Varland Story

Varland Story - Chapter 22 - Grimmy

2010-01-31T14:11:00.000-08:00

I woulda coulda shoulda bitten the bullet and filed for workers' comp or at least taken sick leave. That lazy bungler Wormwood's gotten me busted back to reaper. The slapdash job he did was bad enough but goldbricking in front of the family was inexcusable!

So, this job needs to go through without a glitch. Not too many people around, plenty of room to work. I do hope the little guy's too young to remember this.

He's had a good life, no regrets, no unfinished business.

And showtime!

Wrists still twinging but had to get back to work before any more jobs got hosed up.

And he's good to go.

No muss, no fuss. Wormwood should be here taking notes.

Varland Story - Chapter 21 - Wormy

2010-01-23T16:55:00.000-08:00

You're right; I'm not the regular guy. Desmondes asked me to cover for him for a few weeks. Muttered something brusque about "medical issue". It's got to be mental; anything else he'd have just taken sick leave and the administrative assistant would be taking up a collection for balloons and circulating a card to sign.

I don't know why he always whinges on and on about doing this family. It all pays the same; there's no need to be such a Grim Weeper about it.

Funny thing, for all his whinging, he never briefed me on logistics. Who knew there'd be such a traffic jam I couldn't get near the client?

But it's not necessary to get up close and personal to get the job done; in fact, that may be part of Desmondes' problem. Just whisk and presto!

Tune out the wailing widower...

And there's time to chill until quitting time.

Yes, yes, I know you thought I'd have to phrase it as "time to kill". I don't do puns.

Varland Story - Chapter 20 - Bjarne

2010-01-23T15:47:00.001-08:00

It wouldn't have been appropriate to make a big to-do of our wedding when we're still mourning Jorgen.

So Jody and I slipped off for a private wedding on the beach; it's becoming a family tradition.

Our announcement to the family was a bit anticlimactic.

The new arrival's name is Absalon.

Fatherhood seems to agree with Harald.

As soon as things settled down, Dad welcomed Jody to the family by baking a key lime pie, her favourite dish.

Which served a dual purpose, as we celebrated Valfrid's twenty-first birthday the same night.

I suspect his days as a bachelor are numbered.

I've gotten onto the ballot for City Council.

I take every opportunity to campaign...

Knock on every door...

Harald urges me to get more exercise.

But I seem be getting plenty with all the pavement pounding I've been doing.

I showed up to schmooze at the neighbourhood grill-a-thon.

Maybe I should have boned up on cooking first.

Varland Story - Chapter 19 - Grimmy

2010-01-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

Being among the exalted ranks of assassins has put me in the zone.

Today's client, the good doctor.

He's not home yet; must have worked late again. Still, I'm a bit early so no point trying to track him down. He should arrive shortly.

Meanwhile, I'll pay my respects to my lady.

Deena!!!

Showtime!

Hmmm, not much room to work here.

So I'll take it outside.

Ooowww! Who knew he had a grip like that?

Crap! That's corked off my carpal tunnel and I'll never live it down if I file worker's comp.

Varland Story - Chapter 18 - Zeline

2010-01-22T22:07:00.001-08:00

Elizabeth's passing seems to have strengthened Bjarne's resolve to continue her work.

Doogie is understandably devastated.

I try to comfort him but he's inconsolable.

Harald married Sonja in a quiet ceremony here at home.

Bjarne and Jody Douglas are planning to marry as well. No surprise there; like Jiro and me, they've been inseparable since third grade.

Valfrid is making his mark on the art world, even though he isn't yet out of school.

Someone once said that grandchildren were the reward for not having strangled one's children. I look forward to testing that hypothesis.

All in all, I'm having a grand time anticipating my grandchild, puttering in the garden and indulging in the occasional bit of mad science.

Bjarne is on the campaign trail nearly every evening. He works as hard as Elizabeth did and started in a good deal younger; I shouldn't be surprised if he were to become the leader of the free world someday.

Varland Story - Chapter 17 - Grimmy

2010-01-21T16:56:00.000-08:00

A promotion to assassin is bound to come with some strings attached.

