Balcony boys

Life on the second floor can get a bit dull in the midst of a real Icelandic winter (yes, now they tell me this is more snow than they've had in a zillion years). So, we came up with our own fun on the seldom-used-of-late balcony.

Þorrablót

Pronounced "Thorabloat", roll your "r". Sheep´s head (including the eyes and teeth), ram´s tongue, ram´s testicals, shark meat with the strong smell of ammonia....all this and a couple of similar traditional icelandic yummies – rather odd for American tastebuds, including mine – are being relished during this special time of the year starting in the middle of January and lasting for a month. I am pretty sure most teenagers and their younger counterparts balk at most of it nowadays.

Stefán had some of this menu at school today. He claimed that he spit the shark out after tasting it, but then told his Pabbi that he swallowed it. I'll have to ask his teacher on Monday! Viking hats were also made by the kids. They asked the kids to wear 'natural wool colored' sweaters and socks. When I arrived for pickup, the kids were sitting quietly, listening to two older women explain their traditional Icelandic dresses (very similar to the beautiful dress Elsa made herself and wore at our wedding). At the end they all sang a song and I carefully watched Stefán, who sang right along.

Going for a spin

Gimme more!

Árni herding cats, um, I mean horses

Stefán and I were so fortunate to watch the horses, 11 in all, coming down from the highlands to the barn for the first time this winter. Side note: they are equiped to survive outside all winter but they keep all but the oldest two inside when they plan to ride them and/or train the two newer additions.

It was truly a magical sight, especially in the bright sun; sun that shone on the farm for the first time in TWO months (it doesn't rise high enough to make it over the mountain where they live during the darkest part of the year). The horses were very willing participants, that is until they got to the first gate. Then, it became comical. I think it was another half hour before they got them all inside.

New Year's Eve

Click here to see fireworks at midnight. We took some video ourselves, but this one really paints a much better picture of the madness. It wasn't just crazy like this at midnight, it went on for about nine hours that night, once it got dark at 4pm. And better yet, it went on for three days before and six days afterwards. ANYONE can buy and shoot them off and as you can see, EVERYONE does. A few kids have been caught trying to make homemade bombs from fireworks this year, but Arni says it'll take "a few" fatalities before any restrictions will come about. I'm sure Americans would love to do the same, if it were legal.

The boys are becoming friends

Stefan and Finnur
Originally uploaded by Diana Wilson

We've got buy-in on both sides now. It's a beautiful thing to be fortunate enough to witness this amazing relationship unfolding before our eyes.

I may have been an absent blogger of late, but the pics are up to date, along with comments. You are pretty much up to speed!

The yellow pontytail holder in this pic was Stefán's choice as his "toy" from the eye doctor (see second post below). Of course he wanted his brother to have a "hairdo" as well.

Another writer waxing poetic about Iceland's happy peeps

Click here for an excerpt from "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner. The book is just coming out. The chapter is entitled, "Iceland: Happiness is Failure".

You know your kid's becoming Icelandic when...

1) you take him to an eye doctor for a check and she conducts the ENTIRE exam in Icelandic and he responds to ALL her questions in Icelandic, leaving you completely astonished. (His eyes are just fine, by the way).

2) you take him swimming in 30 degree F weather and he decides (after you refuse to climb the 30 or steps covered in slip-prevention salt) to brave a trip down the giant, winding slide by himself for the first time. Your heart almost stops beating as he disappears near the top and you have to wait...and wait...until he comes shooting out at the bottom with a smile on his face of pure joy and pride.

3) you take him to a "13th Day of Christmas" celebration on Jan. 6th, outside, in below freezing weather, where he receives an orange from a "jolasveinn", gets teased by another "jolasveinn" trying to steal his orange, walks in a 2 km "parade" of families that ends in yet another fireworks show right in front of him. (It's been NINE days of fireworks here. They are legal and every family in Iceland sets them off in front of their home). See his cat face paint here:



Getting the picture?

Happy New Year, Everyone. It's been a very busy three weeks, as I'm sure it was for all of you. I hope your holidays were lovely!