As the date of my wedding gets closer more and more people are giving me advice on married life. I am surprised that everyone as been so open and honest about their relationships in order to give me some insight . There has been a few “this is a lifetime commitment…think about it”. There has been a few “there is nothing better than being with someone your love for the rest of your life.” And even a couple “don’t do it. It’s too hard to get out of.”
I know I’m lucky. I fell in love with my best friend. He can always put a smile on my face. He is always there to pick me up when I am down. We’ve been through a lot and he is the only person I want to go through things with.
The best advice I have been given is this: Never let the sun set on an argument. (Even if it means staying up til six in the morning!)
I have been living in Iceland for 15 months now and have seen the Northern Lights quite a few times but last night was amazing. Most of the times I have seen them they have been quite still and just hang in the sky not doing very much. Last night, however, they were bright green with flashes of red. At one point, for about 20 seconds the entire sky lit up with green stripes that were dancing around in swirls. It is times like that that you just have to stop and think. Oh. Wow. It snowed a bit yesterday and it was very cold. Sam and I just stood at a top of the hill and watched…It made us think how lucky we are to be in such and amazing place.
Today started badly. I lost my car keys and got to work late which was okay because it was a staff day so it didn’t really matter if I was there or not. Even though I understand Icelandic…I am not that good! The school was closed to it was just the staff there. Whilst everyone went into their separate meetings I was left to prepare the lunch. The day started to pick up when I had a surprise visit from Óðinn and his daughter Brimrún. Brimrún was dressed up like a pop star because today in Iceland all the kids dress up and go around the neighbourhood asking for sweets and singing…kind of like Halloween. Then I left work early to go and do some stuff in Hvolsvöllur. I had to drop off my old licence plates from Barry which I should have done about 4 months ago. My friend Eyrún said she would help me find the place but when we got there it was closed. So I went round to her house where we found a different place to take them, had a cup of coffee and chatted. I then went back to work to clear up and came home. It has been a really nice day and the weather has been awesome. It has been about -6°c all day but the sun has been shining and with the small amount of snow everything looks beautiful. The sun has started to rise before 9am and set just before 7pm which makes a world of difference!
I cannot wait for summer! My parents are coming over for two weeks and we are going to drive around Iceland. We have been looking at all the places we want to visit. They might have to stay for three weeks to fit it all in! It is going to be a great summer me thinks.
Today is Bolludagur (bun or ball day). When my boss told me what happens on bolludagur I thought she was just winding me up but she was telling the truth. The children of Iceland make ’spanking’ tools which they use to ’spank’ their parents. It is the only say in Iceland when the children can spank the parents. They have to sneak into their parents bedroom before their parents wake and ’spank’ them on the ‘bun’ shouting “Bolla! Bolla! Bolla!” as fast as they can. The aim is that the amount thay spank their parents is the amount of buns their parents will give them to eat during the day. The buns, traditionally, are pastry balls with whipped cream and strawberry jam in the middle with chocolate glazing on the top.
I tried to make my own over the weekend but sadly my cooker doesn’t work properly and it didn’t get hot enough for them to cook properly Luckily, I got about one hundred buns delivered to work today and there was a few left over and I got to bring a couple back for Sam and I to try
Yesterday was 112 day in Hella. 112 is the emergency services number and yesterday, as it was the 11th of Feb (11.2.10), the children went to the feild next to the school and watched as the emergency helicopter came and danced around in the sky. I had taken my camera to work and managed to get a couple of good photos.
We also had the thorrablot lunch. I was going to try the shark but as it got closer to my nose I made the mistake of breathing in. The smell is indescribable. It really does make your eyes water! So I didn’t eat it…but I did open windows to let fresh air in.
I took some pictures of the helicopter, food and one of a cat alseep on my car. For some stupid reason I can’t upload any pictures at the moment. I shall try and put them on asap!
…we had a great time. Saturday Sam and I spent the day shopping. We bought things for the house including: weighing scales (to make sure I loose weight for the wedding), a sieve, little bowls and other bits and pieces. In the evening our friends came round for a meal which Sam cooked. They bought us some wine glasses which was brilliant; as over the past 15 months 11 of the 12 wine glasses we have owned have been broken.
Sunday was spent, mostly, in pajamas; resting, relaxing and reading. It was Superbowl Sunday. It is traditional for Sam and I to stay up until 3am eating hotdogs, nachos and all things American. To be honest I still have no idea of the rules of American Football but it’s fun to watch
Tomorrow, at work, there is thorra food. Sheep heads gallore. Hopefully I can take a couple of pictures and show you. There is a thorrablot on Saturday in Hella. We have been invited but it is about 11,000 ISK for both of us…and I would go but money is tight and we want to go to the potato dance…which is a whole other blog in itself!
One of the big differences between England and Iceland is the way that they see their bodies. The way that they teach their children about ‘The birds and the bees’ is the opposite to how English people do it…if at all. Everyone will know who has ever come to Iceland and gone swimming that all body parts hang out whilst getting changed. No one takes any notice of their nakedness nor anybody else’s! Now in England, no one gets naked. Ever. If you don’t get changed in the dressing room then you do magical things with a towel to make sure no one can see anything.
I have been swimming quite a bit in Iceland and at first I did the whole towel thing and got nasty looks from people as if say…Tut! Foreigner! And then one day I decided that I was going to go for it. To turn my back on the English shyness and say “Hello Icelandic Nakedness!” This is what happened…
I got into the changing room at my local swimming baths and sat there pretended to rummage around in my bag to put off the thing I had promised myself I would do. Finally, I built up the courage and stripped. I thought: This isn’t so bad! What is all the fuss about…? Then I walked around the corner into the shower area I was greeted by three of my nude colleagues. Standing as close as one person could get to another having a shower, talking, and inviting me into the conversation with big smiles. I didn’t know what to do or where to look. So, I kept my head down and spoke when spoken too. Quickly I got out of the shower and put on my swimming costume. Thankful I was clothed; I walked outside into the pool.
The thing about organizing a wedding is all the decisions that have to be made. Decisions, decisions, decisions. I have got to the point where I say “You know what? You decide. Surprise me!.” The decision on whether to write our own vows or not. Whether to have champagne sorbet or lemon sorbet. How to decide what my hair will look like. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
The hardest decisions have been what songs/hymns to have during the ceremony. I am not particularly keen on the traditional Wedding March and to be honest I have no idea what songs to have instead. We have a band…just no songs…not good!
Then yesterday I remembered a song that I took to Romania with me when I was doing missionary work. I think it is a beautiful song and would like to share it with you
Luckily, I got about one hundred buns delivered to work today and there was a few left over and I got to bring a couple back for Sam and I to try 
