Things

It has just started getting dark again. It's odd to get this reminder that summer is on the wane - you don't really notice so much in Britain, because the difference between summer and winter daylight is not nearly so extreme. There is something a little melancholy about it. It also seems to shift the high point of the summer earlier in the year, the solstice seems more meaningful. I had always considered high summer to be July and August, but here it's more like June. Children are still going to school in June in the UK. I'm still not used to this mindset, and imagine that because it's mid July we still have most of the summer ahead of us, but realistically most of it is actually behind us.

Although I don't actually consider that I've had "my summer" yet, because I'm still waiting for my summer trip to France, in early August. I'm going to be briefly in London for a little on the way there and the way back, first time in the UK since I left in January, and I am super excited to see people and consume some things that you can't get here. Grétar is coming with me, and after I have introduced him to the cuisine of my people (English beer, proper bacon, fish and chips, etc), we are heading on to spend a week with my parents, brother, dog and my brother's girlfriend at the parental chateau (slash house) in South West France. A week in a country where temperatures of up to thirty degrees are quite likely - possibly I will melt. I was on the phone to my mother the other day and I told her that it was a bit rainy here, but really hot, by which I meant fifteen degrees, and she said it was very rainy and rather cold, by which she meant seventeen degrees.

I am a bit upset that we will be missing Gay Pride 2012, which was a really fun day last year, but at least we'll be back in time for Menningarnótt. I'm also having my actual birthday in France, so going to be having a birthday party here in Iceland next week. Then right at the end of August I have my friend visiting from England, which ought to be a lot of fun. Loads of things to look forward to!

Kisi!

Look! We've got a kitten! Well, Ahmad has got a kitten, but I live in the same house, so it's like we've all got a kitten. He is five months old, pretty stripy and really good at pouncing on things. Like your fingers when you're typing for example. His name is Ljóni, which basically means Liony. Undeniably an excellent cat name.

Oh my days, a kitten!

This is my first post in absolutely ages, I know. I have been doing interesting things, but I have not been motivated to share these things with the internet. I am hoping this kitten picture will make up for it. Here is a list also of some of the things that I have done since I last wrote on here, not necessarily in chronological order:

1. Climbed Keilir with Grétar and his friend Davíð, and Davíð's brother Guðni, got a lot of bits of mountain in my shoes.

2. Watched quite a lot of the football in the English Pub and Kex Hostel with various people, saw England knocked out on penalties again, was overcome with apathy.

3. Went downtown to celebrate the 17th June (Icelandic Independence Day, remember), ate too much sugar, felt headachey and unwell, went home to lie down.

4. Went to Nauthólsvík for the first time (where Icelanders go when they want to pretend they don't live in Iceland, they actually live in Spain) and had a picnic, did not swim in the sea because I knew that I was not in Spain.

5. Went round Stacey's house to celebrate the 4th July (I'm sure you know this one), ate too much meat, felt OK after a small rest but didn't want any cake.

6. Tried indoor rock-climbing with my friend Villimey, was not super good at it but didn't hurt my arm muscles, such as they are, as much as I thought I would.

7. Got a kitten!