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
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
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
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
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
Covid-19 Wave #3 Begins
[Photos taken 16 – 30 September 2020, posted online 06 March 2021. Spring weather in February, as a volcanic eruption is possible/imminent. Zero active Covid-19 cases found outside of quarantine since 01 February 2021. ]
Mid-September, the percolating Covid-19 infection rate suddenly exploded on the heels of a few super-spreader events in bars, and at least one combat-gym. When it became clear we were heading into exponential-growth territory, restrictions began tightening.
In retrospect, they probably tightened too slow, as wave #3 ended up being long and vicious.
We participated in a few people-meetings (confirmation party! out to lunch! visiting cafes!), but mostly we began hunkering down, observing the autumn colors taking over the world. I painted yet another wall, the last of the veggie harvest was brought indoors, and we began prepping for winter. (55-ish images total)
Wednesday 16 September 2020
Hiding at House #2
[Photos taken 01 – 05 August 2020, posted online 31 January 2021. It’s been a snowless cold month on our side of the country, the other side is drowning in snow. Very few Covid-19 cases found these past few days.]
We visited house #2 with Adda and Halli and spent a few calms days there. Right about that time, Covid-19 wave #2 began, which meant we mostly stayed put to avoid crowds, which was restful in and of itself (80-ish images total)
Saturday 01 August 2020
Geysir, Horses, Sun & Birthday
[Photos taken 26 – 31 July 2020, posted online 17 January 2021. Zero domestic covid-19 cases found yesterday for the first time in four months, the border is seeing an increase in cases though. It’s a bit scary.]
Anna kept reminding me of my promise of more than one horse riding tour, so we found an operator close to the Geysir area, and booked a tour. Afterwards we took a peak at the bubbling waters, while the car charged.
Finnur joined us, and we frolicked in the sun and even visited Fontana, the spa on the edge of Laugarvatn lake. Then we drove back into town, and celebrated Finnur’s 46th (!) birthday. (65-ish images total)
Sunday 26 July 2020
Vacation Begins & Perlan Visit
[Photos taken 17 – 20 July 2020, posted online 14 January 2021. Covid-19 restrictions were loosened a bit yesterday, so Finnur went to his actual office to work, and I was all of a sudden all alone at home! ]
At long last, our 4-week-long summer vacation began. Unlike other vacations, it began entirely unplanned. With no trips or activities planned, we made an idea board, and a calendar and tried to piece something together as we went along. Our first activities were more dog-sitting, and checking out Perlan.
Covid kept a fairly low profile throughout July, but by the very end, the news turned more ominous as it was confirmed that cases had leaked through the border. Bah-humbug! (50-ish images)
Friday 17 July 2020
