Vacation (Zero)Whale-Watching, Riding & 2nd Hike
[Photos taken 13-15 August 2021, posted online 19 December 2021. It’s still 8C/45F out, diagnosed covid-cases are again ominously close to breaking daily records, new regulations expected this week.]
Finnur returned to work mid-week, as he’d started his vacation a little ahead of me, but I still had a few more days and a strong need to Do Something.
The newspaper had a report that whale-sightings had been going unusually well, so I booked our first whale-watching tour ever. The weather was excellent, sun and no wind, but apparently all the sea mammals were done showing off, and we only saw one pod of dolphins that zoomed past and were in no mood to play, and one minke whale that also scampered off quickly. Deeming the tour a ‘miss’, the operator gave us free tickets for another ride good for two years, which can also be used sailing out from Akureyri in the north.
The following day we tried out yet another horse rental operator, this time by the edge of the city area. They offered a three-hour ride for experienced riders and a two-hour ride for novices, departing an hour apart, so that suited us well. Again the weather was exceptionally good!
On the last day of my vacation I went on my first long-ish hike with the walking group, 12 km/7.5 miles, which took up most of the day. It was really fun! (60-ish images total)
Friday 13 August 2021
Vacation Park-Life, Staining & 1st Hike
[Photos taken 09 – 12 August 2021, posted online 18 December 2021. It’s unseasonably warm outside (7C/45F), and we await the oncoming Omicron Covid storm, while crossing fingers we don’t end up in quarantine over the holidays.]
Our last week on vacation arrived way to quickly, and the weather forecast was good enough that Finnur had reason to stain wood at house #2, and me at house #1. The kids were told to hang out with the friends so we had time to work!
We did make it to the farm-animal and family park, Bjarki’s room renovation project continued, I slathered wood-oil on some of our fence and decks, and I went on my first formal hike with the hiking group I signed up with. (35-ish images total)
Monday 09 August 2021
Vacation Swim, Horses, Forest & Room Renovation
[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
Vacation Weeding & Housework
[Photos taken 21 – 31 July 2021, posted online 31 October 2021. Happy Halloween!]
Bjarki’s summer job ended on 21 July, but Anna’s would go on through the end of July. We therefore signed Emma up for some more horse camp, and just … didn’t do much at all.
Finnur skipped between town and house #2 to oil/stain wood, I weeded as much as my sanity allowed, and managed a few little projects on the side like hemming curtains (sooo exciting!) and planning to upgrade Bjarki’s room. I got wasps killed, and went in for a covid-19 test, just to be sure. (75-ish images total)
Wednesday 21 July 2021
Parental Vacation: Víðgelmir, Húsafell & Krauma
[Photos taken 19 – 20 July 2021, posted online 30 October 2021. Pumpkins appear to be sold out in Iceland, might have to carve out watermelons this year!]
Our good friends, Adda and Halli, had a treasure trove of gift cards that were either expired or about to expire (but all still magically valid because of Covid-19) that all centered around the area of Húsafell. They asked if we’d be their (adults only) travel partners, and, after securing a sleepover for Emma, we said yes!
That Monday I hitched a ride with them to Húsafell, where we met Finnur, who’d packed up house #2. We drove over to the cave site of Víðgelmir, went on a cave walk, drove back to Húsafell, checked into the hotel proper, enjoyed the ridiculously good weather playing Rummikub on the patio, before eating dinner at the hotel restaurant.
Afterwards, I was so stuffed I desperately needed to move, so I went on an evening walk around the area in the gorgeous evening sun, while the others chatted and chilled.
The next day we drove towards the hot tub spa of Krauma, stopping on the way by the pretty lava-side waterfalls (Hraunfossar/Barnafossar). At Krauma we hung out in the hot tubs, and then ate a late lunch before driving back to civilization and parental responsibilities. (70-ish images total)
Monday 19 July 2021
Bjarki Turns 14 Years Old!
[Photos taken 28 June – 01 July 2021, posted online 26 September 2021. Elections yesterday, for the first time in Iceland, women hold more than half the seats in parliament.]
Bjarki’s long awaited birthday finally appeared and he’s now officially 14 years old, and busy checking ever more boxes on the “stereotypical-teen checklist”.
We again held two parties, one for each family, a few days apart, in between life as usual. (25-ish images total)
Monday 28 June 2021
Lava-Looking, Tidying & Filling House #2
[Photos taken 23 – 27 June 2021, posted online 12 September 2021. The remnants of hurricane Larry are visiting Iceland.]
I’d been waiting for the weather to be nice enough to warrant a walk to the active volcano eruption, and finally the conditions lined up nicely, weather-and-wind-wise. Bjarki and Anna decided to join me, we ate a fast-food hamburger dinner, and then drove about 40 minutes to the parking lot by the main walking path.
There was no fresh lava flowing, but we enjoyed walking alongside the newly hardened lava, spotting one hole into a red-hot furnace, and had ourselves a small picnic.
The first two weeks of Emma’s horse riding school came to a close with a “show”, Bjarki departed on a two-night gymnastics trip, home-tidying commenced as birthday-celebrations loomed, and we hosted Finnur’s family (adults only) at house #2. (55-ish images total)
Wednesday 23 June 2021
Anniversary, Parties & Family-Meet!
[Photos taken 17 – 20 June 2021, posted online 05 September 2021. Autumn weather is creeping up on us, the leaves have begun turning. Covid-19 cases still being diagnosed at a steady, perhaps diminishing clip, this wave has seen 3 deaths so far. Oh, and our house has a new roof.]
Finnur and I marked 27 (Twenty-Seven!) years of togetherness, then it was back to life as usual…
Well, not quite, as our social calendar just exploded with activity. Over the almost-long-weekend (Thursday was a public holiday), we hosted friends at house #2, I attended a party with my EE undergrad cohort, Finnur took the kids to a family-meet, while I attended a second masters-degree graduation of a friend, and then we celebrated mom’s birthday!
So. Many. People. In. Such. A. Short. Time! (40-ish images)
Independence Day – Thursday 17 June 2021
Plants Grow, Grass Mowed & Horse Camp Begins
[Photos taken 08 – 16 June 2021, posted online 28 August 2021. Anna made it two school days before being put under a ‘be extra covid-cautious’ order due to her sharing a class with, but not sitting next to, a Covid-19-infected student. So far she seems ok…]
Life continued as usual mostly, aside from Emma beginning horse camp at a new horse-camp, as the other one up and moved to the north of the country!
The garden finally decided it was time to flower a bit, and grass needed mowing. A movie was seen in a movie theater, Finnur mastered making and fastening fly-nets, we attended a confirmation party, and I started a new psoriasis treatment. (50-ish images total)
Tuesday 08 June 2021
Garden Works & Cold Gorgeous Weather
[Photos taken 01 – 06 May 2021, posted online 31 July 2021. Close to 20C/68F weather in the capital area for a few days, we are both thrilled and wilting. ]
As May began, Anna got on our case to expand the space for her veggie garden. The weather cooperated and spring-time jobs were the name of the game.
The weather kept being cold, gorgeous, and very very dry. So dry that a big bush-fire erupted close to our house! (30-ish images total)
Saturday 01 May 2021
