Some nights I can’t think what to write. Other nights I have to make a list to be sure I don’t forget anything.

First of all, for those of you interested in Things Norwegian, a new blog has been begun by Bård Titlestad of Saga Publishers. He’s the son of Prof. Torgrim Titlestad, author of Viking Norway, which I reviewed here. The blog is devoted to Norwegian-American issues. Which is perfect timing, as I just declared Norwegian-American culture dead, dead, dead a few days ago.

Well, I could be wrong.



Secondly, thanks to our friend Loren Eaton for his flattering review of The Year of the Warrior over at I Saw Lighting Fall.

In a related matter, a friend over at Facebook told me that new copies of TYOTW are selling for $40 over at Amazon.com. I turned aside to see this marvel, and found that the forty buck copy was the cheap one. Some entrepreneur is offering it at the optimistic price of $104.00.

I’ve got several cases of the book in my basement. Hmmm, I wonder….

No, I doubt it.

I think this constitutes incontrovertible proof that it’s time Baen put it back in print, though.



My big project this weekend was to sew myself a Viking undertunic. A Viking undertunic is just like a tunic, only it’s worn like a tee-shirt, so you can make it out of cheap muslin (doing an imitation of linen), and you don’t have to decorate it at all. I figured it would be the perfect exercise for re-learning the use of the sewing machine.

I inherited my sewing machine from my aunt. It’s a pretty old one—probably from the 1940s. I suspect the newer ones are easier to use. I’ve done a few projects on the thing (my aunt taught me how when I made my first tunic, quite a few years back), but I go so long between projects that I always forget (I’ve been buying my tunics from a lady in our group since then). So I have to pore over the instruction book (not very clear reading) to figure the thing out again, every time I do it.

Tonight I think I’ll hem it up a little (you don’t want your undertunic hanging down below your overtunic). Then, maybe, once Elk Horn is done, I’ll buy some linen and make a long-sleeved summer tunic. I have short-sleeved ones, but that’s another thing the hard-core reenactors don’t approve of (no archaeological evidence). So that would be useful, and might help me nail down the procedure (while I’m needling down my fingers).

My inner Insecure Male dislikes the idea of sewing. My inner Cheapskate likes it.

No contest.