Female complications, day 26

  Impregnation.

  Jane is more than happy to make a good painting for Iselin that I can give her as a birthday present, but when she sees the screenshot and she instantly recognised Rihanna from 'Umbrella', I need to explain. I don't know how to start, and I don't even have time to start before Jane becomes wide-eyed and realises why, and starts giggling.

  "Iselin have a girl crush on Rihanna!!"

  "Yes."

  "Your bisexual wife Iselin have a proper crush on Rihanna! Oh, so magnificent!!"

  "Iselin first saw high heels when I showed her that video, not when you showed them, and right from the start, she paused the video so many times on the shoes, clothes and Rihanna's face, and that was before I realised she was bisexual. I just thought Rihanna's look was exotic. She do like the Rihanna songs I brought along, and likes dancing to them. Explaining the 'S&M' lyrics was interesting. The first time Iselin came walking in borrowed heels, she was humming 'Umbrella'."

  "Magnificent! I promise I'll do my absolute best to make that painting as good as I can. You should surprise her with an umbrella!"

  I already intend to do that. It just has to be made of thin fabric and water resistant enough, which I have to experiment with because I have no real idea of alternatives, except some kind of harder wax or something, and the fabric will be linen or wool. Wool is pretty good water repellent in itself, especially if it's not washed from the grease, which may be enough, but then it will hardly be beautiful and elegant. They have a way of making leather water resistant, especially if it's deliberately going to be quite stiff like in a leather canteen, but fabric is far more difficult.

  Jane has actually done something similar at a Renaissance Fair and says we can use 'Linseed oil and White spirit' to waterproof something. Okay, linseed oil I understand, but it takes a while before we can collectively figure out what 'White Spirit' is into something I recognise, which should be what I know of as the Swedish 'Lacknafta'. A petroleum product. Which is very likely to not be an option, no matter how much Jane loves to say the Swedish word 'Lacknafta'. So we'll have to try with what I know they already have here, such as a variant of turpentine, alcohol, etc. It seems pretty obvious that the 'white spirit' thins out the linseed oil, but the question is whether it affects the linseed oil in other ways, because it is a petroleum product. Does it affect drying? Is it better waterproofing? Do other things damage the fibres? I may have to cut A4 sized pieces of linen and try oil and waxes, in various combinations and dosages, and also try painting in between as Jane suggests. Waterproof fabric is good for lots of other purposes, especially if it doesn't mess up the clothes underneath, and it would be nice to have available for things like a poncho.

  Of course, my hiking jacket is made of breathable synthetic fabric, but generally I accept getting wet in certain weather, because breathable Goretex material does not work in a high humidity environment, because the surrounding air simply does not absorb the moisture, and poor air circulation under the garment only makes the situation worse. Excellent in a dry environment like when there is snow, but not just above freezing, 90% humidity and rain, which is much of the winter in southern Scandinavia, or summer in mountain areas like Hardangervidda. Sometimes you just have to accept being wet, and a good hat, waterproof lower trousers and a waterproof poncho that allows better airflow can be the best solution. As long as it's not windy or too cold, an umbrella can be better than the most advanced high-tech jacket, but as wind is usually a problem, especially above the tree line, an umbrella is just unnecessary weight and bulk. However, it is important to be able to dry off, and a poncho as a roof with a small fire underneath helps with that too.

  Jane really wants to do the waterproofing tests, because she wants to feel like she's not just painting, sketching etc. I can't help it so I stare into her eyes and with a seriously tone I tell her;

  "Jane, I want you to help me test a lot of techniques, what penetrate deepest and avoid sticky stuff everywhere, and to become my impregnation specialist."

  I turn around and manage to take a couple of steps towards the door before Jane burst out laughing. I just give her a wide grin, and suggestively lift my eyebrows as I open the door. Jane shout, "I'm your girl!" before I close the door behind me.

