First of all, my exacting sense of justice requires me to say a word of praise for my congressman, Keith Ellison. I’ve written harsh things about him here (and surely will again), but in actually trying to do something about the crimes of an African government (and an Islamic African government at that) he’s showing more principle than the average Democrat. More than the average Republican, for that matter.



Saturday was garage clean-up day for the Viking Age Club & Society of the Sons of Norway. Times are lean even for the wolves of the sea, and so we’ve decided to move one of our boats out of paid storage and into the garage of one of our founding members (for slightly less pay). But that required a communal effort to help clean his garage out and install shelves for the Viking stuff he was already storing there. Nature cooperated by not sending the predicted rain, but we still managed to get a lot less work done than we’d planned. We were, however, immensely successful in talking to each other and eating a lot of pizza.

Everyone admired my new book cover.



I had a personal victory in the area of self-control. (May I note, in passing, that I really hate maturity?) Museum Replicas, Ltd., of Atlanta, the budget-conscious reenactor’s best friend, has a clearance sale going on, and one of the items advertised is this Norwegian Viking sword, which I could have had for $160 (plus shipping and handling. Oh yes, I’d have wanted it sharpened too. That’s extra). It’s a great deal, I said to myself. You can’t miss an opportunity like that!

Well, yes. Yes I can. I have more practical uses for the money, and I know it. And, as I replied to myself, Soon I’ll be rich from book royalties, and then I’ll be able to afford an Albion sword.