Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same. ~Francesca Reigler

Shortly after the last post I decided to go for a walk (ie an hour later), I was so wound up - as all could gather... I couldn't sleep and it was solstice night... so for the first time in my life I decided to check out the midnight sun on the fjord.  I was not disappointed.... I will let the photos tell the tale..

 My wonderful nephew Dorian Magnús Jónsson youngest son of Hilmar has been here in the last week with his adorable wife Jacqueline.  We had a bit of a family get together... so good.

Tonight was the start of lummudagar... our towns little festival... so at least for the next couple of days there will be nice positive posts.... 


And also, to be fair... I got an apology for what happened at the last council meeting.  Am a forgiving sort so accepted the apology... but now I need to put on my emotional armor, learn to be tough and give as good as I get... but not lower myself to their standards.  Think before you speak, words once spoken can never be taken back.

The only exercise some people get is jumping to conclusions, running down their friends, side-stepping responsibility, and pushing their luck! ~Author Unknown

There are good days and there are bad days and some days contain the quality of both.


Today was a good day because Jacqueline and Dorian went to Drangey and saw the Puffins.... it was probably also a bad day for them 'cos it was cold and windy... but I am sure that they enjoyed it anyway.  Also, it was a good day, as we all went out to dinner at Ólafshús and had a very fine meal...


BUT it was also a very bad day as I felt the first repercussions of going into politics and being questioned about my integrity.  It was based, in my opinion, on political grandstanding, nevertheless, I am a person of that nature that takes these things to heart.  I went into this thing with a positive view on that it would be possible for all to work together for the good of the community.


The crux of todays debacle was the production of a series of books about Skagafjordur.   There will be in all 7 books published, each takes a certain section of the rural community that makes up Skagafjordur and tells the history of each farm (whether currently inhabited or not).  It is a major project that began in 1996, so far 5 volumes have been published, the 6th will be available by Christmas this year and in total 9 will be produced (given funding).


Todays crisis was the fact that there had been an agreement with the local council to pay for the costs associated with one of the main writers/researchers of this book.  The last agreement ran out at the end of last year... ie 31 december 2010, we have made an allowance in the council budget for his wages and costs in 2011.  Also, no one wants this project to stop mid way... so what was the problem????  I can only think that political grandstanding ... this was an opportunity to be painful, arrogant and also to find the weakest link in the chain - ie... me...  I did not go into politics to make a name for myself,  stupid me... this makes me the weakest link in the political chain therefore the easiest to attack.  Apparently I have some personal investment in this matter... hmm.. yes the company I work for donates my time in order to do the accounts for the publication... me personally - I just think it's a wonderful publication, as it tells the history of the farms from as far back as records allow.  My own personal gain is zero... still... some feel that this may be a bone of contention.


Also, there is a matter of a debt to the council that sits on the balance sheet of the publication and as an asset with the council... at some stage this needs to be sorted out... did anyone do any homework on this today... no... they just wanted to know if the council would sit with the debt... seeing as though the council decided to put this on their balance sheet ten years ago and not into their profit and statement way back when...  (I know I am talking accounts talk)... thing is the book began in 1996, the guy working on it has been on the councils payroll... instead of just making his wages an expense they decided to make it a debt on the publication.... the publication then became an entity of its own so the costs accumulated to that date became a debt of the publication to the council... So at some stage someone has to account for a write off in their books....   Did anyone understand this, - seems not... and instead, I am accused of being an interested party (in terms of my employers who give my book keeping for nada).....  


I should probably not be venting like this - but I am so annoyed, so disappointed and so so fucked by this sort of petty mindedness.   Again, I should have stuck by my view of politics way back in the 80's that no good would come of me ever being involved... no matter how ideological I am....


In other news tonight is the solstice... I am awake at 1.30 am and it is still light outside.

People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy. ~Anton Chekhov

What a couple of weeks I have had.... 

I am now trying to remember what happened and for the life of me I can't remember everything.  However, the highlights were:

My great nephew Henry Thor came into the world on Wednesday morning, 8th of June, gorgeous ofcourse, with parents like his it would have been hard to be otherwise!  They came home on Thursday so the week was very much all about the boy!

Margy - a friend of Maja's arrived on Sunday, she had been travelling around the country in a hire car and was under instructions from Maja to come to Sauðárkrókur and check out where she lived whilst in Iceland.  Luckily, Monday was a public holiday so I was able to do "stuff", first we went horse riding, I forgot my camera ofcourse so there is no proof of this - although I do know that Margy got a few shots.  The route we took was up to the hill above town, I had not gone this way before so it was all quite new and exciting for me too.  We also had fairly good horses that were willing and were Töltarar, so the ride was smooth and well paced.