Crap! It's the governor! She's done so much for this town you'd think she'd get to finish out her term and move on up the ladder, but those decisions are way above my pay grade. It would be impolitic even to speculate about mob influence in this realm, so I shan't.

But still, I like her a lot! Crap! She's about as fey as my sweet Deena and I like that in a woman. Not nearly so delicate, though. More of an Iron Lady, in fact.

And a consummate politician to the very last!

Her young cousin wants to follow in her footsteps. What a helluva note for his job interview!

But hey, it's not every politico who gets a monument right on the steps of City Hall.

Who am I kidding? This really, really tears me up!

But whaddya gonna do? It wouldn't be easy to find another job at my age.

Varland Story - Chapter 16 - Zeline

2010-01-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

Oh Dear God, why didn't anyone warn me about teenagers? It's been nothing but attitude, attitude, attitude from Harald lately!

And when it isn't attitude, it's diapers and more diapers! Diapers, attitude and missing my mother are too much!

Harald's seeing a lot of Elisabeth Kearney lately. I'm not sure I approve; she's too old for him and there's just something about her that's not quite right. With any luck, this too shall pass.

I'll confess up front; I eavesdropped. He certainly isn't about to tell his mother anything, but I overheard him telling Elisabeth about visiting a classmate and being shaken down for money above and beyond the weekly tribute we've been paying. Oh, for the day when Sunset Valley is wiped clean of those bloodsucking scum!

Just to put icing on the cake, I'm pregnant again.

Time for an attitude adjustment, chilling in the garden.

What a pair of scamps! Life is certainly easier since those two have started school!

Helmer has quite a talent for painting.

Bjarne is a little charmer.

Harald, bless his heart, is quite the athlete. He's determined to play for the Llamas when he finishes school, and forgive the mother's pride but he may just be good enough to do so.

And now there's Valfrid.

Elizabeth turned 65 and got the fire in her belly to kick her political career into high gear.

She spends every spare moment campaigning round town. Her goal is to rid City Hall of the puppets of the mob.

Jiro's been named a five star chef! Lobster Thermidor to celebrate! I've always known I was lucky to have him; now the rest of the family knows as well.

Harald has indeed signed with the Llamas (and has again seen fit to fill his mother in on what's going on in his life).

Elizabeth's been elected mayor and is keeping her promise to clean house at City Hall. I hope with all my heart that she doesn't meet with a tragic accident over that.

She still campaigns as wholeheartedly as ever. She's running for governor now.

Needless to say, she won by a landslide.

Helmer turned 21. Jiro brought home the first birthday cake anyone in Sunset Valley has ever seen.

It was a bittersweet occasion, as he's moving away immediately to marry Angeline Foley. I can't blame him; our shelter is bursting at the seams already, but we'll miss him terribly.

Harald and Elisabeth (Kearney) have apparently had a falling out. She doesn't come round any more and there's been a parade of young ladies since. Lately, it's mostly Sonja Baughman. She's very nice; I hope she'll be the one.

Varland Story - Chapter 15 - Grimmy

2010-01-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

Soon, my love...Soon we shall be together.

Soon there'll be no more weeping.

You've been dismissed and made light of by your loved ones here...I shall cherish the sensitive spirit you are.

Your daughter cannot understand your thankless decades in the lab that made her garden possible but I was there.

Your grandchildren will remember you fondly...

But they may never know the times you went hungry...

So that they might not...I was there.

At last the time is here, Beloved.

I shall pluck you like a rose.

And hold you near for all eternity.

Varland Story - Chapter 14 - Zeline

2010-01-17T12:50:00.000-08:00

Harald is asking questions about death. It's to be expected, nonetheless, I hope it doesn't become an obsession.

My Jiro is becoming quite the chef. Early on, the job with Hogan's was for the evening hours, so one or the other of us would always be at home to care for Harald. It turns out that Jiro has quite the gift for cooking. We are all fortunate beneficiaries; the other day he made grilled salmon. I've never had anything so delicious in my life.

Food and water are still quite scarce, of course. Fortunate as we are with Jiro's cooking talent, we're often hungry still.

We do our best to keep clean. Doogie tells us the day is near when safe running water will be available; I can barely dream of what that might be like.

The greenhouse plants are thriving. I can and do dream of green plants all about town in the air and sunlight.

Doogie's been named Surgeon of the Year in one of the medical journals, just after his thirtieth birthday, no less! Anyone else would become impossible over it, but he's still just Doogie.

Elizabeth is pregnant!

And so am I. Sacred Spleen now has a maternity unit that's the envy of the region and a boon to women throughout the valley. Yet, Harald was born at home, so quickly and easily that I doubt it's worth the commotion to pack up and go to hospital.

Clean running water is here! As seniour pregnant woman of the household, Elizabeth inaugurated our new shower. I'm right behind her!

Helmer is a fine healthy little carrot-top.

Bjarne arrived amid conniption fits from Mother, which didn't surprise me.

And from Doogie, which did. Who knew that a world renowned surgeon would come unglued over a cousin in labour? Perhaps next time I'll go to hospital just for the family's sake.

The lab has given me some seeds to plant at home! I'm beside myself about it, even having anxiety scenarios in which I'm forced into a Sophie's Choice between the seeds and my children!

Varland Story - Chapter 13 - Grimmy

2010-01-17T11:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it really sucks being me! This one's today's assignment.

Poor sod deserves much better than what he's gotten. You'd never meet a nicer guy.

Worked his tochis off only to get booted out without so much as a gold watch...

Put up with this piece of work for over half a century.

But hey, it's not all bleak. You couldn't ask for a finer son...

And this dish is crazy about him...

And I'm supposed to take him out, on his great-nephew's birthday no less! Probably give the little pisher nightmares for years.

Oh well, at least he's probably had enough and ready to pack it in.

Oh great! He's pleading for his life. I hate when they do that.

And who knew his widow would be heartbroken? What's that all about?

She'd been waiting for this moment for years!

So what the hey? Time for a little pro bono work and throw in a twofer. Show some initiative, extra mile, value added, all that...Maybe even Reaper of the Month.

Varland Story - Chapter 12 - Zeline

2010-01-17T05:24:00.000-08:00

Of course we're all in shock over losing Daddy.

I'm concerned about Mother. She's always been fragile and I'm afraid this could send her over the deep end altogether.

Anders is totally a rock. He's so kind to Mother, listening, comforting and always there for her.

This is a great relief to me. I can't always be there for her, much as I'd like to be, as I'm already stretched quite thin between a toddler and the lab.

Fortunately, Jiro is top drawer as a father as well as a husband.

As soon as Doogie added the M.D. to his name, he proposed to Elizabeth and they married immediately. I hope they have children immediately as well; it would be grand for Harald to have a playmate.

I saw my first live plant today! With the last promotion, I was granted access to the greenhouse and tasked with watering the seedlings. Given the scarcity of both seedlings and water, I'm honoured beyond belief!

I'm in a terrible quandary. I found Anders in Mother's room this morning. Far be it from me to dictate their morals, and farther be it from me to begrudge either of them any bit of happiness they can find, but, still, Heaven help us all if Hayley finds out!

She gets more difficult each day as it is. She's on board now about the importance of replanting, talking it up in her newspaper articles and acting like the whole project was her idea all along.

I admire her tremendously and her boosting the project in the newspaper is a good thing, since as soon as we have a robust lot of seedlings in the greenhouse, we'll be asking the citizens of Sunset Valley to transplant and nurture them. Is it hopelessly immature of me, then, to resent her telling everyone how she instilled the love of horticulture in me?

We can't seem to speak more than a few sentences to one another before the fur flies.

I apologize to her as necessary.

Mother and Anders are getting more flagrant with their affair. I'm so torn; is it truly none of my business and not my place to confront them, or is that merely a coward's rationale for avoiding an issue that could jeopardize our entire household?

I suppose I shall have to beg Mother to be a bit more discreet; I so do not look forward to that conversation!

Well, Mother and Hayley had a huge row this morning and we're all still here. It's probably too much to hope that the situation is resolved one way or the other. No one's saying what it was about, much less what was said to whom. Knowing Hayley, it could just as easily have been about whose turn it was to wash the dishes.

