In Girl Scouts they sells cookies

no cookies here
In Iceland the fund raising gets a little strange, here the kids are selling toilet paper, paper towel.

Eldhúsrúllur (Paper towel) 24 rúllur í pakka sem kosta 3.200 kr
Salernispappír (Toilet paper) 48 rúllur í pakka sem kostar 3.200 kr,

So, if you are in need of some supplies, give us a call.

Since I can hardly see us dragging 48 packs of toilet paper door to door I am seriously hoping my dear friends and family are interested in buying a lot.
Seriously hinting here.

Icelandic Online

One thing we did do during Icelandic 4 was to compile our knowledge of Learning Icelandic online websites. Here are a few:
http://www.samkoma.com/mimir/mimir.htm
http://www.verbix.com/languages/icelandic.shtml
http://www.ordabok.is/
http://skolinn.olfus.is/nybuavefur/
http://www.travlang.com/languages/cgi-bin/langchoice.cgi
http://icelandiconline.is/
http://www.nams.is/krakkasidur/

amazing considering how many people actually speak the language, it looks like everyone is trying to learn it.
especially me.

A terrible mistake

Last week I went to see a lung specialist to get some help with this pesky horrible asthma.
The reception took all my money.
The lab took my blood and left a bruise.
The pharmacy wants money for my medication, but I can not pick it up until payday, special thanks to the doctor charging so much, but the best part was this conversation:

Doctor: It looks like the reception desk did a terrible job spelling your name.
Me: (after looking at the computer screen) no, thats right
Doctor: (after clearly misunderstanding me) Make sure to get this fixed before you leave
Me: No, no, that is my name
Doctor: Really? Buy you don't look Korean!
Me: I get that a lot
Doctor: Is this some kind of typical Canadian name?
Me: Only if your mother's insane.

The End.

working

The last couple weeks I have found something else to keep me busy while being a useful person in Reykjanesbær.
I now volunteer at the Salvation Army second hand store, in Keflavík, on Fridays.
If you have not been there it is open 11 - 5, Monday to Friday. There is free soup and coffee and super cheap clothing for the whole family (1000kr. for a whole bag)
And Fridays I am there, all alone, drinking coffee, so please come by and visit. Its fun

íslenska 3 próf

I did finally complete the Íslenska 3 at MSS, and well enough with an 8.5, but it was with mixed feelings.
While I have no doubt that I deserved a grade of 8.5 - I studied like mad and have learned a lot from the class, I do not think that most of my class mates deserved the grade they received.
You see there was so much cheating during the exam I could hardly hear myself think and probably would have done even better if I had been in a quite room.
In fact, despite being one of the best in the class (my teachers words, not mine), I still got one of the lowest grades, because I didn't cheat.
Some examples of the craziness include:

1. One person using his laptop with the Internet during the entire test.
2. My exam actually being taken from my desk will I was getting a coffee, and copied.
3. Other tests being passed around, even carried to other parts of the room.
4. People standing over other peoples shoulders and copying, not even trying to hide it. 
5. People getting help from each other, asking questions and everything to the point thew class was extremely loud.

And the teacher mostly just sat at her desk and commented on how everyone was just cheating themselves.
Sorry to sound all mighty, but I think Cassie and I were the only ones not cheating, we really wanted to test ourselves.
After all this test doesn't actually count towards anything. It is not credited towards immigration and you don't need a good mark to get to the next level, so why cheat???
I just don't understand my classmates.

pictures - no captions

Skattur

I should that the Icelandic tax authorities for being so awesome in making everything so easy.
One thing that always made me crazy in Canada was the fact that taxs were complected stuff, and unless you were a single person with no dependents, write offs or investments, you needed to pay someone to do your taxes. In fact to even file yourself online costs money.
In Iceland, everyone files online and it's free.

At Skattur.is you just type in you kennitalla, password (in your Internet banking), and your in, and they already know everything about you! All you really need to do is look it over and give it the OK. Done.

Taxes are due in on March 23, but I suspect that this year, like every other, we will apply online for an extension to get a few more days to look it over. Because even though I am telling you about my taxes now, I know I will forget until as soon as I publish this post and will not remember until Wednesday when they are due.

Only super silly thing is that despite sending everything in on March 23, or 29th if you get the extension,and it takes until August 1 to find out if you get money back or you owe money(and you need to pay now!).

Nobody knows anything until the first.