We then went to Glaumbæ to see the turf house and to have hot chocolate, breads and cakes at Áskaffi, the best little café in the Northern  periphery...  After this we went to a mink farm.... well, it's not everyday a girl gets to see where a fur coat comes from. 

As Margy is a geo and enjoys talking geology I invited Rúna Birna's partner, Helgi Páll, to dinner - I think Margy appreciated this - to be able to talk geo speak with another rock nerd.   It was great fun listening to them and most informative.  Helgi is really so knowledgable about the geology of Iceland and because he loves it so much he makes it interesting for those of us who know nothing (or very little).  For dinner that night we had foal... I think Margy not only likes to ride our four footed friends she quite enjoyed eating it to.

Margy really wanted to see puffins, Viggó called and said she could join a trip that was going at 1pm the next day.  On the Tuesday I flew down to Reykjavik for a meeting at the Environmental agency to discuss the proposed extention of a national park south of the glacier Hofsjökull.  I am included in this committee because a part of this glacier is in our municipality.  It was a good meeting, and was finished by 2pm, which meant I had till 8pm to do something - so I called the brother and asked if my sister in law would like to go shopping with me.  So, Sigga and I went and spent (well she came with and I spent) got some black jeans, work trousers, gym trousers (- for Zoomba) and a jacket.... was very pleased with myself.  My nephew Gunni took me to the airport (with his two sons - Ari and Aron) on the way we went a had a look at this new house - really nice!

I was knackered by the time I got home, mum and Margy had been at Olga and Ross' for dinner, her trip to the island had been cold and wet - but really really worth it!  Which was good to hear.  I trundled off home and got myself organised for the next work day.  Margy stayed with Thor and co and polished off a bottle of scotch - well done Margy!

Wednesday, started with a meeting and trying to do some work for my official employer, I left early to join the "twin town" meeting at Miðgarð in Varmahlíð.  The day was spent eating and listening to presentations on what each town is doing in terms of "drop out" prevention, twas quite interesting - although sometimes quite difficult and the speakers spoke either in English, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish.... my knowledge of Nordic languages is limited to Icelandic and so at times it was quite hard to follow.   This finished just after four so I went home and got myself ready for my 2nd Zoomba class, my God, I was knackered the week before and I wasn't much better this week.  Also, I thought that I had rhythm I was WRONG.  I have three left feet that keep getting in each others way - I do not know my right from my left nor can I shake my bum like I thought I could... Still it is great fun.  I left a little earlier as there was a dinner that night with our Nordic friends.

My God, this post is getting long..... am writing this all down now so that in years to come I can remember that once upon a time I was a woman on the go....

Dinner was just across the street at Kaffi Krók so I got there just in time for entré - smoked puffin salad.... YUMMMMM so nice, am ordering some for my brothers to have when they get here - may even get some sooner so Unnur and Thor can have some too..... so nice.

Main was the best lamb I have had in a very very long time and desert Skyr terta.  so good, also helped that the wine was a lovely Rosemount.

The next day I showed up at work for 2 hours before rejoining the Nordic folk here at the local college to look at the apprenticeship school and the fab lab area.  Then lunch - more great food from Skagafjordur - lightly salted cod, smoked arctic char and game paté..... 

Then we all went on the bus:

First to a dairy in Hjaltadalur - Garðakot where Ása and Pálmi were our hosts, here we had the new beer from Skagafjörður as well as cheeses made here from local milk in the KS production facility in Sauðárkrókur.

 This is an ultra modern dairy farm, the cows are indoors but able to move around freely between areas, they also choose when to be milked and head over to the milking station where they wait patiently in line for their turn. 

  The milking is done by a "robot" that has sensors to find the teats, hook on and milk, each cow has a necklace on with a computer chip so the system knows when it was last milked etc.  so if it comes too soon to be  milked it gets rejected and sent back into the open space.

 Next we headed to Hofsós where our Nordic friends could go and swim in our new pool.... it really is lovely.  A pity though that it was so overcast - you can barely see Drangey out there in the distance.

 The day ended with a big dinner at Miðgarð, the meal was grafin gæs.... grav goose on a bed of salad, followed by foal.... yummm, and then a skyr panacota.  So good, oh and ofcourse more local cheese and lots and lots of red wine.  Lots of speeches were made, a lot of back slapping and how great everything had been, the entertainment was the local mens choir and a young kid from the area who totally rocked the house.  Everyone went home very pleased....


