Movies!

Saw two movies in one weekend. Not a bad job for someone who spent most of the weekend out of town :o) And I even got my mum to accompany me to both of them, which was great. We saw Brokeback Mountain on Sunday and last night we saw Memoirs of a Geisha with Rebekka and Anna's daughter Sigrún Eir. We recommend both of them. Pride and Prejudice is next on the list... but in probably in two weeks time. Until then kiddie movies will have to do!

Yesterday...

Yesterday was my father's 68th birthday. He gets younger every year :o) The two sisters decided that whiskey was the most appropriate present for the young man and it was highly apreciated!

Yesterday, Anna and I took her kids to Perlan for an ice cream. It is so funny how Anna's little boy (Axel) insists on being formal and calling me ELÍN when Anna's girls just call me auntie Ella.

Yesterday evening me and my mother went to the movies to see Brokeback Mountains. Interesting movie to say the least. Glad my dad decided not to go with us - not quite the Clint Eastwood cowboys from the good old days... Would not have been a happy end to his birthday.

Skógar

Great weekend at Skogar with my fellow Tour Guides... not enough sleep but more than enough good food, laughter and great company. This is such an interesting Museum and Þórdur Tómasson was very informative - check their webside and do visit Skógar Museum if you are travelling their way: http://www.skogasafn.is/index.htm

Friday

The weekend is just around the corner. The children are staying with David until Tuesday so I will use the opportunity to go on a weekend tour with the my fellow Tour Guides to a place called Skogar in East Iceland. Should be fun - at least these people love to talk and share stories :o)

Rebekka is going to guard the fort at Hringbraut accompanied by Birta and Doppa. The three of them have great plans of sleeping a lot and watching the telly! Well at least the sleeping part is true for all of them!

Have a great weekend everyone!

"2 Cool 4 School"

Is the latest suggestion for the name of the new band at Hringbraut (two members so far - Eiríkur: drums, Kjartan: Bass Guitar - and no Sandra has not been offered to be the pretty blond singer - no girls allowed!!!).

Not a bad name. Actually much better than the names that have come up for the other band Eiríkur played with last spring such as "The Sharman Kings" and "Bullshit"... Any suggestions from you guys?

Birthdayphotos - but not Rebekka's...

Busy days

Yesterday was another busy day with schools and work and extra curricular activities. Eiríkur has joined a drama & singing class at the Reykjavík City Theatre and loves it. He might end up being the singer in his band instead of the drummer :o)

Sandra goes twice a week to ballet classes so today it is her turn to be rushed back and forth from Hringbraut before supper! Birta the Labrador loves ballet days because she gets to come along for a nice walk while I wait for the class to be over.

Other activities include badminton, drumming lessons, band practice and English school! Busy, busy, buy....

Smiling faces

I just received an e-mail with this photo - a great reminder of New Years Eve spent in a mountain hut at Thorsmörk. And you can see by the smiles on our faces what a happy weekend this was :o)

Þorri

The old name of this time of year is Þorri (Thorri). It is a long, cold and dark month - but for some people it is brighter for the fact that it is the month of Þorrablót where people get together to eat tradtional Icelandic food and drink a lot of "Aqua Vitae" to wash down the cured shark and pickled ram testicles.

So why am I writing about Þorrablót? Well - we just went to one at my parents house last night. My little lot was grateful that amma and afi also offered smoked lamb and that the bolied sheepheads were not the main course. It was fun to taste some of the specialities but I think this tradtion will not survive to the third generation.

Drums at Hringbraut

Yes, Eiríkur has now his brand new drums set up in his room and our home is full of 10 year old boys lining up to try them. And the noise they can make is amazing, the level of energy in the room equals a rock concert - and I am already saving up to build the garage - or even better, an underground room for the drums... or me!

Who are these girls????

The Day after the Night before...

Apart from some empty pizza boxes in the kitchen Hringbraut was in perfect condition after last nights party. Rebekka has such great friends who know how to have fun without wrecking the place!!! Poor cat had been out-lawed to the balcony and was the only member of the family who did not enjoy last night! Small kids had fun with dad, dog was spoiled at our neighbours house and mum got to spend the evening at the local swimming pool - enjoying the outdoor jacuzzi and northern ligths! We could do this again soon!

Today is another workday with its ups and downs - work party tonight and Rebekka babysitting Sandra and Eirikur. And then it is the weekend :o)

Happy Birthday Rebekka!

Can you guys believe it! Rebekka is celebrating her 17th birthday today... driving license is next on the list.

The lucky girl has already eaten chocolate cake, opened the presents and is now busy preparing for a party tonight! Her whole class will be arriving at 7 and all small creatures at Hringbraut will hide at David's place as the teenagers take over with loud music and strange humour! I better warn my tenants!!

Getting started!

Finally a news page for friends and relatives around the world!

I hope this page will be a great opportunity to keep in touch with all of you - there is never enough time for all the individual letters I would love to write but here at least is a little glimpse into our daily life in Iceland. This does not in any way replace letters, but meant to supplement them :) So keep writing guys!