Well now I am a year older, perhaps a year wiser, a year in which much has happened.  As always my annual increase in age is on Ireland’s national day and as you can see from the picture I am nothing if not celebratory!

Ain't I pretty!

My good lady and the little one’s did me proud as did everyone else and I was showered with gifts.  I spent the day in Ayr spending my loot and having good times including spending a rather inebriated evening with a friend I have not seen in ten years (hope your head does not hurt too much Cameron!).  Some new books, some new clothes and other little tokens of esteem plus the music I wanted by Pokey LaFarge.  Oh, and thanks to all those who have emailed me here wishing me well…I appreciate it.  Lastly Jim Brittain wins the award for the most awfully out of tune rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ for the whole day..suppose I deserve it as I do it to him every year!

How old am I…well you can check my biography page but its been a long time since 1979, so that gives you a big clue.

Now its mothering Sunday and my good lady is sporting her new jacket (a wee gift) along with a clutch of cards and a slap up grill for breakfast too.  Love ya’ baby!

Now that is pretty!

But now back to work, some final testing of the Salute 2012 Flintloque scenario, ‘Sharkes Gingerbread’, more on that later…plus some more tinkering with rules mechanics for USE ME Alien Safari.

GBS

It’s a really happy 6th birthday to my middle son, the poet of the family, who also received a certificate of top achievement in his primary one (first grade) class at school this week.  Double whammy!

He is a very talented little lad with a flair for words and for numbers plus a nicer boy you will never meet; the girls all adore him (both of his own age and those of their mothers!).  This of course he gets from my good lady, none of my lesser quality DNA in there thank you very much!  The certificate from school was accompanied by a little notebook with the school motto and name on it which I have placed with the rest of his little pile of achievements from school and elsewhere.

In addition to his love for Super Mario he also adores trains, cars and other vehicles so I arranged for a weekend field trip from our base in Girvan to the brand new Riverside Museum in Glasgow.  So this Saturday off we went in the pouring rain to the big smoke.  Here follows some photos from the day, I would have posted this last night but man was I tired after that trip (traffic in the big city is way more than I am used to!). I have put some captions on each image to assist you in knowing what is going on.

The brand new Riverside Museum by the clyde river in Glasgow

A view from the second floor to the rear of the Riverside Museum

Surprise find was a case of Scottish 18th century firearms linked to highway robbery!

That would be me, the birthday boy on the right and the little warrior on the left...can't go leaving him at home eh!

The museum was very good, it has free entry of course, lots to see and the Tall Ship was at the rear on the river for an added attraction.  To me the most interesting thing (and yes I stood on my own for five minutes watching it!) was a hugely speeded up video of the build of the new museum from the breaking of ground to the opening day.  Amazing to see the place going up.  Scale models of ships, plus a one to one size model of Da Vinci’s flying machine were also present.  I will admit to being a bit confused as to why it was not just called the ‘Transport Museum’ as the old one was for aside from a few stuffed animals and nature displays it was 99% transport!

So once more Happy Birthday and I am proud of you my middle son, my little poet 🙂

GBS

Well done to my eldest, the thinker, on winning himself two new books by Random House Children’s publishing.  Both are aimed at nine year olds which is spot on.

They arrived this morning in response to his entering a competition a couple of months ago.

I am sure he will enjoy the read…just in time too as his current stock of paperbacks is extinguished having been piled up at Christmas.

Lucky Boy!

GBS

My good lady another Valentines Day is here.  I hope you liked your carefully chosen presents; I liked mine.

You know I adore you and I have done since the day we met fifteen years ago.  ‘Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I am thirty five.  I hope so!’

The rest…well its not for this blog 😉

Luv ya Janey!

GBS

Well done to my son for earning his five star certificate at school.  Though at a tender age, not yet in double digits, the lad worked hard for this piece of paper which was presented to him in front of his whole school during the weekly assembly.   Each of these lurid orange in colour certificates takes several months to earn through a process of gaining ‘stars’ for good behaviour, for doing additional tasks and for looking after members of his class who require some extra help in activity’s such as visiting the bathroom.

Known to the family as ‘The Thinker‘ he is often buried in a book but always has time to aid those around him and to all he is a wonderfully polite and talented boy. I would like to claim credit for his demeanour but those in the know say its down to his mother!

I know you like your iPod so you if you are reading this…well done I am proud of you.

GBS

Hello Everyone,

In this, the first post on my blog, I would like to take the chance to say welcome to everyone that passes this way and who take some time to read what they find here.

My name is Gavin B Syme and this blog is the end result of many hundreds of requests by customers of my employer (Alternative Armies & 15mm.co.uk) for a place where they could follow what I get up to in my role as Creative Manager of the company.  I hope that I will make all of these people happy…I will do my best!  I also personally wanted a place online that was mine.  In this age of instant communication and friendships across the world I wanted to share my thoughts, opinions and hopefully insight into those subjects that interested me both inside and outside of my normal work.

So please take a moment to dig around and enjoy yourself.  I welcome comment and emails do drop me a line!

See you out there in the cyber froth. 

Gavin B Syme. – GBS