  Frida, Soma, Birna and Gisela obviously love being here and the mansion, and Frida and Soma are a little jealous of Shakini and Elin who are now permanent employees, proper free necked servants without sex duties, and they know I really mean that because they have talked to Elvira and Jalida. Their jealousy is increased a bit more by the fact that Shakini is trusted to clean my rooms too, even though Caecilia and Elvira do it most of the time, and Shakini also shares a nice room with Elvira. But the new ones love their room in the attic. A fairly roomy cosy warm space where each have a real bed and mattress, and the view through their little window is nice, and they still have space for a table and two chairs. And no bad memories. Gisela, however, was brought up in more luxurious accommodations than the others, but not quite at the level we have here, and she is not used to centrally heated rooms, indoor toilet, bath and running hot water. Or electric light.

  All of them plus Elin are so proud and happy when they get training, no matter what it is, and they like that they not only get training in radio but so many other things as well as reading and writing, counting, collecting weather data, operating the instruments and doing advanced work like building batteries, and making wind turbines etc. They are very well aware of how few people in the world know how to do this, and how exclusive and valuable that makes them, but they also don't mind helping out in the kitchen or with the animals, or doing anything else that needs doing. Soma in particular has quickly become popular with the staff and loves helping in the kitchen, and is generally a happy enthusiastic bubbly girl, but she was never subjected to Radgeirrson's 'training' either. She is apparently still a virgin. And half Daes. It's something she didn't want to tell us, which is understandable given the mutual feelings and history between the Norse and Daes people, but she grew up in the Daes kingdom, with a Daes father and Norse mother. So she can understand and speak both languages with an accent, but is of course best at Daes.

  Gisela seems to love more or less everything, and especially things like the fact that I-we have made a maths book in East Frigones and have several other Frigones books. She can talk more easily with not only Frida but also Kari, Ciara and with Haera. They in turn appreciate talking to someone who is a native Frigones speaker and can improve their own pronunciation and vocabulary, which is especially interesting as there are two native Frigones languages. Gisela can also make herself somewhat understood in the equivalent 'English' as she was 'insurance' in the south of England, but that language sure isn't English although some words are similar, but that is probably due to Norse influences on both that language here and Midg?rd English. Maybe I should still keep Gisela here for the future? For language and culture lessons from her home region in Frigonia and 'England'. We could make a language book too.

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  Gisela has started making improved maths books on East Frigones to correct Kari's language and word choice, and thankfully Kari is taking it as an opportunity to learn what she did wrong. After all, there is a difference between someone who was born with the language and someone who learnt it later and rarely used it. The problem is also the maths itself, which is very new to Gisela, and the new number system, but she seems to be taking it as an opportunity to learn the maths too. We'll see if she continues with a North/High Frigones translation, as she has already offered to do it. Caecilia together with Iselin have already done maths books in Laitje, and Iselin and Ciara have done a set in her Alba Gaelic version.

  Along with Caecilia's lessons in Laitje for me and Iselin - which Kari is also trying to learn - Kari has given me some lessons in East Frigones. Norse was very easy compared to both languages, but then Norse is closely related to modern Swedish. I'm at least starting to understand Laitje well enough, but conjugations are not easy, and sometimes I mix up words between the languages. Which is not helped by the fact that they have borrowed words from each other. I've had more than one flashback to Monty Python's 'Romans go home' sketch, and I've decided to put off trying to learn East Frigones until I know Laitje well enough. We're actually visiting the Queendom of Damman this spring, and Laitje is the local language. Ryla is also practising Laitje, but her mother tongue is Laitje, so even though she has barely spoken it for 10 years, it is so much quicker for her to regain the language than learning it from scratch. And all its dumb rules and exceptions.

  However, I have to admit that having Caecilia speak Laitje to me as part of everyday life really helps me understand it, and the more I understand it, the more I know what word to use, but it's not easy with the male and female form and all the conjugations. At least I know what different words and phrases related to and during sex mean, because Caecilia has become very verbal. Iselin is the best of us at Laitje as Caecilia obviously doesn't count, but then Iselin practises more than me. And her brain is younger. And that is while she's also trying to learn English. Because it's cool and an important Midg?rd language. I wouldn't be surprised if Iselin speaks Laitje well by spring, and that Kari is also better than me. The fact that Haera knows Laitje very well gives them someone else to practice against, and Skirlaug is also practising. She has to do something, and another language makes her a little more valuable.

