Northerner

8 years for the disgraced ex-captain exiled to Mexico until the civil war starts. I hope that George’s command won’t feel like it’s lasting that long. Still, adventure at sea lies ahead. Thank you for this Easter surprise!

So, it’s Will’s gap year, and then we dive into his personal challenges. Challenges most people would be happy to face, luxury problems they are. The supporting characters are definitely talented, but the main focus is on Will’s journey. Still, Claire and Marie were great at keeping the wolves under control. Kudos to them! I wonder how and when the supposed straight bubble surrounding Travis will pop? Better tune in next week! Thanks as always for the chapter.

Fatherhood becomes our young count. The Lång estate survived until 1850 when it got replaced with a wooden castle. That in turn got torn down in 1944 and used for firewood in Stockholm. The winters during WW2 were grim. I’ve been told this by older relatives who hid Norwegian resistance fighters in northern Dalarna so they could recuperate and keep on fighting. The jealousy lingers, Göran is trapped by his station. I wonder who will catch his fancy next?

Our young count did well! The actual church in Ramnäs is lovely - it’s a typical countryside church with light interior. Its current layout goes back to 1792, so you can picture the wedding inside. I wonder how the old feuds in the wider family will play out?

It’s wistful to read about a time when clubs were still alive and kicking; post c19 with social media personalities always broadcasting it’s grim. That said, what a breezy chapter, thank you! Nice to read that Stef had a great time out and about! I miss his antics, as well as those of Brad, Matt and Wade sometimes. That said, the young whippersnappers keep me thoroughly entertained. I’m looking forward to get more of Marie’s viewpoint as well. She’s the secret siren that holds the younger dudes in check.

I wonder how many schemes our George will be involved in, or uncover before the clepsydra runs dry? Will he be forced to hastily regroup, or will he leave Spain in honor?

George, hoping for a heroes welcome, has really set his foot in a hornet’s nest. With Cardona’s disgraced wife out of the picture one would think that he’d be free to play the field, but discretion is as always the better part of valor. Eagerly awaiting to read how the wheels will come of this particular wagon.

What a triumphant romp of chapter, thank you! Will and Austin hamming it up reminds me of how fun sports can be in the right company. I bet that Halloween will be a spectacle for the ages. Were I in Will’s shoes I’d drive up to Ogonquit with Travis for a cosy weekend of lobsters, cider and getaway, but I’m not in my 20s.

It’s interesting to read an account of the breaking point between the old guard and the Bernadotte family coming into power. Napoleon sure did redraw and reshape much of Europe during his reign. As we enter the modern era, people start to become more relatable due to societal familiarity. Imagine being called to Stockholm to work at the court. My few days on guard duty at the royal palace during a bitter cold January pops back to mind. Göran is becoming a hot commodity for marriage. He’d better be careful.

Haha, our young count is certainly playing the field! He should at least have gone and discreetly pulled his future bride to be aside for conversation as to not arouse suspicion. Still, good going! If you don’t get any during Midsummer you’re not trying at all.

There are so many tech companies that would have been solid buys back then - Nvidia, AMD, Intel, Synopsys, Cadence, Amazon. Not just FAANG, beverages like Monster, enterprise software like Salesforce. Or, something like Aurora Cannabis hasn’t made a poor showing. Diversify your holdings if you can. That said, I like that player Will is getting his Slutzilla on. Guys in college are always on the prowl. I wonder if Will or Travis has the biggest buffet, and who will end up being the pick of the pack?

Oh Nils, you are a godsend helping Göran to navigate these treacherous waters.

And you think the world is chaotic today? It’s always been a powder keg, just waiting for the chips to fall just so. Fingers crossed for George and Daventry successfully navigating the waters of the Spanish court.

Our young count needs to come into his own fast now. Fingers crossed he’s got someone who can help with sage advice. Wonder how he will land romantically after fumbling? Times are perilous, better lay low.

Katrina did a bad number on New Orleans. I was there in the spring of 2007 and could still see FEMA roofs on some buildings. That devastation and later the pandemic wrecked that lovely city I’ve had so much fun in. It’s heartbreaking, but New Orleans always manages to rise again thanks to the joi de vivre and lively spirit of the community. I keep holding out hope for my next visit - hopefully sooner rather than later. Good on Will and the gang to help and being humanitarians and each of them being a real mensch. Haha, imagine a 42” TV being large, those were the days! Looking at my 77” 4K OLED, technology has made great strides. The classic Japanese giants are restructured; Sony TVs are made by a JV with TCL of China, Panasonic just offloaded their TVs to Skyworth, Sharp to Hisense and Vestel. It’s like looking back in the rear view mirror to the very different, yet familiar world I grew up in.

Haha, the secret life of public schoolboys. Saucy! It sounds like Nils is about to stray…

It’s all about the subterfuge, isn’t it? Underspace has a very Lovecraftian ring to it. Exciting times ahead!

Lovely to see that Jeremy’s redemption arc is an ongoing concern. All these cats are gray tabbies - you have to take the good with the bad. Except Rosa and Maria - they’re wholesome. So far… The skating this Olympics was awesome, some real drama was had. Though for me nothing beat Johannes Høsflot Klæbo running uphill on skis at the end of his race at a very respectable clip. My jaw was picked up from the floor while cheering for my Norwegian neighbors. 9 Olympic gold medals - how is that humanly possible? So, JJ remodeling John Lautner houses? I’m all for that! Fingers crossed Travis will have it easier, but we all know some diabolical twist of fate is lurking. Looking forward to read what it is.

Ahh, the sheer forbidden exhilaration of casually dropping good money on something you really like. Looking at some of the very nice things and one of the cats sleeping in a chair. I could fool myself into believing I’ve arrived at the sublime. The cat is more fun than the gadgets, so much for material possessions, nice as they can be. Still, you go Will! What a doozy, fireworks inside and out. More please!

It’s off to the races in the big world. Our protagonist is handed a huge opportunity to really make something of himself. Fingers crossed.

Imagine being over the hill at 30. I was cruising on happiness as I got woofed by a junior colleague after taking charge, getting us out of a sticky situation at work. Read into that what you will, but no code of conduct was breached. I wonder when the boys will go out on a night drive on Mulholland? The tend to stick to the beach.

Bastille day usually comes with fireworks. Excitement builds!

The arguing about the roads to take reminds me of The Californians, classic SNL. Throw in some Do You Know the Way to San Jose lyrics from the great Burt Bacharach song to complete the picture. Go Travis! I hope he finds some way to tiptoe around the dangers on set.

The early, fumbling days! What an adventure that lies ahead of our protagonist. Imagine that the boys found an old Kama Sutra. Fascinating! The real-world Valdemar Tofte was a Danish violinist, but looking for the castle ruins in the Värmland region was an interesting side-quest. My favorite is Läckö Castle on the southern shore of lake Vänern, but that’s neither here nor there. Tofte Farm in Norway is another interesting royal property. It’s cool to pencil in the story against old freeholds and manors scattered about the countryside. It reminds me of motifs from earlier literary studies involving Karlfeldt and Fröding, even though they lived in the later part of the 1800s. Anyways, it’s nice reading about the discovery of sin.

Double-O Will, with a license to skank. Glad that he mostly cleared the air. Big ole ice queen Isidore still has an axe to grind - I’m curious to see where that is going. There’s bound to be some teen angst drama involving the guys in the band, some young lady they need to impress, and some car-related mishap out in the sticks in Marin County in a moonless night. The upcoming summer has room for surprises. Fingers crossed for Travis holding up. The poor guy has his own cross to bear with all that past trauma, being around high-maintenance people all the time must wear him down.