It gets too crowded in my workshop where Iselin, Kari, Ciara, Elin, Frida, Soma, Birna, Gisela and Asta help me do most things on the new radio's super regenerative receiver, and Jane and Caecilia works on the metronome. Most of the radio is just like the others, and many parts are identical to what they have already done, just a little different internal design and more controls. The super regen receiver requires its own frequency tuning and regeneration controls, and the transmitter has its own controls. The radio box has some special solutions too, partly due to the separate receiver and transmitter sections but the receiver also lacks the internal brass screen around parts that the others have, just to try to reduce the impact of the body's proximity to the receiver controls, and the metal is kept further away and smaller, and some controls have a wooden centre section instead of metal. So there are those lessons in why it is a certain way while we are building, but some of them have already learned that using a normal screwdriver to fine tune a variable capacitor effects the capacitance.

I tried to get Bodil to not engrave the lid as she did on the other radios. because it might be scrapped, but she calmly expect it to work well enough and has already done most of the engraving just because the magnificent radio deserves it. She has also upgraded the engravings in the other lids by adding Robertsfru i.e. 'Robert's wife' behind Iselin's name. Kari seems to want the same surname addition. I know that it's probably just silly insecurity, but I'm still worried that Kari won't say yes when I propose.

Since things take time for me to do, Jane and Caecilia gets help finish the metronomes while Iselin, Kari and more work on the carbon rod arc lights, because they want the arc lights even if we don't need really them, and the automatic ignition mechanism via an electromagnet that grips and lifts the upper carbon rod is an interesting challenge and mechanism. For most here it is very high tech, and even Jane loves how I've tried to solve and automate an annoying problem with technology. These lights are built to be outdoors and 'flexible' in carbon rod lifting height and other things so we can test and gain experience of carbon rod arc lights in outdoor use with its changing temperatures and moisture, dust and insects and stuff.

Part of Jane's interest is if a similar carbon rod lifting mechanism can be used with carbon rod 'electric candles' that need manual ignition. Jane really wants electric light she can just turn on and off with a switch, and I do too. Carbon rod electric candles are so simple to make and use that we only need to do some experimentation to find a good insulating but melting stuff between the carbon rods, that preferably gives warmer whiter light and doesn't smell or make a melted mess. Apart from sufficient power supply, the rest is a solved problem, just not in mass-production form, but it is an easily solved problem. Beside automatic turning on, we need to fine-tune other things, like making sure that adding a glass tube actually remove almost all of the harmful UV light, and which glass is best, and hopefully cut down on the hissing sound as well. We also need to add a thin metal wire mesh screen to cut down on electrical RF noise, and probably a capacitor and an inductor on the power supply to stop the power cables to work as electrical noise antennas. It shouldn't be that hard or expensive with all these additions, and the glass is just a part of the lamp that need occasional cleaning when replacing the carbon rod 'candle'.

We will try to build better electric light sources, especially for indoor lightning, but anything is better than nothing and each type might have their preferred used or niche. Carbon rods will be very cheap and easy to produce and replace, and can give very strong light, but it's not a pleasant light for indoor use. A classic glow wire light bulb is so much nicer. More pleasant light. No sound noise. No electrical noise. No smell. No fumes. I'm curious if I can make a weak mercury tube light and coat the inside with that glow-in-the-dark rock Jane bought, or just made and probably better zinc sulphide paint, and make a sort of fluorescent light. If it has weak blue-green light but a long lifespan and is reliable, that still have plenty of usage, and if it can handle cold and is energy efficient and such, even more so.

That tick-tick sound from the metronomes are annoying, but they obviously work. They're a simple creation. Wooden casing in classic Metronome style. Spiral torsion spring wound up with a key on the side. The round case that holds the spiral torsion spring drives a shaft that has a spiked wheel that is a mix between gears and a clocks escapement. The shaft that the metronome pendulum rotates on is almost like a worm gear to the spiked wheel, but instead of a worm gear, it's just two rectangular plates one spike apart that are rotated 90 degrees from each other. The first plate releases a spike, which on the next pendulum movement is release further, and this acts as a simple escapement and produces a ticking sound. Simple, but a metronome does not need clock precision with just a few seconds drift per day high precision. The pendulum arm has a 'large' lump at the bottom in the metronome base, and the vertical arm that sticks up has an adjustable weight. The higher up the weight is, the lower the tempo. Two prototypes have been built, and everything is built according to 'it looks right', so they will have the sound and tempo they get, but we have adjusted the weights to get a good range. It's the same with the sound, although it should be possible to adjust how much the case amplifies the ticking sound. Making that sound louder is a future issue. I think it is loud and annoying enough. Marking the tempo bar starts with putting the adjustable weight all the way down to the lowest setting and thus highest bpm, and making a mark on the arm. Then decide what should be the highest tempo and trim the pendulum's base weight and check what the tempo is with the weight at the top or the arm. Between 40 to 180 bpm seems appropriate, and then just adjust the weight position until a tempo is a good even number, mark it, and repeat for the next mark. So mostly just sit and time and count, check timing, time and count. Mark it. Repeat. Rewind the mechanism when needed. By alternately marking the tempo on the right and left side there is room for more numbers even though every line isn't marked, and the upper part gets steps of 2 bpm, and lower part 4 bpm.

That ticking sound is really annoying, but ticking clocks annoy me and my hearing is good.

The music group is doing another gig in the main buildings attic, and their numbers have expanded a bit and now consist of; Caecilia on her harp, guitar or Thrymheim's lute thingy; Jane on drums; Gunhild on flutes or wooden blocks; Hillevi on wooden blocks or drums; Ciara on harp, tambourine or wooden blocks; Ryla and Agnes on their instruments, which is a lute thing, flute, brass chimey things and a simple hand drum. Gisela is trying hard to learn instruments, the music and reading notes since the others have given her permission to join. Caecilia is trying to teach Iselin how to play the guitar since some time ago, and Iselin is stubborn enough when she wants to master something that she will certainly learn.

In addition to combat training, fitness, dance, acrobatics and massage, Ryla and Agnes are practising to perform Midgård music and love being included in the music group. Agnes is the better of the two at playing music and singing, and she seems to have a better memory for music and is just naturally good at finding the right notes, and Agnes has a really good voice. Most people appreciate that Agnes tends to sing to herself in everyday life. Personally, I find it mostly annoying, but I haven't said anything because I don't want Agnes to feel forced to stop doing it. Agnes really wants to hear the very fascinating Midgård music, but she's not the only one who wants that, and Jane is just happy to help them, and try to translate lyrics and explain.

With the audience it's quite packed up here, and we need to open windows to let out some heat. All the chairs are taken and more have been brought up, and it's good that two new sofas have been ordered. Of course the bodyguards and staff are allowed to listen, and many stand or just sit on the floor, with the exception of the two bodyguards who keep watch in the day room. Haera and Skirlaug enjoy listening and being social, and Asta and Unn 'just happened' to be passing by, but we get that Iselin invited them to listen and I have no idea why they are even pretending.

As a surprise, the music group plays not only some of their 'old' songs but also some new songs they made. I absolutely love their take on Mama and the Papas 'California Dreaming'. They have once again made their own adapted lyrics and it's called 'Ackerek dreams', and they sing that no matter where they are in the winter, walking in Borgarsandr, on ships swaying on the sea, or in the frozen woods etc, they dream back to Ackerek, the warmth and light here. It's a bit touching, and Caecilia sings the main lyrics well with the others as her chorus. Caecilia clearly had the best voice, but since Agnes came here I think she's a bit better. Their singing ability and style is a bit different, and they try to learn from each other, which will probably improve both of their skills. I wonder how good Caecilia and Agnes could have become with proper voice and technique training over a couple of years.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

I'm not really surprised that Mike Oldfield's 'Moonlight Shadow' is something that appeals in style, instruments and vocals, although once again the lyrics have been changed to work better with the culture, like they meet in Folkvang instead of heaven, and 'cut down' like from a blade weapon instead of 'shot', and the hundred and five line is also changed. It's generally not easy to translate a lyric that should be singable with the exact same meaning in a completely different language, but sometimes it's easy to find something that rhymes or sounds good simply by chance. I'm quite pleased with how we generally manage to keep the mood, subject and pronunciation after translating into Norse, and I sure don't mind them taking liberties and making their own text after I hand over the literal translation. Singing and writing poetic text is not what I am good at. I mainly care about broadening the musical style spectrum.

