Let’s Go Outside

2020-05-16Friends, Us Standard

[Photos taken 16 – 22 May 2020, posted online 14 November 2020. Covid-19 is on a steady decline in Iceland, the ground is white with frost, but little actual snow yet this fall.]

We kept being careful, and not meeting that many people, or at least we tried to make sure we let some time pass between meet-ups.

I kept working from home, Anna’s school came to a close, and the music school ended with a bit of a whimper as all school concerts were canceled. But the weather was good, and I explored new walking grounds. (50-ish images total)

Saturday 16 May 2020

Anna mentally limped towards the end of her quarter at school, but she made it in the end, passing all her courses with good grades. Since her school was all-remote between March and May, experiments had to be done at home, including this chemistry experiment on flow. (Her phone ran out of batteries so I ended up with a few photos on my phone.)
With all the hair-salons closed, Emma’s hair was getting quite long!

Sunday 17 May 2020

New fitbit, my old one started constantly vibrating for not good reason.
About to go on a walkabout, shocked at the size of the trees.
That wooden building houses a new-ish restaurant, which has been full every time I try to book a table, admittedly same-day.
The other direction, looking over the richy-rich neighborhood of Arnarnes.
That was also the day my brother Bjarni went to pick up a puppy!

Monday 18 May 2020

Siblings outside, playing in the street. I really like that our street is a cul-de-sac.
Emma on the move.
Anna on the move.
Bjarki with a ball on the move.
Good to be outside.
Emma in agreement.
Up at the far end.
Getting closer!

Tuesday 19 May 2020

That morning I found myself downtown, waiting in a coffee/book-shop, while Anna’s met her orthodontist. The cat got served. Shockingly I saw what appeared to be a few tourists milling about!
Ah, the ever fashionable f-word.
That afternoon, Bjarki had an end-of-term gathering at his music school, so I went on a walkabout by the nearby lake.
A tiny house by the lake.
Here be horses.
The lake’s dam.
Walking along the river I spotted a fisherman or two.
The big road that crosses the river. Those apartment buildings in the distance are in Breiðholt, where I lived until I was 8 years old.
Another fisherman, as I walked towards the big road. I found to my chagrin that the path that goes along the road on that side towards the pedestrian bridge is a horse-path, and I felt very awkward walking along it while horses thundered by.
Ye-olde pedestrian bridge. Thankfully I made it back in time, but haven’t repeated the trip due to the horse-path incident.

Thursday 21 May 2020

Bjarki checking out a trick-deck of cards he ordered from a store in California on 2 April, and finally made it to Iceland that week! According to the tracking info, the parcel was stuck in the Jamaica post office in New York for weeks.
We placed the veggie boxes, and I took a photo to ask Facebook how to finalize them.
To signify the formal end of covid restrictions, I finally packed up the gym mats, which had covered the floor since I bought them way back in March.
Yet another post-dinner walk. Bjarki playing basketball with neighbors.
Lovely greenery.
It’s taking a long time to finalize some of the new buildings close to us.
I like how colorful the new neighborhood is.
Lovely evening rainbow. (9 pm)
I spotted Bjarki on my way back home.

Friday 22 May 2020

Anna and I visited Ikea, which had finally reopened after operating as a webstore for a few weeks.
We were on the hunt for some summer plants. We visited a nursery we’ve never been to before, and found these impressive remnants of trees, that probably got too shady for the rest of the plants.
Our haul.
18C / 64F !
At home, one of the perennials was beginning to bloom.
About to go on a walkabout during Anna’s piano lesson. The music school moved the fall before, so now it’s a 10 minute drive away, and not a 10 minute walk away. It doesn’t make sense to drive back home in the meantime.
There are a lot of horse-paths around, as this used to be on the edge of civilization, but civilization is catching up fast.
Pretty river.
Old bridge.
On the other side of the river, looking towards the mountains.
That glassy building is still not being used for much at all. It’s a remnant of the spectacular crash in 2008, and stood half-finished for a very long time. I think there are finally some plans being made for it now.
I’d never explored that area before, turns out there are quite a few paths around.
Waiting for Bjarki to finish his gymnastics practice.
That evening we went OUT TO DINNER with Adda and Halli.
Giddy with food-joy after being politely kicked out at 23 (11pm) which was the closing time of all restaurants in May.
Gorgeous sky outside close to midnight.