Then.... yesterday - our National Day the 17th of June, birth day of our "new" nations "father" Jón Sigurðsson. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B3n_Sigur%C3%B0sson He devoted his life to attaining nationhood again for his home country.  Iceland had been established as an independent nation but gave it up in 1262 to the Norwegian crown.  After this we were swapped between the Nordic nations - according to who was more powerful, ending up with the Danes as our rulers, then in 1944, Iceland took the final step and became independent again.  The Danes were not that happy that we took this opportunity whilst they were occupied by the Germans, but hey it had to be done.

 The main celebrations take place in and around our football/athletics oval.  Here the Mayor is trying to read a speech... it was so windy ....
and soo cold..

 Then we had a  little light entertainment....

 Twas a good day...


Ending with dinner - lamb ofcourse!


Olga and Ross bought little Henry over - such a sweety...

Olga and Ross are such great parents!

Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn. ~Chuck Clark

 So Saturday Sauðárkrókur celebrated the day of the men of the sea.  I refuse to call it seamans' day.... Anywho, it meant I actually got out of bed before midday and went with Vicki and Unnur on the boat trip on the fjord.  Now this is not just any boat but one of the big trawlers belonging to Fish Seafood, the weather was great... well it was a little windy and a tad cold... but it was photo worthy..

 Unnur looking windswept at the fore of the boat.... with Tindastóll in the background... lots of people came - a lot of kids and every now and then my heart would drop as I saw a small child hanging in, over or under the railings.... no one else seemed worried.

 See, lovely weather - do I look cold... well you can't see my fingers which by this stage had no feelings left in them...

 How gorgeous is that!???  You can tell that I love it here, that I love this fjord and I love this life...   Happy pills... who needs them?

 Vicki, another, who appreciates this fjord and all it has to offer.  Looking very relaxed...

 In other news there is still no sign of Henry's appearance in the real world, as I told Olga, he is enjoying himself too much in his current place of residence... not to worry, he will make his presence felt very soon.  Olga looks so good!

And here is the amma to be - my sister - my best friend.  So good having her here and see how content she looks....or is that a look of boredom?....


In other news... I mowed the lawn on Saturday.... it rained on Sunday so Unnur and I went through some of the stuff at mums and did a run to the tip/recycling and red cross.... We were very happy with the results of the day... and then we checked out the new restaurant in town... Asian.. sort of ... very nice... just so good to have a bit of variety - hopefully they will prosper and continue to provide us with another restaurant option.

Can't find an appropriate quote

So, Iceland delivered another volcanic eruption.... watching the news has become really really depressing.  It is just unbelievable what the farmers in the south have had to go through, last spring and now this spring; yet another volcano spewing it's guts and ash into the air..   They are quite stoical when seen on the tv, still I think that there must come a time when enough is enough.  Last week we were worrying about the fact that it looked like there would be snowfall in the North, well, we got that - especially to the east of us.  Thankfully, all we have had here in my fjord is a cold northerly winds throughout the last week and a little snow tonight, no ash and no major snow fall.

http://www.visir.is/section/MEDIA99&fileid=CLP4297

this is a clip of the eruption with some sigurrós background music, making it all pretty - but it ain't pretty for the folk living through this.

Every time I watch the news I just get upset, knowing that there is nothing to be done, but we also have to be very grateful in that so far there are no human casualties, unlike in USA with Missouri getting yet another tornado blasting through.  We have a lot to be grateful for here in the north.  Sometimes you just have to keep reminding yourself of how good life really is and how you I have never really had to face any really really major challenges.  

I live in a lovely little village, that sometimes has horribly cold northerly winds, and even snow at the beginning of summer... but that really is something to be thankful for.

Life is good, and all will be well in Iceland, the weather is changing as are the winds and the folk in the south will hopefully get rain to settle the ash.  Pollyanna will live in our hearts and minds.... this summer will be excellent!

Tonight at 9pm... not much snow - but enough.... but I am grateful that it is white and not grey ash... 

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within. ~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

 Am trying really hard at the moment to do something I should have done 40 years ago - learning to love myself for who I am.  This would have to be one of the toughest things that a person takes on.  It is so much easier to love others and do right by others.  Why is doing right for oneself and loving oneself so difficult - is it because we think that this is some form of narcissism, conceit or arrogance?  Why is self deprecation so much easier?  So much easier to make little of oneself, to answer a complement with - what this - it's something I´ve had for ages.  Why do we ask - "do I look fat in this?" before we ask "do I look great - or what!?"


So that is my state of mind at the moment - two inner selves fighting to take control - I am hoping that the self confident, self appreciative self wins out.


In other news the most beautiful Olga is looking more and more beautiful with every day.  She is amazing.  I am so impressed with her and with Ross - he is now becoming a home carpenter - making furniture from pallets - it's going to be sooo good!  

