Á Íslandi - Aamu - 38

   I still have some more words to use, but it seems that the story is unfolding without any of them being used. I still have tomorrow to correct this.
   Status so far:
1. entice
2. excuse
3. blackbird
4. swaying
5. better
6. mechanical
7. disorder
         and/or:
1. peeling
2. clouds
3. scrambled
4. solid
5. curio
6. float
7. fountain


Aamu, would you and your husband please go first?"

Aamu nodded, grasped her husband's hand and walked through the portal with determined steps. They disappeared.
"Wow," Daniel said. "I did not quite believe you."
"No?" Susan said looking at him."Why shouldn't you? A strange lady pops in and tells your mother she's a witch, and goes on blabbering of portals and flying brooms. I really get why you would not quite believe me."
Daniel looked at Susan, saw the wink in her blue-grey eyes and laughed a deep belly laugh.
"Let's test it, shall we." he said when he was able to talk again. Susan extended her hand and Daniel grasped it. Susan pulled them both through the shimmering portal.
In the dark of the portal room Daniel clutched her hand and made retching sounds. "Not fun!" he gasped. "Not fun at all."
"I actually don't find it a pleasure either," Susan said. "But it's fast. Now we're in Iceland." Susan stopped talking and clutched Daniel's arm. He looked at her. She was white as a sheet. He pulled her to a chair and sat her down. Aamu and Mr Weber came running over. "What's wrong," Aamu asked. Susan shook her head: "Nothing but me being stupid," she said reaching for her backpack. Daniel held it while she slipped her arms out of the loops. "I forgot to eat." She said pulling out the bag of cookies and crammed a couple into her mouth. Che chewed and swallowed and got some of her colour back. Another couple of cookies and a drink of water had her fully restored. "Sorry for the scare," she said. "I always get weak from going through more than two portals if I do not eat. Would you like some cookies too? Hilde is a great chef."
They all had some cookies and Daniel shook her head: "It actually helps. I did not feel like eating after that trip, but I'm better now with a cookie in my stomach. Can I have one more?"
"Please do." Susan said, holding out the bag. "How did you like Portal transfer, Mr. Weber?"
"I'm Uwe," he said and gave Susan his hand. "I did not feel a thing. It was like going through a door. Just as you said." Susan shook his hand. "Pleased to get to know you, Uwe." She rose, closed the bag on the remaining cookies and returned them to the backpack. "And now we have the other half of the journey in front of us. Please come."
She left the Shiltach portal room and went down the stony corridor. Daniel ran his hand over the walls, felt the doorways, looked at the ceiling and poked his head through all openings on their way. "This is in many ways a central station," Susan said. From here you can go lots of places, with no more ill effects than a dizzy spell - if you are a witch like me, that is."
Daniel laughed again. "I'd like to go to a lot of places," he said.
"So would I," Susan answered, "but now we're going back to Birch Manor, and this here portal is the right one." She turned down another corridor and opened a door with a blue symbol over it.
"Why are some of the doors named, while others have only blue squares and such?" Daniel asked
"That's not exactly a secret," Susan said, "but the explanation is fairly complicated, and I do not know it that well. Later you can ask Finnbogi - he's out Portals master - he'll be more than happy to explain."
"Are you implying that Daniel is a wizard?"  Aamu asked.
"Oh, blast it, I must still be a bit confused, but yes I am. Dizziness going through a portal is one of the tests. I'm sure you felt it as well."
"I did," Aamu said. "And I remember having felt like this before. But like I told you yesterday I do not remember where."
"Me, a wizard?" Daniel said, a foolish grin spreading on his face. "I always loved reading stories about children going through a hidden door and finding themselves in another world where magic was real, Narnia, The little red school, the sorcerer's mill in Koselbruch, all these places ..."
"So much for my down-to-earth son," Aamu said with a sigh. "I thought that your Papa and your job had chased all these stories from your head."
"Mum, you're a librarian," Daniel said still smiling foolishly. "You if anybody should know that stories like these stay in your mind. How often have you told me of your own favourite books?"
"Let's get on," Susan said. "Aamu, you and Uwe go first again?"
"Can do," Aamu said. "I'm ready to have my head sorted out." She offered Uwe her arm, and together they walked through the portal.
"Did you really mean it?" Daniel said. "That I am a wizard, that I can do magic?"
"Yes i did, and yes I do. But if you do not hurry, I'm going to change you into a toad!" Susan waved her wand at Daniel, who grasped Susan's hand and went to the portal. "This one is easier to see. Let's go."

 ... to be continued

Reuse -- the "new" black

   Today is Earth Overshhot Day for Denmark.
   Today I cleaned an old container in the garden. It was filled with debris and old screws that came from the now pulled down playhouse. I looked at the screws, some of them actually looked as if they might work. Some were totally bent or even broken in two. I considered re-using some of them, gave up the thought and put them all in a container for re-cycling.
   Then this small passage from Little House on the Prairie came to my mind:

  Now Pa carefully took the nails one by one from his mouth, and with ringing blows of the hammer he drove them into the slab. It was much quicker than drilling holes and whittling pegs and driving them into the holes. But every now and then a nail sprang away from the tough oak when the hammer hit it, and if Pa was not holding it firmly, it went sailing through the air.
  Then Mary and Laura watched it fall and they searched in the grass till they found it. Sometimes it was bent. Then Pa carefully pounded it straight again. It would never do to lose or waste a nail.  (From chapter 10: A Roof and a Floor)

     How did we get from there to where we are today?

Poetry Monday :: Respect Your Cat Day

If you want to read some better  poetry,  Diane - who has taken over the hosting of  this challenge - and Mimi of Messymimi's Meanderings - who also supplies us with topics - are writing wonderful, funny, thought-provoking, ingenious and honestly well written verse. Go and read.

  Karen of Baking in a Tornado has joined us in this crazy pursuit, and promises us at least a poem a month - may  we hope for more!

  SpikesBestMate often publishes a nice verse in the comments.

  Jenny at Procrastinating Donkey who has been a faithful participant, is slowly returning to blogging after her husband's passing from this world. Let's continue to send warm thoughts, good energy, and lots of prayers her way. And dare we hope that she will join Poetry Monday again.

Today's topic is: Respect Your Cat Day
Because at this date in 1384 Richard II allegedly put forth an edict forbidding us to eat them.

Disclaimer: I would never dream of harming, much less eating a cat. This is just a nonsensical ryhyme that popped up in my brains while I was digging my garden.

Do not eat your kitty,
It's soft and so pretty.
Beware of the claws,
In those soft velvet paws
Beware of the teeth
In the strong locking jaws,
A kitty's a beast
It wants you as its feast.
It will poop in your beds*
It will scratch in our heads.
It is feisty and smart
And they stink when they fart.
So why can't we have our revenge?
Second Richard forbade,
He'd rotate in his grave,
If he knew what I have to avenge.

* the garden variety

Á Íslandi - Aamu - 37

Just continuing with the story. I did not succeed in using any of the left over Words.
My standing thus is still:

1. entice
2. excuse
3. blackbird
4. swaying
5. better
6. mechanical
7. disorder
         and/or:
1. peeling
2. clouds
3. scrambled
4. solid
5. curio
6. float
7. fountain

My rose, her coppery hair almost aglow in the morning sun: "Dear friends, This will be a big day. It is a day I and I think all of us have been waiting for. I want to warn you, though. Today will also be a day of much waiting, so be sure to bring your knitting, books, drawing materials, in short all you can imagine making a wait pleasant. Jan, Heidi, Tage and Lis will take turns manning the kitchen, so those are the ones to go to when you get hungry, as for once lunch won't be an organized affair. I would like everybody to get up now, carry their used cutlery and so on to the small table and then follow me, Susan and Rósa to the meadows."
Susan rose and together she and My went to the door leading to the meadows. There they stood and waited. Rósa came running down the stairs clutching a piece of paper in her hand. When she saw My and Susan she augmented her speed and waved the paper with a big smile: "Here is Anna's letter. I was sure I had it somewhere. She is coming today, now, half past nine. She'll use the portal ..."
"Easy does it," Susan said smiling. "But this is good news indeed. Would you care to be our reception committee? Then we'll organize people in the meadows until you return"?
"Great," Rósa said, still out of breath, and almost ran to the portals room.

Everybody stood waiting. Lis and Tage each held a pair of fidgeting grandchildren and Heidi carried a soundly sleeping Tobias.
"Now," My said, "now we go out into the meadows. There I'll tell you where to stay and wait your turn. Please stay together in families, the idea is having the old apprentices watching over and helping their "clan" if I may call them so, to get accustomed to the magic."
She and Susan each grabbed a big sac and went ahead.
"What about us?" Hans said, and Susan and My both stopped up and listened.  "Our clan-leader, Hilde has gone off with Rasmus. And Dad, I mean Eyvind, can't help."
"Eyvind sure can help keeping you together and entertaining impatient small ones," My said. "He is a good granddad and I was going to wait with your clan to the very end, giving Hilde and Rasmus a chance of returning."
"Fine with me," Hans said. "The weather is right for staying out of doors anyway."
"Can we make some woodcraft and maybe have a fire out there?" Eyvind asked, encouraged by My's  friendly words.
"Of course you can." Susan said. "In fact this is  a splendid idea. I think I saw a humongous bag of marshmallows somewhere. Only please do not cut living wood, It can be dangerous, especially today. But the wood piles and all fallen branches are yours to use."
 "I'll keep the clan toeing your line," Eyvind said saluting Susan who shouldered her sac again and walked out into the sunshine followed by a long, unorderly line of people.
Finally everybody was in the meadows. Susan and My put down their sacs and lined up all the old apprentices with their clans gathered behind them. My entrusted Magnus with temporary clan leadership.

"Unfair as it might seem, we're going to begin with my clan," My said.  "Magnus, please step forward and present the children to me and Susan."
"Yes mom," he said. "I'm Magnus, the oldest child of My, I'm married to Estrid, and we have two children, Nora and Markus." He turned a bit and stood facing his sister. "Next is Mona her husband Joakim and their two children, Sara and Emilie." He turned a bit more, facing his smaller brother. "And youngest son, Martin, his wife Stine, and their three children, Thea, Marte, and Henrik."

My thanked him. "When we were at the Unicorn Farm, we were split into five teams by our professors." My began. "It had to do with what kind of magic came easiest to you, today you're arbitrarily assigned your parent's colour, and as I am blue, I'll ask all of my clan to put on a blue T-shirt."
Susan opened her sac and pulled out 13 blue T-shirts.  "First little taste of magic," she said. "Don't mind the size, it's really one size fits all here," Susan smiled, then laughed out loud as Joakim struggled into a T-shirt, only to see it expand to fit his well trained chest and six-pack. "Truly amazing," he said, and helped Emilie put on a big T-shirt, that shrunk to fit her slight frame.
"Magnus, Estrid, Nora and Markus, Come here," My called. They walked over to her, "Magnus, you already have a wand?" He nodded, "And Estrid, you are not a witch, as I understand it?"
"Unfortunately not," she answered, "What I have experienced since we arrived yesterday has been ...it is ..." she shook her head. "It simply defies description, and it saddens me to experience ti on second hand only!"
My gently patted her DiLs shoulder.
 
"Nora, what do you say, do you want to learn how to become a witch?"
Nora wrinkled her dainty nose and looked at My. "You're one, granny, but how can small girls be witches?"
Susan began laughing. "I think I am going to answer that one  before I have to leave. That was exactly what I asked many, many years ago, when I was told I was a witch. Gilvi, he was my teacher, answered: Do you think witches are born old, maybe?"
"They can't be," Nora said. "And this is a school for witches?" She looked up at Susan who nodded. "I like that."
"Fine, stay here with me while My asks your brother the same question."  
"Markus," My said, looking down at the freckled, determined boy facing her. He looks just like Dennis the Menace, My thought, then asked him: "How would you like to do magic?"
"Very much! Grammy!" He said, his blue eyes twinkling.
"Fine, go over to Susan, I'll be there in a second." She looked at Susan. "It's time for you to get going, Susan,"
"Yes," Susan said, "I must say I would like to stay. I'll hurry all I can and get back with Aamu."

Halfway to the house she met Rósa returning with Anna and a man Susan did not know in tow. "Oh, you made it here!" Susan said. "I hope it was not too unpleasant going through the portal." She looked at the man, He was blond and tall as Anna, and he smiled warmly at Susan
"I survived," Anna said, "And what more is, I brought my cousin, Helge with me!"
"Oh, Gosh, Helge, is that really you?" Susan said. "I'm so happy to see you. I've been thinking so much about you. We have to talk later."
Helge looked shy, grateful that Susan remembered him. "Yes we have much talking to do," he said. "Hurry back home!"

Susan closed the door to the portals room behind her and leaned against it. She was not looking forward to going through the portals to Schiltach and back again. She re-opened the door and grasped a handful of cookies and a pear from one of the small tables. All of it went into a small bag and then into her faithful backpack. Then she reluctantly crossed the room and went through the faintly blue portal to Iceland.
It was true, the dizziness got better. Not by much, but you had to count your blessings. Susan shook her head and slowly left the tiny cubicle, turned down the stone hewn corridor and stopped outside the room with Shiltach clearly written over the door. She opened the door, it felt heavy, almost as if it did not want to open. The portal in the room were also faintly blue, sparkling and twisting. Susan walked over to the portal, the few steps needed to take her there, seemed to last forever. Portals are smart, she chided herself. They spare you for hours upon hours in a train or in a car. Get going already, my girl, then you'll be home in the sunshine at Birch Manor, singing wands for your grandkids in next to no time.
Susan closed her eyes and jumped.
When she opened her eyes again the sun once again shone upon her, a hotter sun, a bit higher in the sky too. And Aamu stood in the clearing with two men. One of them Susan's age, he looked like Susan always had imagined a German businessman, suit, tie and black shoes even in the warm sun. The young man had the same eyes as his mother; and Mr Weber's hair had surely had that very same nutbrown hue before it turned grey. But Susan was sure that he had never worn it that long. He and his mother were comfortably dressed in what Susan's mother jokingly called camping habits.
"Hello" Aamu said. "We were afraid you would not come after all."
"Pleased to meet you," Susan said. "And of course I would. Only a lot happened. Good mostly. Could we please go back now?"
"Can you bring us all three?" Aamu asked.
"I don't need to bring you," Susan protested. "And if you take Mr Weber's hand I'll offer my support to the young master."
"I'm Daniel," he said. "And I would gladly be led through the portal by you."
Susan looked at the portal, then back at Daniel and Mr Weber. "Can you see the portal?" she asked.
"No," Mr Weber answered. "It looks like a normal stretch of wood to me."
"Maybe," Daniel said, "If I squint, and do not look straight at it, I think I see something, something blue, flickery, maybe."
"That sounds just right. This is actually quite easy. You just hold my hand and go trough. You will maybe feel something like being turned upside down, maybe you won't feel a thing, more like going through a door into a dark room. Aamu, would you and your husband please go first?"

... to be continued

Birch Manor - Who's Who - Knud's Spreadsheet

Now - at my Unicorn Farm Blog - I've added Knud's Spreadsheet of old apprentices, their partners, their children with partners,  and childrens' children (aka. grandchildren).
It's in Danish, but I hope that despite this it can be of help to anybody getting lost in the many people meeting here and now at Birch Manor.

LINK

Please point out any errors or inconsistencies, you find! I'm not perfect, as part 36 showed us all 😇

Words for Wednesday -- Á Íslandi 36 once again!

Oops. I have made numerous mistakes in part 36 of Á Íslandi.
I have mis-named, and re-introduced Eyvind, Hilde's non-magical husband, who first appeared in part 34.
I have forgotten one wandsinger, Anna, who was supposed to have already arrived.
And last, but not least, I have forgotten that Susan was supposed to be in Shiltach at ten to pick up Aamu and her son and maybe husband.

Over again - Mechanical made it into the text - here we go:

Susan stretched and sat up. "Oh, man," she said, "I have slept so well. That Sleeping Water performed as promised."
"Enticing," Knud responded, "But I still prefer natural sleep."
"You're full of bad excuses, I know you do not like taking draughts or potions. I won't do so often, but four hours of unbroken sleep is a gift!"
A blackbird started singing, the sweet, clear notes underlined by sunrays and the gentle breeze made Susan's mood raise a couple of notches more. And she laughed: "See! It agrees with me!"
Susan undressed from her pyjama and threw the doona over a chair back for airing. She opened the windows up wide to let the clean morning air in. Outside the gentle swaying of the trees were all that was left from the nights strong winds. "Better weather today," she said, "how wonderful. I was not looking forward to do my wandsinging in rain and wind."
Hand in hand they walked to the Hall, where they gave a hand laying the tables and brewing tea.
Hilde came toward them, closely followed by Eyvind, This morning he looked like the archetypical Norwegian outdoorsman, bearded, ruddy and lined, yet friendly and well muscled. They sat sown and Eyvind said: "When is it that Aamu and her nice husband arrives?"
Knud came over carrying a steaming teapot, and Eyvind repeated his question.
"I'm supposed to be in Schiltach at ten to get her here, but I'm also supposed to be here, doing my share of wandsinging. This needs some co-ordination." She rose and returned a bit later with Rósa and My.
"Sit down here," she said. "This is Eyvind Haugen, Hilde's non-magical husband. And the lady here," She indicated tall, red-haired My, who gently inclined her head, "is My Birkeland form Oslo. The other lady," Rósa bowed her blonde head and smiled, "is Rósa Sigurdsdottir from Iceland."
"We've heard much of you," Rósa said. "It's a pleasure finally to meet you in person."
 "The pleasure is mine," Eyvind said.

