With the current problems affecting FUMBBL, it's made me think a lot about BB, gaming, how I came to be here and how hard it would be for me to let go.

The harvestmouse got into gaming at a very young age and has a tall blonde man, removals specialist by day, bass guitarist by night and whose name has long since been forgotten to thank.

Dave......no let's call him Steve was my mother's boyfriend at the time with one distinct problem; how to get more time alone with mummymouse without the hyper exuberant harvestmouse running in every 2 minutes to ask how many stormtroopers he could 'duff up'.

So Dave ...erm Steve hit on an idea, what did he have that could keep a 7 year old occupied, whilst he was occupying the attentions of mummymouse. I can picture him now holding his old copy of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and a one armed Kolbold with friends (who had seen better days), debating on whether they were the right tools for the job.

Thankfully for Steve the ploy worked and he must have felt his genius juices flowing as I sat there eyes as wide as a bush baby's, blazing with adventures to be had. As I set up a wonder of roleplaying horrors vs 'the doomlord of the electrical fireplace' (I've TMed that GW so **** you) Steve took this opportunity to go upstairs and enact the live roleplay version.

I think I was acutely aware of the forces of bribery at work here, after all it was very similar forces that lead to me getting my scalextric, space lego and Subbueto. And from the less dedicated chess (with 20 year old tips book), super hero 'make and paint your own plaster of paris' (didn't go down well with mummymouse) and *&%$ing pong! Had they not heard of The Atari *^%$ing 2600 unit?

Alas for poor Steve the gift was a double edged sword. Yes my limited attention had found a hook but it had also given my mother doubts about how rock and roll he really was. The book with all it's wonderful pictures of adventure and the half painted wandless Gandalf would last much longer than he. His genius hadn't counted for all factors and the black rocker jacket now appeared to be more armour +3 protective jerkin.........which was quite fortunate as he had rolled a natural 1 for charm and mummymouse turned him out. I hardly remember this part though as me and my group of disabled plastic and lead adventurers ventured deep deep under the fireplace, until that is, it was time for dinner.