The weather here has taken a turn for the worse... North winds are blowing and we have had snow and sleet today.  We are looking forward to minus temps in the next couple of days - which is not good for farmers, as they are now putting the newly born lambs to pasture.  Lets hope all goes well and that this forecast is not as bad as it looks at the moment.


Those that haven't been following world events - that is to say - Eurovision....
Iceland landed in 20th place, not bad, not great, but ok.  we are all quite happy with this.  The friends of Sjonni did a good job.  if you want to listen then check out this link.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foI2HlqsWQk

I have refused to learn html and all that so you just have to take the raw link.


I love this song.  I can't wait till tomorrow! - is my new motto for life.

Pizza is always really good too.  This one is the one mum and I ate last night and had left overs of tonight.   (this is before it went into the oven)

We understand death for the first time when he puts his hand upon one whom we love. ~Madame de Stael

My dear uncle Bjössi passed away two weeks ago, we said our final farewells last Saturday.  (he is the one on the left, dad the dark haired one on the right).  

I have so many good memories of my most favourite uncle.  He was like a second dad, his family were my family, our family get togethers here in the hook were his family, me, ma and Maggi.  We were family, very close, very much a cohesive unit.  

I wanted to do a proper tribute - lots of photos and lots of memories... instead this will be a ramble -   


My first real memories of Bjössi were when I came here with mum when I was 12.  Bjössi looked and reminded me so much of my father that I was missing so much at the time.  No major memories come back from this time, I just know that I knew that he was there... solid as a rock.  Quiet, supportive and willing to drive mum wherever she needed to go.  When I came with Tracy, at the age of 17, it was the same, here was this guy, so much like my dad and yet different.... again, the guy to go to if you needed rock solid advice.  Then when I was older 25, mum and dad moved back to the rock.  I came north and had the privilege of helping them (or rather being the intermediary) install the new kitchen.  I saw my dad in a totally different light - he and his brother were having a great time, both of them making digs at the other - a typical sibbling situation, brothers arguing in jest with one another about which one is a better cabinet maker, electrician, handyman.  It was such a hoot.


Since moving back to the rock and after the loss of my father Bjössi had become an even more important part of my life.  When I moved into this house he came and had a look, saw that my windows were crap and came with tools and the necessary to ensure that they would at least last the winter.  I didn't ask, he didn't offer, he just did.  That was the type of man he was - he saw a need and he came and fixed it.  


He was also a dog person, his dog Bæsi passed away a few years ago, he had been a gift from the town to him on his retirement.  When I got Freyja, Bjössi took me aside to make sure that I knew what I was doing - you do realise she is going to die before you?  Are you aware of what you are doing to yourself by getting a dog and becoming attached?  He loved my Freyja, and she him.  Freyja recognised his car when he drove past, always wanting to go and have a chat with him, if he saw her he would stop and say hi... 


We will miss him so much, but we are also grateful that he didn't have to suffer and that he is now at rest.  I know that he and dad and their younger brother Kári are together with their parents and I am also sure that the dogs are there too.  Dad, Bjössi, Kári, Taffi, Bæsi, Snoddass and Misty...  I look forward to walking with you.

There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

 So, after the mega month of blogging I have been a tad slack.... I can find a thousand excuses - but the main one is - I was mega slack and just could not be bothered, but tonight I felt the need.  


So the biggest news is that Olga and Ross got themselves a puppy - Nina is her name - and she is the cutest.... sorry Freyja - second cutest dog in S'krók.  Freyja, thankfully, is coping ok with her role as older dog.... she just tries to cope as best she can with the little ball of excitement that is Nina.... 


In other news this month has been rather hectic - tax deadline at the beginning of the month, local politics going full swing and the annual general meeting of the political party to which I now belong.
The meeting was a three day event in Reykjavik.... so I drove down on the Friday and made it for the leaders speech - which was very patriotic and positive - all about how now is not the time to give up and that we have all we need to survive and prosper - our water, air and fisheries etc etc etc.  Was actually really quite good - I am not a big fan of long political speeches - especially ones as long as that one - but it was good and because he concentrated on the positives and not on the negatives of the opponents I was quite pleased with my choice of political allegiance.  I decided to rent an apartment in town for the weekend - time to stop using my brothers as a convenient hotel - when I stay with them I want it to be because I am visiting them - not just needing a bed for the night.  So I looked on the interwebs (the hotel the meeting was in was fully booked as the sheep farmers were having their annual get together) and the other cheap option was also fully booked - this was the first weekend of the confirmation period (I will blog on that at some other time), so I found a place next door to where I used to live when I lived in Rvk in the 80's - it was so nice to be in the old 'hood.

 The view down the street, the blue skip was outside my old apartment, the white house is where the flat was - I love that area..... the hotel of the conference is just 10 mins walk (I walked home after the big dinner on the Saturday night).  Will definitely stay there again when I am not visiting with the family.