Rasmus came over to the table, "I'm sorry to intrude, but I'm afraid we have to go to Tromsø right away, Mum, the hospital just called, Liisa is worse."
Hilde rose and gave Eyvind an awkward embrace. "You stay here and learn, Susan and Knud are good magicians."
"So you keep on saying my dear." Eyvind said. "I'll stay close to them, and I'll handle Aamu's nice husband when he arrives. You take care, both of you."
"We will," They assured him, and Rasmus patted his fathers back. "We're taking Finnbogi and Fiona with us," he said. "You won't need them for the wandsinging, and Fiona's children and grandchildren all have had their wands, she won't miss out on the excitement."
"True that," Knud said. "You do not need to return together all four of you. In other words, I'm worried. Please send word back with one of those two if something happens."
We will," Hilde repeated. "See you later, take care of Eyvind, will you?"
"Of course we will,"Susan said. "Off you go!"

"Now," Susan said, "as Eyvind hinted, Aamu and one of her sons and maybe her nice husband are supposed to arrive later today. The problem is. I promised to go get them, but I also promised to be here and do my share of the wandsinging. And no matter how good a witch I am, bilocation is not among my skills."
"Nobody can be in two places at once," My said, her red hair dancing as she shook her head.
"We'll just have to make do with us two, until you are free to join us again," Rósa agreed.
"Have any of you heard from Anna?" Knud asked, "wasn't she supposed to come down from her Swedish domicile and help out?"
"Anna!" Rósa exclaimed, "Just a sec!" She left the table and hurried out of the hall.

While Rósa was away the Hall filled and voices rose and fell. The last stragglers heaped plates and filled mugs and found somewhere to sit. Babies were comforted and fed, and older toddlers were bribed whit bits of delicious food. It looked like nothing but a big, boisterous family outing.

The bell in the  nearby village could be heard over the talking, and after the ninth stroke Knud rose. He swished his wand: "Mál sameinast! Dear friends," he continued. "Today  will be a busy day at Birch Manor. Today we're finally going to be real witches and wizards. Today you'll have your wands. At least those of you who are big enough. And I warn you. It's not only a question of age. Magic is not a mechanical thing. Magic has its own ways. I'll now give the word over to My, who'll be organizing today's wandsinging and wand-swishing sessions."

   ... to be continued

Words for Wednesday - Á Íslandi 36

The Words for Wednesday is a movable feast, celebrating writing.

This month, March, the prompts can be found at River's place Drifting Through Life.

And this is a The more, the merrier kind of endeavour, so Please, remember to follow the links, go and read other peoples' stories.
And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement.
We ALL need encouragement.


This week's words/prompts are:

1. entice
2. excuse
3. blackbird
4. swaying
5. better
6. mechanical
7. disorder
         and/or:
1. peeling
2. clouds
3. scrambled
4. solid
5. curio
6. float
7. fountain

I took up the additional challenge of using the words in the order they were given. But did not make it further than better. More story is bound to follow.
It is also time, maybe over time for me to change the title of this chapter Á Íslandi means In Iceland (obviously), but it's long time since we left Iceland for Denmark (and Norway and Germany). I just haven't found the right substitute yet, so Á Íslandi continues a bit mere.

Susan stretched and sat up. "Oh, man," she said. "I have slept so well. That Sleeping Water performed as promised."
"Enticing," Knud responded, "But I still prefer natural sleep."
"You're full of bad excuses, I know you do not like taking draughts or potions. I won't do so often, but four hours of unbroken sleep is a gift!"
A blackbird started singing, the sweet, clear notes underlined by sunrays and the gentle breeze made Susan's mood raise a couple of notches more. And she laughed: "See! It agrees with me!"
Susan undressed from her pyjama and threw the doona over a chair back for airing. She opened the windows up wide to let the clean morning air in. Outside the gentle swaying of the trees were all that was left from the nights strong winds. "Better weather today," she said, "how wonderful. I was not looking forward to do my wandsinging in rain and wind."
Hand in hand they walked to the Hall, where they gave a hand laying the tables and brewing tea.
Hilde came toward them, closely followed by a blonde man a bit older than herself. He looked like the archetypical Norwegian outdoorsman, blonde, bearded, ruddy and lined, yet friendly and well muscled.  "May I introduce Øyvind Haugen, my husband," Hilde said.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Susan said. I'm Susan Thorsen, and my husband, Knud, is the tall guy with the teapot over there," she said, pointing in the general direction of the kitchen. "Sit down, and let's have some breakfast."
Knud came over carrying a steaming teapot, and introductions were duly repeated.
"We've heard much of you," Knud said. "It's a pleasure finally to meet you in person."
 "The pleasure is mine," Øyvind said.
Rasmus came over to the table, "I'm sorry to intrude, but I'm afraid we have to go to Tromsø right away, Mum, the hospital just called, Liisa is worse."
Hilde rose and gave Øyvind an awkward embrace. "You stay here and learn, Susan and Knud are good magicians."
"So you keep on saying my dear." Øyvind said. "I'll stay close to them. You take care, both of you."
"We will," They assured him, and Rasmus patted his fathers back. "We're taking Finnbogi and Fiona with us," he said. "You won't need them for the wandsinging, and Fiona's children and grandchildren hall have had their wands, she won't miss out on the excitement."
"True that," Knud said. "You do not need to return together all four of you. In other words, I'm worried. Please send word back with one of those two if something happens."
We will," Hilde repeated. "See you later, take care of Øyvind, will you?"
"Of course we will,"Susan said. "Off you go!"

...to be continued

Words for Wednesday, March 16 - Á Íslandi 35

Last Wednesday River gave us 4 sentences as prompts for our writing. I suddenly could not write and ... Tomorrow is another Wednesday with new prompts arriving, so I've better post what I wrote using the words that were sentences:
We were given:

1. a cloud of dust settled around him
2. slapped in the face with a wet fish
3. I bowed my head and wept
4. I didn't know what else to do

I only used the first one.

But Susan did not get to sleep all night. In the middle of the night a loud sound woke her and many of the other inhabitants at Birch Manor from their sleep.
"What was that!" Susan said.
"No idea," Knud said; and they both went to the window and looked out. In the yard a human form could vaguely be seen, but as the cloud of dust settled around him, they both recognized Rasmus.
Now what, Susan thought and swung her wand: "Ljós" she said, and the yard outside were lit by a silvery green light.
They saw  Rasmus, only dressed in his pyjamas trying to pick himself up from the dust, still holding a broomstick, then ran out there while several of the people at Birch Manor gathered round him, draped in blankets, dressing gowns and overcoats.
Fiona was the first to reach him and help him get up: "What happened?" she asked.
"Good question," Rasmus said, "I was in my bed, sleeping, then suddenly I was outside, on a broom, flying north. I don't know if I have been sleepwalking or what, but I collided with the flagpole and then I crashed..."
"Are you hurt?" Fiona asked solicitously
"No, not seriously hurt, beat up and bruised, but nothing broken."
"Fine," Knud said. "Please everyone get back to bed."
When everybody but Fiona, Knud and Susan had left, Fiona and Knud helped Rasmus inside while Susan kept the light going. Rasmus looked at them:"I dreamt," he said, "I dreamt of Liisa, she was calling me, Then I woke up, but not in time to avoid the flagpole."
"What a luck," Fiona said. "You would have been frozen stiff by the time you reached Tromsø."
"Yes, but ... Will I do this again. Can she call me all the way from there? Am I hexed, am I maybe even a danger to you?" Rasmus said.
"Why haven't we thought of this," Susan said. "Let's get Finnbogi. I'm sure he's not asleep yet."
Finnbogi dressed in something more than a blanket and returned with Susan. He placed his hands on Rasmus head.
"Sad to say, old boy, but you stink as well. Did you drink any of that infamous pink potion too?"
"I don't remember any pink potions, no," Rasmus said, "not any medicine like the girls, at least. Could Liisa have hidden it in something?"
"It's not heat stable," Fiona said, "so some cold drink, that did not taste as it used to?"
"The ice coffee," Rasmus said, "It tasted strange, Liisa told me the milk was a bit off, it might be that."
"Let me get the antidote," Fiona said. "It won't do you any harm if you never had any of that pink potion anyway ... did you find any more of it at your place or elsewhere, by the way?"
"I'm not sure," Rasmus said. "Hilde, my mother, she found a lot of stuff in her place. I never searched our house thoroughly. I'll do so tomorrow, or is it today?"
"Today," Knud said, "it's past midnight."
"Oh that's fine!" Susan said."I just remembered. The antidote should be taken first thing in the morning after not having eaten. This means you should be able to have a sip the moment Fiona returns!"
"Great!" Rasmus exclaimed, and Knud nodded.
"Strange," Finnbogi said, "I never got the idea of feeling your magic before, I would have sensed the potion. Or I think I would have. I feel at least partially guilty in your accident."
"No need to," Susan said, "we all knew that Rasmus had magic, and we concentrated on the girls. For that matter Knud and I ought to have thought about the possibility of Liisa dosing Rasmus as well as the girls. But he has been acting so normal. We're lucky to have more of that antidote still."