Varland Story - Chapter 11 - Grimmy

2010-01-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

Every now and then something actually goes right! I had to swap a month's worth of weekends for it but I have my dream assignment.

Nobody's got any beef coming and I'm not out of line here. The guy has it made...he's achieved his lifetime ambition to restore order to the streets of Sunset Valley...still in excellent health at 90-something.

Still in love with his sweet wife and she with him...

A brilliant and beautiful daughter to be proud of...

Respectful and respectable son-in-law who treats her like a queen...

A really cute grandson...

Best buds with his brother for almost 90 years...

A young genius physician for a nephew...

All in all, a blessed life, and I've been itching to take him out ever since he decked me 70 years ago!

Yes, yes, I know we grims are supposed to keep a certain professional detachment, but this one's personal! I'm relishing every moment of it.

Varland Story - Chapter 10 - Zeline

2010-01-16T15:27:00.000-08:00

I'm altogether gobsmacked! After a lifetime of dedication to building up not merely the Doo Peas Corporation, but the entire Sunset Valley business community, Anders has been made redundant! One would think that missing the carpool once in fifty years could be overlooked, but apparently not! It's ironic, given how Anders chided Hayley for years that enforcing workers' rights would hobble a still fledgling economy, that now those workers' rights might have prevented his being so summarily kicked to the curb without so much as an old-age pension.

Upon hearing of Jiro's and my engagement, a donnybrook ensued about the celebration. No matter that having parties isn't done in Sunset Valley. Undoubtedly cowardly of me, but I couldn't face the drama and acrimony. We eloped over the weekend, just the two of us, at our favourite secluded beach spot.

I'm pregnant already! Jiro and I are both over the moon about it!

In her excitement about a grandchild, Mother has forgiven us for cheating her of a wedding celebration.

Hayley has no shortage of opinions about the rearing of said child. I shouldn't be so snide; honestly, I try not to.

I actually admire her tremendously; she's unrepentantly sui generis. While most of us bend ourselves into pretzel shapes to accommodate one another, she presumes that the world at large will supply whatever bending and accommodation might be necessary. I could only dream of being so bold.

Age hasn't curbed any of her old tricks.

She and Anders seldom speak; they've long since stopped sharing a bed.

Mother and Daddy are a good bit chummier; in this crowded space, there are moments of TMI.

Harald arrived on schedule, healthy and howling. With doting parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, he'll no doubt be spoilt beyond repair.

Varland Story - Chapter 9 - Zeline

2010-01-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

OMG, I am so totally morto!!! Jiro was visiting last night and Daddy caught us flirting...

So he actually asked Jiro his intentions! News flash: Jiro and I have only been together since third grade!

I'm worried about my cousin, Doogie; he's taken to playing ball with Grandmother's ghost. The boy's brilliant, but he really, really needs to get a life!

Aunt Hayley nearly got arrested demonstrated for workers' rights in front of City Hall. Uncle Anders was livid!

Doogie took advantage of the chaos to sneak Elizabeth into his room, but, being Doogie, he fell asleep while she was doing homework.

Mother says they've opened the Doomsday Vault at the lab and actually have a few plants growing in the greenhouse! Heavily guarded under lock and key of course. There are bogus plants all over town but I'd love to see a real one someday! Daddy says Grandmother used to tell him of a time when there were so many plants that people pulled up and disposed of the ones they didn't want!

Jiro understands how I feel about plants.

Aunt Hayley gets bored when I go on and on about them.

Doogie got on cleaning bedpans at Sacred Spleen today. He wants to be a doctor; I'm sure he'll be an excellent one!

I've gotten on at Landgraab with Mother! Right now I'm just a test subject but I'm studying hard and hope to have clearance for the greenhouse someday.

Jiro and I got engaged this evening, at our favourite spot on the beach! I am in Heaven!!!

Varland Story - Chapter 8 - Anders

2010-01-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

Life goes on. That in itself is a victory. So I tell myself. We can usually keep hot dogs on the table. Sushi as well, when someone finds time to fish.

The plumbing keeps clogging.

Hayley keeps flirting.

