Misty Hiking, Delayed Confirmation Party, & Northern Lights

[Photos taken 12 – 30 November 2022, posted online 21 July 2023. Gosh, darnit, my eyesight is changing really fast these days, I get the feeling that in the olden times I should be dead by now!]

Tearing me out of my “just started a new job” stupor was a day hike to Stardalshnúkur & Þríhnúkar on a rainy-misty day, but the clouds cleared at good moments, and good memories were made.

We attended a covid-delayed confirmation party, I tried to find a new gym/work balance, Finnur took photos of northern lights, yule-tide outside lights were put up as the darkness grew, yule-tide shopping began, and life kind of went on as usual.

Saturday 12 November 2022

Me on top of top #3 of Three-tops (Þríhnúkar)!
To go back to the beginning, we parked our cars around 9:30 am, next to a group of fenced in horses.
When we set out, they sort of followed us, maybe hoping for some food or cuddles.
The start was pretty wet.
I think those peaks out in the distance were our first goal.
Hiking along a small ravine.
Crossing water is always extra fun.
I think this is Tröllafoss.
The clouds cleared a little bit.
Rainbow!
Snack-time next to somebody’s property, where trees had been planted, and fenced in to save them from hungry sheep.
During a steady upslope, where I discovered I was in relatively shitty cardio-shape.
We kept going upwards, with frequent stops, as this is a group for regular people, not mountain goats.
The top! Selfie-time!
Here’s my selfie, you could sort of see down to the ground below.
Onwards we went, taking a different route down. This was a slightly terrifying “what-is-under-the-moss?” portion.
One of my favorite photos from this hike.
Around 2 pm we snacked again, before heading up onto that “hill” on the top right.
Half-way up the “hill”, looking to where we came from.
I want to say that that’s Skálafell there, shrouded in clouds.
It turned out that the “hill” has three “tops”, which is why it’s called Þríhnúkar, or Three-tops. This was top #1.
Getting off of top #1 involved a bit of careful clambering.
I made it down!
Looking back on top #1 from top #2.
Lovely view from the cairn on top #2. You can see the side of top #3 on the right.
Waiting in line to rappel down off of top #2. Top #3 is there on the right.
Yours truly slowly backing down off of top #2.
The top of top #3.
Attempting a photo from low down over a puddle.
Getting down off of top #3 was another clambering excercise.
Lots of loose rocks, but we all made it.
It was 4:30 pm when we began walking back the way we came.
The farm where we parked.
Mount Esja from a slightly different perspective than usual. The cars were a sight for sore feet!
The screenshot from Strava.

Wednesday 16 November 2022

Instead of having a kitchen on site, the company uses a meal-service, where you can choose one of four options for each day, from a rotating roster of providers. We know when lunch has arrived due to the delivery van having this lovely rusted roof!

Saturday 19 November 2022

Emma attended a group-workshop at her music school, and us parents got to witness what they came up with. It was a lot of fun!
With a marathon-like spirit, my cousin held a Confirmation party for her son, that should have been held a week after Bjarki’s confirmation in March 2021, but got shut down due to Covid-prevention group-size restrictions.
It was a lovely party, and sort of combined a confirmation, birthday- and yule-tide party all in one!
Family selfie.

Tuesday 22 November 2022

Apparently, I’d managed to put up the outside yule-lights. I’ve deemed it easier than fixing the proper outside lights that are broken.

Wednesday 23 November 2022

Setting out on a lunch time walk.
Took a photo of a rather dangerous pothole that was on the off-ramp of a multi-lane road, and sent it to the town. I guess they were fixing potholes nearby, and this one was fixed the following day!

Thursday 24 November 2022

I had to reschedule all my gym-times due to the new job (not really able to quit as early as in the prior job) and so I ended up in a 7:30 morning group that my brother trains. He gets up ridiculously early in the mornings some days, hence the energy drink!
Looking at the area under construction, during a lunch walk. Smáralind mall is there on the left, just out of frame.
The building I work in is referred to as the “Heart-protection-building”, or Hjartaverndarhúsið, due to the large heart on top, which belongs to the Icelandic Heart Association (Hjartavernd).

Friday 25 November 2022

Finnur’s been enjoying taking photos of the northern lights up by our summer house, now that he has a tripod for his phone.
Sometimes they really dance in the sky!
Animated gif of a timelapse over 3-4 minutes! (Wait for it to load).
Moving fast!

Saturday 26 November 2022

I kept trying to looking for furniture that would fit in with the new living room organization. Got this shelf eventually shortly before Christmas, only to return it after Christmas.

Sunday 27 November 2022

A bird reminding me that I really should go buy some birdfeed for the upcoming winter-weather.
I’m a sucker for lighting up the winter darkness. This year I added some colored lights to the fences outside.

Tuesday 29 November 2022

Christmas shopping swung into full swing with Singles Day (11.11), and then Black Friday, which have migrated over to Iceland. I managed to score a few nice discounted things, and so it seemed did a lot of other people! This is the pile of stuff still to be picked up at the Body Shop store.
My ex-broken-ankle still swells up at the slightest provocation, like staying upright for an extended period of time, much more than the other foot. So annoying.

Wednesday 30 November 2022

I realized late at night that I hardly had any photos of the kids for the annual calendar for the entire month of November, as my head had been too busy starting a new job. So, I took a few photos. This is Bjarki who’s a little too fond of sugary drinks for his own good.
Anna in her comfy zone.
Emma enjoying some piano-time. Thus end-eth November 2022!