Fiona returned with the small bottle of antidote. carefully unstoppered the flask, poured a few drops into a glass, stoppered and put away the flask before giving the glass to Rasmus.
"It's OK to drink it now?" Susan asked. "It is morning, kind of anyway, and Rasmus has not been eating since he fell asleep."
"Right you are, Susan. Good thinking. I actually forgot," Fiona said shamefacedly and extended the glass to Rasmus. "My brain might still be half asleep, but I still wish you luck. Cheers! Enjoy!"  
Rasmus carefully raised the glass to his lips. "For the future!" he said, and then drank it down in one go. "It tastes so good!" He said, "Amazing! The best cloudberry liquor, I ever had. And I feel strong, and good and oh, healthier than I have felt for a long time. I thought the bleakness in my mind was the worrying for Liisa, fretting over the girls' magic and so on. It was that potion all along. Why is it so oppressing?"
"Wie man die Magie zum schlafen bringt und Menschen schwach macht," Susan cited. "That was what was written in the recipe. And what better way to weaken people than making their thoughts all bleak, black, sapping their joy and draining their vigour?"
"Why did my magic not sleep?" Rasmus asked.
Finnbogi looked strangled, then answered: "It did. But your magic is strong. Even half asleep it was better than mine."
"Also maybe you did not drink much of the Purple dreams potion, and coffee is not good for mixing with potions. Liisa could not know that," Fiona said.

 ... to be continued

Poetry Monday :: World Poetry Day

Today is the world poetry day
You cannot celebrate a better way
than to write a poem maybe two
so that's exactly what I'll do.

My verse are not so great and fine
as those from ancient, olden times
But know I mean it just as well
My words are honest you can tell.

Normally I also write a Haiku for World Poetry day, but my brain was drained after the one ppoem. I feel like getting old. 

Frødag og jævndøgn 🐸 Frog Day & Equinox

I dag er det international frødag. Derfor kommer der her billeder af alle de frøer, der nogensinde har optrådt her på bloggen,så håber jeg ikke der er nogen, der er hoppet væk. 

🐸 🐸 🐸 🐸 🐸 🐸

Today it is the international frog day. To celebrate this I have rounded upo all the frogs ever shown on my blog - I hope none have escaped me.

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸

🐸
And no frogs without an owl. So here's the owl from the live-stream nest basking in the morning  sun.
🦉

Fredagsfrustration - Borgerservice

Another digitalization rant.
It concerns the Danish way of handling Mobile banking and payment via homepages. I cannot find out how to translate all this into English. But the gist of my rant is that the people supposed to be "helping" me getting this done, do not know the basic things about their own services. Sigh.

-- ＠ --

For nogen tid siden fik jeg så besked i netbanken: Det er nu din tur til at få MitID. Godt så. Jeg har ikke nogen smartphone. Det er mit eget valg, da jeg ikke vil være online hele tiden. Mobilen er til korte beskeder. Den skal heller ikke være min kontakt til banken eller det offentlige. Hvis nogen ringer eller sender en SMS er det nogen, der kender mig. Bum, basta, finale.

      Så jeg skulle bestille tid på Borgerservice, for at blive opdateret ved hjælp af pas eller lignende. Fint. Ind på hjemmesiden, klik, klik, klik. Første ledige tid 11. april. Nåh, ja, det er da stadig inden for de 30 dage, jeg har fået. Oplys telefonnummer. Det vil jeg netop IKKE. Ah, men her står: "Telefonnummer bruges som reservationskode. Har du ikke dansk telefonnummer, benyttes 8 selvvalgte cifre." Det kan jeg så nok også benytte mig af. Jeg taster noget, jeg er stensikker på ikke er et telefonnummer og som jeg kan huske. Man skal så også opgive gyldig e-postadresse, hvilket jeg gjorde.
     Systemet sagde OK og derefter forventede jeg jo at få en mail med tiden, som jeg naturligvis ikke havde skrevet ned ... den kom aldrig. Så tænkte jeg at jeg måske kunne se tiden på Borgerservice. Det kunne jeg ikke,men til gengæld var der nu en ledig tid en uges tid tidligere. Den nuppede jeg, gentog proceduren, samme 8 cifre, samme mailadresse, som computeren stadig kunne huske. Og skrev tidspunktet ned.
     Så kom der straks en bekræftelsesmail fra Borgerservice.
Jeg skrev så til Borgerservice for at afbestille tid nummer 1, og fortælle om den manglende mail i første omgang. Jeg fik et høfligt, men inkompetent svar: 

"...  Der står i teksten, at man bekræftelse på enten sms eller mail, og da du har udfyldt et nummer i mobil, så har systemet forsøgt at sende en SMS. Men jeg kan sagens se, at det nok ikke er et gyldigt mobil nummer, men det kan systemet ikke."

Nej det kan systemet så nok ikke, men i anden omgang kunne det altså godt finde ud af at sende en mail til min e-post! Og man SKULLE jo netop lave en 8-cifret reservationskode, hvis man ikke havde et telefonnummer.
     Nu venter jeg så på svar igen. SUK.
     Digitalisering er et gør-det-selv-projekt, javel. At det også skal være et vid-det-hele-selv-projekt går over min forstand. 

Words for Wednesday -- The Words, No Story

The Words for Wednesday is a movable feast, celebrating writing.

This month, March, the prompts can be found at River's place Drifting Through Life.

And this is a The more, the merrier kind of endeavour, so Please, remember to follow the links, go and read other peoples' stories.
And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement.
We ALL need encouragement.


This week's words/prompts are:

1. a cloud of dust settled around him
2. slapped in the face with a wet fish
3. I bowed my head and wept
4. I didn't know what else to do

Once again nothing happened when I sat myself down to write. And now I even suffer from dizzy spells, a recurring problem, bothering, but not dangerous. I hope writing will happen

Tirsdagstips -- 2 for 1

①  For et par uger siden var min fredagsfrustration at jeg fik store sedler ud af hæveautomaten. Jeg skrev til banken uden at blive klogere.
     Dette er det svar, jeg fik, ordret citeret:
"Du fleste automater, kan du selv vælge seddelfordeling, kan ikke svare om muligheden har været der, det kræver at jeg for dit kortnummer."      (Bankmedarbejderens navn).
     Næste gang, jeg skulle hæve penge, legede jeg lidt med hæveautomaten og fandt selv en løsning. Den simple løsning er at bede om et beløb, der IKKE er valgt for én, for eksempel 1300 kroner, så kan man vælge, hvordan man vil have beløbet udbetalt. Det burde de nok vide i Danske Bank, men det gjorde de åbenbart ikke.

- - - -

②  Dagens andet tips er af lystigere art. Strikkoman har en genial idé: For hurtig forårsoprydning, strik et par nullermænd og smid dem udenfor. Færdig. Original opskrift.

--   💶  --  🧶  --

①  A couple of weks ago, I vented my Friday Frustration over having giant banknotes from the ATM. I wrote the bank, had a useless answer and found the simple solution myself: Do NOT accept one of the pre-chosen amounts, but make one up. Eg. kroner 1300; then you're given the possibility of choosing how you want them.

- - - -

②  The second tips of today is of a funnier kind. Strikkoman has The Solution to easy Spring cleaning: Knit some dust bunnies, throw them outside. Done.
Original pattern.

Á Íslandi - 34

The words were:
Stupefied
Collector
Arrange
Reflections
Fashion
Slate
    and/or:
Hesitate
Adjusted
Hat
Segment
Coffeemaker
Dessert
     No more words left over, but still more story to tell. Let's see.

