New beginnings

Everything has to start from somewhere and I like most was happy with my usual routine the familiarity of everything where I knew it was and although nothing was perfect it was mine and put together on a very strict budget. I could paint game and socialise in my own hobby room and although it. Wasn’t perfect and a little heath robinson it was my own. I’d make do with this room and setup for in excess of ten years and would have left it so for many more without the loss of a dear friend and mentor in January 2022.

Coming fresh faced from the military to work in Bae systems I was like a fish out of water totally unused to office politics and  the bollocks that came with it. You wanted a fight or do things the military way I was your man but as a shiny arse pen pusher nope. Yet this little old grumpy Scotsman called Don took me under his wing. He didn’t need to or was required to by his role but non the less he did. I came to trust him and soon realised his aircraft knowledge was second to none he could tell you the difference between aircraft marks down to the ribs and frames. He also nursed his wife with Parkinson’s for 40 years and no finer example of a man have I ever met. His passion was building aircraft models and we would talk hobby several times a week through lockdown, do coffee and visit shows together. it was a bitter shock to hear he’d been lost to covid very quickly. His daughter and family were in New Zealand so it. Came down to me to help ensure his last wishes were met and help his daughter clear the house.
Along the way I found out that charity shops don’t except donations without the correct stickers and fire labels and this left me with a dilemma. Dons desk and chair were looking like they were going to the tip and I simply couldn’t see that as right, I’d have to incorporate them into my own hobby with lots of work required or simply let it go..

what follows is a stubborn old farts update of his hobby space and advice on where to look and source items to get to where I am now. Given the recent money worries in the world I hope it helps anyones hobby.