Where to be buried?

I guess the latest dilemma on our hand is what to do with the cemetery.

The existing one has limited space.

So the questionnaire were sent out and need to be returned to the town hall week.

But I just can not decide.

I like that community feeling in a small town but I have to admit there are some things I just never really put any thought into - I just thought they would be taken care of.

And really, I do not care were they put me when I am dead. I choose the cheapest option - but that one was not listed.

A Legal Dog

I have been putting off registering my dog here for a while now.

About 4 months.

I really just never got around to it and was not all that excited to part with the money.

Today the town did it for me.

Exactly.

They took 6500 off my paycheck and sent me a receipt for my dog license, as though I asked for this.

Some nerve I tell you, but I dont have to think about it anymore.

Lucky Guy and Stupid Dr.'s

It all started in December when we went to Reykjavík and Davíð was having a cat scan on his legs to check out his circulation.

They could not see any problems with his veins during the test but they manage to rob us of 16000IKR and say he had some lumps that were very concerning. Mainly 2 large ones near the bottom of his torso then some smaller ones all over his torso.

Blood tests were done and they could not find a problem but still they wanted to test them, fair enough.

Some doctor decided a regular needle biopsy was not good enough, they wanted to cut him open to test them.

It was decided that he needed surgery, and soon. We were worried.

Weeks go by as we wait for the surgery to be scheduled. They called yesterday saying they needed to do it today.

The surgen who was going to do it was not in so another would in his place. Davíð took the plane this morning.

He gets to town and wait and waits, the second surgen can not do it today, he is passed on to a third.

The third surgen says he will not operate or even test these lumps with out another cat scan because the pother one is a month old already, outdated.

The secound ultrasound is done. Looking forward to the bill.

The lumps are gone. Turns out it was just some swollen glands because Davíð had the flu in December.

So, Davíð does not have cancer. I am very happy for him not just because it is good to be healthy but because if he was sick just look at the system that would be trying to help him.

My faith in the Icelandic health care system fell even further today.

If I ever discover I am very sick I will start planning my trip back to Canada.

Good Luck to Davíð

Davíð went to town to have his surgery done today.

They will find out what these bumps mean, but it will take a few days for the test results to come in.

Anyways, wish him luck - we are.

The Report

With parenting teacher interviews finishing up I thought I would let you know how the boys are doing the time they are not with me. I was surprised.

KASPER - 8

• Social Skills: He has been in a few fights, fist fights, but these things always blow over the all the kids are friends again within a few days. There is a lot of Drama in the 3-4 split class.
• Icelandic: Great, a few spelling and grammar errors but no big problem. Average level of his class.
• English: Best in the class - school... He likes helping out.
  
• Reading: Excellent, ready for grade 4 reading.
• Writing: Good and getting clearer all the time.
  
• History: He thinks it is boring and does not want to pay attention.
• Math: Excellent, learns it quick, does all his work quick.
  
• Art: Same story as the History.
  
• Cooking and Shop: Kasper enjoys both classes but would enjoy them more if he could cook and build how and what he wants to.
• Swimming and Gym: Again Kasper likes doing both but doesn't seem to like the rules that go with it. Some days are better then other.

Stefán - 5

• Social Skills: He has a few friends in his class and plays well with others, when others are looking. As soon as he is alone (when they go outside) he plays alone. They kind of have to make him play with others. When asked who his best friends are he said his cousin in Reykjavík.
• Icelandic: OK but could be better. He needs to be read to more in Icelandic to improve his vocabulary. This is expected for young children with 2 languages.
  
• English: Terrible, makes his Icelandic look awesome, but we live in Iceland so we will focus on the Icelandic for now.
• Reading: Well, he can not read yet, but he knows all his letters in Icelandic and a few in English.
• Writing: Stefán can write his first and middle name in really fancy letters. He can also write a few other needed words like Mom, Daddy and Kasper.
• History: Not a big thing in Kindergarten although the OCEAN unit was a huge hit.
• Math: Stefán knows his numbers and counting pretty good in both languages but he is so stubborn that even if he is wrong there is no point arguing with him.
• Art: He loves it - all kinds. Stefán has excellent small motor movements so he colors really really well.
• Cooking and Shop: Will have to wait until next year.
• Swimming and Gym: Good Stuff, listens well and participates. He is in swimming lessons after school on Wednesdays and it is a thrill of his week.
  

So there you have it - this is how the rest of the world sees my boys and just as I always knew, they are great.

What have you done for your husband today?

Today is Husbands day in Iceland. A good day to buy him some flowers and cook him his favorite meal.

OK, I didn't buy him flowers and I actually didn't cook him dinner but I bought him a bottle of Coke - does that count?

Am I still a good wife?

Coke is expensive stuff these day.

Besides, as if I am buying flowers for someone who never buys me flowers!

So Cool

Every so often I realize how uncool I am.

Not that this really bothers me at all - but during some moments I think about this.

Tonight, while reading about my postcard stats in my postcard collection hobby I was thinking to myself - wow, so many from Finland. Everyone on people on Postcrossing often remark on how many cards are sent to and come from Finland.

I find this fascinating but when someone asks me at work tomorrow what I did tonight - I will not mention the postcards. At all.

Although I doubt they would know the answer, it would be nice if I worked with someone who thought around the same lines as me. Or had a similar interest.

The only people who have come to my house and seen my postcards look at me like I am crazy. I explain how I collect them and how it works, but I doubt anyone is listening.

Point is, I have no fun habits left. Can not even finish a beer myself without feeling sick. So I have my own fun things but I am not sure anyone can relate.

Maybe I am secretly super cool - or so great. But don't tell them about the postcards.

And if you got this far I should tell you that we are seriously trying for the third kid now and I think it might be going well...

		Country	Sent	Received▼	Avg travel (Sent)	Avg travel (Received)
1		Finland	12	13	9 days	14 days
2		Germany	9	9	14 days	9 days
3		Netherlands	4	6	7 days	16 days
4		Lithuania	0	2	-	5 days
5		Poland	0	2	-	20 days
6		Canada	1	2	21 days	22 days
7		Czech Republic	1	2	6 days	9 days
8		United Kingdom	2	2	21 days	27 days
9		U.S.A.	7	2	11 days	11 days
10		Austria	0	1	-	29 days
11		Chile	0	1	-	21 days
12		Estonia	0	1	-	33 days
13		France	0	1	-	33 days
14		Israel	0	1	-	12 days
15		Italy	0	1	-	6 days
16		South Africa	0	1	-	10 days
17		Sweden	0	1	-	25 days
18		Thailand	0	1	-	11 days
19		Portugal	1	1	13 days	15 days
20		Spain	1	1	12 days	9 days
21		Belgium	2	1	7 days	25 days
22		Brazil	1	0	31 days	-
23		Japan	1	0	9 days	-
24		Philippines	1	0	25 days	-
25		Slovenia	1	0	20 days	-
26		China	2	0	26 days	-
27		Norway	2	0	8 days	-
28		Russia	2	0	15 days	-
29		Taiwan	2	0	24 days	-

Snowmen

Up here we have snow.

10 Year Birthday

The sports center turned 10 this weekend and to celebrate there was a bit of a party.

Everyone, in the town I am sure, dressed up for the occasion. We were there.

Samkaup Stax, the grocery store, donated the Christmas cookies they could not sell anymore and called it lunch, so everyone enjoyed a free lunch of cookies.

Stefáns class sang for everyone.

Some people did some talking and Davíð fixed the sound system.

There was a swim competition that we could not get Kasper interested in although he does swim very well.

Stefán

Kasper, Stefán and Amber? playing games in the gym

Free Lunch!

Some people were still hungry!

This is my gym.

Bout time I showed you.

Tiny, crowded but functional.

Eyþór, the boss of the sports center, doing the talking.

Davíð fixing the sound.

Kasper playing games. It was a good thing that the kids had a place torun off those cookies from lunch.

Turning away

Stefán

Kasper looking a little angry, actually he was cheering for Stefán who was riding his bike.

And Davíð with my postcards!

The colors in these photos may not be as they appear!

A Day to Ride

Yesterday, Saturday was a big day and one reason for that was that Stefán learned to ride his bike with out the helper wheels.

Now he really is getting old.

Theses are so videos of Davíð helping-teaching.

My camera gets worse everyday.

Postcrossing

I wish I was as dedicated as this girl . I would like it if I found the time to document all my postcards. But I dont, so I guess you will just have to settle for a picture of the wall from time to time and if you want to see them up xclose and personal, just stop by.

