DAY 12

(May 5)
Episode 2

 The day started with the crew in our Hytte “waking us up”.  I drew tiwaz, a very good sign for the day; justice, victory, courage.

There was a lot of sitting around waiting today, but it wasn’t too bad because there were some intense snow storms off and on, I am easily entertained by such things, so I spent a lot of time just looking out the window.

The rest of my team had to be filmed having a conversation without me about the upcoming individual competition.  The producers didn’t want me in on it because I had immunity.  There is a sad fog that has rolled in; everyone knows someone is leaving, nobody knows who.  After the group conversation then they filmed individual interviews with everybody, asking us how we felt about the elimination etc.

They also filmed the blue team making dinner for everyone.  We had fish balls and reindeer stew.  The fishballs were fried, but they reminded me a lot of fish pudding.  For any Americans reading this…no, they were NOT fish testicles.

Amy and Austin were both taken away to places where their families are from.  When they came back they both had great emotional stories about what they had experienced.  Austin said that he completely broke down, it was nice to see that emotion in him.  I was very happy for both of them and it made me hope so much that I will get a similar opportunity while I am in Norway.

After dinner we played cards for a bit.  The pressure of tomorrow is just too much for Stephanie and Jessica; they started crying and just went to bed.  It is good to be safe, but I feel bad for them.  C.J. is visibly upset as well, but Dana is taking it in stride, confidently, at least on the surface.

Today, the people of my kindred, Hawk’s Hearth are gathered to celebrate May Day and honor Freya at the home of my friend Bart Lewis.  At 12 noon sharp they will begin the invocation led by Gythia Brenda Bright, it also happens to be our two year anniversary.  Brenda will be reading an invocation that we wrote together, at exactly the same time here in Norway I will read the same invocation as I face the direction of home.  The Kindred will all be facing Norway.  It will be 2100 here, and 1200 back home.

I explained what I was doing to my fellow contestants, all the cameras were gone, it was just us.  To my delight they all decided to join me, so right before 2100 (9 pm), we went out into the snow that had begun to fall, we faced my homeland, and they all listened while I recited the invocation to Freya, at the exact same time Brenda was saying the same words thousands of miles away under a sunny sky.  When I finished all the other cast members repeated three loud “Hail Freya’s”.  It was quite beautiful and I was touched by their acceptance of my ways, I also felt like Freya was well pleased.

I’m proud of Brenda.  I thought a lot about her today.  I also thought of my dog Adrienne who is quite elderly, and the rest of my family, just wondering how everyone is doing.  I also thought a lot about the kindred and just hope that everything is ok.  It is odd being so completely removed from everything that is familiar to you.

Tonight is the last night we will stay in our Hytte (pronounced hit-ta).  Tomorrow we go to the ski hotel, which is where the challenge will take place, and where we will sleep tomorrow.   We have no idea what the challenge will be, it is impossible to predict who might be leaving, whoever it is, their soul will be missed among us.  Then Monday it is back to our home base hotel near Oslo.