[Photos taken 07 – 13 January 2023, posted online 09 September 2023. Fall is in the air, it’s getting wetter and chillier.]
My social media got filled with people on cross-country skis in glorious weather, so I gathered up my courage Saturday morning, found the skis I’d bought the previous season, and headed out to a nearby lake, where a group of people were maintaining tracks. I found out that I was about the slowest person there, but I still made it around the 4.5 km around lake, phew!
We went on to finalizing Yule two-days late, with tea, yule-tree-disposal, and the breaking of the ginger bread house. In the following week, I got myself a new covid shot, we went to see Iliza perform, and I kept visiting the gym!
Saturday 07 January 2023
On Hafravatn!
Found a way to put the skis into Finnur’s car. It’s better than my car in iffy road conditions.
I missed the good weather, but it was nice enough.
There’s a spot where a river runs into the lake, and the ice was less than solid there.
Proof I was on skis! This was hard work (probably mostly because I didn’t know what I was doing).
The location of Hafravatn, by the capital area. The route was 4.5 km/2.8 miles long.
Sunday 08 January 2023
Finnur’s parents invited their descendants to a slightly-late end-of-yule gathering.
Last chance to burn down those red candles.
There was a sporting event on tv.
Back at home, the decorations were removed off of the tree, and packed away, yet again.
Our town announced that it would no longer pick up stray trees, we would have to get it to a nearby collection point. Happily, my car is amazing.
Then it was time to truly finalize the end of yule by destroying the ginger bread house. Bjarki got to take the first hit. (Animated gif, wait for it to load.)
Anna finished the job! (Animated gif, wait for it to load.)
The house disappeared in the blink of an eye!
Monday 09 January 2023
Always a fun start to the day.
This was actually fun!
The shower stool came out of the garage yet again, as another person we know slipped on ice, broke their ankle, and needed it. This stool has sadly gotten used about once every year since 2016.
Tuesday 10 January 2023
Sledding fun the morning after.
I went in to get yet another covid shot: got a number and waited for my turn. As I waited I thought my eyesight had gotten really really bad. Turns out, whoever made the laminated number-ticket had increased the font size via ZOOM rather than actually increasing the font size. You can see the individual pixels! Note that my fingers are in focus!
There was a mild thaw, and parking became precarious as the salted snow turned to slippery sludge.
Iliza decided to take a vacation in Iceland, and ended it with a stand-up performance!
The show was a hoot, and it’s always funny to compare and contrast what you see on stage vs the stuff that is put out on Netflix. Turns out Netflix heavily edits the shows so the continuation of the jokes (where you start pee-laughing) don’t make it to Netflix, probably due to time constraints and focus groups.
Wednesday 11 January 2023
The entirely predictable fever post-covid-shot, and general malaise. It disappeared overnight.
Friday 13 January 2023
Friday fun times with brother about to start!
The plan. I never-ever manage to finish the plan, I tell myself it’s because I spend so much time adding weights, and lifting heavy.
