What I do on Sundays

It's been over a month since I last posted. I haven't been idle, but I also haven't been playing games as much as I would like to. 

This week is our 25th anniversary, so that is my highest priority. We've actually been together since 1996 or 1997, depending on how we count. That is more than half our lifetimes. 

It's mind-blowing. It feels so long ago and just like yesterday. 

Last month, we went on an adventure to Lake George, Lake Luzerne, and Saratoga Springs. We went hiking, horseback riding, slummed in a few bars, had a wine tasting, and went to two concerts. 

This was our big 25th anniversary blowout weekend, and we had more than a blast. 

In Saratoga Springs, Kitty and I went to see her favorite band, Dave Matthews Band. She wanted a poster from the show, but it was cost-prohibitive. So, I am painting her a copy. 

You'll notice it is horse-themed, thanks to the famous racetrack in Saratoga. It's so much fun that DMB gets in on the local life and events. 

I am, of course, using Meeden Paints but with a twist. I normally use oil paints, but since I have been working on models, I wanted to try acrylic paint. Both links will take you to Meeden, to the types of paints I ordered. I receive remuneration for purchases through the clicked links. 

It's a weird switch, because theoretically acrylics are "easier" to use. Maybe for someone who has always used acrylics, that is true. Cleaning up is ridiculously easy. You spend so little time cleaning up, you hardly have to plan to paint. I love it. 

Also, I believe I can use this paint for models. It's artist paint, but I suspect it will be fine. 

That fired off another side project. I ended up buying several sets of paint brushes, for models, for oils, acrylics, and watercolors. Oh, yeah. Why not take on three different styles of painting? 

Anyway, I kept mixing up the brushes or misplaced them. I kicked myself for not ordering a holder or two from Medeen or running to Michaels for one. 

I have a laser. Why not put it to work? 

I found a free design for a guitar pick box and adapted it to hold paint brushes by putting holes in the lid and a support frame on the bottom to keep the brushes from flopping over. This design uses a living hinge, a technique I've never used. The hinge is easy in principle, but I had issues in assembly. 

I suspect the creator uploaded a file that was "good enough" for their task. I will refine my techniques and the design. If I come up with something unique, I will post over on Etsy or Ko-Fi. 

I have really let my Ko-Fi page languish. I need to fix that. 

Next up: Fiver's saga. The big boy is healing nicely. There is no holding this giant rabbit back. We are uncertain if the screws and plate in his leg took correctly, but he doesn't seem to care. He can jump and climb almost as well as he used to. However, we have not caught him on the counters or dining room table since the accident. 

We have developed a daily routine that pairs with a second hobby: gardening. When I wake up, I get him out of the cage, refill all of the water bowls with fresh water, then feed the cats. Fiver climbs up in my chair and waits for his freshly picked herbs and vegetables. 

I do not let him eat in the chair, despite how he thinks it's his throne. He is such a pleasant boy in the morning, unlike the cats who act like 4:30 am is 4 and a half days without food. 

I have been reading a lot lately. I have slammed through 3 books in about 3 weeks. I read John Scalzi's Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigade. I opted to get a physical copy of these books, but they are also available on Libro.fm. Memberships are cheap. I do the 2 books a month, but they have a cheaper 1 book a month option. 

The third book I am currently ploughing through is A History of Native American Land Rights in Upstate NY. I picked it up at the Lake George History Association. This is a lovely little museum next to Shepard Park in Lake George proper. 

The ironic thing is, the book covers the history of the place where I live in Western New York and has little to do with what I would call "Upstate New York", like Lake George. 

Surprisingly, it speaks a lot about what George Washington was up to at the foundation of our country. 250 years later, and sometimes you forget that NYC was the ad hoc capital of the country, that Buffalo was the Wild West, and that the area around the Hudson was (possibly) a hotbed of British Loyalists. 

This book pairs nicely with another favorite of mine: Farm, Shop, Landing: The Rise of a Market Society in the Hudson Valley, 1780–1860 by  Martin Bruegel. If you like Colonial American History, this is a great read.  

Additionally, I have been poring over my new POD BX books. You can order them here (Red) and here (Blue) from DriveThru. While I am locked on to OSE, these are my favorite D&D books. 

Check back later this week; I should have more updates and probably a book review or two for you. I might also talk about how my wife Jennifer got her nickname, Kitty.