Hi everyone, hope you all had a great Snoggletog and Boxing Day. So, things are starting to pick up, I think! Thank you all for your support and SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN MUSIC!


"So, you're thinking up here?" Astrid asked. We were up in the rec room, surveying the space for our ideal studio.

"Yeah, I think so," I said. "This room's bigger than the others and I'm pretty much the only one who uses it. Plus there's already a Mac in here, so..."

"Oh good! That's one job out of the way," Astrid said excitedly as she nicked me on the arm. "Oh, but what do you wanna do about your stuff?" she asked, pointing to the TV and console.

"Oh they can go in my room, no worries," I assured her. "So...acoustic wise, what were you thinking?"

"Well, I've noticed the ceiling is on a slant, probably joined on to the roof. That might help a bit with projection. Were you thinkin' of using acoustic or electric drums?"

"You know, that didn't actually cross my mind, but I like the sound of playing acoustic drums...if I can play them, that is."

"Yeah, me too. Although we'll probably be drawn to the electronics it'd be good to have something a little more organic, know what I mean?"

Yeah," I smiled. "So...how exactly does the foam and everything work, Astrid?"

"Well, basically, foam in a studio environment is used to absorb and eliminate any unwanted echo or residual sounds being made in a studio space, thus improving the sound quality of our vocals and instruments. Plus, it also stops any unwanted noise from coming in, or getting out."

"Cool!" I said, highly intrigued. "And what, do we just put foam everywhere?" She shook her head and smiled.

"No, Hiccup. We've gotta find places on the walls that might be hit the most by the sounds. That, and foam can be very expensive, so we need to be really articulate and smart about this. The corners are a must for foaming up. I'm thinking we put a few bass-traps in all the corners up top, so the lower end doesn't go too overboard...and a few simple blocks at the back wall here..." she pointed to several spots on the wall opposite the apex of the slant in the ceiling. Then she worked her way around the rest of the room, mapping out where the rest of the foam might go.

"Yeah, I think that oughta do it," Astrid said confidently. "Oh, but Hiccup, were you wanting to use the piano downstairs at all?"

Oh, gods! I forgot about that. That'd be tough. We can't wheel the heavy thing up the steps but recording on it downstairs wouldn't be any easy feat either, as the birds outside might muck the sound up.

"I thought about it...but Cloudjumper...don't worry, we'll work something out," I said.

"Yeah. Okay, that's acoustics sorted. What were you thinking for instruments?"

"Well, we're pretty much agreed on drums, maybe just a little bop kit or something...might look into getting...what are they called, triggers? I know you have a guitar...so we'd need a bass, and I've really got my eyes on that equipment I was playing today."

"Well you're in luck, they're still in the shop," Astrid informed happily. Yes! "Although a few more keyboards might come in handy too...and we need a mixing board and some speakers. We can hook them up to the Mac...I think we've got this sorted!"

"Great!" We high-fived. I then heard a car engine approach the house. That would be Dad. "Hey, come on," I beckoned to Astrid. I lead her out the door and onto the landing, overlooking the front entry, which opened on cue with my dad in the frame, his enormous red beard adorned with flecks of gray overlapping his business suit. My dad was the head of a timber company ever since he was in his late twenties, and the zoo used dad's timber company as a resource to build some of their enclosures. That's also how my parents met. Behind Dad followed none other than the man himself, Gordon "Gobber" Belch. My eyes lit up as I saw the old family friend and I hurried down the stairs to greet him.

"Gobber!" I greeted cheerfully. "Great to see you. Hey Dad." Dad nodded me a silent greeting and went into the living room for his traditional lie down. Gobber looked at me in surprise and clapped me on the shoulder.

"Aye, likewise, Hiccup! Look at you, all grown up, eh?" He then looked up and saw Astrid making her way down the steps.

"Oh, Astrid!" Gobber said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, catching up on two years with this guy," Astrid said, nudging me with her elbow.

"Oh, of course. Well I'm glad you're actually here," he said, suddenly turning grim. "There's something I need to talk to you about, but later. I've been invited for dinner and I think it'd kill the mood prematurely if I broke it to you now or during."

