If inflation continues to soar, you're going to have to work like a dog just to live like one. ~George Gobel

What a day! The economy went ass up. The right wing government all believing in capitalism and the free market decides to bail out one of the banks that has shown the least corporate responsibility of all. I quit my job, well, I actually quit in January but have been waiting until now to make it official... the future of Holar seems to be set in not concrete but a very muddy mix of political will and unknown certainties.. All too much of a quagmire for me to bother with. This concerns mum a little, but hey, life will go on. I have no investments so am not about to lose anything, I have no debts to speak of and own my own little shed... just need to get a sheep, a cow and some chickens, maybe I will start to live "the good life"

Berry tragedy at Aðalgata 17, mum was making berry juice and the juicer exploded.... with the result shown above and below - looks more like something from CSI

Mum cleaning up the spill... She was in total shock when it happened, poor dear. Still all was well, there will be memories in the pine walls... In other news mum went and saw a specialist today, to check out whether she is on the alzheimers short list, apparently there is no need to worry, past all tests with flying colours. I think she enjoyed it - sounded a bit like a bit of a therapist session, maybe we all need to talk to someone unrelated to us and our lives to vent and get feedback that hey - we are ok.

Last weekend was Laufskálarétt - as you can see - the action was pumping at my place, a game of triv, with questions from 1986 (Icelandic version), it lasted hours, and we left with less than one piece of pie in each persons thingy... makes for a bit of a surreal evening when one of the contestents was born after 1986... and another knows almost nought of Icelandic trivia...

We were having an ok time though really..........
I managed to get my favourite coat nicked from the equestrian centre (where the dance was). I also managed to lose all facilities in my left thigh muscle (upper bit as in top of the thigh which you use to walk down stairs and stand up), I think I have some sort of vascular thingy happening... not to worry... I am sure I will survive. If not - chop it off.
Tonight was pizza and me cleaning up from Saturday night. Yeh, I am slack, dishes now take two days. Mum and Guðný joined me and then mum got on the net... she was really happy to have had an email from Olga in London. Can´t wait till Christmas and we get to host the snow people and watch them making little men in my garden (it better snow this year....)

In the back ground is the tv with tonights news programme discussing the current economic crisis... Ah yes, the reality of life, I will be unemployed during Icelands worst depression in years... Am I worried, nah.. not worth it.

Riding: The art of keeping a horse between you and the ground. ~Author Unknown

In leading news - I have a fence... yes there is finally a real fence between me and the restaurant. I can still see who is out and about dining in the one and only restaurant in town and they too can see me type on the computer... or drink red.. its a win win situation I think.

As there are no photos of me on a horse I have decided to steal one of Olga's - hope she doesn´t mind... and others will have to trust the fact that Yes I was on horseback for at least half of the 8 hours that we were in göngur. The photo below is of Ross, looking all horsemanlike.

Yesterday Maggi proved himself yet again to be the good man that he is and drove us all to Myvatn to show Olga and Ross just a little bit of what else there is on offer in Iceland.

At Goðafoss- twas a tad windy... but I still think this is the nicest waterfall in Iceland - all nice and contained.. with berry fields in close proximity.

Olga and Ross escaping the wind and enjoying the free treats that nature provides in Iceland in the Autumn - however, I think we all agreed that they taste better in Skagafjörður.

After berries what is more pleasurable than having the scent of boiling mud in your nose...... Námaskarð just east of Myvatn... an amazing place.

Need to feel a little steam... and smell a little sulfur?

Then there is grjótagjá... a little pool of water underneath a lava flow... can´t see it on my crappy camera photo - Olga looks good though.. Her photos are a lot better and best to check them on her blog.

On our way to Myvatn and on the way back we ofcourse had to go through Akureyri where currently 4 north atlantic bottle nosed whales have taken residence. We stopped to take photos, but as per my luck they decided not to perform, however, whilst in transit we had a wonderful view of them jumping out of the water and seeming to have a "whale" of a time. No one really knows why they are there, and hey while they´re happy the longer they stay the better.

Olga and Ross are now in Reykjavik and will be off on their big adventure in the UK next weekend. I wish them all the best and look forward to going to London sometime soon to see and hear them play.

Life is good.

Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart. ~Author Unknown

What an amazing couple of weeks these have been. Mountains, funeral, visitors, berries and to top everything off an engagement. The photos are all in random order, the one above is from last weekends trip up Moldöxa. Walked up there with Ross, Olga, Maggi and ofcourse the dog.
The funeral was for my uncle Friðrik, (married to mum´s eldest sister), I know that Hilmar my brother has lots of fond memories of him and summers spent in Austurhlíð.

Berries, - strawberries from mums garden and blue berries from the hills above town.... and ofcourse cream. There is no dieting in this household at this time of year.

Visitors, - Anja, Michael, their children Claire and Reid as well as Anjas sister Hemma and her husband Stefan. Great people and it was wonderful having them here and getting to show them my Skagafjörður. Above is Michael, Hemma and Claire out the front of Glaumbæ.

The happy couple - my niece Olga and her now fiancé Ross, a truelly special couple - both sooo sweet, kind and gentle - and hey they´re indy rock stars too.... Half of the snowpeople in my house...

and best of all ... for my sister - a picture of the ring - oh so pretty, delicate and old gold, classy and refined like Olga. A good choice Ross.

yeh, I know - a bit out of focus, but aren´t they great!