This Easter weekend has been rather action packed as well.  Beginning on Thursday - the first day of our five day Easter weekend.... I went to the most amazing wedding reception.... 220 people - wine flowing and entertainment happening left, right and centre.  The people being "polished together" were my colleague from work (the main advisor to fur farmers in Iceland) and his new wife an archeologist who works for the Heritage institute.  They are the nicest people - yeh I know I say that a lot - but they really are - they are just such a cute couple... Love 'em and wish them all the best.


Then last night was a "thanksgiving" party held by another work colleague who turned 60 this year - her husband was 60 last year - they also had two new grandchildren during the last 10 months and because of schedules etc only found the time to have a party last night - again a great night - over 120 people, good food, good entertainment and generally a good time had by all.  I must get a photo of Brynja - she is AMAZING, no one would believe that she is 60 - has the body of an 18 year old - a very good looking 18 year old... am very very envious - she is also the most perfect housewife and mother and really good at her job as well.  Don't know how she does it... 


Today, I invited the Zoëga clan over for High Tea....  Guðný is the best friend that I have here in the Krók, she is a rock - we have had a lot of good times together and probably bad - nah - they have never been bad...  she has a great family as well and the bonus is that my niece Olga is related to them (yeh, I know we are all related somewhere - but they are actually fairly closely related - I think that Olgas amma Olga is Guðnýs mums second cousin.... or something like that)  So, I am leaving you with a pic of the table.....

It's been good to have so much to do - this way I am not thinking too much about my uncle Bjössi who is spending his final days up at the hospital..  His will be a special post - when and if I will be emotionally able to do it.  My love and thoughts are with him and the family.

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. ~Douglas Adams

I was looking for a quote about finishing something, completion etc... found nothing... and then saw the Douglas Adams quote, now that was a fine and strange mind.  


Today was a productive day at work, probably the first all week, I even managed to put in a full day there - no meetings or distractions, even limited time surfing the net.. Amazing.  So I was all pepped up when I got home - went and did some shopping and then came home and cooked a lamb curry.  All my curries are the same - no recipe - just every spice in the cupboard, chili, ginger, garlic, onions, mushrooms, lamb and potatoes... 


I got a surprise guest for dinner - Kristine from Hólar (Swedish head of the tourism studies department), she had to kill some time in S'krók and so decided to come visit - was so happy that she decided to come here - I like the fact that people feel comfortable in coming here and even happier when I can feed them.  The curry was good - the company good, a good day overall... The best bit about today though is that I have finished this task of writing a blog everyday.  I can't understand how people can do this.  But well done them!


So, in other news, this coming weekend I will be all on my lonesome - with the doggy... Olga and Ross are finally having a honeymoon, mum is going to her sisters and Guðný is at her mums... Maggi is coming to dinner tomorrow night so at least I get to feed someone!

Much good work is lost for the lack of a little more. ~Edward H. Harriman

This is so descriptive of today, I tried so hard to do some work, but to no effect.   A break before ten to go to a meeting which finished at lunch, lunch with mum and then back to work to try and finish some returns, I just couldn't concentrate... not good, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.


Wednesday is the day that mum gets a visit from the Jehovah's Witness from Akureyri, I have been sort of tolerant of this, but always worried - as mum says - she is always continually searching for God.  I thought she found Him years ago, but for some reason she feels that she is still wanting in some way.  I haven't worked out what it is.  Tonight just before she left she said that the pressure was on... that she has to give up the state church and be buried from the temple in Akureyri - here at least mum said that she would not agree to that - she wants to be buried from her church here in S'krók.    Why do religions have to be so divisive - why can't they accept and just discuss and have discourse - why does one have to be better or more right than the other?  I think that this is why I don't practice my religion, although I have never found the Lutheran church to be divisive or telling people what to do and how to live their lives... I don't know... need to find a way to get mum back into the general groove of the local church and perhaps I should go with her more often - but religion is a personal thing and you shouldn't need people with you to me it has always been between the individual and the God/spirit/science or whatever they believe in - the important thing is to be tolerant and to allow different ideas and beliefs and give respect.


AAAHHHHHH  ranting - must stop.  You can tell this is the second to last day.....


To my siblings reading this DON'T panic, she hasn't turned - well not yet anyway - she is getting older and she needs us all more than ever, just to know that she is a good person and has lived a good life and has done the best that she could.  She is by no means perfect, but I think she thinks that she has failed us all in one way or another and perhaps this is why she is always looking for some sort of forgiveness and that she will make it to heaven and to her God.  This is just my speculation - and sorry for putting it out their for every man and his dog to read, but this is something I can't deal with on my own.  I was thinking about editing this all out - I still can... but I won't....  I just don't know what to do.  


Still ranting... must stop... but have verbal diarrhea ....


So tomorrow is the last day of this daily posting thing.... am sure that we are all glad that this month in my life is over............


and to end on a better quote


All religions must be tolerated... for... every man must get to heaven his own way.  ~Frederick the Great

Nobody told me there'd be days like these Strange days indeed, strange days indeed... John Lennon

So close to finishing this month of blogging.... why did I not do this in February or even April, still, only a couple of days to go.


In todays news, I went to another meeting in the afternoon - with the culture committee.... it was held in Miðgarð which once upon a time was a place where wild dances were held for the 16+ crowd, it is located in the next village - about 20 mins drive from S'krók.  Now its a menningarhús - a cultural centre.  Which basically means that it has a great stage and sound equipment - can house up to 200 people either for dinners, opera, recitals alls sorts of things. the renovations cost a fortune - but it looks good.  Todays meeting was with the person running the place discussing the problems with low utilisation and high cleaning costs.  Ah the joys of committee work.


I was going to go back to work after the meeting but it went on for a little longer than we had first allowed for... still it was a very informative get together, we were also informed about the current items on the agenda for our archives and local heritage museum.  We really do have great institutions in this little fjord, with directors that work with zeal and enthusiasm.  Then, tonight, I met with the party faithful to discuss the forthcoming political conference in Reykjavík - should be an interesting event - and I am actually going - actually volunteered to go.  Yep, strange things are happening in my life - I am enjoying meetings, I am enjoying being in a political party and am volunteering to go to Rvk.  Strange days indeed......

In thee my soul shall own combined the sister and the friend. ~Catherine Killigrew

I had no idea about what to write about tonight, but after a very long and good conversation with my sister it became obvious.


I have written about her before, she is and always will be my best friend in life.  We have gone through a lot together.   I try to be there for her and she has always been there for me.  I feel at times that we are overlapping shapes in life and we share her children.  Remember those shapes in math in primary school where bits overlap - well that's me and my sis.  I feel that her children are partly mine - I hope she doesn't mind sharing them with me.  I know that my life is that much more enhanced because I have been a part of their lives -whether they feel the same is another story.


I think that sisters have a different relationship to brothers and sisters.... why, I don't know.. I love my brothers dearly and I love their children just as much, I figure that it may have basically been through geography, somehow I have always had more access to my sister's kids than to those of my brothers.  So the dynamics of the relationships changes because of that.  Remember - I bought a house down the road from my sister... I had lived in her house with them before that.... Poor children - they could not get away from me... I was there - a permanent part of their life in their early formative years.... 


To my sister, brother in law and their children - thank you!!!

I like the word "indolence." It makes my laziness seem classy. ~Bern Williams

The quote says it all hence, no post yesterday and a major fail in posting everyday for a month... I almost wasn't going to bother tonight - so much easier to fail at things than to continue on after a relapse...


Last night I went to the annual dinner dance of the local gym... I am NOT a member.... I went with my very good friend Guðný - we use each other as the plus one whenever there's the opportunity.  Was an interesting evening... Lots of very fit bodies and in amongst them some like me - not so fit.  The jokes were a little or rather very much not to my taste, but hey, different strokes... the entertainment was quite amusing though, the instructors made to reach for an ever reducing box of cereal with their mouths.  I was a tad worried about some of them making old sports injuries that much worse, the woman that won so deserved it - has a healthy looking sporty physique, not overly thin and extremely flexible.  Some of the blokes took me by surprise, the most flexible of them was probably the one that had more padding than the others.  


Then came the music, a two man band - in the tradition of dinner music with a few "hits" from the pop world thrown in.....  Guðný had choir practice today so she was on her best behaviour... so it was a fairly early night.  Even though this was the case. today was a very very slack day - very indolent.  I slept late, took the dog for a long walk, made a pie... pies take time..... and am now relaxing and watching the box, with a glass of red... the usual end for the day.


In other news spring has arrived, the snow is melting - we have had two days of plus temps... my tulips are trying to grow... hopefully they survived the snow and will blossom before Easter.


And in further news, I actually went and had a look at Olga, Ross' and Henry's new home... tis really really lovely - so much potential... am looking forward to spending some quality time with them there.  

Don't vote, it only encourages them. ~Author Unknown

Ok so after yesterdays miserable blog I got some rather tough questions....


From Maja, what my take is on our PM´s gaff in the hiring of the senior person in the prime ministers department.  You see what happened was that there were a number of applicant 5 (I think) that were rated equally, only one of these was a woman.  In Iceland there is affirmative action legislation which states when in doubt hire the woman (in order to improve on gender equality within the government bureaucracy).  They hired a bloke, the woman had recourse through the system to challenge the decision, the high court or whoever (sorry, I find this whole thing so silly I haven't really investigated it completely), came down on her side.  That is, according to the law - she should have gotten the job.  What makes matters worse for our PM is that she was rather vocal when a similar situation occurred a few years ago (when she was in opposition) and she asked for the minister in questions resignation. Her stance now is that she felt she could not go against the recommendations of the committee that was set up to sort out the applicants and appoint someone to the job.  Another thing that makes this rather murky is that the woman in question was previously the assistant to the current PM´s former party leader - so who knows what background these two already have.  So, in answer to Maja's question - our PM has yet again proved that she is very good at foot in mouth, seeing the splinter in the other person's eye and also lousy in facing the fact that she fucked up.  I have always admired Jóhanna for her determination and will - now I am starting to think that these positives make her life a misery - I often think that she over compensates for what she sees as her weekness ie a woman in politics... she should be a role model to both the men and the women in this country - be tolerant - not go off ranting and raving and take the hits when they come and be strong enough to stand  up for what she believes in.  If the guy was the best guy for the job then there is something wrong with having affirmative action laws... Maybe these need to be reviewed.  But..... as I am libran I can do buts..... there were 4 women in the selection committee - in my books women have always been their own worst enemies - somehow it seems that women in power often don't like other women around them - they see them as threats, why, I don't know... just through my experience it is unfortunately often the case.  We want equality - but for us - sorry ME, not the other women, who may come in to our area of influence and somehow undermine us.... sorry ME... well thats my rant on that one.


ICESAVE.  hmmmm have been pondering this one a lot.  Over the past months I have often felt that it is my heart that is saying no and my head is saying yes.  My head says yes, because by signing the agreement we are going into the known.  We will know almost (but not really) how much we have to pay and for how many years.  The crux is though - is there any obligation for the Icesave debt to become a sovereign debt.  According to all my very basic and really quite useless knowledge of law (well UK law - which we inherited in Aus) there was always a thing call Buyer Beware or caveat emptor.  This has largely been overriden in consumer law with warranties and consumer protection - so that some shafty salesman can't sell you something useless, however it still exists in business transactions, that it is the duty of the buyer in a business to business transaction to investigate the company from which he is buying from.  Icesave was a bank that promised interest rates many points higher than those of normal high street banks and so attracted a lot of investors with money that wanted to see high returns on their investments.... I again, go back to another common saying - if it seems to good to be true then.....   I again, can only go back to my own experience, shortly after arriving in Iceland I decided to take out extra superannuation... there were a number of options being offered by the bank ranging from low risk internal investments based on government bonds or very high yielding returns with investments in foreign and local shares... my choice, the low risk govt bonds... why - because I did not trust the banking infrastructure in Iceland... on paper they looked brilliant - but rub the surface and you could see that there were a lot of "slight of hand" movements on the balance sheet - re-evaluation of foreign assets, over valuations of shares in other companies (which happened to somehow be connected - Exxon anyone?)  Anyway, getting back to Icesave and my vote, the bank was in a highly risky enterprise - the investments in Britain and Holland were being used to cover debt elsewhere and creating new debt in other places... there was nothing behind it - a child could have seen it - so cavear emptor - you should have bloody known it was dodgy.... anyway, then the banks collapse, Icelandic depositors were covered by government.  Icesave in Holland and Britain was an Icelandic bank - it had not changed it's legal home and entity to a UK or Dutch one... However, the dutch and UK governments intervened and said that they would cover the 20.000 euro maximum that is ensured under EU law... they decided this all on their own... they could have let the depositors chase the money to the Icelandic fund, but that fund was pretty much not able to cope with that many and did not have the money to cover all the depositors....  Now they (the UK and Dutch governments) want this money back with interest, understandable... however... is it right that this should become a sovereign debt - ie that the Icelandic government (read the Icelandic people) should be liable for the risks and gambling undertaken by the Icelandic banks.  To this my heart says NO.  ... and increasingly my head is getting in agreement with my heart.   So what happens if we say no.... well two things... or maybe three... we go back to negotiations, the UK and Dutch governments take Iceland to the European or in our case the EFTA courts ..... or..... nothing.  So if we go to court what then?  A lot of lawyers will be rich, fat and happy (but they already are anyway - and we have a heap of lawyers here... at least three universities that graduate a bundle every year) We may lose, and have to pay the brits and dutch what they paid out and probably with interest (similar to the agreement we are being asked to sign now - or the interest rates may be higher) and if we do lose this means that a precedent has been set for countries taking on the collapse of banks as sovereign debt - is this what the other European countries want???  Governments can not continually be having to bail out banks - Ireland, Portugal, Spain - they are all having problems today - what would have happened in America if the government had bailed out and become liable for the investments in their investment banks???  