Zeline's brought home a new playmate.

Jorgen and Zeline are close and he's friendly with Jiro as well; otherwise he doesn't seem to have friends. His marks remain stellar but I want him to be happy as well as successful.

Today Neil announced the formation of a fully functional police force. The mob's grip is loosening at last. Random violence in the streets is no longer tolerated; it's now safe for youngsters and elders to go outdoors.

The fire department is up and running as well. Accidents with the grill have been a frequent consequence of annoying the mob. Accident or retribution, it was Neil's heroics that saved us from homelessness and perhaps death a few years ago. Many families haven't been so fortunate. I've installed an alarm.

Jorgen is growing into a fine young man. He brought a young lady home from school today. There's hope for him yet.

Zeline has grown into quite a young lady as well; she's a ringer for her grandmother. She loves the outdoors, so now that it's safe to do so, I take her fishing occasionally. There'll be sushi on the table tonight!

The supermarket opened for business today and had hamburger for sale! It's merely a modus vivendi; so long as the Danegeld is paid each week, the shops are permitted to operate. The day will come when we break the back of the mob once and for all!

Varland Story - Chapter 7 - Anders

2010-01-13T16:13:00.000-08:00

Losing Mum and then Dad has left us all desolate.

Being unable to put them to rest properly is taking an additional toll.

We can ill afford the luxury of mourning, however; Jorgen and Zeline need their parents.

Neil rises through the ranks of the police department, such as it is. His exploits at home indicate that he'll go far. Yesterday he set the grill ablaze while cooking the ubiquitous hot dogs, then had it doused before the rest of us suspected anything amiss. Of course we all still laugh and cheer over his row with the Grim Reaper.

I work hard at Doo Peas. Hayley complains that I neglect the family.

I'd love to spend more time with them; I churn my gut knowing I'm losing Jorgen's childhood. And yet, the work always, always calls.

There's so much to be done. Commerce is in a shambles; what there is of it is black-market and mob-ruled. All attempts to operate a legitimate business thus far have met with retribution. My colleagues and I have formed a clandestine Chamber of Commerce to address these issues. It will take time and collaboration with the nascent police force. It may well cost us our lives.

The Papyrus Memorial Library is open for business! I'm astounded that our dirty, hungry, frightened little band could accomplish this.

The children are growing up, bright as buttons, both of them.

Now that they're both at school, their mothers have gone out to work. Deena is with Landgraab Laboratories.

Hayley is with the Sunset Valley Sentinel. At the moment it's still an underground paper; we both hope to see the day that it's published and distributed openly.

I make time to play ball with Jorgen. As a child, I ate my heart out over being clumsy and not so good at games as Dad and Neil. I want Jorgen to have the confidence I didn't. Not that he lacks any; his marks are top drawer and he's determined to be a surgeon when he grows up.

Have we always been such a contentious lot? It seems that things were much more peaceful when we were kids, even confined to the shelter nearly 24/7. I suppose it's to be expected, now we are six in this small space.

Deena says she's been speaking with Mum's ghost.

How do I phrase this politely? Let's just say that Deena's imagination has a good bit freer rein than most.

I've suggested to Hayley that razor tongue and acerbic wit may have more place on the editorial page than here at home. Is it a no-brainer that I needn't have bothered?

Her constant flirting was much more charming when we were teens and it was directed towards me. It started getting old back when Dad was alive.

I'm less charmed with each passing day.

This is the last straw; it's all I have in me not to take a swing!

Mum and Dad's ghosts are indeed wandering about. Perhaps they can guide us back to the civility we had once upon a time. Nonetheless, I stand by all previous statements regarding Deena's loopiness.

Varland Story - Chapter 6 - Grimmy

2010-01-12T17:39:00.001-08:00

It just doesn't pay to get out of bed some days! I mean, no one appreciates what I go through for a job that needs doing. No one even calls me anything but Grim, or worse still, Grimmy! Grim not name, Grim *JOB*! I do *have* a name. It's Jacques Eloi Desmondes, not that you care.

