Cartoons that say me - Part 2

As I try to organize and pack for this wee sojourn of ours on the other side of the globe I can relate to Nemi :-)

Cartoons that say me - part one ;-)

A new feature here on blogcelsior Gunnellis, each time I come accross a cartoon I (or Halldor, or you for that matter) feel says ME, it´s going to be added to the collection to form a skewed although probably uncannily insightful view of the bouncy mess that is me ;-D

On another note, (warning singsong cheerful mode has been entered) I finally got my ticket today :-D Only five more days to go!

Chirpy reading ;-)

I feel happy. The kind of happy that comes from having enjoyed good food (nonna biti ;-) with the family, having a glass of beer in my hand, children upstairs quietly enjoying the books gotten from the library, Halldor drawing away beside me and me just starting in on new books that a very chirpy friend procured for me. The reason for the friends chirpyness lies in the fact that all summer she’s being trying to lure me unto reading this series and she’s just found out that during my Sheffield sojourn I became hooked, bought the next book and can now hardly wait for the third one ;-D

That makes two series I’ve read and become hooked on this summer. The former is Kathy Reich’s Temperance Brennan series. Found my way to it along a skewed route having first seen the awful yet oddly watchable television series Bones (that had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that David Boreanaz of Buffy/Angel fame starred in it, blink blink) and upon discovering that they were based on books based by an actual forensic anthropologist decided to give them a go, needless to say I own all 9 by now ;-)

The second series is the aforementioned fantasy one by one Kim Harrison and describing the life complications of a witch in an alternate universe and her adventures as a freelance runner bunking with an undead vampire in a church on a ley line whilst being guarded and assisted by a pixie chap by the name of Jenks ;-)

I love being back at reading for fun again... After all my lone travelling last spring I re-realized the magic of being able to read whilst queuing up for customs, whilst on trains, whilst in youth hostels and whilst on planes :-D Also I don’t seem to get as many headaches as I used to (hope I didn’t just jinx that one!) hence when away from the family I find myself reading tons. Anyways definitely recommend those two ;-D

Oo oo ooo (agitated jumping up and down) just found a gorgeous quote here that says it all..

"If you are what you eat, then I´m incredibly sweet " :-D

Engrish - On the road to Japan

Just recieved my first Engrish on the road to my 2006 adventures ;-) According to the brochure I am supposed to attach a lable found in the brochure onto my "cloth"... ;-) ?? Can´t you picture it ;-D?

Japan is only a meager 8 days away... yikes, after a years anticipation ;-)

Went to the embassy today seeing if I could get my ticket, which I couldn´t, but at least I managed to get the times straight ;-) Turns out I have a few hours stayover in London meaning I might just manage to meet up with dad who´ll incidentally be flying home that very day ;-) Not too unusual in this family meeting up in airports around the globe :-D Shame though seeing as it was his sixtieth last Saturday and we had hoped my departure wouldn´t be until after he came home so as to give us a farewell dinner all of us together... Oh well.. when I come back from Japan I guess..

Lazy Sunday of Church, B-Daman, hotdogs and lamb

Turns out the B-Daman was a success ;-)
Me and Elena left the guys to put the B daman guys together whilst we shuttled off to church. Too many small pieces for four of us to tackle without a large prtion of the pieces going missing.
Interestingly enough there was a christening at church today, well a Christening on a Sunday isn’t all that unique what was different however was that the person being christened was around 20 years of age...thought provoking..
Anyways, Elena greatly enjoyed the Sunday school, I grinned over the fact that I remembered the mother sitting next to me from when I and she were wee and attended Sundays school together some decade or two (or three ago ;-)
Afterwards Elena duly signed up to be a candle bearer next Sunday and great discussions ensued which dress she intends to wear ...

Bringing hotdogs home, Sunday fare at it’s best ;-) We quickly ate and then the battles began.... which is where the aforementioned B Daman comes into the story.. As I mentioned before I bought the kids BDaman in the Uk, (I fully relize I overly spoil them, but then if I don´t who will ;-) seeing as Elena had repeatedly asked for it and I thought it might be fun for all of us.. turned out I was right :-D

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Arghhhh just came accross this video here, what have I brought into my home ;-) I should have knon better ;-) Now I´ll need to get the dvds and the whole shenanigans!

Osvaldo Cavandoli - La Linea

This cartoon I´ve always loved it to bits! Simplicity in iteself yet so easy to relate to, it still has me laughing out loud. (guess that says sumthin about my own simplicity ;-) No words spoken yet so incredibly understandable :-D

Back when we (Icelandic kids) had only the one channel showing the muppet show, tom and Jerry on mondays, little house on the prairy (can you say Laura Ingalls overload)and the weekly sunday kids show to look forward to, no tv on thursdays and in July then this cartoon was awesome :-D

The beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning..?

I’ve finally received information on when I’m leaving. Seems there are only 11 days until my “awfully big adventure” begins. After over a years worth of anticipation it’s hard to believe I’m actually there, that we are really leaving! Visas are in and everything, well perhaps not absolutely everything seeing as we still don’t have an apartment and hence not a school for the kids ;-) But I’ve just reached the stage where it’s simply too late to worry about it and to trust in the good old Icelandic way of life “It’ll all work out”
I’m leaving a couple of weeks ahead of the family giving me a small chance of managing to get an apartment before they arrive, if not then my friend is in for a couple of exciting weeks as wee all descend upon her ;-)

I’m at uni now, trying to get the hang of this postgraduate thing, making myself known, getting to know others in the field before disappearing for a year and a half ;-) Been nice though although somewhat daunting in the various expectations…yet everyone seems to have confidence in me except me, so I guess I’ll just go with the flow ;-P
The week here started out weird as my accommodation fell through, leaving me to wander aimlessly and somewhat panickly around Sheffield for a day. Just what one has always dreamt of, stranded in a foreign city by oneself ;-) Seeing as it’s fresher week all the hotels were fully booked and I was considering the train station as an option when one of the hotels I’d had my name put down on a waiting list on got a last minute cancellation. Of course as soon as I’d relaxed, showered and eaten, my “supposed” accommodation phoned surprised that I wasn’t staying there… hrumph I politely pointed out e-mails and phones were still considered valid forms of communication. But apart from that all’s been great, stayed with a friend up in Crooks, got a whole room to myself seeing as his flatmate still hadn’t turned up for the semester. Met up with NATCECT friends, looked at a baby, had a boozeup with East Asian Studies post grads and bought the kids a great big Bo Dan set. Yeah I know I spoil them, but I don’t who will…
So last supervisory meeting over, all I have to do is finish packing and head into the unknown….
Tune in next week for the next chaper in the “Amazing adventures of the floundering family in Japan” (got a better title?, by all means post it in the comments)

Sheephearding ;-)

Last weekend we went to an annual event that takes place all over Iceland. It involves sheep, lots of them, hundreds if not thousands! ;-)
After a summer of freedom roaming the highlands of Iceland they are herded into communal spaces, then they are sorted by their markings (clipped or numbered ears) into compartments designated for each farm and later driven home.
This is a major social event, many come from afar to participate even though they no longer live in the countryside. Then traditionally there is a dance later on and beverages (of the alcoholic type) imbibed freely the Icelandic way ;-)
We participated through my ex husbands family (the childrens grandparents) although participate might be a tad too strong seeing as we only have what little clothing we brought with us and Tokyo school clothes are not quite what was needed there ;-P
But all in all a great day and the kids loved it! Let's say Halldor survived, seeing as he was being introduced to the hordes of ex-relations ...



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