"Will my children be witches and wizards at all?" Aamu asked. "And will they even be good witches and wizards? And what would my husband say? Poor Uwe, he is a good man, he does not deserve to be married to a witch. I think I'll just have to live with the knowledge of what I could be, and leave it at that."
"Dear Aamu," Susan said. "I'm much too tired to argue with you now. It has been a long, long day. But do please think it over. And won't you promise me to come to Ella's house tomorrow at ten? Then we can go together to our place in Denmark, and I'll show you a bit of what we want to do."
"Could I bring one of my children?" Aamu asked. "I would like to, as he, my oldest, is a very down to earth type. If he can see anything good in your witching business, I might reconsider."
"Yes," Susan said, slowly nodding. "I don't see why not. I thank you for your kindness and hospitality. As I said, the cake was a dream!"
Ella told Aamu her address and they left the library. Susan drove the car back to Ella's house and parked it as close to the portal as possible.
"That was a limited success," Ella said sighing despondently.
"Yes," Susan agreed, I hope she will change her mind tomorrow after seeing happy children on broomsticks. I only hope the disappearing dormice won't bite her," Susan began laughing.
They still laughed as they arrived in the portal room of Birch Manor after two dizzying trips through the portals.
"What's so funny?" Josh asked. Susan greeted her middle son and gave up explaining. "It was just comic relief I think. How are things here?"
"Teeming, but quiet. We just had the sumptuous dinner; we saved some for you. Dessert is about to be served. Come and sit down."
Susan and Ella followed Josh to a small table, where Martine, Knud, Hilde and an unknown man sat. Knud looked up and smiled: "Great to see you two back again. This is Eyvind, Hilde's husband."
He rose, "Nice to meet you," he said.
"Nice to finally meet you, I'm Susan," Susan said.
"And I'm Ella, Pleased to meet you," Ella said.
"Sit down, please, Mum," Josh said. "I'll get your plates, and would you like wine or coke with it?"
"Coke for me, please," Susan said, and Ella nodded.
They sat. Knud looked at them: "You look tired, I gather it was not a success?"
"Only partially so," Ella said. "She has agreed to come here tomorrow with her oldest son. She's convinced, magic exists and also that she is actually a witch, but afraid to take up the responsibilities, and afraid to burden her husband. Even if he sounds totally nice."
"I volunteer to talk to 'nice husband'," Eyvind said. "I have had time to reconcile myself to being married to a witch. It's not half bad," he said and winked at Hilde.
"And what about the son?" Knud said.
"We'll know tomorrow if he's a wizard. We said, we needed more testing possibilities than Martine's fab brainteasers, as they require time and a willing subject. I found one more: Portals. All magicals get a dizzy spell going through them. At least grown-ups. Ella feels nothing, and I suppose Eyvind can confirm?"
"Yes," Eyvind said. "It was just like going through a door into an unlit room, nothing bad, But Hilde and our children all complained about dizziness. The grandkids not so much, but they did not exactly like it."
"Age, or maybe awakening of powers being the key I think." Knud said. "I'd like to ask Mary and Roseanne how they felt the first time they went through, when they still were blocked."
Hilde's children and grandchildren came in carrying the dessert: A gigantic bowl of fruits in a sauces looking like a sea in all the colours of the rainbow. Everybody ate more than they should have, as it tasted so good. And then it was time for bed.
"I'll be sleeping like a log," Susan said to Knud, and true to her word she slept within minutes.

... to be continued

Poetry Monday :: Genius

If you want to read some better  poetry,  Diane - who has taken over the hosting of  this challenge - and Mimi of Messymimi's Meanderings - who also supplies us with topics - are writing wonderful, funny, thought-provoking, ingenious and honestly well written verse. Go and read.

  Karen of Baking in a Tornado has joined us in this crazy pursuit, and promises us at least a poem a month - may  we hope for more!

  SpikesBestMate often publishes a nice verse in the comments.

  Jenny at Procrastinating Donkey who has been a faithful participant, is slowly returning to blogging after her husband's passing from this world. Let's continue to send warm thoughts, good energy, and lots of prayers her way. And dare we hope that she will join Poetry Monday again.

Todays theme is Genius. And I have no idea what to do, so I just amble along and hope something comes of it.

The word Genius looks like this in Japanese:

天才

The first kanji てん (ten) means heaven and the next さい (sai) means genius. Well, you could make do with the last half, 才(さい - sai) as it means geinus all by itself, but somehow a heavenly genius, 天才, is better.

A heavenly genius once sang a song
Of wisdom and beauty
(As this was his duty).
But then came along
A fool and a begar and chided the man,
And then he forgot how it all just began.

And that is the reason why we all today
To beauty and talent
(Are not very gallant),
Have nothing to say
We're foolish and stupid and often get lost.
And try to bedazzle  at every cost.

- - - - -

Next Monday we'll tackle Celebrating Poetry
A worthy subject, we all agree.

Á Íslandi 33

The words were:
Stupefied
Collector
Arrange
Reflections
Fashion
Slate
    and/or:
Hesitate
Adjusted
Hat
Segment
Coffeemaker
Dessert

Still missing dessert

"I think this needs more tea and cake to be washed down," Aamu said and suited action to words. Susan and Ella helped her lay the table for three. When they sat down with their mugs and slices of Aamu's delicious, German cake, she spoke again: "You say that you know me, and the others. And that I am, like you and Ella, a witch. How come that I cannot cast spells and do not remember anything of it at all? And where are those other children for that matter?"
Susan took a long sip of her tea, and drew a deep breath: "Let me start with your last question. What happened to those other children. It's  a sad story. The sisters Marja and Josta died together with their parents, and an aunt and her children when their summerhouse burned down one summer. Nata went to India together with Astrid Ravndal from Norway to find themselves as so many other did in those days. But as many others they found only death. They were found dead together in Goa some years later. And the boy, Jouka, died from an overdose in Oslo a few years later again. Tähti and Taavi died at almost 100 years of age. You are the only Finnish survivor from the Nordic school of witchcraft."
Aamu looked stunned, and her hand shook as she reached for her mug.
Susan continued: "Ella is not a witch by the way, but all her family is, so she knows about it. And she visited the school several times. You do not remember anything because you- like all of us - is under a spell of forgetfulness. I think I can prove that you are indeed a witch without giving you your powers back. Just a second." She bent toward Ella and whispered something in her ear. Ella nodded and left.
While she was gone, Susan told a bit more of Unicorn Farm. "We met every holiday for three years at the Unicorn Farm, situated in an island in Southern Denmark. We arrived every morning through portals, or walking through the magic line of trees, separating the Farm from the rest of the island. We were taught to brew potions, fly broomsticks, heal, call animals and cast spells. We also learned Icelandic."
"Icelandic?" Aamu asked, "I was in Iceland some years ago, and I found it quite easy to understand what people said. Uwe, that's my husband, wondered why, as he did not. It starts to ring true what you tell me."
Ella opened the door just a bit and said: "Aamu, please close you eyes. This is a test."
She did, and Ella gave Susan the branches she had cut outside. Susan magically rounded the ends and gave Aamu two of them: "What can you tell me about these two branches without opening you eyes?"
"Well," Aamu said, handling the branches. "They are branches all right, one is rough, one not, but nothing special. Just branches. About 30 centimetres long and 2 or 3 in diameter."
"Fine," Susan said, "and now those two." She handed Aamu her own wand and another branch.
"Two more branches," Aamu said after feeling them. "This one a bit longer," that was the normal branch, "and this one somewhat shorter. But the short one feels friendly, almost alive, as if ..." She stopped.
"Yes?" Susan said.
"As if it could bend, talk ... do magic."
"Open your eyes," Susan said,"Because yes it can. It is my wand."
Aamu opened her eyes and looked at the wand. "It looks no different form the others with my eyes, maybe a little worn, that's all. But with my fingers I feel the power in it."
"As you should," Susan said. "When you remember as much as you do, you should."
"But why, how ..." Aamu said, confusion etched in every line of her face.
"The school ended after three years," Susan said, Not because we were done, but because some of the wizards grew greedy for power. They wanted to take over the world, beginning with Denmark. They planned winning the election that autumn by magical means, and slowly begin a reign of terror. We, some of us that is, opposed them. We made a terrible potion, and forced us all to renounce our magic and forget about it. We gave up our magic for freedom. Last spring, as Knud, that's my husband, and I moved, I found my old school uniform in a suitcase. I did not know what it was, it had lain there ever since that Summer. But as I touched it, the forgetting spell was broken, and I Remembered." Susan paused. She took another bite of cake and drank some tea while Aamu digested what she had heard. When Aamu looked at her again, she continued: "I then had Knud touch a uniform too and the same happened to him. We agreed to 'awaken' all the apprentices, we could find and later to re-open the school. You are the last to be found." Susan ended her tale.

Aamu sat still for a short while. Ella poured more tea for them all, and then Aamu said: "You do know that this sounds totally crazy? That if anybody heard you tell all this, saw you swishing a branch and saying strange words, they would normally call the police or a shrink? I don't know if I do believe you or not. It sounds plausible, yet totally fantastic. What would you do to me if I play along?"
"I would of course make you touch my old skirt," Susan said. "It's in that brown suitcase over there."
"And If I don't?" Aamu asked, "will you then cast a spell on me to make me forget?"
"I don't think that would be necessary," Susan said slowly. "Just think it over. To whom would you tell what I have told you, and how would they react, if you did? And of course I would deny having been here at all. I was at home today until half past three, and  I'll be home again 15 minutes after leaving here. Not enough time to even travel one way, let alone staying here for hours."
"A portal?" Aamu asked.
"Yes!" Susan answered.
"I do believe you. Yet I am not sure that I want to be a witch. I have a good life as it is. I am married, I have children and even grandchildren. I have a job I like and live in a nice place here in Germany.
Susan thought it over: "But what about your children? Do you want to deny them their birthright."

... to be continued

Á Íslandi - 32

The words were:
Stupefied
Collector
Arrange
Reflections
Fashion
Slate
    and/or:
Hesitate
Adjusted
Hat
Segment
Coffeemaker
Dessert

Fifteen minutes later  Susan and Ella hand in hand jumped trough the portal from Birch Manor to Iceland. Once there Susan shook her head and sighed: "One more."
"Why do you sigh?" Ella asked.
"Because portal transfer makes me dizzy, discombobulated. It's getting better with practice, but it's still unpleasant."
"I don't feel a thing," Ella said. "You pull me through a black hole, and then we're elsewhere."
"A way to find magical persons," Susan said giggling. "And we need a way, but portals would be impractical. Some bother explaining non-magical people that they were somewhere else, had to go back, and please forget about it!"
"I see, yes," Ella snickered, "impractical for sure, only to be used when other methods are not at hand."
"I'll have to ask Martine for more useful ways later," Susan said. "Now we're off for Schiltach." She led the way down the corridor and once again they went through the portal. In the small copse near Ella's cottage, Susan sat on a stump and ate the banana she had put in her backpack.
Ella went inside and found Walther's car keys, came out again and threw them at Susan with a: "Here catch!" Which Susan did. They drove in silence, apart from Ella's directions, and parked outside a modern building.
"Now what," Susan asked suddenly becoming shy. "I'm used to the language spell."
"Nonsense." Ella said. "You have only used it for what? A bit more than a year. Your German will be fine for this. You're my guest from Denmark, let's keep as close to the truth as possible."
Ella led the way and opened the door with her card and code.
In a large room, off from the main hall, was a conference room with two big semicircular tables pushed together to form one round table, a handful of elderly ladies and a single man sat there already.
"Guten Tag," Ella said, "Darf ich vorstellen, meine Freundin, Susan Thorsen aus Dänemark."
The man rose and took off his hat with an old fashioned flourish: "Sigismund Müller," he said, "pleased to meet you."
The ladies rose, one by one and told their names. Frau Müller, Monika Schmidt, Heike Ingelmann, Heidi Müller - not a relative of the first Frau Müller, Beata Meyer and Gisela Huber.
Susan sat down and Frau Müller poured her a cup of coffee from a red thermos. "Where is Klara?" Ella asked.
"She's brewing  some tea and cutting the cake," Sigismund Müller answered, "she will be back in a short while."
And as if this had been her cue, the door in the other end of the room opened and a lady came in, carrying a tray with a teapot, bowls of cookies and plates of cake: "Good evening, everybody," she said.
Susan rose and said: "Good evening, I'm Susan from Denmark, Ella's friend. She said it was OK for me to come here tonight."
"It is fine," Klara said. "I hope you like cakes."
"I sure do!" Susan said with a slight bow, "and German cakes are the very best."
Klara poured mugs of tea for herself and some of the other. Then she took the book from the table.
While the eight ladies and Sigismund discussed the book, a recent German faction about the war, Susan watched the others and naturally mostly Klara, whom she remembered as Aamu. It was hard to see, that it was in fact the same person. Susan was sure she had dyed her hair, Aamu had been blonde, Klara was a brunette, and as she spoke German it was hard to recognize her voice too, but she had an accent which Susan, as the discussion progressed and the arguments  turned a bit more heated, categorized as a Finnish one. She had problems with the German short vowels, and a slight speech impediment when beginning a word with the letter S followed by another consonant. A thing Susan knew to not exist in Finnish. And her eyes were a characteristic, pretty green, that Susan remembered from Aamu. It had to be her.
"Do you have anything to add?" Klara asked her.
"No, I'm sorry. I did not knowing there was a book circle. I did not read more than few pages. I read slow German," Susan said with a complaining smile, "But your cakes are wonderful."
Susan's last statement brought laughter and smiles.
"Do we agree on a new book?" the younger Müller then asked. "I would like some lighter matter this time around."
 Sigismund added: "As we're nearing Summer and planting season, I agree with Heidi Müller."
They considered the matter for some time, while Susan ate one last savoury slice of cake and emptied her mug of tea. In the end they agreed upon a book. Now Susan was certain that Klara was Aamu.
The other participants took their leave, and Susan and Ella were left alone with Klara. "Are you in a hurry to go home," Klara asked. "Or do you want me to show you more than this small segment of our famous building?"
"I'd be delighted to see more," Susan answered. "Can we help you do the dishes or something?"
Together they carried everything to the tiny kitchen, dominated by a humongous coffee-maker.
"At times I think coffee is as important as books here," Klara said when she noticed what Susan was looking at.
Susan smiled, she was tired after listening to German on a taxing topic for over an hour on top of a long day. She hoped Ella was up to taking the initiative. But first the sightseeing. The library was modern, conceived by a renowned architect featuring round holes and organic elements in the otherwise square and functional building.
They ended up in the hall where Susan noticed the willow themed exhibition of books.
Ella took up Blue Willow. "I loved this book as a young one. This here girl, she fought against injustice, she showed me the true values of life: family, friendship and honesty."
"I liked it too," Susan said. "She was not afraid to show who she was. I always found her very courageous. More so than me even if she was poor."
"You come from Denmark?" Klara mused. "I spent some holidays there as a young girl."
"Most Germans have, at least that's what they always tell me," Susan said with a disarming smile. "Where did you spend those holidays?" 
"That is the funny thing. I do not remember. I have vague memories of animals, a house, and pleasant smells. I don't know why I can't remember. I was young, but not that young. I was eleven the first summer we went there," Klara's voice faltered.
"Do you remember how you arrived there. I mean train, boat, car ... or how many boats maybe?" Susan asked. She was about to burst out with her knowledge of where and why, but she felt held back by some undefined feeling.
"I am loath to answer your question," Klara said. "But all your praising of Janey's courage has made me bold. I think I arrived by magic. Like in the books. Call me crazy if you like."
Susan and Ella just looked at her with eager faces.
"I have to tell that I am not German. I did not live in Germany then, but in Finland. I and a couple of other children always played at doing magic tricks, then one day an elderly couple who lived near by came and saw us.And then this is where it gets blurred. We went with them... somewhere." Klara shook her head. "Oh bother, you must think I am crazy or something."
"No, Susan said.  "I think you are a witch, same as me. Those twins ..."
"I did not say anything about twins," Aamu interrupted.
"No, but they were," Susan interrupted back. "Tähti and Taavi Kuusisaari. I knew them too. And the children were Jouka, Nata, Marja, and Josta, and you are Aamu."
"Apart from your atrocious Finnish pronunciation, worse than your German, you are right," Aamu said.
"I can help that," Susan said and pulled her wand out: "Mál sameinast!" she said, swishing her wand just so. "Now my Finnish will be perfect," she said smiling, and repeated the names.
"But ... that's magic!" Aamu said.
Ella looked at her: "Susan told you she was a witch. What did you expect?"

... to becontinued

Á Íslandi - 31

The words were:
Stupefied
Collector
Arrange
Reflections
Fashion
Slate
    and/or:
Hesitate
Adjusted
Hat
Segment
Coffeemaker
Dessert

Susan went out the door and looked in surprise at the Sun. It was way higher in the sky than she had expected. So much had happened already today. She crossed the yard and went in through the door in what had been the inmate's wing. Then she walked up the stairs and softly knocked on the door to the apartment where Sandra had been installed. Fiona opened the door. "Hi Susan, what now?" she asked
"Hi Fiona," Susan answered, "I'd like to speak with Sandra. I need some advice from our local oracle."
"She'd be happy to help you," Fiona answered, "now the antidote has taken hold, she's feeling fidgety, wanting to get up and do something. But the stay in bed has made her weak. She's in for a long period of training and recuperating - better not tell her this!" Fiona said with a lopsided smile.
"I take it she's not a very easy patient," Susan said. "She's used to being the one helping others, caring for herself and being largely self reliant. The sooner we get her back into shape and into everyday life the better."
"Yep!" Fiona said vehemently. "She never has adjusted to being ill. Do come in!"

