Zooming in on benefits

Things have been a bit hit and miss blogwise of late. The last month has been disrupted by being various degrees 'under the weather'.  January saw me catch the Mother of All Colds, and then a few days after recovering from that I was even further 'under the weather' and required a visit to the GP. No sooner had I got over the last ailment than I was afflicted with 'hay fever' so I'm now popping antihistamines.

Now the particular day when I saw said medic was a bit of a revelation. Firstly, with all of the bad publicity about how the NHS was crumbling with lack of resources I had low expectations of speaking to a medical professional, let alone seeing one, this side of Easter. My last brush with primary care involved a wait so long that what was ailing me had gone. Things were different this time. The practice website had a lengthy questionnaire to complete as part of the 'book a call/visit' process. On completion the 'we will contact you within 48 hours' acknowledgement message did not fill me with hope. I duly went back to bed feeling sorry for myself. An hour later the phone rang, 'Dr Soandso from the Thingame Medical Centre here. ......Are you able to come in at 11:00?' Blimey. Of course. After the brief consultation and examination I was told that my prescription would be waiting for me at my local pharmacy. In the pharmacy I went to pay and was informed I only had to pay for the Fishermans's Friends I picked up on impulse. "But what about the prescription?" says I. "You don't pay for that," says the attendant. "I do." says I (not being on benefits or having one of the designated chronic conditions). "You don't any more because you turned 60 recently". Result, thinks I. I'll have to get ill more often. I genuinely thought this free prescription thing didn't kick in until much later. Nice to get something back for my tax (January being tax return month, that was in my mind). That big round number was probably part of why I got a call back from the GP so quickly. And also why I received a testing kit for bowel cancer as a routine thing for all people over 60. So a big round of applause for the NHS. Long may it continue to be a free at the point of use service. I honestly don't mind paying the tax.

Last month I was also delighted to receive my 'Freedom Pass' Oyster Card from Transport for London. As a resident of a London borough, over 60s are also entitled to free travel (on buses, underground, trains and trams) off peak. A case might be made that this should be means tested, but that would be costly in terms of admin, and be counter-productive in the drive to get people out of cars. And it works. I leave the car behind a lot more now. Excellent. Thank you Ken (Livingstone) who introduced it many years ago. Anyway, it seems I am on benefits after all!

Now as you might know, I've run a few remote games recently too with friends from the Blogosphere. So far 3 AWI games with one more planned. The first was a totally made-up scenario and the rest were the Hubbardton scenario written by Steve of the Disgruntled Fusilier blog. So far it's 1-all on Hubbardton, with the Jolly Broom Man as the Americans beating me, and Steve W, as the British, beating Jonathan Freitag (Palouse Wargames Journal) and David (the Ragged Soldier) as the Americans. The decider will be run next week between JBM and David.

I have to say that all participants have been good sports and good guests (shoes off in the entrance hall, no coffee cup stains on the table). Very civilised. And it's been good to spend a bit more time getting to know fellow wargamers albeit remotely.

Below are a few shots of the last game. Rules used were Loose Files and American Scramble again.

Early on. Brits to the left. The Green Mountain Boys (rifle armed skirmishers) have 'bravely' gone forward to take potshots at the British grenadiers. 

The grenadiers showed them the cold steel. And as we know, 'they do not like it up em. They do not like it.' Here are the GMB running off. Loose Files is particularly harsh on skirmishers in this situation. Lesson learned.

This opened up the American left, and the grenadiers advanced into the gap and started to roll-up the American line.

British lights in open order engaged in a long range fire fight with the New Hampshire infantry. 24th foot bottom left face off against the 11 Massachusetts.

Warners Continentals have been bounced by the grenadiers and there's no way back for the Americans.

If you'd like to take part in a game, drop me a comment. I won't publish any contact details. I'm toying with the idea of ECW and SYW next.