14 July: Modeling log updated. Traveller Library data updated. Painting Guide updated. Painted and completed figures updated.

21 June: Modeling log updated. Traveller Library data updated. Quote list updated. Painting guide updated.

18 March: Modeling log updated. Added photo.

25 June 2009: Updated Modeling log - someone's tagged my modblog on TMP! How cool is that?

Hello and welcome to my little slice of the Internet. This is the place where I write about my hobbies (wargaming and model making) and other stuff, and show off some of my hobby-related photos.

Another year has past, almost, and here is another shot of our valley, taken in mid - May. The Indian summer lasted a little longer this year, and the rain and cold southerlies held off until Queen's Birthday weekend at the beginning of June.

(June 2010)

While rapidly approaching the second anniversary of this website, I decided to take a photo of our valley when the vineyard was at its best, ie just as the weather started to turn at the beginning of April, soon after the harvest. In the background, the new subdivision I was complaining about last year can be quite clearly seen, though a shelter belt between the new houses and the vineyard should soon grow up and help soften the effect on the landscape.

Since I took this photo, we’ve had cold southerlies and lots of rain. The vine leaves have gone deeper red or have fallen away. Winter, again,

(May 2009)

This site has now been up for a year. Parts of it have grown, and parts of it have gathered dust as my hobby interests have changed. I had been planning a revamp and prune for the first anniversary, but haven’t quite got around to it.

My list of model projects has grown, though I have managed to finish some. Projects for this year include putting up more of my old Traveller game, and finishing enough figures and terrain to actually get some tabletop gaming done.

This winter has been colder than last’s – while I was admiring the russet vineyard leaves in June 2007, in June 2008 the leaves had all fallen. Across the valley, a new subdivision is slowly, but relentlessly, marching up the hill behind the vineyard. I think that if the vineyard ever goes, we’ll probably go too. The entire reason for living on the city fringe was so that we could turn our back on the city, at least for a while.

(July 2008)

As this website is a work in progress, things may change for no apparent reason. Please do not be alarmed.

Firstly, a little about myself. I live in Henderson, Auckland, New Zealand, with my wife and daughter. Even though Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, from where I'm typing this, I can see the leaves on the vines of the local winery turning from green to gold and russet. Autumn has finally arrived. Thirty minutes east of me is the heart of the city, two minutes west of me is the country side, and just over the hill is the bush of the Waitakeres.

Not a bad place to live at all. (June 2007)

(left) The author, February 2007, as photographed by his eight year old daughter.
(right) The author, February 2010, self portrait.