SHIP'S LOG 33: 'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY -

This site is supported by our readers – content may include affiliate links.

Yule mys in the reading room with Sir Bear, pet and anyone who’d like to unwind and trade stories with us by the fire.

Welcome back to the Resilience where the julstämning (Yule spirit) arrived right in time for the first of Advent this year. Who knows? Maybe the chaos forces that have been messing with most of the crew this year took pity on us at last and decided to throw us a couple of juicy bones and some biccies.

As we write these words, we’ve set sail for our home port where we’ll be enjoying the Yuletide and raise a skål to the New Year. The ship is bustling with holiday preparations. The crafting circle is busy making gorgeous decorations and our Doug has got the tree up already. But there’s more…

The Carnal Kitchen is always a true delight, but even more so this time of the year. We have winter stews (see below) to fill our bellies and their savoury aromas mingle with the spicy sweetness from our Ship’s Belle’s mulled wine cauldron. Add to that the rich and comforting scents of all the pepparkakor and lussekatter baking in the ovens.

We have built a cosy pillows-and-blankies haven by the fireplace in the Reading Room and there’s plenty of space for you too. No, Barry and Hemingway’s ghost won’t approve, but they’re not on board right now. They teamed up with Artie and the dwarf to conduct a literary murder investigation after Fanny’s untimely demise on Hallowe’en, so we won’t be seeing them before we’re back at port in Libertalia in two weeks’ time.

Come grab yourself a mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows and a plate of nibbles and settle in somewhere in our soft and flooffy retreat. Let’s take a deep breath and unwind while we read our December Ship’s Log and take a look at some of the highlights from our literary universe together.

In This Week’s Ship’s Log

OUR WIP DECEMBER 2023

Have you ever seen a bear enter hibernation? It is not a well-understood process. You have to put on about eighty pounds, mostly from roast turkey, barrels of pepperoni and cheap Belarusian caviar, and yet I’m not hibernating. Why? Well, it’s December and warm enough to be planting spring flowers, so I might as…

READ MORE

ANOTHER YEAR OVER…

Whether you are here as a reader or a writer (or both!), the turning of the calendar often brings a surge of inspiration. What goals shall we chart for the coming year? What literary shores would we like to visit? And, more importantly, how do we navigate these uncharted waters to propel our fleeting…

READ MORE

A HEARTY WINTER STEW

This is the kind of winter food you cook when you want to make them think, “Oh, this is a good thing. Maybe we could share another warm carnal experience tonight.” Don’t give me that look. Beef stew is a classic, it’s hot, hearty, and homey. It makes us feel warm and happy inside, which in turn reminds us t’is the season to procreate and prepare to bear fruit when nature is teeming with new life.

READ MORE

TIME IS DYING (SERIAL)

“God, I fucking hate Germany. Every single time I’ve been there it’s gone badly. And by badly I mean the kind of experiences that make me want to get black-out drunk to calm my nerves just being in the same nation.”

Time Is Dying is a suspenseful sci-fi mystery with a thrilling narrative of poor life decisions and unforeseen consequences.

READ MORE

Decking the Ship with Boughs Of Holly

Sir Bear & the wench, aka Quartermaster Leto Armitage and Captain Linnea Lucifer getting ready for the yuletide festivities

Well, would you look at that – we’ve made it all the way to the end again. Here’s hoping you found something of interest between the sheets (take that as you will) in this, our last, work-in-progress update for 2023.

But we’re not done just yet.

We’re going to continue decking the ole ship with red ribbons and boughs of holly. Then we’ll see if pet can talk Sir into making space on the stove for a big pan of tomtegröt for dinner. If you’re not in a hurry, come join us and share a story or two. We’d love to hear what’s cooking in your house right now, if you celebrate yule, and what you like to do in preparation for the new year.

If you have to leave, look out for the upcoming Yule Log from our Ship’s Belle and consider getting your stockings sorted in case Sir Bear decides to swing by with a julkort or some of his Secret Santa surprises. Until we meet again, we wish you fair winds and happy reading! And writing.

Puss & Kram,

//Leto & Linnea 🏴‍☠️

—–

Image Cred: The bear and ship images were made by Leto Armitage in MidJourney. Time is Dying and December WIP were made by Linnea Lucifer in Canva Pro.