Susan followed Fiona into the apartment. It looked better than at her last visit, maybe it was only the optimism surrounding Sandra, but everything looked brighter and somehow better.
"Good afternoon, Sandra," she said. "I need your advice."
"Hello Susan, nice to see you again. And I can't thank you enough for that antidote! It has worked miracles already."
Susan looked closer at Sandra, Her once raven hair still had their salt and pepper looks of course, but her cheeks and lips once again held colour, and she did not look emaciated and at death's door. She sat up, propped against several pillows, and her voice was strong like before she drank the pink potion.
"Yes, I can see that," Susan said honestly and a bit shy because of the praise. "And I'm happy to see the changes. But to get to the point: Aamu. Ella knows her, she's a librarian in Schiltach. We both feel like rushing there and finding her. She's a wandsinger too, you know But as I'm sure Lis and Tage already told you, we're not supposed to leave Birch Manor. My question is, should we do so anyway, or had we better wait?"
Sandra closed her eyes. She stayed still for a long time, then she opened her eyes again.
"I think you should leave now. For some reason, I can't see, Aamu is trying to escape the truth. If you do not move soon, she might slip away. Do come back and tell the result as soon as you know it, or send me a letter."
"I will, I promise. Thank you so much. Hurry up and get better!" Susan said.
"Thank you, Susan!" Sandra said. "I am doing everything Fiona and Marit tell me to.Trying to be a good patient, but I'm afraid I'm trying their patience anyway."
"We all love you!" Susan said as an answer and left the room in a hurry.
On her way out she once again met with Fiona. "She sure looks better!" Susan said, and Fiona nodded. "Please tell me," Susan continued, "Is there any more of the antidote left over? or did you need it all for Sandra and Rasmus' children?"
"There's actually a goodly part left," Fiona answered. "Why?"
Finnbogi's boss!" Susan said. "I just remembered. I'm certain Liisa charmed him as well, but I do not know whether she dosed him with that pink potion or just spelled him. I am inclined to think she used the potion. as stolen wands  tend to be unstable. How much did she brew of that concoction."
"It's an easy to make and versatile potion, so lots, I think," Fiona answered. "But that antidote is very potent, a few drops should do it for him. I have hidden the antidote in a safe place. But just ask me or Marit It's just a measure against it being knocked over or drunk by curious children. Maybe unnecessary, but better safe than sorry here. And it won't go bad. Ever."
"Thank you," Susan said. "I'll remember."

Susan packed her backpack and the small brown suitcase. Then she went and woke up Ella. "Sandra says 'go for it, and hurry!'," Susan told  Ella when she was awake. "Let's get going. Do you know when she's at work today?"
"Today's Friday," Ella mused. "Yes! That's perfect. She'll leave the library early, and eat somewhere close by, then return at four to ready everything for the book circle. And I'm supposed to be there."
"How far from your house to the library?" Susan asked.
"Ten minutes by foot, but Walther's car is still at the house. I think I can use it. I am wary as my car is automatic. Can you drive a manual car?"
"All my cars have been manual," Susan answered laughing, "I would be afraid to drive an automatic. I drive, you tell the way. Now you pack a small bag, maybe for a sleepover. I go and tell Knud of what we do! We'll be able to make it in time if we hurry."

  ... to be continued

Fredagsfrustration :: Køns'neutrale' ord -- Gender 'Neutrality'

MotherOwl ranting over 'gender-neutral' words like chairperson and the abomination shero.

-- 😡  💬  💣 --

     Uglemor har altid syntes, at en af de helt store fordele ved det danske sprog i modsætning til for eksempel tysk, er at vi siden en gang i 1960'erne ikke har kønsvisende stillingsbetegnelser, som lærerinde, danserinede osv. Nu er der så ved at gå kønspolitik i det hele igen-igen.

     En i mit lokalområde er for nyligt blevet valgt til forperson - Æv, æv og tre gange æv! som Store Stygge Ulv siger. Hun er altså min formand! Det der andet PC-ord, får mig til at falde over sætningen, til at irriteres og tænke: Hun er ikke min for'person' altså!
     Det er OK, når det kan gøres elegant og med et glimt i øjet, som en Webmoster for eksempel.
     Det bliver totalt udlideligt, når det går ud over i forvejen kønsneutrale ord, som det engelske 'hero' (=helt), der bliver til en shero. For 'he'-delen her er ikke er en 'ham' men bare en stavelse i ordet heros, der betyder forsvarer, helt, halvgud på græsk/latin.
     Skal vi nu til at sige brandperson, pølseperson, jordeforælder og hvad vi ellers kan finde på. Og hvad gør vi ved de mandlige sygeplejersker? Stop det fnadder, altså!
     Hvis jeg nogensinde (Gud forbyde!) skulle blive formand for noget som helst, vil jeg insistere på at være og kaldes formand, med trussel om at gå af, hvis det ikke respekteres.

     For mig er det ideelle sand 'neutralitet', altså hvor man ikke dyrker ordmagi, men ser på mennesket i stedet for overfladiske biologiske og sociale markører.

Words for Wednesday -- Á Íslandi 30

Once again I'm writing tangled tales and byways so as not to make it too fast to the ending. We have still many dangling ends, one of them being the whereabouts of Aamu Raita, now Klara Weber.

And I really have to change the name of this chapter -as I'm sure you can guess á Íslandi means In Iceland, and we have long since left this place!

I took up the additional challenge of using the words n the order they were given.

The words were:
Stupefied
Collector
Arrange
Reflections
Fashion
Slate
    and/or:
Hesitate
Adjusted
Hat
Segment
Coffeemaker
Dessert

The magicians in the hall broke up, some of the younger families took tea, coke and cake outsides to the gardens to give the children time for running and playing, some went to their rooms to give small ones some shut-eye and clean clothes. Some just wandered around hand in hand. All a bit shell shocked from the afternoons events. The old apprentices, now teachers and in most cases grandparents sat with Martine at a larger table, only Lis and Tage left to tell the bed ridden Sandra what had happened.

Ella just sat in a chair, feeling tired to the bones and stupefied by the progression from vaguely dissatisfied, habitually married senior citizen to gaslighted victim to widow in the span of days.
It dawned upon her that she had always been the collector of happy memories, Grandma's cottage being the most important of them. And all her books, most of them made her think of something good. Maybe she did not have any children, but she was going to be a good aunt ... she was going to invite her siblings one by one, pick up the broken pieces of her family life. And what was it Susan had told her yesterday about the librarian being Aamu. Should they probably go and get her? What did she know of Klara, as Aamu was now called. She thought back to the Christmas party at Unicorn Farm. The slim, blonde Finnish girl on beautiful red and green dress with embroidered willows on her dress. Ella realized that the language magic let her know that Raita, Aamu's last name meant willow. And there had been something distinctly willowy over Aamu. Her reflections went forward in time to the latest meeting in the book circle at the library, and she almost laughed out loud. She had arrived early, and had been looking at an exhibition of books Klara had made, many of them had had 'willow' in the title or as an illustration. Willow basket weaving was once again in fashion, and books on this, The Wind in the Willows, a series beginning with Summer at Willow Lake, The Willow Pattern Story and even Blue Willow, one of Ella's childhood favourite reads had been prominent there. It made Ella think. Why had Klara (Aamu) done this? Had she nurtured a secret hope of being fond out? Was it just coincidence - Ella did not believe in coincidence.  Ella's head slowly sank back in the comfy chair and she dropped off to sleep, dreaming a tangled story of herself, Walther, Klara and someone else exchanging the slates of their house with books in preparation for some coming evil. She woke with a start, and looked into Susan's worried face: "Did you have a nightmare?" Susan asked. "You kept calling for someone to come and help you."
"Not a nightmare," Ella said, "but strange dream." She told Susan of Klara's books and the crazy dream. "Do you think that we could risk going to Schiltach and visit Klara? I feel an urgency to go there."

Susan hesitated. "I think I want to go and ask Sandra. Her premonitions are getting better and better, and she was right in getting you here.  You better take a rest in a real bed, even if this chair is comfy it's a back breaking place to sleep."
  Ella got up and stretched her back: "I'll be in my room if you need me. A nap in a real bed is the right cure for my poor back, I think."