"During?" Astrid asked, confused.

"Oh, Val phoned ahead and invited me for dinner and said that you were welcome too." My heart lept. "I didn't believe you were here at first considering...never mind. This is great! All of us seeing each other again."

Soon afterwards Mum returned home from her run, and after kissing Dad and giving Gobber a hug, we all went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Fish kebabs and steamed vegetables. I'd (and probably everyone who's crossed paths with my mother) hate to admit it, but Valka Haddock can NOT cook on her own, so we all offer to volunteer to help out when she announces she's making something like her infamous meatballs, or the kebabs. I really like the kitchen. Its one of the few places in the world where you can truly spend quality time with somebody and talk about anything, as well as work together to make something. Astrid and I had the job of filleting and slicing the fish Mum likes to catch from the river below our property. It was messy work, but we had fun.

"How long has it been since we last went fishing?" I asked her as I pin-boned a fillet of trout.

"I dunno," Astrid pondered. "Although I remember you once caught a lot of salmon, and Toothless slept for days when you brought some home for him to eat." Poor guy. He loves fish too much. I've caught him a couple of times down at the river trying to swipe at the fish that lurked beneath the surface. Fool. He doesn't know any better.

"Oh yeah, I remember that day. Good times."

"Indeed," Astrid sighed. That was the last trout fillet done, and I reached across for the Chef's knife, but Astrid had the same idea as me, and her being closer, wrapped her fingers around the hilt first and before I could react, my fingers landed on hers. I gasped quietly, looking at Astrid, her expression similar to mine but her hand unmoving. But after a few seconds, we laughed nervously and I slowly moved my hand away, silently gesturing for her to use the knife first. As if, right on cue, the previously unseen Toothless, now seated on a bar-stool opposite the kitchen island I was working on, mewed at me and had such a cheeky glint in his eyes, with his pupils fully rounded, showing mock innocence.

"What are you looking at?" I sneered, and I threw him a tiny piece of fish so he kept his silence. He immediately hopped up and caught it in mid air. I laughed and batted at my hands, shooing him away. He pestered off to play on his scratching post.

Once dinner was sorted, we all sat around the table, eating the (thank gods!) delicious meal and reminiscing past times with all of us -Gobber telling us stories of Scotland with Dad, Mum remembering Astrid growing up, and the bird program.

"Oh, Stoick," Mum said suddenly. "I've been given a case of Macaws that were injured. I expect they'll be here within a few weeks. I'll need more timber for another enclosure. I've been filling up so much on patients I'm running out of room."

"For you, my dear, anything," Dad nodded, understanding her concern for the creatures.

"Macaws?" Astrid asked, suddenly intrigued. "What happened to them, Valka?"

"Poor things flew into an old trap down south. They're gonna need a lot of help." Wow, I thought. Crazy stuff.

"That's terrible! I hope they're okay."

"Me too, Astrid." Mum prayed. We carried on eating and I nudged Astrid.

"Hey, I didn't know you liked parrots!" I whispered.

"Favourite animal, Hiccup. And you're not the only reason I came around here all the time when we were younger," she teased. I mocked a sad face and we both giggled. Once dinner was finished, we got the dishes done and we all settled in the living room, Astrid and I sitting together, Toothless dividing his dozing body between our two laps. Then after a while Mum and Dad went outside to watch the sunset and check on the birds one more time, and Gobber came over to us, sitting on an ottoman.

"Astrid, now might be a good time to talk about what I wanted to see you about." He said. I gently picked Toothless up and cradled him in my arms like a baby.

"Do you want me to leave, or..?" I asked, beginning to stand.

"Nah, its okay, lad. You can sit if you like." I sat back down. "Now, Astrid, I've gotten a bit of bad news today and you're not gonna like it." Astrid and I looked at each other, concern in both our eyes.

"What is it, Gobber?" He took a deep breath and Astrid looked a little frightened. Nerves aside, I put my hand on hers for support. Her fingers wrapped around my palm quickly.

"The shop's gone into receivership. We're losing our jobs."


Have a happy new years, guys!

-Ollie