  Learning languages as an adult is harder than as a young person, and I still don't know Norse 100% and I occasionally feel insecure, although most people say they rarely notice any problem in everyday speech. It's more some word I don't know or remember, or conjugation I get wrong. It's too easy to fall back on Swedish pronunciation or words. Jane shouldn't complain, because she's not even trying to learn anything more than Norse, and Norse is 'close' to English. And her comments that she is young and has plenty of time is just bad. It is a bit funny though how many people are learning languages, or writing-reading and maths. Everyone in the household is learning something, and since coming to the island and being accepted to live here, that has started to include Ryla and Agnes. They really want to be of service, and would love to move into Thrymheim. I think there are far too many people living here already.

  Haera and Skirlaug have also started to participate in other subjects than just language, and the others have started to accept their presence. Those who want to join from the staff or close to us, get to join, which includes Asta, bodyguards, Hrappr, Rikvi and maids too, which surprises the newer ones. The big hall in the main buildings attic along with the meeting-dining room and also the staffs common room is the classrooms, depending on light needs and who it is, and there are daily lessons in one or more subjects like maths, some science, reading-writing, with someone as teacher or they are helping each other, although sometimes I'm the teacher. People take turns being a teacher and I like it when they help each other, because it's good practice, and the more something is used the better, and explaining something to another or just repeating it helps the memory. It helps you to really understand it. It also increases the pace at which the training takes place and I only have to teach certain parts or answer questions. Instead of a lecture in a classroom, these are more study groups. They also try to write down information in books to be able to educate others, and to serve as a memory list of things to talk about, examples, and so on. It's messy, but as time goes on, better and better training materials are being created. Once I'm able to print books, writing down will be the basis for this. Writing down also helps to improve writing and reading skills.

  Then there are the practical parts like lessons in radio handling, and I practice together with my sambos, the bodyguards, Caecilia, Asta and the latest from Borgheim. In total we are a dozen and a half who are at different stages of knowledge and different goals in that knowledge, so a lot. We have started simple and the new ones will probably not learn the actual electrics thoroughly, as it is quite unnecessary to understand everything as long as they can handle the radios, and do simple troubleshooting and repairs. For everyone except Jane, the wooden radio boxes are sejd, and it is better that they do not repair the electronics, but stick to the electro-mechanics and larger components, connectors, antennas etc. Basically what is practical, likely to break and repairable. Of course, they must also be able to manage batteries, charging, maintenance, etc. However, they do need to understand stuff well enough not to mess up coils etc, and possibly fix mistakes. Still, durable component construction is important. In the future, and if needed, there will probably be deeper electrical and electronics lessons so they understand radios more thoroughly.

  Real radio lessons and practise will be when practical, but there is a lot of practice with the Norse code trainer, radio trainers and telegraphy to the guest house, and some with two-three radios on weakest power with simple wire antennas. It's a pretty efficient use of time when one radio is transmitting and the others can practice listening and taking notes, and there can be two listening in each receiver. I definitely have plans to make a gravity driven clockwork mechanism based automatic Norse code sender where discs rotate and give pulsating electrical contact, so it can be used for the Koch and Farnsworth method of teaching Norse code to more people, and it is a 100% Alfheimr solution. By changing the discs and combination it gives different messages or character combinations to practice, and some being nonsense letter combinations backwards makes the training better, as a crypto message is similar to nonsense and does not form words.

  As it is needed and is part of the training, Ciara have shown how to make more electrical cables, both with the weaving technique, wrapped paper, fabric and varnishing. So they get to practise that too, and understand how to do it and insulate the copper wires if they need to make cables for power, the norse keyer or headphones. They also get to start making battery cells, inspecting vessels, preparing lead-acid battery anodes and cathodes, measuring acid concentration, etc, and each will build several cells so they learn. Many more cells are needed for the other radio locations battery and for Thrymheim's high voltage battery which will have at least two parallel cells for more power. I can already build a simple 36V battery here now, but need more capacity and stronger supply, so it needs to have several cells in parallel, but I need to build the charger too with its own more powerful wind turbine.