10mm Expansionism and other stuff

Well, since Derby the painting brushes at chez ger have been hard at work and the following are now completed; For the Chinese, the two rocket launchers done in a rather nice red colour; a second unit of archers; the little diorama base of galloping horses with two Mongol 'minders', a little clump of trees in one corner and a rock from a beach on Mallorca in another. Yes, yes I know its not strictly accurate geographically speaking, but it looks half decent. Also, half done is a second Chinese crossbow unit.
When -or maybe I should say if- I ever do a Spanish army from any period or a Peninsular army of any nationality, the figure bases will be covered in small rocks and other detritus all collected from the same beach. Next year it will be sand from Tunisia for any north African army from any period. How much of an anorak is that! No, don't reply, it was a rhetorical question.
Tried something else in the way of tree manufacture the other day. In the local H'base they have green dyed sisal string in clumps to be used as hanging basket filler instead of poor old Pete. Wasn't an instant hit it must be said but maybe I will try again another day. If anyone can make it work let me know.
In between all of this, the keyboard has been taking a bit of a bladdering coz I mentioned to a certain magazine publisher at Derby that if he wanted I could do some articles on the Mongols. The so-and-so only went and said yes. So, there we are, steam rising from the pc, running out of candles and fingers worn down to the second knuckle, and don't even get me started on camera's. I offered to take some piccy's but apparently my 4 megalomanic-pixie camera can't paint the images well enough, you need six of the little buggers beavering away in the box. (Homage to Pratchett). Luckily YO had the required item -now all I need is a nice day. Ha! England in October, you must be having a Turkish mate. Never mind, the Met Office website will get bombarded with hits in the immediate future. Just in case.
Talking about England, the squad did well in the last two matches. Bit of a first half hiccup that could have gone pear-shaped against better opposition than the Khazaks but they came good in the end. Disgusted with the so-called 'fans' who booed Ashley Cole. The bloke made a mistake which led to a goal. You can't tell me that nobody has ever done anything like that before. Also, looking at the replay, Ferdinand the Elder is indicating for a back pass to James and behind him, the Khazak striker has already started a no more than hopeful run. Who was tracking him? The Invisible Man, that's who. Nobody moved or picked him up until the ball was in the air and then it was too late, the bloke had a half decent head start on everybody. Talk about rabbit's in headlights. Cole is probably pee'd off enough at himself without a few gumby's having a go as well. And that young kid saying that he needed to be taught a lesson. He's the one who could do with a lesson -one in respect. Ashley Cole deserved his place in that line-up and had a decent match before and after the incident. Then for the Belarus match Cole is 'injured'.  Whether his confidence is shot or what I don't know; I sincerely hope not and hope that he can get over it and play again. And of course that the gumby element in the crowd learn from their mistake. Booing anybody during a match for a mistake is not exactly confidence boosting is it? Rant over.
Found out what was wrong with the puter. Nothing to do with the machine itself but the mouse had got something stuck in the screen-rolling part of its components. A couple of swift taps with a size 3 rubber hammer  fixed it a treat. Working well enough now.