A bit of a ramble and a bit of a rant.

No pottery wheel I'm afraid (reference for Brits of a 'certain age').

I set-up the table for Dettingen, Take 2, on Friday but haven't got around to playing it yet. Maybe Monday evening? Saturday saw a slow start, then chores, then listening to a disappointing first game of the season in the Trawler Town Derby*.  In the evening the Margravina suggested a BBQ using the small fire-pit. After eating the 18 year olds disappeared off to a party leaving the M and I to poke the embers of the charcoal and add small logs as the sun went down. It's amazing how much time you can waste this way. Lovely!

On Sunday, after another late start, the M and I went for a walk that I'd promised. The plan was to get the bus down to Kingston, walk the Thames path to Richmond and get the bus back. You know the cliché about plans not surviving first contact with the enemy? Well the enemy in this case was unknown at this stage, but the bus driver announced it was stopping on Kingston Hill. So rather than walk on the main road to the Thames, we opted to change our plan and head for Richmond Park, walk through there, and meet the river at Petersham, then walk to Kingston via the river.

Now the walk was pleasant, if a bit hot, and the populace was out in great numbers. Folk were paddle boarding, and canoeing, and even swimming. No photos I'm afraid. We were walking at a brisk pace. By the time we got to Kingston, we were ready for something to eat and drink so we stopped at a kiosk in Canbury Gardens (a park by the river). Revived, we walked on to the town centre for the bus home. 

The rough route of the walk (excluding getting to and from the bus at the start and end).

The bus journey home was severely delayed due to Thames Water (privatised profit, socialised risk). Very frustrating.

Overall length of walk around 10km. Not bad on a hot day. This probably had a lot to do with why I had a snooze on the sofa after a shower. In the afternoon the Margravina and I discussed plans to raid the state treasury, but they didn't lead to anything. 

Frustrated in one direction, I took action to expand the state's forces and, as encouraged by certain bloggers, I've ordered enough figures from H&R for 10 more infantry brigades, 2 cavalry brigades and 2 batteries. Some will go to plug gaps in the Hanoverian ranks, and others to boost the Sardinian and Spanish ranks. I still have to paint the Carthaginians I ordered a few months ago. This is most like me, building up the lead pile like this.