Hamar turns 10

In a typically cute and small town way, the 'shop' had a 10 year birthday and invited everyone, via flyers in the mail, down for a party to celebrate.
In a town where not much happens, a chance to 'go somewhere' for free food and beer is an opportunity too good to pass up.
There was lots of candy for the kids, a slide show for anyone who cared about the history and strange machines for everyone to look at.
Everyone was there, including the kids friends so everyone had a good time.
I doubt you would ever see this in the city.

The Candles

Kasper's Party

The Story of Kasper's 8th Birthday

It all started on Friday. There was no school so he was supposed to come to work with me.
But he wanted to go to his friends.
Then they went to our house.
When I came home from work, there was tuna all over the wall.
They tried to make sandwiches but they did not taste right.
They forgot the mayo.

Inga and Rob were coming up for the weekend.
I was incredibly stressed out and had hardly slept in days,
but all my floors were freshly waxed.

Kasper agrees that because we have family coming up he can have 2 friends over.
It is a deal.

Around 4 I see a mob of kids coming towards our door.
Kasper is in the lead.
They are here for the party.
I tried telling them there was no party.
Kasper would not help me explain.
They refused to leave,
they wanted cake first.
I had to call parents to come get them.

We had the nice gathering with 2 friends, it was a good time.
Inga and Rob arrived and I guess I had no reason to be so concerned.
The weekend went great.

Here is Rósa - you can never have to many pictures of a family pet.

A very tired me.

Stefán.

OK, this is a bit of a story. I have 2 tvs. One has a decent size screen and the other one has sound.
So we have a tower.
Awesome, I know.

Inga and Rob

Davíð and Rósa.

Stefán playing with Kaspers gifts, what are brothers for?

A very happy Kasper.

Another fabulous cake by Inga.
I will try to have her for every kids birthday.
It is even decorated by an 8.

Short story: The old ladies in the nursing home like to talk about this beautiful man that has been spotted in town.
Turns out that Davíð is the most beautiful man in Þórshöfn.
Now I have to keep an eye on those sneaky old ones.
Here he is showing how beautiful he can be.

Inga, looking awesome.

Davíð?

Best Brother Forever.

Rob taking pictures, I will ask for the ones he got.

Here I am with the birthday boy - gotta stop showing so much gums in the smiles!

feasting on lamb and fries

Lazy sods on the couch, with whiskey.

Stefán made name tags for everyone to wear on there shirt, then labeled all the chairs so we would know where to sit.
Rob wanted to know why the writing on his name tag was different then the writing on his chair tag.

So here Stefán is explaining it.

Inga cooking in my kitchen. Unlike some people who are very protective of there kitchen,
I will surrender mine to anyone that wants to cook for me.

And the Birthday Boy, showing how big 8 really is!

Missing Mahwish

Today my friend moved away.
It was a sad sad moment - my first friend in Iceland.
We met in Icelandic lessons.
A true friend who was never judgmental, always made time and always helped to see another side of life.
I will miss her so much!

And this made me see a sad truth, so long as I keep making friends who are foreigners like me, I will have to watch them all leave one by one.

It is a bit of a pickle because I have so much in common with someone who is not from Iceland.

It does not matter who they are - conversation material is always available.
- hows your Icelandic going?
- can you believe this kennatela system?
- how long did it take to get your papers?
etc etc etc, I could go one forever.

But these friends are rarely here to stay and I think as the situation gets worse, they will be leaving more often.

I think as a New Years Resolution, I will become good friends with an Icelander.

At least put in more effort then I have been.

Stefáns Party pictures - just a little late

I know his birthday was more then a month ago, but we were in Reykjavík, I forgot my camera at home so Rob sent me the pictures he took, then I lost them...

Excuses Excuses - one of my finer qualities.

Anyways:

We were out at Inga and Robs place and Inga organized everything and made a fabulous pirate ship cake - like we could expect anything less then amazing from her.

Stefáns best friends came over (Mikæl and Viktor), and some family, Stína, Már and the kids.

Garpúr is one of Stefáns best friends. He is constantly coloring pictures that I am to send to him.

So here they are: better late then never.