As you can imagine, July is a rather antsy month waiting to see if you are rich, or bankrupt.


side note: This song was ridiculously popular in Iceland, back in the day, because skatt means tax - so here is the taxman.





another note: I know I never fit the videos properly in my blog, Im just that lazy.

Old days come again

My dad can fix anything, and my husband can as well. I think this is one of my favorite qualities in him. So few people can fix anything these days, but I think its coming back, and here is a blog post on it:
http://www.swiss-miss.com/2009/04/repair-manifesto.html

persónufórnöfn

The ever confusing personal pronouns:
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1D3maiuJYNTx_1RR_YBGQNT4wwOQQUTsMChGuIwCUAUE

þátið

I think after typing this all out, some of it might have actually stuck in my mind. At least this is my plan, and if you have not had a chance to sort out the most commonly used verbs, in past tense, here you are: ÞÁTIÐ

Its that time

Time to seriously hit the books - exam on Thursday. So now I plan to bore everyone with my helpfulness.
Sagnareglur - einutölu - nútið

PIctures

leó's girlfriend

Bollurs from Bollurdagur

My Bollur

leó

Getting ready for Óskurdagur.

Happy Birthday Kiddi

Not that I know the guy, but his dear friends hung a banner over an overpass telling nearly everyone in Reykjavík it was his birthday and to give him a call, sending congratulations, with his phone number.
We sent a text message, and he replied saying it was funny, clearly we had seen the flag.
Now this guy seems to have a sense of humor. But for myself I might start looking for some new friends if they did this to me.
But that might be a culture thing.

This is what happens when I am all alone in the evenings...

I do extra homework.
Last weekend I collected and typed out a list of questions in Icelandic. These are the sort of questions we ask each other in class to practice speaking Icelandic.
Tonight I am bringing them into school so she can give them to the other students and we can all practice together. Yippee!
I hope I still have friends after class.

Tölum Saman

Fósrtu eitthvað um helgina?

Gekkstu miklið úti um helgina?

Hvernig svafstu í nótt?

Hvað drekkstu í hádeginu í dag?

Hvað vannstu lengi í gær?

Hvaða bók lastu síðast?

Hvaða bíomynd sástu síðast?

Hvenær hljópstu sast?

Beiðstu eftir einhverjum í fyrradag?

Skrappst þú út í banka í gær?

Varstu pirraður/pirruð í siðustu viku?

Komstu seint í skólann í dag?

Ákvaðstu eitthvað merkilegt um helgina?

Tókstu mikið til heima hjá þér um helgina?

Gekkstu í vinnuna í dag?

Bjóstu einu sinni annars staðar en á Íslands?

Við hvern talaðir þú í gærkvöldi?

Hverju gleymdir þú síðast?

Hvað gerðirðu í gær?

Hvað borðaðir þú í kvöldmatin í gær?

Hva' langar þig að gera á morgun?

Lest þú oft skáldsögur?

Hver er áhugamál þín?

Hvað finnst þér mjög skemmtilegt að gera?

Hver venga ertu að fara?

Hvað ætlar þú að gera á morgun?

Hverning líður mömmu þinni?

Hvern langar þig mest að heimsækja?

Hvar eru börnin þín?

Hvað áttu mjörg systkin?

Hvaða gos drekkur finnst þér bestur?

Hver er uppáhalds-bíomyndin þín?

Hvenær byrjar þú í vinnunni/skólanum á morgnana?

Hvaða matur þykir þér verstur?

Hvar vinnur þú?

Hvað finnst þér skemmtilegt að gera?

Hvert ætlar þú að fara á eftir?

Hver er uppáhalds-flíkin þín?

Hver er uppáhalds-söngvarinn þinn?

Hvenær ertu buin(n) í vinnunni/skólanum á daginn?

Hvaða drekkur þykir þér verstur?

Hvar býrðu?

Hvað ætlar þú að gera um helgina?

Hvernig kaka þykir þér best?

Hvert fórstu í gær?

Hvað sástu í gær?

Hvernig eru bestu skónir þínir?

Hver er uppáhalds-söngkonan þín?

Hvenær ætlar þú næst í klippingu?

Hvernig ætlar þú að láta klippa þig?

Hvar er úlpan þín?

Hvað er klukkan?

Hvernig er veðrið úti?

Hvert viltu fara að borða?

Hver er uppáhalds-maturinn þínn?

Hvaða maður var að tala við þig áðan?

Hvort viltu epli eða appelsínu?

