mánudagur, júní 28, 2004
Just so you all know, poor Úlla (and Manu og kitkos) has been off-line now for over a week. ARRRGGHHH! The laptop they inherited from Freysi seems to have finally decided to give up the ghost (black screen....is that similar to the infamous blue screen of pcs?) and so they do not have a “window” to the (cyber)world for now. It’s very strange not to get a steady diet of email and blog-comments from Úlladúlla. So, instead I talk on the phone with her twice a week. And today she called me to give me the specs on a deal that a couple of computer guys who live in the same building and have a company that puts together packages for people, and it’s a good one: HP parts, Pentium 4, reg.512 RAM, 40Gb harddrive, cdwriter, dvdplayer, netcard10x100, XPProfessional, 17”flat screen, and best of all, it won’t cost Úlla&Manu a cent!! We, zee parentes de islandia are giving it to them as an early brúðagjöf. TADA! Naturally, they said “yes please” and “zankúberrimuchos”. I mean...! I neeed my blogbuddie back online! This will take a few days to get and set up and hopefully by the weekend Úlla will write us a muchófatsóbloggó. Otherwise I’ll go into retrieval!! (or is that remissal...?...deletó....altctrlaltctrlíó....you gettó?)
Just so you all know......
Just so you all know......
miðvikudagur, júní 23, 2004
Freysi Farfugl er farinn frá Fróni!!!! “He’s here, he’s there, he’s everywhere....”(now what tv show was that?). And before the first year abroad is up, he will have been heretherehere (thereherethere?) 4 times. He’s discovering that all Icelanders abroad are homesick, that things never feel quite right until you get that fresh blast of cold wind in the face when you step out of the plane...(oops, time lapse there....this is how it USED to be when you came home), and you get a cold glass of water that tastes like....water. And after a day or two (unless you’re actually “moving home”), you’re ready to go back to your “real life”, to which you are momentarily adjusted and whatever happens, happens. (I just remembered the next line to the above tv show line: “, so beware!” Is it Dangerman?) In this day and age it’s odd to feel that one has a “homeland”, so homogeneous has the net/tv world made us, espcially those younger than 40(?), or maybe rather 30. But that old adage still applies: home is where the heart is.......as long as it smells right.
Anyway, his visit was a blast from the past, with new thoughts and info to share, and a fresh crossword puzzle book to attack! He, naturally, had started from the beginning, but soon began to cruise around, and then we three got involved and began to erase the other persons entries!! (at least we all “agree” to use a pencil). Four heads are definitely better than one, but only two at a time. And get this!: we all have different parts of the day when our various brains work best! That way we don’t fight over the book, which is really only a one-person user friendly item,...two if one gets the clues and the other writes them in. And would you believe it, he forgot it! But I, góðamamma, mailed it to him, overcoming my desire to fill in all the rest of the blanks (what’s left is too stupid anyway, said the crosseyed puzzled out purple fox....no, otter!) (I can hear Úlla now, “oh no, Mamma is in her late evening make-no-sense stage of speakwriting”.)
And here’s a little addition to Freysi’s visit-storyblog.....the day of that wedding was almost a cartoon, with yes the guys are picking me up at 1pm(the wedding is at 2); no, they’re coming at 1:20 (the wedding is to be held in Njarðvík); hmmm....it’s 1:45 and they’re still not here....oh no, I forgot my notes!.....that’s ok, I can swing it. So, we go out into our car to go shopping, Freyr is standing there by the road waiting, and just for a little scenic relief, the director of our “movie” has put 4 well-fed, conservatively dress religious types (2 males, and 2 females, middle age) sitting on that little wall between our driveway and the next one, obvioulsy discussing strategy, since just 10 minutes before they rang our doorbell, Freysi answers (all spiffy in his suit), begins to politely listen to them (well-raised is my son) and when I hear the word “guð”, I stick my head out from the kitchen and say “ við höfðum engann tíma fyrir þetta núna, og erum með okkar eigin skoðun hvort sem er!”(sp)! In other words, scram. So, as we back out and begin to drive up our one-way street, a brown Saab with 4 well-dressed young people in it, come in the wrong way, swerve around us and pick up Mr. Freyr, and off they go. Apparently they were only 15 minutes late (says Freyr, but when has he ever had a good sense of time, and I doubt that you can drive to Njarðík from us in 25 minutes!?), and when they stepped out of the car, there was everyone outside waiting and they gave them a round of applause. The Band has arrived!(yes, these guys were to play the Wedding March), let the show begin! Okay, his Swedish-girls-in-trouble is defintely a better story, but you should have seen that brown Saab come speeding in and with no squealing tires (Swedes make good cars.....and gullable girls?)
The day Freyr left was an amazing weather day.....we saw all of Snæfellsnes and the Jökull the whole way to Keflavík. Sun, sun, sun, and it even went up to 23 degrees celcius, which was almost “unbearable” in cars, and other enclosed places that have no airconditioning (yes, some stores now do have that here). He may not have been very excited about going back to real/unreal life, but knowing that he’ll be back in just over 5 weeks, well time flies, espcially during an Icelandic summer. I promise not to pile too many more boxes in his room before he comes back.....hey, maybe I WILL try using them for a temporary bed, for some of those many guests coming on the 8th of August. So, guests, what’ll it be, fiction (plain ole), sci-fiction, mysteries, or poetry and plays?(those are the only catagories I’ve packed so far, all mostly mass market size, i.e.pocket size.) And for special guests I’ll add one of those bed ruffles, teehee. Blæ blæ, buenos noches, mush-head mamma is going to bed.....to read, auðvitað.
Anyway, his visit was a blast from the past, with new thoughts and info to share, and a fresh crossword puzzle book to attack! He, naturally, had started from the beginning, but soon began to cruise around, and then we three got involved and began to erase the other persons entries!! (at least we all “agree” to use a pencil). Four heads are definitely better than one, but only two at a time. And get this!: we all have different parts of the day when our various brains work best! That way we don’t fight over the book, which is really only a one-person user friendly item,...two if one gets the clues and the other writes them in. And would you believe it, he forgot it! But I, góðamamma, mailed it to him, overcoming my desire to fill in all the rest of the blanks (what’s left is too stupid anyway, said the crosseyed puzzled out purple fox....no, otter!) (I can hear Úlla now, “oh no, Mamma is in her late evening make-no-sense stage of speakwriting”.)
And here’s a little addition to Freysi’s visit-storyblog.....the day of that wedding was almost a cartoon, with yes the guys are picking me up at 1pm(the wedding is at 2); no, they’re coming at 1:20 (the wedding is to be held in Njarðvík); hmmm....it’s 1:45 and they’re still not here....oh no, I forgot my notes!.....that’s ok, I can swing it. So, we go out into our car to go shopping, Freyr is standing there by the road waiting, and just for a little scenic relief, the director of our “movie” has put 4 well-fed, conservatively dress religious types (2 males, and 2 females, middle age) sitting on that little wall between our driveway and the next one, obvioulsy discussing strategy, since just 10 minutes before they rang our doorbell, Freysi answers (all spiffy in his suit), begins to politely listen to them (well-raised is my son) and when I hear the word “guð”, I stick my head out from the kitchen and say “ við höfðum engann tíma fyrir þetta núna, og erum með okkar eigin skoðun hvort sem er!”(sp)! In other words, scram. So, as we back out and begin to drive up our one-way street, a brown Saab with 4 well-dressed young people in it, come in the wrong way, swerve around us and pick up Mr. Freyr, and off they go. Apparently they were only 15 minutes late (says Freyr, but when has he ever had a good sense of time, and I doubt that you can drive to Njarðík from us in 25 minutes!?), and when they stepped out of the car, there was everyone outside waiting and they gave them a round of applause. The Band has arrived!(yes, these guys were to play the Wedding March), let the show begin! Okay, his Swedish-girls-in-trouble is defintely a better story, but you should have seen that brown Saab come speeding in and with no squealing tires (Swedes make good cars.....and gullable girls?)
The day Freyr left was an amazing weather day.....we saw all of Snæfellsnes and the Jökull the whole way to Keflavík. Sun, sun, sun, and it even went up to 23 degrees celcius, which was almost “unbearable” in cars, and other enclosed places that have no airconditioning (yes, some stores now do have that here). He may not have been very excited about going back to real/unreal life, but knowing that he’ll be back in just over 5 weeks, well time flies, espcially during an Icelandic summer. I promise not to pile too many more boxes in his room before he comes back.....hey, maybe I WILL try using them for a temporary bed, for some of those many guests coming on the 8th of August. So, guests, what’ll it be, fiction (plain ole), sci-fiction, mysteries, or poetry and plays?(those are the only catagories I’ve packed so far, all mostly mass market size, i.e.pocket size.) And for special guests I’ll add one of those bed ruffles, teehee. Blæ blæ, buenos noches, mush-head mamma is going to bed.....to read, auðvitað.