Yep so I guess I will be voting no and will live with the repercussions.


In other news I am also against Iceland joining the EU, it's broken and we have nothing to add and nothing from them will add to improving my lot here...


And if you are all still with me then I will do a YOU YOU as Jomamma asked... 


Judith - list three things that you like about Maja and Maria and me and three things that you think that we should do (in your honest opinion) to make life that much more enjoyable....

Seventy percent of success in life is showing up. ~Woody Allen

I can't believe that I am quoting Woody Allen, but honestly I have nothing to write about that I haven't already written about before.  


I had another meeting about waste from the slaughter house and from the farms, again, there is no cut and dried solution.  We will continue to battle on, find an interim solution.  


Again, nothing to write... maybe I should find one of those memememememe thingies


Well, have trolled the meme sites and found nothing - one was interesting - what are three things that people don't know about you?  I thought and thought and thought and realised that my life is an open book and I doubt if there is anything that is a secret anymore...


So having done that I realise that this is the dullest post in march... Will need to ask Olga for inspiration - they went to dinner at Vicki's tonight before Ross and Vicki went to Icelandic class, so I can't ask her now.  


Life on the other hand is good...... hope it's good for you too.

The most dangerous kind of waste is the waste we do not recognize. ~Shigeo Shingo

My life is totally centralised around waste and taxes at the moment... to most not the most riveting of things.  To me - a challenge, that I have to face every day.


Today I met with some folk from down south and the vet in charge of the North of Iceland to discuss future waste disposal of category 1, 2 and 3 waste.  Yep, I can see you falling asleep.  It was an interesting meeting that left us in the same place as we were yesterday, but with a bit of a better feel regarding what future regulations would have in place.


Tomorrow is a meeting with the local health inspector - again to discuss waste management... 


In between I will be doing tax returns... Oh joy!  


The highlight of the day was that we had foal curry for dinner and cousin Herdís joined us tonight.. Always good to see her as she has so many ideas for increasing options for tourists visiting our area.  She is so full of drive and new ideas and I know that she will follow them  though.  We are lucky here in this fjord to have people like her with drive and foresight to make changes and develop new ideas.  We take so much for granted here, for instance the number of birds that come here and nest in the summer is extraordinary, it is a bird watchers paradise - do we advertise this - no - why? because for us the birds are always here every summer and so no big deal... for bird watchers it is a big deal.. The idea of a bird watcher is also something that is not really a known phenomenon in Iceland... why watch birds... they are there - well at least at certain times of year - they are just a part of our normal environment.  Yep we have a lot to learn and we do need to grasp the opportunities that are right here, in front of us, so obvious, we just don't see them.


In other news,  I am going to the annual fest of the people that go to the local gym... talk about a fish out of water..... Sundays blog may actually  be interesting.. till then we still have thursday, friday and saturday.... Thankfully March will end next week...... (actually that is not such a good thing - I have a heap of tax returns to do....)

Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can. ~Danny Kaye

Today was a busy day, tax return time at work and meetings on the increase in the town council stuff, today was work, lunch time meeting at the council, more work and a council meeting at 4.  


I did the tax return for one of my clients today and phoned to say it was ready for him to come and sign.  He wasn't home,so I left a message with the guy that answered the phone, just as I was getting ready to leave for my meeting I heard him coming up the stairs.  He was there with a younger person I had never seen before - his daughter.


He is a farmer that has worked hard, has a good farm and is one of the nicest of my clients.  I know everything about his expenses... he gives me every receipt, so I feel as if I know him well, although I only see him maybe three times a year.  Anyway, today when he came in he told me his wife had died yesterday, so she wouldn't be there to sign the return.  I felt a blow to my heart, I could see straight away that he was quite distraught.  All I could do was give him a hug and offer my condolences and then take the time to listen... I had met his wife as often as I met him - three times a year.  She was always quite jolly - they are what you would imagine the "salt of the earth" type people to be.   It was so sad, he talked about the fact that he was there when she died and how he held her hand and could feel her press his in return.  I was almost blubbering... have tears in my eyes now.  To have a love like that is so special, something to be treasured and is so nice to witness - it gives one hope.  To him I send all my love and respect.  To her I send my greatest respect and admiration for having found and had a love so strong.  


The council meeting afterwards was ok, but the reality of life and death makes you realise that the blah blah blah of politics is meaningless if you don't have love and respect for you fellow man as your ultimate priority.


Enjoy life people - you may never know when you don't have it anymore.