I recognise the introduction to 'Ohne Dich', and Ciara starts singing 'Ohne Dich'. Ciara can't sing in the high and clear way they expect a woman to do in Alba, but her voice is fine for the more low-voiced way that Till sings Ohne Dich. Ciara sings so evocatively about her missing love, with Caecilia helping out. There are tears in more eyes than mine, and it really doesn't help that Ciara obviously sings the song directed at me, and how the birds will not sing when I'm not here. At the end, I can only hold out my arms as she hurriedly sits on my lap, tears streaming, and we hold each other. So there's a short break before they start playing other and more happier songs.

Their version of Wintergatan's 'Marble Machine' works well, and just a musical machine have been a much discussed topic. There probably are simpler music machines in this world, but it's simply not something they've heard or seen. Many of us appreciate how different sounding but nice the Mega Man 3 intro is in a slower instrumental version on wooden blocks and flute, with drums and guitar etc in the background, which I recognise is clearly based on Disco Dan's 'Blue Lightning remix'. It works really well on the instruments they have and I'm not alone in thinking so, but I think it will be better on the metallic 'glockenspiel' when it gets built. Hillevi has really been practising to keep the high tempo and get it right, and she probably needs the breaks in the music to recover. Jane does well on the drums while Ciara gets us clapping along in sync. Man, I'm hit by nostalgia when they continue with the 'Monkey Island' theme done really well, followed by Acrubalis' 'Walking on the Moon'. Actually, it makes sense that a lot of classic computer game music is fairly easy to do an acoustic version of as that music are generally made with few 'voices' and very limited sound possibilities. Some game composers were just really good at using the available options, and later remixers had more options.

When their session is over, I of course applaud their performance. I suggest more game music I like, like 'Wily meets Flashman' by Noppz, 'Looks like trouble' from Command & Conquer, 'Spy vs Spy' by Sheerdark, the Castlevania theme, Donkey Kong Country songs and several of 'Instant Remedy' from my game music catalogue. Sidnify's 'Supremacy-Overload' remix and Wolf and Raven's 'On the run' could sound well on their instruments, and I know Iselin and Ciara likes Machinae Supremacy's 'The Great Giana Sisters remix'. I should ask them to learn to play 'Danza Kuduro' because Iselin loves that song and we've danced to it and a few others like 'Umbrella' behind closed doors, but also stuff like Iron Maiden and Rammstein. Just a different kind of dancing. Iselin is so damn beautiful when she takes off her heels, and barefoot bounces around and dance with her hair flying around her, but she's getting good in heels too. Constant use will eventually mean certain skills. We have two special playlists on my phone that get added to when she finds a new song she likes. One playlist for dance music, and one playlist for metal, headbanging etc.

I put the striptease pole back before I went up here for the music session, so before I leave, I half-whisper to Jane; "Jane. Question: What is long and hard as steel, and is thick enough that you can just grip around it with your hand? You can find me in my bedroom when you figure it out."

Jane dismissively snorts while glancing at my crotch; "Oh please! That's just absurd!"

I waggle my eyebrows and walk away smiling. I have just reached the corridor to my bedroom, when I hear footsteps thundering down the stairs. Jane swings round using the the door frame, and with a hand she bounce off against the opposite wall to change direction and avoid me, and hurries into my bedroom. As I enter, I see her gracefully swinging round on the pole with a big smile. She launch against me, and half glomps me as she wraps her arms around my neck and gives me a tongue kiss. Holy f..!!

"Brush your teeth and bring the bluetooth speaker in here! I'll be right back!"

As we lie sweaty and holding each other and talking, it's clear that Jane loves the striptease pole and that I had it made just because she asked for it. Jane's skill on that pole is impressive, and erotic, especially when we used it for sex too.

