PENSIONERS, POLISHED PLATES, AND PROPER CHATS

henever my shift pattern gifts me a Saturday off, I tend to head over to see my parents. They only live ten minutes away, making it easy to catch up, though I usually have to wait for the "all-clear" text before dropping by. Like stereotypical pensioners, they insist on doing their weekly shop on Saturday mornings—stubbornly ignoring the quiet aisles of the working week to brave the crowds when the rest of the world is off.

I truly treasure our chats. Mum is the custodian of our family history; there is always so much to learn from her. I’ve been fascinated by our ancestry for years, and I suspect I’m being groomed to succeed her as the keeper of the stories. Dad, meanwhile, usually falls asleep in his armchair. Some things never change.

It wasn’t always this easy. We went through some rough years where we didn’t speak at all, but thankfully, those storms passed long ago. We’ve since settled into a happy, steady routine that I don't take for granted.

This week, we decided to treat them. Morticia, the boy, and I picked them up and headed over to one of Rotherham’s finest eateries: the Toby Carvery in Dalton. We are a family of simple tastes, and there is nothing quite like a proper roast dinner to bring everyone together.

We finished the afternoon off with a round of desserts—a chocolate brownie for Atreus, while Mum and I opted for ice cream. We all left full, satisfied, and happy. It’ll be a couple of weeks until my next free Saturday, but these visits always keep me grounded until the next one.

Tomorrow is Sigrblót/Beltane, the start of summer and one of the big events on the pagan calendar. The first of May is still important in today’s culture and celebrated to some extent; it even gets a Bank Holiday on the first Monday following. In actual fact, Sigrblót and many old celebrations aren't usually on a fixed date because most predate the modern calendar, using the lunar cycle instead. For this reason, I choose to celebrate by joining both the Celtic and Nordic traditions, as is my way.

I’ll be spending time at my altar, making offerings to Odin and asking for a successful year to come. Later, I’ll light the fire pit and settle in for some quiet contemplation under the stars.

The spirit of the Urban Viking—and the occasional absurdity of navigating the modern world—lives on in my webcomic, Northman. 

You can read the latest chapter here: northman.kirt.me.uk

I’ll be sharing more of my journey and the daily reality of staying grounded in the modern world over on social media. Join in:

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