[Photos taken 01 – 08 August 2021, posted online 12 December 2021. We had snow, but now it’s almost all gone. Also, I hitchhiked with two friends to Tenerife for a week in November, and just didn’t have the energy to touch my laptop while there.]
Of course, as luck would have it, Covid-19 cases began ballooning in Iceland just as Anna finally went on vacation. Again, for the second summer in a row, it put a big damper on making and executing any travel plans.
We managed to do a bit of work at house #2, I took the kids swimming, on a forest walk, and then organized two simultaneous (slightly overly complicated) horse-rental outings. Back in town we went bowling, and then I began renovating Bjarki’s bedroom as he’s firmly a proper teenager now. (70-ish images total)
Sunday 01 August 2021
Emma trampolining up at house #2.
Finnur went to work tidying up the pile of timber that used to be a kiddie-play-house, but succumbed to mold as there was no ventilation in place.
I went to work tearing up the grass that had invaded the shrub-area.
To break up the day, I took the kiddos swimming in Borgarnes. They were (mostly) entirely out of gas when we emerged.
Oh, the drama!
We refueled at the usual cafe.
Once back at house #2, I went back to warring against the grass.
Making slow and steady progress…
Slowly but surely losing my mind.
After dinner we gave Finnur his birthday presents, and a cake for dessert!
Monday 02 August 2021
The Governmental Forestry Service was given land in 1951 that had proved to be too steep to farm. Now there is a size-able forest there, and that was our destination that day. We started where the yellow and cyan roads rise from the road, and walked north west.
Walking along the forestry road. The kids felt slightly freaked out, they’re not used to walking in forests!
The remains of the old farmstead. The family house is gone, what’s left standing was the barn.
Inside there is a guestbook, and information on how to buy the artwork on display.
Poem about Stálpastaðir, the name of the farm/land.
I’m fairly sure there were no big trees outside this window when it was still a farm. The land was donated to the forestry service in 1951 as it was too steep to farm on.
Apparently the forestry service put beds in the barn for workers at some point, but it´s obviously been a while since the house was used for real.
Photos on display behind the barn.
The kids wandered off, attempting to get lost.
The other side of the house.
After walking along car-worthy roads, we found really nice and well-maintained paths for people, and made our way down towards the lake.
Obligatory stone-skipping-attempts in progress.
The trees make this view quite un-Icelandic.
Trying out the water. It should be obvious from the tree-growth on the opposite side that tree’s need a lot of love and care, and protection from sheep, to thrive in Iceland.
Sneaky foot-path into the forest visible on the left.
Proof I was there!
We found a major parental fail-point, the younger kids didn’t know how to make flat-grass squeal. Bjarki spent the rest of the way walking back making loud noises.
Tuesday 03 August 2021
This day was so complicated that I barely managed to sleep the night before due to all the things I needed to remember to say and do in the morning, and worrying whether if it would all work out. Thankfully, the stars aligned and the weather kicked in with extra gorgeousness. This is Emma at a horse rental site, giving the local dog some much appreciated attention.
For the first time ever I decided to split the family up to go riding. I took Emma to Sturlureykir while Finnur drove Anna and Bjarki to Oddstaðir, pretty much at the same time. The reason was that the big kids really wanted to go on a fast/real ride, while Emma and myself were looking for a slower pace, and Finnur had already had enough riding for the summer.
Like the first horse rental we visited this summer, we mounted our horses inside a barn. We had one other rental-rider with us, a lady from the US who was even more of a horse-riding novice than we were.
We rode slowly towards this spot in the local river where a hot-spring is continually going.
On horse-back! The weather was fabulous!
So pretty. I think I’ll be bringing the whole family to this place next summer for the first ride of the summer.
We crossed the river a few times!
Emma got to help giving the horses their after-ride candy, and combing them! Soon thereafter the lady of the house was off again, as a new group of people had arrived.
Meanwhile, Anna and Bjarki had ridden up to a plain and down again. After all those years at horse-riding camp, they know how it’s done.
Anna enjoying life on horse-back.
After our horse-ride it was time for lunch, so we drove a hop and a skip to Krauma (again!) in search of food.
Good stuff!
Wednesday 04 August 2021
We made our way back to town, and I took the kids bowling.
Bjarki’s getting better and better at this.
Anna trying to close her ears against the constant bickering of her siblings.
Victorious!
The reason for being in town: Into-meeting at a hiking club I’d signed up for with Agnes that includes about two hikes per month for the coming year! This is the owner and main-guide giving his run-down of things to know.
I was inspired to go out for a bit afterwards.
Ahhh, lovely bright evenings of August. This is at 11 pm!
Arty droplets.
Thursday 05 August 2021
I deemed it time to start working on renovating Bjarki’s room, as he had bought a computer monitor off of a friend and needed a desk… and a place to put his ever bigger clothes … and a new bed for his ever growing body.
This was also the last day of the summer Ikea sale, which did help get me started.
We found most everything we needed, but all these months later, we’re still waiting on doors for his wardrobe.
Ikea is always busy!
Anna brought Finnur’s car (with the hook) so we could transport all the stuff home in Ikea’s rental carriage. Success!
Also worth noting: I finally reached Level 40 in Pokemon Go, but I seriously doubt I’ll go any higher than that, as I’m just such a lazy player!
Friday 06 August 2021
The following day began at Ikea when I got an email notifying me that the shelves that were missing the day before had popped up. Go, go, go!
A before image of Bjarki’s room. This room began its life as an office (hence the shelves), then turned into Emma’s bedroom, then Bjarki began sleeping there as well on a small bed we were “storing”, then Emma moved into his old room, and this old big bed got moved up from the front room.
This chest of drawers was no longer big enough to contain Bjarki’s clothes, the hoodies in particular.
Oh dear. I guess this was well overdue!
By 5:30 pm the room had been cleared enough a new bed could be installed.
A bedframe taking shape.
Whoa, that’s a tall bed!!
Saturday 07 August 2021
The day began at Te and kaffi, where a pigeon had discovered the way inside. It got chased out 1-2 times until the barista caved and closed the door.
The day was spent installing these two white wardrobe-frames. Getting them mounted to the wall and (mostly) level took the better part of forever.
Time to go visit the recycling center…
Date night!
I was there too!
It was still light out at 9pm when we got home, and I began pulling weeds before entering the house… and couldn’t stop until there was no more space in my hand!
Sunday 08 August 2021
Goodbye old mattress. With it went fond memories from when Adda and Halli visited us in California, promptly falling ill with the flu (the real stuff!). Every two days somebody fell into bed, and stayed there, and we ended up updating our guest bed to this mattress because the ratty old mattress we had was giving people back-problems!
Finnur had gone to house #2 to stain wood, and in the meantime I finally began assembling Bjarki’s new desk.
Desk almost assembled. Some of the old shelves still remain in the room as I can’t quite figure out what to do with that space.
