I was given feedback that my previous blog about a great day should have been ruined by some kind of election in a foreign country, but it did not.

As I mentioned in the earlier blog, I belong to an Elder College class on the fictional novels of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic war (which for you that do not know, roughly runs from 1793 until 1815).  There is a massive genre of books written about this era (mostly from the British side)

Authors like C S Forester and Patrick O’Brian and Alexander Kent who have sold millions of books.

Our leader chose 4 books for our book club to discuss.  One from each of the authors above (who are all dead or near death) and another author who was publishing in the nineties named Sean Thomas Russell.  I had read all the books for the course including the Russell book, but reread them before each class so I could contribute.

The class of 11 was made up of guys like me that love this genre and two members that just like book clubs.  But while most of them can enjoy the books, they are not necessarily up on the technical details that are often used in the novels (things like what is a Euphroe and what is the difference between coming about and wearing about)  So our group leader asked me to make the presentation that I made on Tuesday.  As I said very well received.  Anyway …anyway …

Before the series started I noticed that there was a TCM movie on called Captain Horatio Hornblower which I recorded.  Apparently a major hit in 1952 starring Gregory Peck and because the first book we were discussing was an early Hornblower  novel, our leader suggested that we have a field trip to my house for an evening where we could watch the movie.  While here the group could spend more time looking at my model of the frigate and I could give a tour of the workshop and next Frigate model on the ways.  Everyone in the class signed up.

No need for me to prepare food.  One of the guys is affiliated with a micro brewery and brought 7 jugs of various beers.  Another brought pickled eggs and another brought smoked salmon plus nuts etc.  Lots of snacks.

The big surprise was that our leader had contacted Sean Russell, the author of the last book we will review in a couple of weeks, to join us.  His books are sold around the world and it turns out, he lives in Comox.  A great guy and he agreed to come for the party because he wanted to see my model of the Juno.  Now that could have been the highlight of the evening but then another member came in with an authentic 1790 issue Brown Bess musket and a Navy flintlock pistol from the same period.  Another guy brought a Royal Navy sword issued in 1805 and another guy brought two Legion of Honor medals that Napoleon would have presented someone.

With all the food and beer and things to show it took awhile before the movie started.  Actually a well made movie but you had a bunch of guys watching and pointing out the technical flaws (ceiling in the captain’s cabin was easily 7 feet instead of 5 feet etc)  We had a lot of fun.

Two great days so you can appreciate why I do not give that much care to the election.