... to be continued

Blogging from A - Z?

The A to Z challenge is up and running again this year for the 13th time.
I'm still debating with myself if I want to join or not.
You have until March 21 to link up a theme and from the March 30 you can just join ... at least this is how I understood it, feeling a bit mystified why you have to tell of your theme before joining.

The meta-theme of this year is:

ACCOMPLISHING YOUR DREAMS, AND THE DUALITY OF 22. 

Well ... I could write of all my dreams, projects, long-term ideas and the colour them RED for not accomplished or GREEN for accomplished / under way. This way I could tell of happenings great and small in the Owlery and still stay with the A to Z challenge ...

I could also treat it with ignore, keeping to my usual non-schedule, posting Susan's story, craft and gardening without looking at any letters ...

And IF I do the challenge, will I do it in English or in Danish ... Is it A for Apple or A for Abe (monkey)? Apple in Danish is Æble which brings me to the next problem: The letters: In Danish, we do not limit ourselves to 26 letters, we add Æ, Ø, and Å bringing the count up to 29. On the other hand, we have almost no words beginning in Q, W, X, or Z ... down to 25.

So many questions ....

I'm not going to do any theme reveal. So much is - almost - certain. But will I join or not?

What do you say?

A sub-theme this year is a Tribute to Jeremy Hawkins. I did not know him, and though I feel sad for partners and family missing him, I won't do anything more than linking here and say a prayer. So I go with the normal A to Z challenge badge seen here.

Actually I liked Lissa's badge better - seen here. Maybe I'll use this, if I go with my dreams accomplished or not idea.

Words for Wednesday -- No Story

The Words for Wednesday is a movable feast, celebrating writing.

This month, March, the prompts can be found at River's place Drifting Through Life.

And this is a The more, the merrier kind of endeavour, so Please, remember to follow the links, go and read other peoples' stories.
And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement.
We ALL need encouragement.

The words are:
Stupefied
Collector
Arrange
Reflections
Fashion
Slate
    and/or:
Hesitate
Adjusted
Hat
Segment
Coffeemaker
Dessert

And these last couple of days showcase my eternal problem: ENDINGS! I have no problem beginning a story (or anything else for that matter), continuing, and producing words by the million, but endings, finishings ... not so much.

I know what to write, I know how this chapter will end and where to go from there. The words are fine for that purpose, not super inspiring, but I see where they fit in. I sit myself down to write, and then ... nothing. Blank paper, or screen actually.

I'm so sorry. I hope that something will give, the dam break, or whatever.

Tirsdagstips :: Rundpinde - Circular Needles

     Der er mange mere eller mindre smarte måder at opbevare rundpinde på. I fotolommer, i kagedåser, på knagerækker og mange andre. Men i dag så jeg bare den genialeste på et genbrug. Man kunne også købe materialet til opbevaringen dér, så jeg investerede en hel femmer i denne geniale idé.
     Vel hjemme igen tilføjede jeg en pind og et par tal med sort tusch. Så hængte jeg de rundpinde, jeg lige kunne fange, op i den og og et billede. Det er da smart!

-- 🧶 --

  In the internet and elsewhere many ways of storing circular needles can be seen, Plastic pockets, cookie tins and many other. Today I saw an ingenious storing system in a second hand shop. They also sold the materials for it. I was not sure, I had any at home, so I spent all of 5 kroner (a not very large amount - approximately the price of ½ a litre of the cheapest milk).
  Back home I added a stick, and a couple of numbers in black ink. I then rounded up my circular needles and placed them in the contraption. This is smart!

Det er rynkebånd!      --     It is pleat tape!

Poetry Monday :: Say Hello Day - Telephone

If you want to read some better  poetry,  Diane - who has taken over the hosting of  this challenge - and Mimi of Messymimi's Meanderings - who also supplies us with topics - are writing wonderful, funny, thought-provoking, ingenious and honestly well written verse. Go and read.

  Karen of Baking in a Tornado has joined us in this crazy pursuit, and promises us at least a poem a month - may  we hope for more!

  SpikesBestMate often publishes a nice verse in the comments.

  Jenny at Procrastinating Donkey who has been a faithful participant, is slowly returning to blogging after her husband's passing from this world. Let's continue to send warm thoughts, good energy, and lots of prayers her way. And dare we hope that she will join Poetry Monday again.

- - - - -

Messymimi's Meandering tells me that "It seems today is the start of the “theme reveal” for the annual A to Z challenge."  This made my brain go CLICK and produce this

Alphabet Soup:

Always remember
Be nice and speak
Clearly.
Don't
Ever
Forget to
Give your name and ask for
His or hers.
It's a thing of
Just being polite,
Kind and
Loving to your
Mommy,
Neighbour,
Or whomever is in the other end of your
Phone!

And then I could not stretch this any longer.
Maybe to follow later:

Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y

- - - - -

Next Mondays topic is Genius Day.

Á Íslandi -29

When Jan came out followed by the two police officers they bade Ella, Susan and Knud, who had returned with the doctor, wait a bit. The officers spoke shortly with the doctor; and then the older officer, Svend Poulsen, turned to them: "Knud, could we ask for a guided tour of the premises, while the doctor discusses the medical and practical details with Ella and Susan."
"Of course," Knud said, "follow me."


When the doctor was through explaining and had  had Ella sign her name to the necessary papers, the officers and Knud returned.
Svend Poulsen once again spoke to all of them: "Here is my phone number. I'll ask you to call me if any of those present should think of leaving the country. This is standard procedure. We'll have to wait for the autopsy report, but unofficially we regard this as an unlucky accident. You are free to have your reunion party, if the mood has not been ruined."
Ella spoke - in German with Susan translating: "He was my husband, and that was the reason for his coming here. Furthermore our relationship has for at least a decade been of the practical variety, we were more like distant cousins than lovers. Of course I'm sad that he died, but I'm not devastated, as I would have been as a younger me. We did not hate one another, only the love was gone."
"Still you have our condolences and our well-wishes for your party," Svend Poulsen said.
The ambulance with Walther's mortal remains and the car with  the two police officers left Birch Manor, and Susan drew a deep breath and sighed.
"Let's just hope they find nothing untoward in that autopsy, and also not in the background information on  Walther."
 "Yes, let's hope so," Ella said. "Should we inform the rest of the happenings?"
"Oh yes we shall," Susan said and led the way to the hall.
Inside the hall everybody still sat waiting. Some of the smaller children slept in carrier cots or in their parents' arms, the older were playing some games in small groups in the rear of the hall. Knud went to the front with Ella and Susan.
"Dear friends, he began, then realized that he had cancelled the language spell earlier, drew his wand and swung it: "Mál sameinast!" he said, and started over: "Dear friends, We are going to proceed with our party as planned. The two nice policemen told us unofficially that they regard Walther's death as an accident. They are going to examine Walther's body, but we do not expect them to find anything extraordinary there. We are free to party, celebrate, mourn, do whatever we like, except that nobody here present are allowed to leave Denmark without notifying the police officer. As you have hopefully planned to stay here for the coming week, we should be fine, and no prohibitions on more arriving either. We only have to watch us coming and going. No reason to give rise to suspicion where none exist. Ella, would you like to say a few words about you and Walther?"
Ella nodded: "I have been married to Walther, whom once upon a time you knew as David, for almost than 30 years. The last maybe ten, we have lived together as friends. None of us had found another, but the love between us  had died. We stayed together from habit, because breaking up was more complicated than just staying together. And for Walther's part I suspect mainly because he knew that Susan and Knud were going to try and find me if they ever got their magic back. He had for a long, long time been adulterating the water in our house, so that I was more compliant to his wishes. He has made me distance myself from my sisters and brothers, and I had few friends in Shiltach. Of course I had my work, and I went to some social happenings, sewing circle, reading circle and such. But Walther always made me cut the ties with anyone getting too close. I deeply resent what he has done to me and to my life, but I did not kill him. It was an honest accident, He might have been looking for some way out through the window. He might have only been curious what was on the top of the shelves in the shed. I don't know. Right now I only know that I want the reunion to proceed as planned."
They all applauded Ella, and one of Heidi's grandchildren awoke with a start and began crying.
Susan took over: "Today we were to have given wands to those not yet having any. but this is a long, somewhat tiring process, and in the light of today's events, I suggest we postpone it until tomorrow. Now I suggest a cup of tea soft drinks and cake for everyone. Rósa, could you please write letters to Hilde, Frank and Freja, Monica and Olav, giving them the gist of what has happened, and telling them it's safe to return, but please by non-magical means of transportation."
"That I can do," Rósa said.

... to be continued