assyrians, Hittites and Sea People's any day.

 

[NZGary]

Delicate unwrapping is required next as the 'shock and awe' Celtic chariot comes into view through the haze of packing material. This is good enough to go in any lighted museum cabinet. It is masterpiece and I am so glad I have it in my collection. My wife wonders out onto the warm veranda still in her dressing gown, as the early morning sun starts to warm our bones, to steel some of the rich dark elixir before jumping into the shower. I would like to say she stopped and admired the chariot but in truth these things just pass her by these days. A few years ago when we first started dating these things would not have gone unnoticed but we have become comfortable and familiar with each other and she does not feel the need to become too acquainted with my hobby!

As my wife leaves my mind wonders to if sales go well for the chariot would TG consider others from different eras. let's hope so.

 

[NZGary]

Next out of the silver boxes comes more additions to the Greek range. I love the detail of these figures as the world of Greek antiquity is brought to colourful and blindingly brilliant life. The coffee and French buttery goodies are all gone but there is one last thing to open.

 

[NZGary]

I eagerly open the most unusual item in the parcel. A Sopwith Spike plane painted in the livery of the communists in the Russian revolution. It comes with a figure of Lenin and it plays to my desire for eclectic and off the beaten track style of collecting. Time has passed and this fabulous start to a Saturday morning is drawing to a close. By 10 temperatures are rising to the mid twenties and its warmth is inviting my wife and I to enjoy the delights of the Wairarapa Valley and all it has to offer.

 

[NZGary]

A trip to the coast and a windswept lighthouse at Castlepoint blows the cobwebs away before we stop at a remote pub on the way back for fish and chips and a pint of good solid New Zealand South Island beer. A local vineyard brings the delights of wine tasting and purchases of local reds. Before I blog on the Treefrog forum we take a stroll in the countryside around our house. The grandfather clock has struck 5 and its time for an early evening soak in the bath as my wife prepares an evening meal to be taken alfresco after pre dinner drinks on the veranda.

Another parcel awaits me from TG. This one is still in Warminster but funds should be available soon to get it shipped. I doubt, when it arrives, that it will top today as Saturdays go. But you can have too much of a good thing I suppose. Don't worry though as next week back in the capital is looking very bleak. Ah but I can hear the distant sounds of Louis Armstrong 'What a wonderful world'.

Thanks TG

 

[marco55]

New Zealand sounds like a beautiful place to live.
Mark

 

[NZGary]

New Zealand sounds like a beautiful place to live.
Mark

It's a step up from living in the UK. Although that has its charms as well.

 

[Rudi Starnberg]

Sounds a wonderful day, good stuff ! Yes you have to savour days like that and remember how lucky we can be.
All the best from an icy England ( where I too had fish and chips today at our local "gastro pub" washed down with good ale) !

 

[enricoquinto]

Hi mate,

what a brilliant description! I ought to tell you that every detail is terribly vivid. {eek3}You're a terrific writer and a great photographer... I love that TG stuff, too! I wish I could be there with you. The place where you live sounds like a slice of heaven.



P.S. : I'm glad to know that you fancy Italian coffee!


Cheers


Enrico :salute::

 

[Poppo]

And this is what I eat here every day in northern italian coast... I can't picture the smell....^&grin

 

[NZGary]

Thanks all for you kind comments- New Zealand is a wonderful place but home is where the heart is. Italy is a great country with so much culture, food, fashion, style and history. My favourite is the Amalfi coast. Stunning.

 

[farmertony]

Congratulations on a wonderful collection and a great lifestyle.As an Aussie,am I allowed to wonder why every picture of NZ has to have a sheep in it somewhere?

 

[Gunn Miniatures]

Nice picture you painted there Gary, maybe we should relocate the company to NZ!
Nice to see everybody elses pictures of home as well, it could become a popular thread seeing where everybody lives!

 

[NZGary]

Nice picture you painted there Gary, maybe we should relocate the company to NZ!
Nice to see everybody elses pictures of home as well, it could become a popular thread seeing where everybody lives!

A lifestyle plot with a stream, orchard and paddocks with a large colonial house is up for sale up the road from us. You move there and think of the shipping costs you would save. I could pop around for coffee and to pick up the latest order. It's settled then. See you soon. Gary

 

[Gunn Miniatures]

A lifestyle plot with a stream, orchard and paddocks with a large colonial house is up for sale up the road from us. You move there and think of the shipping costs you would save. I could pop around for coffee and to pick up the latest order. It's settled then. See you soon. Gary

Get your estate agent chappie to send us the details Gary!

 

[thanasis67]

And this is what I eat here every day in northern italian coast... I can't picture the smell....^&grin


View attachment 228908View attachment 228909

Which town is this?

 

[Poppo]

Which town is this?

It is Chiavari.

 

[enricoquinto]

Get your estate agent chappie to send us the details Gary!

May I get in on that? I'd like to move somewhere new and start over. Actually, I wouldn't mind at all. You know, a place like heaven, there's no question that it exists. I could take my toy soldier collection, couldn't I? TG collection including...of course!!!


Cheers

Enrico

 

[thanasis67]

It is Chiavari.

Great! Last summer I was at La Spezia and Santa Margherita.
This summer I will be at St Margherita and San Remo.

 

[Gunn Miniatures]

May I get in on that? I'd like to move somewhere new and start over. Actually, I wouldn't mind at all. You know, a place like heaven, there's no question that it exists. I could take my toy soldier collection, couldn't I? TG collection including...of course!!!


Cheers

Enrico

Everybody is welcome, Gary will give us all food, drink and a bed for the night I am sure!