"Jane, sorry to tell you this, but you're not the first to use the pole. It hadn't been installed for long before I found Iselin in here holding on and swinging around on it. I could almost hear a 'wheee' from her, although obviously not even close to your skill."

Jane giggles: "Of course she did! But don't you worry, I'm going to show Iselin how to exercise with it and do pole dancing. And striptease. I have no space in my own room for one, so you just have to live with us practising in here. Very sad for you. But you're already used to having sexy women getting sweaty in here, and there is a toilet to freshen up."

"Just so you know, that striptease pole is made so it can be easily moved as long as we build and install lower and upper bearing somewhere else like in the gym, but that pole will most likely be the only one for a long time. It is probably the biggest and heaviest pure steel object currently in this world, and the only one not made as a weapon, armour or a machine part." I smile, hug Jane some more and continue. "Well, it's sort of a weapon when my älskarinna are using it, and you're so worth it." Jane looks puzzled although she likes it when I use her 'title'. "Olafr made it - you know, the master blade smith that now works for me here on the island - and it is a really hard thing to make here. It's impossible to just buy a metal pipe like that, and we used the lathe to do it. And it is pure high quality steel. Just the bearings where a lot of work, and frankly, the lower bearing might be the first of that type in this world. Olafr could have made six to eight swords like those on the mezzanine wall with the same steel, or two rifles."

It's amusing to see Jane's face fall, and she starts staring at the pole and me as it connects just how unique that steel pole is in this world. She points to it and says: "Are you seriously telling me that that striptease pole I just rubbed my tits and arse against and we used for sex, is worth its weight in gold?!"

"Pretty much, and it was made by a famous master swordsmith too. He did add his and my makers mark. Maybe I should gold plate it to hide its true value?"

Her face makes me laugh. Jane joins me in laughing at how absurd it is, before becoming serious.

"Oh, Bloody Hell! You had it made just because I asked you! I remember you saying making it in steel wasn't possible, because you knew how valuable and hard that would be! You talked about using wood but was worried about the durability, safety and splinters. So you found a way to make it in steel - just because I asked for one! And you said I was worth it!"

Jane is speechless and shocked. I look into her eyes and reply completely serious, "You are worth it, and I love you my Älskarinna."

I like kissing and cuddling Jane. Neither of us is tired, so we decide to watch 'Chappie'. Caecilia brings us wine and lingonberry drink. Jane thinks the wine is kind of crap, but when I tell her to not drink it then, I get another comment that everything doesn't have to be practical, functional or taste good. Sometimes it's the principle, or the alcohol. I get flashbacks to discussions about stiletto heels, corsets, fashion, watches and so much more. We have different attitudes and ideas about a lot of things, and I like that we can have discussions like these.

Jane thinks the movie is pretty good. Not so much 'dumb' Sci-Fi action movie but more Sci-Fi with humour and good story, and she likes the ending when the Yo-Landi robot opens her eyes. As neither of us really need to go to the toilet, just pee a bit, so we keep talking as we use the mini-toilet, brush our teeth and wash up for the night together, where I let Jane borrow my toothbrush. Both of us think it feels wrong to use someone elses toothbrush, but we've done far more intimate things than that, and it feels more wrong to call for Caecilia or someone, just to fetch Jane's toothbrush, and she is too lazy to get it herself.

Jane wants a couple of screenshots so she can paint the Yo-Landi robot as a painting for her own room, or maybe Chappie in one of his outfits, so we jump around in the movie and Jane gets to choose the frames she likes. She's a talented artist and will obviously be most inspired by the screenshots as she paints. She can just make her own human-like robot from scratch, but she wants to base it on some Midgård pop-culture, to get that connection too.

As we crawl under the covers in my bed to sleep, it's nice, just her and me. We can sort of pretend we're just two ordinary humans, a normal couple who go to bed for the night like everyone else and say goodnight to each other with a kiss before we relax. Me on my side with one arm around Jane who is the small spoon, and I enjoy feeling Jane's back against me and holding her as she snuggles in against me.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.