So I get my work order and don'tcha know, it's the happiest family in Sunset Valley since the disaster hit. You'd think that just once, I'd draw an assignment for a real slimeball, the kind it's a pleasure to remove from circulation. But nooo; I get this really nice family! I mean, the guy's a freaking astronaut for catssake! The medals he receives get named after him!

One of the kids is a cop. Intends to bring law and order back to Sunset Valley and make the streets safe for elders and children. Brave, clean, reverent and all. Well, maybe not clean, but who is these days?

The younger kid's greasing for CEO at Doo Peas. Plans to reopen the shops, restore commerce, reestablish a sound and stable simolean and replace Vita Alto's invisible hand with Adam Smith's.

Then there's the wife; never a harsh word, always a pleasant smile, a class act all the way and still hot at 90. Even still blushes when the kids holler "Get a room, you two!" She's the one I'm supposed to take out.

So I figure I'll go in, get it done and get on out. Dirty job but someone's got to do it and all that. Wrong again! First the entire family starts muttering darkly about the stench of death. That's rich when none of them's seen the inside of a shower stall in half a century!

Then the cop kid coldcocks me! Even Nick Alto never *hit* me!

So I beat feet out of there and console myself with the upside that my visits usually serve as a wakeup call to the rest of the family.

And sure enough, the future CEO marries his high school sweetheart...

And fathers a son posthaste.

And the cop kid who's been stringing an entire rotation of girls along ever since high school marries his best friend. She has a kid on the way now. It's a girl, if you want to know.

So when I get the work order to go back there and take out Dad, I file a grievance, right? But, the work's been slack since the disaster (man, that was some overtime, but I digress), so grievances don't go anywhere. So I figure I'll go on in while Copper Boy is otherwise occupied and get it done.

Wrong again! That's the copper's wife but where's the copper?

At least this time I got it done without any dustups. There's got to be a better way to make a living!

Varland Story - Chapter 5 - Anders

2010-01-11T03:02:00.000-08:00

My name is Anders Varland. I go to Sunset Valley Community School for the Gifted.

I live with my mum and dad and my big brother Neil.

Dad is an astronaut so he's gone a lot getting ready to go to outer space someday.

I play with Mum a lot so she won't be sad when Dad's gone.

Neil plays with her too but he's usually too busy having girls over and stuff.

This is Neil with his best friend Deena and me with my best friend Hayley. Mum says we must never forget to be grateful that our friends can ocme to visit because Dad and the guys at work got the zombies out of the streets. No one was ever allowed to go out before except work and school and stuff. Now Dad can go fishing but Mum can't because she's too old.

Mum really likes Hayley because her mother is Mum's best friend. She doesn't like Deena because Deena said she didn't know how people could waste time painting when there was so much real work to be done.

Mum really likes to paint.

Mum and Dad still get all mushy even though they're old and smell bad.

I don't ever want to get married but if I have to maybe Hayley wouldn't be too bad.

Varland Story - Chapter 4 - Morgana

2010-01-10T17:03:00.000-08:00

Something dreadful has happened. I was unable to arrange child care for Anders when my maternity leave expired. When I rang up to explain, I was told not to bother coming back and don't even think about working in the medical field again. I'm blacklisted forever! I shall endeavour to remain cheerful but this is so very hard!

To combat my boredom and sense of utter uselessness, I've written a novel: "The Loneliest Yeti". To my astonishment, it's been published and achieved a modicum of success. Lars seems even more chuffed about it than I.

The boys are growing up nicely. Neil is in school and aspires to the honour roll.

Anders is attentive when his father talks about striving and perseverance.

The day is near when martial law will be lifted and the job of maintaining order passed to local police. Lars is getting restless and seeking out new challenges. He probably wasn't supposed to tell me this but there's a space program afoot. Apparently the silver lining in the disaster is that what we've been forced to learn about survival in extreme adversity has direct applications in space colonization. He hopes with all his heart to be a part of this effort. I shan't speak or even think of how lonely I'll be if he's selected. Fulfilled dreams are in short supply in Sunset Valley these days; how could I deny him this one?

There's so much to celebrate I don't know where to begin!

First off, the curfews have been lifted! I'm so blessed to see the day! The moment it was official, Lars dashed off to the beach for a bit of fishing.