Hvaða ávöxtur finnst þér bestur?

Hvað getur þú sett á augun á þér?

Hvar eru skórnir þínir?

Hvaðan er pabbi þinn?

Hvenær fórstu í fyrsta sinn til tannlæknis?

Hvort viltu Mars eða Snickers?

Hvaða súkkulaði finnst þér best?

Hvar eru foreldrar þínir? Hvar vinna þeir?

Hvaða kona var að tala við þig áðan?

Hvenær fórstu í fyrsta sinn í flugvél?

Hver er fyrir framan þig?

Hvert langar þig að fara til versla?

Hver er uppáhalds-matvörubuðin þín?

Hvað þykir þér best í bakaríi?

Hvaðan kemur mamma þín?

Hvapan er konan þín\maðurinn þinn?

Hvað borðaðir þú í morgunmat?

Af hverju ertu að hlæja?

Hvað hlærðu oft á dag?

Hvaða morgunmatur þykir þér bester?

Hvort viltu mjólk eða vatn?

Hvað drekka þú oftast með kvöldmat?

Hver er fyrir aftan þig?

Hvaðan ertu?

Hvert langar þig að fara í ferðalag?

Hvernig ertu klæddur\klædd? Lýstu fótunum.

Hvað finnst þér leiðinlegast að gera?

Hvers venga ertu brosandi?

Hvað fær þig til að brósa?

Hvaða geisladiskur finnst þér vera bestur í dag?

Hvort viltu leðurjakka eða gallajakka?

Hver er uppáhalds-hljómsveitin þín?

Hvaðan varst að koma?

Hvenær fórst á fætur í morgun?

Klukkan hvað vaknar þú um helgar?

Hvernig líður þér í dag?

Hvað gerir þú í vinunni?

Er eitthvað sem þú saknar frá þínu landi?

Hvað varstu vanur\vön að borða í þínu landi?

Í hvaða fötum finnst þér best að vera í heima?

Hvenær áttu afmæli?

Hvernig kanntu við þig á Íslandi?

My newish sewing machine

Actually it is not so new, some people might say it's pretty old, 1961 I think. But it works, perfectly and it cost less then $15.00. It even has all the extra bits!
Mending pile, prepare to vanish!

Sounds tastey to me

I often tell the kids off if they come home from school hungry, after all they should have eaten more lunch at school, right? I did pay for this food already, and look at this menu and lick your lips:
Matseðill: 7.-11.mars   March 7-11

Mánudagur Monday - Homemade fishballs with rice and curry sauce

Bolludagur:Heimalagaðar fiskbollur með hrísgrjónum og karrýsósu

Þriðjudagur Tuesday - Salted meat and beans, in the same pot

Sprengidagur: Saltkjöt og baunir- allt í einum potti

Miðvikudagur Wednesday - Blended meat with Spaghetti and bread

Öskudagur: Hakk og spagettí ásamt brauði

Fimmtudagur  Thursday - Nightsalted?? fish with rye bread, butter and potatoes

Nætursaltaður fiskur með rúgbrauði, smjöri og kartöflum

Föstudagur Friday - Oatmeal with liver sausage, bread and cheese

Grjónagrautur , lifrapylsa og brauð með osti.
Grænmetis- og ávaxtabar er í boði á hverjum degi :) Vegetables and Fruit everyday!

I hate to admit it, but I think I would try to wait until I got home to eat too.

Old Pals

I should first mention that I was seriously delayed in my introduction to the internet, and when I did finally get online, as an adult, I was clue less.
I also never really got into chatting, but there is one person I did start chatting to once upon a time, 11 years ago.
Yesterday was Neils birthday, and if I am nothing but consistant, I forgot and remembered today.  It's true, I am a terrible friend.
Neil and I chatted for years, sent postcards back and forth, been real friends. And while we only send the odd email now I dont think that is any excuse to go and miss his birthday.
And I dont know if he reads my blog, I am sure I have never mentioned it to him (its kinda my secret blog, I rarely straight out tell anyone it exsists), but if he does I hope he finds it in himself to forgive me.
I always mean well.

Because we love our pets we:

• feed them balanced diets, and some times even treats :)
• keep them clean, washed, groomed, what ever is needed
• keep them healthy with regular vet check ups and exercise
• shelter them when it's needed
• give them our attention, affection and maybe a spot on the coach
• HAVE THEM 'FIXED'

I promise to stop nagging now.