Of eruptions and other such things.

http://mila.is/um-milu/vefmyndavelar/eyjafjallajokull-fra-thorolfsfelli/

As I am totally computer illiterate as far as how to add in links I will just put the whole thing in..  The above is a  link to a web cam near the eruption site.. well not near but close enough.


The eruption as it is at the moment is quite harmless, in that so far it is not violent and the ash from it is not full of shit that will harm livestock..... but..... the volcano next door Katla has been known for its devastating effects on life in Iceland.  Also, it has been the usual thing that once the eruptions happen next door then Katla will awaken and unleash her devastating force.....   Who knows...  it's all a part of what the earth or if you like mother nature can unleash.  

Of family and food

Another wonderful family dinner - this time hosted by Steina and Sorin, Sorin was chef and we had a wonderful chicken soup a'la Romania.  So nice and tasty, in addition to this was a wonderful chicken and green olive casserole served with rice and oven roasted chicken pieces.  Steina was dessert queen as usual and made two wonderful chocolate cakes - one white and one dark, yummmmmm... needless to say I am suffering from that well known Icelandic feeling of I am so sad I could spring...   (söd in Icelandic means full and springa means ready to explode).   It was a 100% turnout as well well 99% as  Smári is at sea at the moment somewhere east of Iceland trawling for cod and other goodies.  However, his lovely wife Jóhanna was there and his amazing kids Atli Björn and Odný Sara

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Jóhanna and Atli Björn... isn´t he the cutest!


There was a special kids table which was then moved into Victoría's room - so they could have "space".  

This is Finnur, Odný Sara and Kristófer.  All just wonderful kids, and the great thing is they are all so different and yet get on so well.  I love cousins, wish I had had more of them in Aus.

Mum and my cousin Guðný... Oh yeh big news, Guðný, Stebbi, Jóhanna and Finnur are all going to Australia this autumn, so they can be my stand ins at Maja's wedding... See she gets four for the price of one!! Lucky her.  Mum still hasn´t made up her mind as to whether she will go or not.  It's a long trip and she feels that if she does go she will then stay for Dorian's wedding, but that means 5-6 months away from home.... still as she says, she will make up her mind when the time draws nearer.  

There were so many of us that two tables were set (plus the kids), Steina suggested that we invest in a dinner set for 30 that can be passed around the family for use at the family meals.... See how light it is outside.... yay... the sun is coming back - just a few more months now and it will be over 20 hours a day!!!

Ingvi, Þórdís' husband has bought himself a motor bike, in Iceland this means you need to get the full body suit as well.... He was almost poured into it... hardly comfortable.  The moustache is because of male cancer awareness month, in Aus its Movember.... in Iceland it's múffu mars or something like that... a lot of workplaces are taking part and they have a web site where all the teams post photos of there facial growths.... I myself hate upper lip hair - can´t abide it really, so I try not to make any comments......  



Apart from that the last week has been pretty uneventful.  Oh except I bought myself a pilates for dummies dvd and did the work out tonight - I now remember that there were some muscles somewhere under the stomach flab.... I also bought a beginners pilates dvd from the UK which seems more to my liking.  Will try that tomorrow, then there is a dvd yoga for dummies.... leaving that till last 'cos I know that will be the one that stays in the dvd player - much more into breathing and relaxing and stretching when the mood takes me.


Guðný is having the next get together at Easter - her daughter will then be joining us from the south (and family), which will be great.  I put dibs on May for when Nicko is here.  


As we left mum and I talked about how extremely blessed we are having this extended family here, and knowing that they consider us as part of their inner family circle.  

'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work. Of course it doesn't work. We are supposed to work it. ~Alexander Woollcott

It was a grey day in the fjord today, still beautiful but strong southerly winds and bitterly cold.  Today is my nephew Magnus' birthday.  I should really do a post about him - he will obviously not be pleased... 

To other matters first.  Yesterday was the referendum about the legislation that went through parliament about the Icesave agreement.  I am not going to waste any energy talking/writing about this as so many others have done it already and done it better than me - see Icelandweatherreport for one.  However, the outcome was as expected - an overwhelming majority of the over 60% that voted voted No.  well, what else was possible - you certainly don't say yes to a law that is already no longer applicable - a new deal is on the table and I think that the turnout was largely due to the fact that other Icelanders like me just really needed a platform to vent their frustrations about the whole thing.  At the same time there are so many other issues going on.  The people that owned the major companies that put the country in its current position are still in charge.  The debts accumulated have been written off and it seems that they will get off scot free.  This is what is pissing me of the most.  Now on tv is the documentary "draumaland" - dreamland.  It was made before the crisis - when Iceland was just thinking about heavy industry and creating more and more hydro power stations in order to feed the aluminium factories.  Stuff nature and tourism potential - just put it all under water and make a power station to feed energy hungry industry.  An industry which is well known for its destruction and ability to manipulate transfer pricing, thereby leaving the countries that it has pillaged without the benefit that should be due them.

Again, there are folk in parliament now that say that heavy industry is the only way out of the current crisis - will we never learn.

ENOUGH!!!!

Now back to Maggi

Here he is with his little brother Gunni.... 

Maggi is probably my best mate here in the north, he is one of those special people that you have in your life, not only a relative but a friend.  Without him I would not have gotten my house in the state that it is today - he worked tiredlessly for me when I was renovating.  He has skills beyond accountancy - he can also put down parketry, do plumbing, paint walls and roofs, take down walls and do minor electrical work.  

He has also been, and is, a great friend to his cousins in Australia, even though they have grown up thousands of miles apart Maggi has always been there to help them with their transition into life in Iceland or to show them what living here is all about. He has also been to Aus to visit twice now and I know that he loves the place... he can see why it is a good place to live - not as good as S'krók but almost!

I won't go on too much as those that know him know what a great guy he is and there is no need for me to rave on here.  So have a wonderful birthday dear nephew - thank you for EVERYTHING!  You are a truly amazing and wonderful person and I am blessed to have you as a nephew and a friend!

In other news I continue looking for new ways of making food for those that choose to come and eat with me and to use the raw materials available in KS (believe sometimes it is a challenge).  So last week it was lightly salted cod cooked in the oven with vegies and mashed sweet potato.  

Mum and I actually managed to finish most of this - for once there weren't leftovers in the fridge to be thrown away in the following week.

So for a final view of the shitty weather that has been this weekend: