Gully-Walking, Bowling & Movie-ing
[Photos taken 21 – 30 April 2021, posted online 28 July 2021. The weather is silly gorgeous, and we just had an exterminator over to kill a wasps nest by the BBQ.]
By the end of April, the days had become quite long, and it became a battle to get the kids to sleep. I began having to wake the kids up pretty much every morning… that’s no fun for anybody.
We scored an extra public holiday in the First Day of Summer, and hung out at house #2 with friends (more impromptu planning). The two matriarchs went on a walk, and ended up scrambling down a long gully.
Restrictions were also lifted somewhat, so we went bowling and to the movies! Anna also tended to her plants and baked fancy cookies. (60-ish images total)
Wednesday 22 April 2021
Last-Minute House #2 Trips & Vaccination #1
[Photos taken 06 – 20 April 2021, posted online 27 July 2021. Finally, finally, there is sunshine and/or no rain predicted for five consecutive days in the capital area. Lets go stain some woodwork!]
House #2 kept playing a big part as multiple friends were desperate for human contact and two last-minute weekend trips happened. Aside from that, life chugged along as usual, with the kids returning to school, gyms etc opening up (but not the locker rooms), and winter and spring kept fighting for dominance.
Then, somewhat surprisingly, it was my turn to get the first covid-19 vaccine shot! (55-ish images total)
Tuesday 06 April 2021
Post-Confirmation Errand Runs & YACW (Yet Another Covid-19 Wave)
[Photos taken 23-31 March 2021, posted online 23 July 2021. All eyes on the news as Icelandic Covid-19 cases skyrocket. The capital weather remains gloomy with occasional spurts of sunshine, as the north and east of Iceland bake under a heat-dome. The ministers of Iceland will meet in the east of Iceland today (they’re all traveling and hanging out under the heat-dome) to decide which of the domestic restrictions proposed by our chief epidemiologist to enact.]
Two days post-confirmation-parties I signed myself up for a covid-19 test as my throat was feeling a bit raw, probably post-Talking. So. Much. on Sunday. Happily I tested negative. We also went and deposited Bjarki’s confirmation money-haul into the bank (had to make two attempts, as the banks went into lockdown-mode, and you had to make an appointment!), and researched and purchased a gaming-worthy laptop for Bjarki as our confirmation present to him. We have not seen his face since then 😉
Covid-19 infections began spiking, this time in schools, so mindful of poor outcomes last fall when the infection made its way into a geriatric ward and a lot of old people died, authorities clamped down hard. First through 10th grade kids were essentially sent on Easter vacation two days early, but the junior colleges and workplaces jumped straight to remote teaching/working.
As sanity in general was running rather low, Finnur and I both took three vacation days, which over Easter means a total of 10 vacation days. Yes, official religions are still good for something. 🙂 (50-ish images total)
Tuesday 23 March 2021
Emma’s Birthday #2, Earthquakes Swarm
[Photos taken 24 – 28 February 2021, posted online 26 June 2021. As of today, Icelandic authorities have revoked all domestic Covid-19 restrictions, but border restrictions remain in place. The reason is high vaccination rates, with about 80% of 16+ year-olds having at least begun vaccinations, and 50% being fully vaccinated.]
After our fun ski trip, it was mostly back to life as normal, except for hosting Emma’s birthday party #2, going out to dinner, aaaand a sudden rise in earthquake activity close by (that would culminate in an actual volcanic eruption a month later!). (25-ish images)
Wednesday 24 February 2021
Akureyri Ski Trip
[Photos taken 18 – 22 February 2021, posted online 19 June 2021. These are super social days according to the hair salon ladies and news from the liquor store, they’re both super busy!! First it was the remnants of the confirmations, this weekend marks the end of the graduations, and then we’re moving on to weddings.]
One of the sewing club ladies had the organizational foresight in October 2020 to suggest the club go skiing in the north during the February winter school break. The club was up for it, and lodging was booked with the assumption that Covid-19 would be under control, and before we knew it it was time to go! This was essentially a repeat of the ski-trip we took with the club in 2014, we stayed a the same place, Lamb-Inn.
Covid-19 restrictions meant that the number of available passes was limited, and the ski area split the day into two slots. The demand for passes broke the booking system, but we got what we needed in the end. All in all, a good time was had by all, although it was super weird to be among so many people at the same time! (50-ish images total)
Thursday 18 February 2021
Emma’s 8th Birthday!!!
[Photos taken 12 – 17 February 2021, posted online 18 June 2021. It’s been a rather cold June so far, but thankfully a little wet along with the dryness. Also, Finnur and I have been a couple for twenty-seven years now, eeek!]
At long last, Emma’s 8th birthday arrived! She requested breakfast in bed with a little bit of chocolate, and I obliged. With Covid-19 momentarily mostly under control, we invited people over and had a proper birthday party (part 1)! Then we moved on to cream-puff-day, eat-till-you-explode-day, and ash-Wednesday-aka-second-Halloween, while preparing for an actual ski trip (with more people!) to the north of Iceland. (30-ish images total)
Friday 12 February 2021
Gatherings, Wacky Weather, Odd Jobs
[Photos taken 04-11 February 2021, posted online 13 June 2021. Covid-19 vaccinations continue apace, every last dosage that arrives is making it into people, and tourism is picking up again. Masks have mostly disappeared. The weather could be nicer, it’s currently pouring with rain.]
With Covid-19 numbers staying very low, crazy things could happen like a trampoline park classroom party, and an actual in-person sewing club! Mixed in were the usual walk-about-s, the shelves dad sent from the UK appeared just in time for Emma’s birthday, the weather was dramatically cold and/or snowy, and an actual ski trip north loomed! (25-ish images total)
Thursday 04 February 2021
Friends! Dinners! Increased Daylight!
[Photos taken 15-31 January 2021, posted online 05 June 2021. Vaccinations continue, and everybody born on or after 1975 has gotten a summons for at least one shot, as well as various priority groups. This is posted from an ice-skating rink, where the practice-year-end show is about to commence, and Emma is participating.]
Having seemingly dodged a post-holiday Covid-19 explosion, we began meeting friends again. My sewing club actually went out to dinner together (!), we went with friends to house #2(!), us old ones went out to dinner(!), we had someone over for dinner(!), etc… (60-ish images total)
Friday 15 January 2021
Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021!!!
[Photos taken 31 December 2002, posted online 22 May 2021. Attended an actual gymnastics competition this morning, there were people there. Yes, masked and sitting far apart, but still, people!]
As per instructions from the Icelandic authorities, the new year’s eve party at Finnur’s parents was a lot smaller than in past years, but good fun was had nonetheless!
We were all excited to say goodbye to the general shit-show that had been 2020, and the annual comedy hour that evening (see youtube with English subtitles, recommend 11:57, and I identified so hard with 33:52) was the best it’s been in years, in my humble opinion. (35-ish images total)
Thursday 31 December 2020
Haircuts, Other People & Frosty World
[Photos taken 01 – 09 December 2020, posted online 09 May 2021. We’ve had one gorgeous chilly day after another but no precipitation for weeks, and things are getting a bit dry out there.]
The hair salons got permission to restart operations as Covid numbers stayed “reasonable”, but with mask mandates etc. We used the opportunity and tidied up the family members. We also decided to visit people (!!!) and got visited. In general the world stayed pretty frozen, and my mental state began bracing for Christmas. (40-ish images).
Tuesday 01 December 2020
