24 days, 20 hours, 34 minutes, 32 seconds

According to Watchers on the Wall site counter, there are 24 days, 20 hours, 33 minutes and now 24 seconds until the season 7 premier of Game of Thrones. Yes, I'm counting down and have been counting down since the end of season 6. 

In the time since the season finale, I have reread the last book, listened to podcasts and vlogs on Youtube discussing theories and character analysis. I have tried not to look at the fan pictures in remote locations and follow the sightings, but that was hard after a while. I've re-watched almost every season, or at least my favorite episodes in every season. Alright, I watched them all at least twice but that just goes to show how much I love and miss this show. 

With only one more season beyond this and no book in sight I think it's safe to say a lot of people are just trying to keep it together. Especially with the world as chaotic as it is right now, people are looking for retreats from reality. I tried to watch House of Cards, but that was too real and I couldn't make it through. I've found new joy in American Gods but there's truly nothing like Game of Thrones. Seriously! There's political intrigue, family and strained relations, heroes tales and dragons. There is solace in knowing that there will be a sequel after the final season next year. It won't be the same but it will have to do. 

The second trailer dropped today and it looks...it is beyond amazing. Littlefinger's talking presumably to Sansa and immediately you just want to tell her to put tissue in her ears. Arya looks close to home. Hopefully we have a Stark reunion before the end. Another trailer implied that Arya might meet up with her direwolf Nymeria. I hope that Arya meets the super pack of wolves that Nymeria has been leading and that Sansa will bond with a new direwolf to replace Lady. 

I think that in losing Lady, Sansa lost a piece of herself. All of the Stark children are connected to their wolves and Sansa has been missing something ever since Lady was killed. I think she's coming into her own, but it's taken a long time and the connection with a wolf might push her to be stronger and kill Littlefinger. Ok, I don't think that will happen but it should.

i about lost it when Berric raised that sword and it started to blaze. Of everything else, that was the moment that impressed me most. I can't wait to see what he does or even how that worked. I don't think he's Azor Ahai, but he definitely has a flaming sword. 

I want Tyrion to sit on the back of one of those dragons. I've long believed that perhaps he is a secret Targaryen. If Aerys slept with Joanna Lannister on her wedding night, which was totally a thing he could do as king, then a relationship is established. Who's to say that he didn't take liberties with her years later. It would explain a lot about Tyrion. 

And white walkers. I thought maybe we wouldn't see any until next season. If anything on the show is scary and nerve racking, it's the white walkers. Bran worging a raven,  being discovered by the Nights King, it's all so disturbing. That's not even half of it and that's what I got from a two minute trailer! 

Needless to say. I'm waiting with baited breath, anxiously waiting for this season to begin. In 24 days, 20 hours, 1 minute and 36 seconds.