He was, in fact, selected for the space program as well; he can barely contain his excitement.

To celebrate, we had something new for supper: sushi! Oh happy day! There's no truth to the rumour that our diet has been monotonous since the disaster; on the contrary, there's been plenty of variety: hot dogs or no hot dogs, spoiled or not spoiled, scorched or not scorched.

I'm an old woman now; it's been said that that's better than the alternative. Thankfully, my darling Lars is as loving and attentive as ever. There's much to be done yet; the mob still rules and one leaves home at one's own risk. I don't dare go out of doors and I don't permit the boys to do so. I rest easily, however, knowing that when they've grown up, the boys will be at liberty to come and go as they please without risking arrest.

Varland Story - Chapter 3 - Morgana

2010-01-10T16:23:00.000-08:00

Neil is a darling baby. I'd love to have half a dozen more just like him.

He's growing up so fast. Entirely too fast, I'd say, but at least I think there's another on the way.

Today I told him about his upcoming birthday before I realised that there'd be no party or cake. Then I cried. Absurd of me, given the suffering everyone has endured, to come so altogether undone that my son should be deprived of a birthday party.

I've also told him of the disaster. Perhaps he's too young to hear of such things, but he must know that, no matter what, it must never happen again.

He is most emphatically not to young to hear of the importance of keeping fit. Only the most rigourous training can keep the disaster's legacy of muscle atrophy and bone loss at bay. In my day, parents told children to eat spinach in order to grow up big and strong. Then I remembered that there is no more spinach and cried again. Call it pregnancy hormones.

Anders is every bit as darling a baby as Neil was and not one bit more so.

I resolve to set a better example vis a vis keeping fit.

Lars received word of his commission in the post today! I'm so proud of him I could burst. He works so hard but has to struggle to keep his attitude in check. Obviously he has succeeded.

When he wore his new uniform home, I was so ecstatic I could swear I saw palm trees and flowers behind him! I must be going stir crazy.

I'm cooking hot dogs to celebrate.

Varland Story - Chapter 2 - Morgana

2010-01-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

I remember when there were palm trees, lawns, flowers, birds, a promising medical career, a white house on the hill and a marriage. All of these were among the disaster casualties.

Lars blames himself about the marriage and I wish he wouldn't. It would take a stronger marriage than that one to survive conditions as they are now. I doubt that it could have survived even without the disaster. Above all else, I wanted children. Thornton didn't. In those days, each of us believed that there was plenty of time for the other to come round to our way of thinking.

Lars is such a dear man. Although our progress is incremental and miniscule, he never stops striving. "A man's reach should exceed his grasp" he says.

When he perseveres through the dreary go-round of clogged toilets, monotonous meals scorched or missed altogether, endless filth and stench...

How can I complain?

Once he dreamed of being a star ballplayer. Now he soldiers on, working to restore a semblance of order such that the curfews can be lifted. I should so love to see the beach and the park once again, unrecognisable as they might be.

I work hard as well. Where once I planned to eradicate cancer through genetic resequencing, today the work is the most rudimentary of first aid, triaged so severely as to be heartbreaking. There's little else we can do until we've restored clean water and basic sanitation.

Although Lars wants children as much as I do, it will be a challenge to persuade him to relax long enough to start a family...

And now that's been accomplished in due time, no pun intended.

Varland Story - Chapter 1 - Lars

2010-01-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

Life has a way of not working out according to plan. Not long ago, I was looking at a sweet life: pro sports gig, lots of partying, settling down to raise a family...someday...in the distant future.

Now there's this 8 X 8 shelter and a gig as a latrine cleaner. I am, however, alive. Most people weren't so lucky.

I keep myself fit. It keeps me from dwelling on what used to be...and what is now.

Things are looking up. The next door neighbour is a knockout!

Unfortunately, she's carrying a boatload of excess baggage.

So, he's a waste of space but he's still her husband. The fact that something is necessary doesn't necessarily make it right.

The end does not justify the means.

Nonetheless, I've done it. I wouldn't do it over any other way. No regrets.

Now, if she'll just have me.

YES!!!