Bob Delaney At Large: 11/12/23

13 November 2023

Scale Modeling Saturday in Topeka; Soccer and Julie on Sunday

Early Saturday morning (11 November), I started the long drive to Topeka, Kansas. I was attending the third annual show by Ad Astra Modeling Club, which became an IPMS/USA chapter earlier this year. After some 4.5 hours of driving, I arrived at the show site, Fairlawn Plaza Mall.

After paying the registration fee, I placed my five contest models in their respective categories. I made my way around the show site, browsing among the vendors and admiring the other models in the contest. Additionally, I bought some raffle tickets and chatted with fellow scale modelers I know at the show.

I had a mishap in the morning when the Jupiter-C rocket fell off the contest table, splitting into three major components and two fins coming off the base. Fortunately, one of the Ad Astra members had super glue and accelerator he loaned to me and I was able to make repairs on the model and keep it in the contest.

There was lunch with homemade chili for the contest judges--among them me--and I was assigned to a three-person team judging automotive models. It went well and we determined the award winners in each automotive category.

Even before the contest results were announced, I was not leaving Topeka empty handed. I won three items in the raffle--two aircraft kits and a book on air warfare. I also bought an aircraft kit from one of the vendors. At the mall, there is a hobby shop, Dee & Mee Hobbies. I shopped there, buying a few sanding sticks. I also chatted with the shop owners, who knew about the St. Louis area shops. I left them an IPMS/Gateway business card.

Contest results were announced late that afternoon. I earned two awards for my entries. My T-55 took First Place in Armor: 1:35+ Closed Top Other after 1945. (To be fair, it was the only entry in this category.) My Prinz Eugen took Third Place in Naval 1/700 and Smaller.

After packing up my models and loot, I said my goodbyes to the hosts before heading to my car to go home. I arrived late Saturday night after a journey of 638.4 miles (1027.4 km). I went to bed tired but happy.

Sunday morning, I was driving to Eureka Soccer Park to officiate three SLYSA youth soccer games. I had the middle on the first match, an under 13 girls' contest. It went smoothly, with no issues from players or coaches. I then ran lines on two under 14 girls matches and they also went smoothly. I was refereeing on a scraped right knee, having injured it from a fall on the sidewalk while running the previous Wednesday. It didn't bother me the whole set of matches.

After getting a post-game snack, I bought some groceries before coming home to shower and change. Late that afternoon, I picked up Julie and took her to Texas Roadhouse in Kirkwood for dinner. She had some gift cards from there that her realtor, Donna Flamm, had given Julie. We had a wonderful meal and conversation.

The day before, while in Topeka, I got an email from Michelle at Unbridled Focus that the photos she took of Julie and I at Zenhorse the previous Sunday were ready. I got the link to the site with the five photos Michelle selected for us. I downloaded the pictures and emailed them to Julie.