888 as opposed to 666 or 777

It suddenly struck me that the years ending in 8 seem to be significant in my life.
My home, as seen above the door was built in 1898, which means that it will be 110 years old this year. There is not much left of the original house, except perhaps the cellar and some of thewalls, the reason being that the house has been "extended" quite often, twice by my dad. It still has lots of "old" bits in it, one of my favourites being the original threshold which is now inside the house.
Next comes 1948, the year my eldest brother was born. Probably not too significant, but he was always a significant in the freudian way, in my life.
1968 is the year my family (apart from eldest brother), moved to Australia.
1978 I planned my trip to Iceland. I went in 79 for 10 months before going to Uni back in Aus.
1988 I planned my return to Australia after having been in Iceland for 2 years trying to get my life sorted.
1998 I moved to Sydney, probably one of the most trying times of my life.
2008 here I am in Iceland, again wondering what is next.

It's probably all a load of crock, but I figure that we should do something significant on the 10th of Feb to remember that day 40 years ago when a family of 6 left a small fishing village in the North of Iceland to start a new life in a country so far away. I often wonder what was going through my fathers mind on that day. It would have been so hard, leaving all that he knew, all his family, friends, not to mention his eldest son, in search of a better life for his children and perhaps a new start.
I know that my siblings kids are all Australian and yet retain their pride in their Icelandic heritage. How different all our lives would have been had my parents never undertaken this journey, I know that I have no regrets, but I can´t help but wonder. Then I think, what if Erik the Red hadn´t gone to Greenland, what if Marco Polo had not gone to China, or Karlsefni to Iceland.
Thinking about this makes me think perhaps we should all have stayed at home, would life have been easier if Ghengis Khan stayed at home, if the emperors of Rome hadn´t wanted to extend the empire? If the Brits, French and Germans hadn´t wanted to colonise the World that was not Europe?
But then - how boring would we be.. No sushi, chinese or indian cuisine. Pasta would not be Italian food. We in Iceland - well wouldn´t be a we..

You´re a wonder Wonder Woman

OK so I am regressing to my childhood and my childhood heroes. I have purchased the box set of the 3 seasons of Wonder Woman, my personal favourite super hero. Anyhoo, as I have been watching it I have noticed a resemblance to of all people, Katie Holmes. If only she had not married tom they might have found someone capable of starring in the film that is yet to be made but really really should be made.

To make my point I trolled the internet for photos of Lynda Carter (the ultimate wonder woman) and Ms Holmes - perhaps I have been here too long and perhaps I have too much time on my hands.

This would be Lynda Carter as her alter persona Diana Prince
This would be Kate Holmes seriously glassed up

Perhaps I am exagerating the likeness - but there is something there. Pity that she chopped off her locks and lost her breasts and half her brain and that Scientology probably has serious issues with females being intelligent, strong and not in need of a mate.

Its a sad sad day in S´Krok

Then (photo from Héraðskjalasafn Sauðárkróks)

Last night (photo from skagafjordur.com)

Mum phoned last night at 2am to check to make sure I was in bed as the restaurant Kaffi Krok was burning. Why check to see if I am safe and in bed - well this amazing house is my favourite watering hole in S´Krok had it been a Friday night I would probably have been there.

The house was built in 1887 and is of significant historical and cultural value to the town and to all the people that live here.

It was a horrible sight this morning when I took the dog for a walk. Such total devastation, I feel so sorry for Jon the proprietor, he had put so much work into building up the place into a thriving business. I wonder now too, what will happen to all the people that were employed there.

All I hope is that the insurance and conservation folk will get together and help rebuild it to how it once was as the streetscape in S´krok just won´t be the same without it.

"Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful" - Ann Landers

So its 2008, and as with most of my New Years I spent it at my uncle Bjössi´s house with cousins, their husbands/wives, children and grandchildren. The picture is of my cousins husband as I feel that he typifies New Year in Iceland, we wear our Sunday bests and look good for the bringing in of a new year in our lives, no board shorts here in Iceland. Mind you the weather may have something to do with that!

The Turkey, as always was cooked to perfection, and as usual there was more than enough food for the 20 or so that were there. Just in case they cooked a leg of lamb as well. I have so many fond memories of so many new years eves at Bjössi´s, in Aus I used to dread new years eve, it was always one of the most depressing days of the year. If I was at home at mum and dads you could be assured that we would all be fast asleep when the clock struck twelve, if I was with friends I would usually be feeling depressed due to the lack of a significant other. Those times when one was present I would usually be disappointed with their lack of romance, so for me new years was never a happy occasion - until 1999/2000 when I was in Iceland, for the first time I actually had a really really good time. Thanks to the wonderful folk that are my fathers brothers family... As usual in Iceland fireworks are the main event, having a dog means that you have to take consideration to the four footed ones and ensure that they are feeling ok on the night. This year it meant that I left the festivities early and took the little one home. On the way we made a visit at yet another cousins house where Tara lives. She is such a beautiful golden retriever, a treasure and her and freyja are good friends so I had to let them have a bit of a sniff.

After the traditional 'aramóta skaup' the fire works began. Even though the town is small, max pop around 3,000 there were more fireworks here and lasted longer than the Australia day fireworks on the Swan River. This ofcourse resulted in one very very freaked out dog.

The only thing to do was to lie on the floor under the doona and hope to hell that it would all end very soon. She was soo upset, shaking and really not understanding what was happening. Well, how can they know. We had fun though in our own kind of way. I watched the tv before the fireworks began and then tried to make her feel ok. then it all ended.

and she sort of came too.. realised the world was not going to end! So off she trotted to bed and then there I was wide awake and not knowing what to do next. So made the decision to change clothes (I really do need to clean my floors) and headed off to the bar... My cousins children had told me that they would be there and wanted me to join them... Off I went, after walking through and seeing no-one asked the door man if he had seen Steina... "yes she was here, but I think she has gone", so being resourceful I went to her sisters house and there they were wondering what had happened to me. A few shots later we headed back to the bar, this was after I received an earful from one of them about my making reference to my age and that I should just get a grip and continue to enjoy life and not consider that there is an age attached to certain behaviour.. So for the future I have decided to live life, enjoy each day as it comes and to take no shit - not to pretend to be something that one is not, not to think of what others might say, but just to take each moment for what it is, not to ever ever let the opinions of others matter.. It is only me that has to live with me, no one else and one is happy ones happiness rubs off onto others. cos basically if you are in a shit mood others will know and that is not making their life better...

On that rather strange note, I will have a wonderful life. - you deserve it! We all deserve it!