Duke Thorsen

February 2, 2023: Bowhunting?

February 16, 2023February 2, 2023 by Pyra Draculea

Duke and Ursula are sitting on the sofa. Duke says, "So I hear you wanna be a bowhunter." Ursula is confused and replies, "Huh?" Duke then says, "Aren't you taking up archery?" Ursula replies, still confused, "Yeah?" Duke rolls his eyes and explains, "Well, it's either bowhunting or target archery." Ursula asks, "What's the difference?" Duke tells her, "In bowhunting, you'll also go hiking and camping and—" Ursula interrupts and makes a grossed-out face with her tongue sticking out. She says "Ewww... isn't camping just sleeping on the ground with bugs?" Duke replies, "Target archery it is, then."

Can confirm: camping is just sleeping on the ground with bugs. Duke isn’t bothered, but Princess Ursula is certainly not into anything involving bugs.

January 18, 2023: The Reluctant Babysitter

January 28, 2023January 18, 2023 by Pyra Draculea

Duke and Noah are talking. Duke looks annoyed and says, "Nope. Saturday is date night." Noah won't accept this and says, "Oh, c'mon! You two can hang out here. Ursula's in bed by 8, bring a movie to watch." Duke replies, "Bethany's gonna be pissed." Surprised, Noah says, "What? She loves kids!" Duke rolls his eyes and says, "In the abstract." Noah grins and says, "Well, you two need some practical experience for when you start having your own." Duke is pissed off and crosses his arms, scowling, "Bethany's gonna kill me. And Ruth's gonna kill you." Noah replies, "Cool, so you'll do it?"

Noah leans on Duke to cover for him on the night of the gig and babysit his little sisters, Saturday date night be damned.

January 9, 2023: The Hazards of Sneezes

January 12, 2023January 9, 2023 by Pyra Draculea

Adam and Duke are sitting on the couch playing video games and Ursula comes up and pokes Duke in the arm, saying, "Psst... Girls get pregnant when a boy sneezes on them, right?" Adam laughs and says "Who told you that?" Ursula replies, "Jenny says her mom's pregnant because her dad sneezed." Adam grins and asks, "Jenny's flunking science, isn't she?" Ursula says "Yeah..." then, confused, adds, "Wait, how'd you know that?" Adam replies, "Magic." Ursula then tells her brothers, "Anyway there's this runny-nosed kid Tommy who's always sneezing and—" Duke cuts her off and tells her, "You can't get pregnant from sneezes." Adam pipes up with, "Cooties, however..."

Ursula goes to Adam and Duke with the latest schoolyard scoop.

December 27, 2022: Dorks & Dragons

December 27, 2022December 27, 2022 by Pyra Draculea

Noah and Ursula bump into Adam and Duke whilst out shopping. Noah asks the boys, "Hey, what'd you get?" Adam smiles and says, "Warhammer!" while Duke replies, "D&D!" Noah says, "Cool!" but Ursula is less impressed and tells her brothers, "D&D is for dorks." Duke retorts, "Yeah? So when are you gonna start playing?"

Duke might well call Ursula‘s bluff about D&D… although she probably doesn’t quite have the attention span for it yet. (Or at least I don’t think I had my brief foray into D&D til at least grade 6… and I still might not have enough attention span for Warhammer 40K, though it sounds fun … Read moreDecember 27, 2022: Dorks & Dragons

December 21, 2022: Happy Solstice!

December 25, 2022December 21, 2022 by Pyra Draculea

The Thorsens are all gathered around the Christmas tree, celebrating the winter solstice and Yule by opening their presents from Granny Thorsen and "Odin." Baby Valerie is playing with the ripped up wrapping paper and Ursula has opened her presents: an iPad from "Odin" and a hand-knit sweater from Granny Thorsen. She smiles and says "Weird how Odin's handrwriting looks so much like Granny Thorsen's..." Noah stands behind her and scowls at Duke and Adam, with his finger over his lips shushing them. Duke says nothing and Adam says, "Freak coincidence, sis."

Christmas is still a few days away, but Yule/the solstice is today, aka the day the Thorsens open presents from Granny Thorsen… er, “Odin.” Wait til Ursula notices how Santa’s handwriting is the same as Grandma Agnes‘. (We also see Granny Thorsen’s first name in the runes: Hrefna. And yeah, she wouldn’t write “from” … Read moreDecember 21, 2022: Happy Solstice!

December 8, 2022: Clue

December 19, 2022December 8, 2022 by Pyra Draculea

The Thorsens are wrapping up family game night with Clue. Ursula points at Noah and says, "I suggest it was Professor Plum in the conservatory with the wrench." Noah, incensed and apparently taking things too personally, stands up and leans on the table and yells, "How many times I gotta tell you I didn't do it?" Ursula retorts, "I've seen no card to prove that." At the other end of the table, Duke is tuned out and texting on his phone and Adam grins and thinks to himself, "And I'm not gonna show it to her."

I remember annoying my family members with my obsession with playing Clue when I was around Ursula‘s age. Good times… probably not for them, though.

December 7, 2022: Pictionary

December 19, 2022December 7, 2022 by Pyra Draculea

The Thorsens are now playing Pictionary and Ursula hands a pancil to Noah, telling him, "Your turn to draw." Noah pulls a card and scowls as he looks at it. He then draws a stick figure with very long hair as Ursula, Duke, and Adam yells their guesses: "Long hair!" "Woman!" "Lady Godiva!" None of these are the right answer and Noah growls. He then continues to draw, adding a stick figure bride and groom and rain coming down on them. The guesses continue: "Crying!" "Jealous other woman!" "Arranged marriage!" "Spinster!" Ursula then says, "Time's up" and Noah is irritated, waving his arms around and snarling, "None of you got 'Ironic'? Y'know, Alanis Morrissette?" The kids all stare at him blankly: "No." "Nope." "Uh-uh." Noah continues to rant: "It was a huge hit in the '90s! I used to have to sing it at every gig!" Ursula crosses her arms and rolls her eyes, telling Noah, "The '90s weren't real, Daddy."

It’s like rain on your wedding day, it’s like a bad Pictionary clue that Noah just can’t make. It might have also helped if Noah hadn’t gotten the videos for “Ironic” and “Thank You” all mixed up, but hey, it’s not like the kids know what Noah’s talking about anyway.