BTU EXCLUSIVE: "RONIN'S RAMBLINGS"

[Steve Ronin]

Folks,

Today in the USA is Memorial Day.

I know there are alot of Veterans and military-associated folks who frequent this site.

Today: is not about the Veterans. Today is about those people who made the ultimate sacrifice for this Nation and its future.

Today is a Day of Remembrance and Thanks and a Celebration of Life...

to quote Gen'l. Geo. S. Patton, Jr.

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."

And I'll admit that my Thanks is not only limited to Americans, but also to our Allies who have given their lives in the Cause of Freedom.

Freedom is not free, today is our national remembrance of that fact.

So today: celebrate Freedom. And raise a toast or a beer in the memory of all those that paid the price.

https://youtube.com/shorts/oCQyDU8cLjQ?feature=share

Peace, my Friends.

**Ronin OUT**

[Steve Ronin]

Greetings Y'all.

nothing related to the hobby today, just a couple of life landmarks I've come to...

for the first time in 5 years, I've managed to get my weight down into the 250 lbs range.... I started this path at 283. (128kg)

yes. I'm a big boy. it's hard work to slim down.

the other landmark: I've started work with a new Defense Contractor.

and this is a BIG 10 level company... so yay! Benefits that don't suck.

on the hobby side...

I'm setting up my 3D printer. I did try to use our public library's printer ... all I got was a lumpy glob.

so on the hobby side, beyond painting my pile of shame ... now I'm making it larger.

So what are y'all up to?

We do have an off-topic chat if you'd like to brag about ... anything.

feel free to post pics of minis or paint jobs or whatev..

in the meantime: Stay Safe Out There.

**Ronin OUT**

[Steve Ronin]

Greetings Friends and Readers.

Hope y'all are doing okay... any questions about your health: get your ass to the Doctor's office.

We are doing okay in the old VA.

But prior plans to go to GenCon '23 are terminated. Because Reasons.
so, now We (Son & I) are saving and planning for GC '24.
Hope to see you there.

oh? the REASONS?



that is my 1999 Ford Contour when she was new to me: 42k miles and shinier than Vin Diesel's head.
last Wednesday, she broke the timing belt. Engine is kaput. Mechanic tried the crankshaft - its' seized.
so at 174,200 miles & 6.5 years of ownership; she is done.
I can't afford $4000 to replace the engine. And with the miles she had; another breakdown would have been soon.

But the timing?
the wife and I had JUST decided to purchase a Minivan to replace hers, which is a 2013 & has 241k miles on it.
We still drove 3.5 hours into PA this weekend to purchase another Minivan. It is a 2016 & good deal, and only has 9200 miles on it.
I hate to have a car payment again, but the needs of Life, etc, etc...
and now I'm driving the 2013 minivan.

meh. **** happens.

I havent had time to paint or play ... but I have been listening to BT novels on Audible and to some BT related Podcasts.
I HIGHLY recommend TEX and the BLACK PANTS LEGION ... excellent and informative w/ a wicked sense of humor.
https://podtail.com/podcast/the-black-p ... n-podcast/
Listening is easy to do and very calming when sitting in I-95 traffic.

Anyway. That's my rant for the day.
Stay tuned for when I"m in a better mood or have gotten lucky and printed something recognizable on the 3D printer.

So: Stay Safe Out There. THIS MEANS YOU
**RONIN OUT**

[Steve Ronin]

Hello Readers.

I live.

I only went on vacation.

If anyone asks nicely, I may even tell y'all of my adventure.

Or I can just slap y'all down with megapixels of my smiling mug.

your choice.

Put your answer in the Ramblin's reply page.

Stay Safe Out There.

**Ronin OUT**

[Steve Ronin]

Hello dear readers.

sorry, no painting and no gaming accomplished. I'm still working on it.
BUT!

So I live in a rural area, not far from the Washington DC hell sprawl.

Wednesday morning, shortly after leaving my house and still driving down my own street, I had one heck of a shock.

A BLACK BEAR CROSSED THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY CAR!


(stock photo for illustration only...not my picture, not my bear; but same species)

I am still stunned at seeing it; and I got a real good long look: 6-10 seconds while it trundled across the street, over the ditch and into the far woods.

At closest approach, I came within about 20 feet of it. My wife, driving her car a good dozen yards behind me ALSO saw the bear.

Now, yes, I live out in the country; but I never expected to see a bear within a mile of my house.

My wife called me a moment later and we spazzed out over the phone.

Then I called home, woke up my son and had him verify that all of our cats were inside.

After THAT, I called the non-emergency ### for the Sheriff and placed a large predator sighting report.

not much else to be done.

I'm just going to spend my weekend making sure ALL the yard work is done and any trash is removed, etc.

​
yikes

Y'all stay safe out there.
*RONIN OUT*

[Steve Ronin]

Hello All.

Notice. SHE WHO IS BELOVED & WILL BE OBEYED has arranged for the installation of hardwood flooring throughout the house.
What does this mean?

I means I get to repackage everything in my Office (ManCave) and remove it out to storage.

Luckily, I have just enough wall mounted storage for the four battalions I'm currently working on:
Kuritan 8th SoL, ComGuards Level III, Dual Trinary of Clanners, and couple mixed companies of Mercs.

I'm rather surprised by the sheer amount of STUFF I've packed into this room in the past 4 years.

IF I live here for more than a dozen years, authorities will need dispatch Spelunking Teams to extract me.

So. online gaming is curtailed, as is obviously all painting and hobby work.

but in the end: I'll have Luxury Vinyl engineered "hardwood" floors.... so those itty-bitty paint spills won't be so obvious.
(it really was only a dropper of soot black - barely noticeable.)

and for YOU. Well YOU need to step up while I"m unable to spread the color palette.

YOU and your Buddy need to put some paint to miniatures, snap some Pix and POST THEM HERE.

Or at least give us an after action report of ANY GAME you've played recently.

But most of all:

Stay SAFE and HEALTHY out There. YOU matter.

**Ronin OUT**

[Steve Ronin]

Hello Readers.

a quick catchup of things I've done this past month.

I got a little artsy...



Take one medium orange pumpkin.
Clean with degreaser.
1st coat of flat white primer.
tried initial university sigil... fail.
wash that off...
2nd coat of white primer to patch spots where 1st coat peeled.
2nd attempt at LU sigil: Mostly great success.
clear coat.
place. wait two days for 1st hard frost of season.
pumpkin shrinks inside its shell of paint, paint cracks.
add a heavy coat of women's hairspray product.
keep pumpkin inside house: pumpkin swells inside its shell.
Take pumpkin to LU as centerpiece for Homecoming Game Tailgating festivities.
GREAT SUCCESS.
donate pumpkin to LU cheerleaders.

On the new flooring front: it is done.
All hard floors throughout the house.
Looks great and kitten messes are easy cleanup.
however.
House is still not reorganized and put back together.

So y'all: keep gaming and writing and painting and posting!
We love seeing your stuff.
As always,
Stay Safe (and Healthy) Out there!

**Ronin OUT**