miðvikudagur, júní 09, 2004
Today was Darri’s official last day of school.....the skólaslit for Tjarnarskóli was held in Dómkirkja at 5pm. Mundi made it back into town from his once a week work-day at Akranes, and so downtown we went in absolutely gorgeous weather. Yes these past few days have been halcyion days, literally, that amazing over-bright Íslenskur sumarveður. Even the cars are too hot to sit in. Anyway, skólaslit....Darri was one of 2 students in his year with overall highest grades, and so got an award. And he was also one of six students that had been chosen for a group photo of a kind of cross-section of students in Tjarnarskóli that has been published in the papers 3 times....a truly great picture that I’m hoping to get a good copy of so I can send people...! And then the school also gave me a note of thanks for having spent time with the 10th grade playing games (Scrabble, Boggle, Upwards, etc.), doing all kinds of word-related stuff, all in English, which even though it was absolutely voluntary on their part, seemed to have been enough to get them “excited” so that this year that group took their Samræmt próf and meðaltali hjá Tjarnarskóli in Enska was 8 (it’s usually been around 5-6 in the past years). Of course it was the really good English abilities already there in these students. I just was the “icing” that made it more fun to use it....:þ Plus it was lots of fun. Now, next year, how about some amazing scores in Icelandic and math?....anybody want to volunteer their services?
And then of course everyone got their reportcards and Darri’s is quite impressive.....mostly 9s and 9.5s (ok, 3 and 5, respectively) and also two 10s and two 8s. He was very nonchalant about all this ;) And then there’s also those marks for his two stigs próf, in trombone and bariton. He ended up getting an 8 in each. (his teacher thought he should have gotten higher in the bariton, he did so well. But Darri is satisfied.....and so are we). And so ends a good school year, with it’s share of several ups and downs, and tomorrow he’ll be 15. Wow, when I was 15, we were on our way to Iceland for one year! Wierd. So, time for my shuteye...and now I should be able to get more regular in my blogging since there’s “only” a wedding to get ready for, and 12-14 people coming from abroad in 8 weeks. And oh yes! Freyr will be here in just 7 days from tomorrow!! (hmmm.....I wonder if his bed is still in that room....how did all those boxes get in there!?!) I can hardly wait to see his new haircut! ¡Buenos noches mis amigos y hermanas!, o.sv.f.
And then of course everyone got their reportcards and Darri’s is quite impressive.....mostly 9s and 9.5s (ok, 3 and 5, respectively) and also two 10s and two 8s. He was very nonchalant about all this ;) And then there’s also those marks for his two stigs próf, in trombone and bariton. He ended up getting an 8 in each. (his teacher thought he should have gotten higher in the bariton, he did so well. But Darri is satisfied.....and so are we). And so ends a good school year, with it’s share of several ups and downs, and tomorrow he’ll be 15. Wow, when I was 15, we were on our way to Iceland for one year! Wierd. So, time for my shuteye...and now I should be able to get more regular in my blogging since there’s “only” a wedding to get ready for, and 12-14 people coming from abroad in 8 weeks. And oh yes! Freyr will be here in just 7 days from tomorrow!! (hmmm.....I wonder if his bed is still in that room....how did all those boxes get in there!?!) I can hardly wait to see his new haircut! ¡Buenos noches mis amigos y hermanas!, o.sv.f.
fimmtudagur, júní 03, 2004
I’ve just had a nice long chitchat with Freysi a la msn (with Mundi behind me part of the time) and thank goodness he doesn’t stay angry!! It’s just not in his nature to be so, nor to hold grudges. Though reasonable anger is definitely valid, and when there’s no changing ones situation (that is, roommates) time to move on. So, hopefully he’ll be able to find a better living situation in the next weeks. We’re counting the days til he arrives, but half the time he won’t be with us as there is a batchelor party out in the country!! Anyway, today is our 26th, for those of you who didn’t remember. In fact , we both didn’t realize it until after Mundi had gone to work!! (where’s mamma when you need her!!?right Þóra?) Mamma always called me on this day as it was also her sister Maggý’s birthday. (It later was also the day Maggý’s husband Gulli died). All those 26 years (actually 28 together) are sort of “telescoped” together when one looks on them (though it’s not hard to “pull them out” when one thinks back on those various times). What is neat is that today, this moment, feels so very immediate. This is where we, Mundi and I, are supposed to be at, right now. Neat. And when the long dark winter is over, it’s those long light-slanted late evenings that open your eyes. This is it. (stay tuned for further adventures, of a less philo-phlavor, and from more minds than mine. “where are those guys?”) góða nótt.
