Thursday, December 31, 2009

Crispy fresh, frozen and a little flashy

Crispy fresh air is nice in the shower, Personally I like to have burning hot water with the window wide open. 43 degree water burning my skin and below zero air in my lungs. A good contrast.
This window also makes a good shelf. A place to keep the shampoo. The only problem being during the winter, like now, some things are freezing. The toothpaste and shampoo are currently defrosting at the bottom of the shower. It seemed a little too cold for them...
This window is also a little awkward because besides some little super rusty blinds, you are basically putting on a show for anyone who cares to look into the window while you are in there. OK, it is only a problem for women, but still, it is not like curtains can go in the shower... Lucky, I think no one looks up to the third floor.

This is not my shower, but it is the same. I was just to lazy to dig out the camera for this.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Barkoholics

OK, I know that isnt a real word but,
we often call Rósa a barkaholic because I really think she just can not help herself.
She is not the only dog like that, there are several in our building. But it is a dog building, so hearing eachothers dogs barking is something we all just have to live with.
But once and a while you et someone who likes to complain. this person writing in pink left a notice in the hall. A complaint about some dog who howls all the time! All hours! Needs to be taken care of!
The white note with black writing is someone asking if it is her dog. Se doesn't know if it is barking when she is not home. Even says what apartment she lives in if someone wants to talk to her about it.
The writing on the pink note that is in black pen (can not really be seen) states that they thought it was from the 2nd floor.
Basically, no one knows who this really annoyed person is, why they can not just talk to someone or which barky dog they are complaining about.
More then once I have thought that it could be mine, but, I am not actually all that worried about it because I live in a dog building where they can bark if they want too.


From the darkness


Probably having a lot to do with the winter darkness, but in Iceland, every window deserves some lights.
It is the small things that help us get through the winter every year.
Lucky for us the electric bills are reasonable.
note: I would not post a picture of my own windows here because they are just embarrassing. I did hang up lights but because I did not have the patience to get last years knots out, I pasted them to the window, knots and all. Looks like clumps. Stefán is dead embarrassed and repeatedly asking to have them fixed. t one time he even told me that if I was trying to make a Santa design it was not very good.

Christmas at Viking World

On Sunday Stefán, Leópold and I went down to Viking World (Víkingaheimar) for so Viking Christmas time.
We ate lots of smoked lamb, Viking bread (crunchy but tasty stuff) and drank a lot of malt. Good times.
Although my pictures do no justice to the displays, here are a few things we saw.












Sunday, December 27, 2009

Another Christmas 2009


 
 


Because you can never really have to many days of Christmas in Iceland
In Canada you would call this Boxing day and go shopping. IN Iceland it is another Christmas. Another day to relax because everything is still closed.
WE went back to Inga and Rob's place to relax, visit and eat the left overs.


 

Christmas Day 2009

In a new found tradition, we all went to INga and Robert's place for some Christmas dinner awesomeness.
We planned to be there in the morning, and got there about 2.
Dinner was planned for 4, we ate after 6.
Dispite things running a little late, something that tends to get me a little worked up, everything ran incredibly smoothly considering the fact there was 6 kids, 6 adults and 4 dogs.
Everyone there:
Inga and Rob, Davíð's parents, and there 2 dogs Saga and Ulfur
Stína (Davíð's sister) and Már, with there three kids named Garpur, Ulfrún and Övar and dog Skella.
And Davíð, me, Kasper, Stefán, Leópold and our dog Rósa.
Note: the dogs are family too. Rósa and Saga are sisters. Skella and Ulfur are Saga's puppies.
Here is some evidence:


Davíð

Davíð and Leópold


Inga



Inga, Rósa, Saga and Ulfur

Same.


A very proud Amma and Leó.


Kasper and Stefán


Leó trying to watch the show :)


More dogs, but not just any dogs, the famous Icelandic Sheep dog!


Rob, also known as Bob. JK, no one calls him Bob,


Kasper and Garpur.


Stefán and me.


Garpur and Stefán. Bit of me.


Chaos on the couch. Garpur, Kasper and Stefán.
 
Stefán and his Amma


Garpur, Stefán, Amma and a gift.


A kinda happy looking Már with Ulfrun and Garpur


A super amazingly happy looking Stína.

***Same rule as always: I can not guarantee the correct spelling of the names, except for my own children and sometimes I get them wrong too.

The Gifts 2009

The Christmas Eve gift opening. The time the kids have been asking about for weeks.
On Friday7 night the kids opened the gifts from us, Lego for Stefán, DVDs for Kasper and a toy for Leó.
There was also a nice new shirt for each of the boys from Davíð's Nanna and Grandpa.
A fabulous blender, not pictured her, was purchased with our money combined with gift money for the perfect family gift.
Kasper and Stefán like making slurpees. I like smoothies, Davíð loves shakes and soon we will be making baby food for Leó. Everyone has a use fr it.








Christmas Eve dinner 2009

Christmas Eve in Iceland is usually the biggest day. A huge dinner with smoked lamb, potatoes and treats is prepared followed by gifts.
I am not the best cook, so we had crepes. Actually I twas teaching the kids how to make them.They loved it.
Nothing fancy here, but everyone had a great time.
Pictures in no particular order: