Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes. ~Gloria Naylor

My Dad would have been 85 years old yesterday.  I miss him so much some times.  However, I do know that in his own way he is with me all the time, whether one believes in life after death or not, the dead remain with us in our memories and in our conscience.  It´s not seldom that I think, what would dad have said, or what would dad have done, or more recently with my going into politics - what would dad have thought!

We look so tanned in this photo, so I can't quite understand why we are both wearing Icelandic woollen jumpers..  Must have been the first of the autumn days and cooler weather in Perth.  I think that I have mentioned on this blog before that I feel blessed in having had a lot of time with dad - being the youngest and the unmarried one, I remained at home longer than my siblings. Mum worked full time in a restaurant so often dad and I would be together at home at the kitchen table discussing world events and politics.  It was through him that I became interested in politics and it was he who moulded my views and my moral beliefs.  That you should always aspire to do your best in whatever you do, do it with honesty and integrity.  Sometimes I feel that I am not living up to expectations, but I do try.  Also, no man has ever lived up to the expectations that I have of them - my dad was the blueprint.

I never really understood what drove him to go to Australia when he did, I sort of think I do, but then knowing how complex and layered individuals are and the actions that they take as a result of different forces I sometimes think that  maybe there was more.  I do know though that he did it for us, he thought that Iceland would not give us the opportunities that we would get in Australia.  I certainly don't regret growing up there, I also made the choice like him to come back.  On returning to Iceland the first thing he did was buy himself a little fishing boat.  He was a true man of the sea and loved going out on his little putt putt boat fishing for dinner and just enjoying being on the fjord.  

Luckily for us he and ma came back and spent a year with us in Aus after he got sick, this is one of the last group photos of him with his grandchildren in Australia.  I often wish that they had had a chance to get to know him better, I think though that some of them still have treasured memories of time spent with him.

This photo was taken in June 1993, dad passed away on the 1st of August 1993.  Mum and dad had booked tickets to come to Aus for a holiday later in August, that was just not to be.  Still I know that before he died he had a wonderful trip with my eldest brother on the ship that he was captaining - all around Iceland, quality time spent with the son that was left behind.


I am so thankful for having had him as my father.  A wonderful human being.

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were? ~Satchel Paige

We all made it safe and sound in the Freyjamobile to the party at Akrar... It was huge!  An amazing spread of food, wine and entertainment.  Svana runs a hotel, there is a community hall on the farm... but no - she got the biggest party tent available and had the party in her back yard.... Sweet.

One am.

Next day - Áskaffi with the lovely Kristín María

Such a great day!

Today in the the forest above town

The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land. ~G.K. Chesterton

Another glorious day in the fjord today.  Started relatively early with mum coming in a fluster - she needed to get to the shops before her visitors arrived at lunchtime (her sister and an old friend of theirs).  So I convinced her to come with me and Freyja on our morning walk up in Skógarhlíð.  This is a small forested area above the paddocks that are just above the town.  Freyja and I love it here as we always seem to be the only ones there.

As you can see beautiful blue skies and very little cloud cover.  Just amazing.

This is what an Icelandic forest looks like.  Most of them have been planted quite recently and when they are planting them they tend to plant the trees very close together - this gives them a chance at survival - by giving each other a bit of protection from the winds.  Once established though,   they continually need to have areas cleared so that the bigger trees can grown even taller.  (at the moment the tallest trees there are around three metres)

After the walk and the shop I decided to go to the Freyjamobile and do some well needed cleaning.  Ended up with a spray disinfectant used by restaurants and solariums to clean down surfaces - I think this was a good move, also borrowed electricity and the vacuum cleaner from the Minjahús to vacuum the carpeted surfaces - which are EVERYWHERE.  Do you know how much I hate carpet???

Freyja came along to make sure that I did a good enough job.  I am not sure how she will go as a passenger in the car, tonight will be the big test.

This is an unfortunate angle as the table top makes her jowls look rather strange.  She looks a tad concerned.

Then she found her prime position - I am just waiting for her to jump on top of the dash and sit there. 

Stay tuned - if I have time tomorrow I will post about tonights adventure on the farm (Svanhildur's 40th).  Mum, Freyja and I are going in the Freyjamobile.  Mind you I am also working at Áskaffi tomorrow, will take my camera there too.

A small town is a place where there's no place to go where you shouldn't.” Burt Bacharach quotes (American Composer and Conductor, b.1928)

Its been a busy few weeks here in the North.  So I have been rather slack with the blogging business.  The main reason though was that I had the cold from hell.  It is still hanging in there - but thankfully getting better.  On one of the worst days I decided to make a big vegetarian dinner..... Which ended up being for just me and ma......  Not to worry - the no showers got to eat it as left overs.   The reason for the vegatation dinner was that Jon's wife Libby is not fond of red meat.  Can't understand it myself but I am thankful to her for making me stretch my kitchen limitations and learning new techniques with veges and pasta sauces.  

Here are the happy couple - well I think they are happy.... Libby used the opportunity and went to my cousin Þórdís the hairdresser for a bit a new look.  I think that it looks rather lovely!

Sunday the 11th was museum day - and as a part of the celebrations the local farmers brought out their done up refurbished tractors.  There were at least 8 of them from various decades of the last century.  The minister for agriculture and fishing joined them and drove one of them to the museum.  The crowd was amazing over 1000 visitors which is a new record.  On the same day cousin Sirri the museum administrator was down at the presidents home awaiting the results of who would get the honour of being named "museum of the year", unfortunately hers lost out to the museum of modern art.  I can't understand it myself but hey - such is life!  I know for a fact that her museum, Sirrý herself and her staff really really really deserved the recognition!  Maybe next time!

In other news I have new neighbours.  A bunch of wasps have decided to make their home in a tree that is just outside my lounge room window - am not happy!  However, the exterminator guy is currently bed ridden after a back operation.  So they will get to live a few more weeks.  It grows daily - am waiting for them to start making nests inside the house....

Another not so welcome animal is now on display at the minja hús across the road.  This is Jón Viggó the polar bear that lost it's life on the nearby mountain pass.  They look so cute until you zoom in on the teeth and the claws.

I decided to enjoy the good weather and take Freyja for an extended walk in town and to take some photos for you guys to see what is currently happening in the town.

Robert the baker is painting the bakery - the concrete building is a nice chocolate brown whilst the older wooden portion will be cream with chocolate brown trimmings.  It's starting to look rather good.

Ma is now the church warden from 4 to 7pm during weekdays.  Here she is on the church steps ready and willing to show guests our cute little church.

This one is for Vicki - her post office looking all nice and fresh.  Maybe this time round her offer will be accepted.  

Went passed Jóhannas where she was outside with the grandkids enjoying the sunshine.  As you can see the weather is rather nice.  Mind you headwear is necessary in the cold north wind.  

We went a little further to check out Steina's new lawn.  Looking rather good.

Then I decided to check out Herdís' shop where she is now taking handicrafts from local craftsmen and selling them on commission, the variety is amazing as are the materials that people are using to make stuff out of.

For instance this amazing brooch, made from fish leather and horse hair!!!

Even more stuff that utilizes the fish leather that is produced here in the fjord, yes those cards have pictures on them made from fish leather!

Local business persons.... Robert the baker and cousin Herdís owner of the craft shop and the proprietor of the best little coffee house north of the 66th parallel!