Someone is always profiting

While the average person - like you and me - in Iceland is drowning in an average debt, mortgage, possible car payments and starving from the price of food, some rich people appear to be getting richer.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the room prices at Hótel Rekjavík have gone up considerably.

I think you need to keep in mind that Iceland is hoping for a lot of tourism this summer because of our worthless currency, any other one will go a long way. For once Iceland looks cheap, to everyone but the people who live here.

Like when westerners go to India.

OK, maybe not that bad.

Anyways, we are expecting a lot of tourists because other currency's will go further but the prices of hotels have gone up so much more that I think this plan might be blown.

If anyone is paying attention.

When I was working in a hotel the price for a single room was between 8 000 and 10 000 IKR a night, now these prices have doubled or tripled. More in some cases.

Look at Hótel Rekjavík for example (they only advertise in euros) the price for a single room is between 106 and 203 Euros or 17 000 - 35 000 IKR.

This is a huge increase over a year. So where is this extra money going?

I admit the price of food has gone up alot, but they only need to supply breakfast.

No ones wages have gone up that much, most have been cut and those are lucky to still have a job.

I guess there is a chance these Hótel owners have a lot of debt as well and the interest is killing them, like it is killing the rest of us.

Who knows?

Can I fix it?

Well probably not; but still I am trying

There is something very wrong with my computer and it is getting worse every hour:

Now the plan is to delete everything until I delete the problem:*

Wish me luck

Better then a barcode tattooed on my hand

Auðkenni

Better because you can lose it, and it works with the all knowing id number system.
Want to rent a movie? Whats your number?
Attached to my number is an other number. The number to my Auðkenni. A little grew thing that has a button. When you push the button a unique to you, only usable once, 7 digit number appears.
You need this number to sign in for online banking.
I used to think it was a great idea, until I learned that they were not from the bank.
I got a new account with a new bank and thought I would need a new key thing but they said I did not because it was attached to my kennitella (id number) and was in the system. No matter where I open a bank, THE SYSTEM knows what kind of number I need to sign into my online banking.
What else are they keeping on me?

The best thing about fireworks

Maybe for some people it is the bright lights,
for others it maybe the great head ache and huge amount of noise.

I am sure the hospitals look forward to the burn visits.

But for us it is the remains we most enjoy.

Hours of stick chewing for the dog.

Hours of pirate sword fights

and

weeks of star wars.

So glad I saved all the money on sticks!

They Missed Me!

Now I feel important, I was a week late in coming back to work from holidays and they missed me.
I was happy I still had a job, but they really are happy I am back.
It feels good.

At work

was going to write more - but I should find something to do.
Be back soon

Blinding Rage

So I was helping Davíð organize some papers and going through and sorting when I come across a pile of emails from Monika.
All printed out.
I swear the room got darker. A rage began to consume me.
I know this is old stuff, I can just through it away, it is just trash. But the sight of it makes me crazy.
I am normally a reasonably calm person, but for some reason anything with her name, from her, about her or sounding like her makes every muscle in my body tense up and I forget myself.
It does seem worse these days, maybe I am taking my nicotine withdrawal anger out on someone who isn't here.
I need to relax now, maybe I need a bubble bath.

Normal Life

Back at home now and I really do not know where to start in getting things back to normal.

First we need to fix the problems from leaving town.

My slightly scatter packing meant that we ended up leaving Davíð's phone and some vital tools at his parents.

In my defense they were packed but the car was full, no more could fit.

The car has now been unloaded, new sim cards ordered, the house being reorganized as we speak.

The New Year is starting out well.

Among my resolutions are losing another 5 kilos, quitting smoking (for the hundredth time), only wearing clothing that fits me and possibly having a baby girl.

I have managed the quiting now, the worst is over. So I am ready to try for that baby girl I want.

I am trying to wear clothing that fits but it leaves me with so few options, I basically always wear the same thing.

The other 5 kilos are on the way out tomorrow as I get back into the gym. I am soooo looking forward to it.

In the husband news: The doctors have no idea what the lumps in davíð are, so they say it is best to just take them out.

I hope they are right because I just spent the whole weekend talking him into surgery. I guess this is happening in February, so we will be back in Reykjavík then.

Should remember to get the house meeting while we are there too.

So, Normal Life.

Spending so much time getting settled just to tear it all back up again.

AND: We went for a little hike this morning, it was really really windy. There was a lot of abandoned houses, probably because of the wind. But why would you build a house in a place that windy anyways?