Hænugáta -- Hen riddle

Ef að hæna og hálfri meir verpir eggi og hálfu meir á einum degi og hálfum meir, hvað verpa þá sex hænur mörgum eggjum á sjö dögum?

If a hen and a half lay an egg and a half in a day and a half, how many eggs do six hens lay in seven days?

My First Birthday in NZ! Sept 24th 2006

Dearest Friends!

Yes, another Birthday gone by! And in another country! New Zealand! Well, yes of course most of you know how much I like to socialize (I am sure you are having less parties in Iceland without me). So I decided to have my first party in New Zealand after only less than 2 months. Granted it wasn't like my first Birthday in Iceland when I had invited 60 people! But then again I had the advantage of a few months more to meet people. I have been a little bit of a hermit here trying to get things done, unpacked, making an insurance claim (my shipment was badly damaged ): ). I did a power clean of our new home (only moved in a week ago). And unpacked everything and gave it a home in our new place. Even got the Pilates studio set up. But I did it! Had a nice little B-day party with those people whom I've met here. Unfortunately, none of the Icelandic people here could make it. But I have met some cool New Zealanders and foreigners already! So I had a mix at the party. I made a nice chocolate cake and some appetizers. Made a wish and blew out the candle and everyone clapped. Though only I know my wish (; Party was great. Really lovely people here. Everyone brought wine. And we just had a nice time chatting and talking of differences between countries we have lived in and NZ. Even got a couple presents. Of course, I threatened everyone there that I was going to start a trend of Salsa parties! So look out New Zealand! Going to get on my salsa outfit like I did in Iceland! I have a new one from the States to twirl in!

We have a beautiful house in Sumner. Old home, used to be an orphanage and before that it was a Vicarage. So its got some history. Very spacious and the carpet was pulled up to display the beautiful wood floors underneath. As I said, I even got my new Pilates studio almost set up (minus the damaged machines). I think it looks nice. It is small..but then again I am starting small and hopefully will get bigger. But keeping it simple first. Thanks to all your votes from my last email I have decided to go with name #10.

SURFSIDE Pilates and Fitness Studio (of Sumner). Yes..because you all unanimously liked it and I am right by a beautiful beach so it fits nicely. I am also going to differentiate myself from the competition by adding a Cardiovascular focus for my clients. I am going to offer with the training or separately what I will call Walk Fit! I will lead groups on walks and track their heart rate and challenge people to get into their personal Aerobic capacity zone. By the way you do that by taking 220-age= max Heart rate then you multiply by either 60-70% of your max HR to get your appropriate Target Heart Rate.

Anyway, I've got to get the logo done next and then the business cards and signs and hope for the best after that. Oh, I quit the Red Cross. Too much for me to handle there and get my business going. I made a bit of a mess of that. Unfortunately they were very angry with me..as I understand fully. So next time you give to a charity give to the Red Cross to help me make it up to them.

Other than that, I am well. Although I seem to be attracting some sort of bug who likes to suck on my legs and now I have a hundred bites everywhere. But you didn't want to know that (; At least there is no snakes here. Alot of birds though. Great to wake up in the morning to the sound of birds singing out the window. I had a huge chorus on the morning of my Birthday. We even attract the Monarch butterfly to one of the many plants in our garden. Lovely! And our apple tree is budding!

So come visit!

Remember.....1 year from September 24th! Everyone is invited to a BIG PARTY in New ZEALAND! Its my BIG 30 next year...so don't forget to start saving and book your flight 1 year from now. You have notice !! I can't wait to see you here (:

On that note! Cheers to all! Keep smiling (: through it all and a smile will come back your way (: Maybe it will travel all the way back to me here in NZ. Here's one for you (: two (:

Love and Hugs to you all! I miss you terribly still. You are always in our thoughts, even if we neglect to write, remember that!

Carolyn

Loftsteinn skekur og skelfir

Þau undur og stórmerki gerðust hér þriðjudaginn 12. september um klukkan 15 að miklar drunur heyrðust og hús skókust og skulfu. Ég var staddur í kennslustund á þriðju hæð og var greinilega var við atburðinn. Menn höfðu það alls ekki á hreinu hvað þarna var á ferðinni - og fáir höfðu nóg hugmyndaflug til að láta sér detta í hug að lofsteinn hefði hrapað til jarðar í næsta nágrenni. En það var einmitt það sem gerðist - lofsteinn átti að hafa hrapað einhvers staðar nálægt Christchurch og valdið miklum og háværum hvelli við lendinguna. Strax um kvöldið, sama dag, var vísindamaður í fréttunum að rannsaka stein sem einhver hafði fundið og talið vera loftsteinsleifar. Vísindamaðurinn var alls ekki sannfærður um að þarna væri lofsteinn á ferðinni en útilokaði nátúrulega ekkert - eins og vísindamönnum er svo tamt. Hér er hægt að lesa frétt sem ég fann um þennan atburð (og hér). Hér er vefsíða þar sem hægt er að hlusta á hvell frá svipuðum atburði frá árinu 1999.
Annars er það helst að frétta að við erum flutt í slotið. Myndin hérna er tekin af því og sjá má klettinn í bakgarðinum og það glittir í kirkjuna á hægri hönd. Við búum í bakhluta hússins en það er einnig íbúð í framhlutanum.
Þetta hús var víst um tíma munaðarleysingjaheimili og einnig prestbústaður þannig að hér hlýtur að vera gott að vera þó maður sé hvorki munaðarlaus né prestur - kemst kannski næst því að vera munaðarlaus prestur! En hér er í það minnsta mjög gott að búa - þá tvo daga sem við erum búin að vera hér...
En nú eru bara fjórar kennsluvikur eftir af önninni og allt brjálað að gera í verkefnaskilum þannig að ég hef þetta ekki lengra að sinni.
Loftsteinakveðjur, Einar og Carolyn.

Carolyn's comments of the day

Hello all my favorite friends and family!
Welcome to the Blog of Carolyn and Einar. Hopefully we can entertain you with stories of adventure, romance, excitement...!!! Actually, we've been quite normal lately. Since I have arrived I have gone through a myriad of feelings: happiness to see Einar again, shock at the new culture, confusion about what country I was waking up in (Is it Iceland, America, or New Zealand? this has happened often in the early mornings), and then feelings of sadness and homesick feelings for my friends abroad. But then one day! Einar slapped me in the face and said, "Be a Viking, woman! Get tough or I'll find me a new slave woman!" And tadaaa! I was cured from my stupor and self imposed silliness. No...really...Einar is supportive and caring , although he did punch me in the nose when he was sleeping a couple of nights ago from one of his epileptic moments. Other than that he has really been there (or here and there) for me.
You've heard...we're moving to Sumner! A beautiful beached area outside of Christchurch. Where people surf, sun, and go tramping as they say! I can't wait to move in. We have a great new place, with a garden for me to grow my pot...I mean my veggies, a gigantic cliff behind us where many species of birds nest and poop alot, and a massage therapist at the flat in front of us! What more! And space for all of you to come visit! I have got a job with the Red Cross part time to start out with. I will be teaching first aide. And if you want to hear one of the craziest stories ever from 'what not to do' in an emergency..please respond to the blog and ask for a special addition of First Aide Scary stories! I have some great ones!
Other than that I am waiting for my equipment to arrive so I can start playing on the Pilates equipment. I have looked into doing my own business. And I think I can do it with time, patience, and a little more money. I have looked at other studios here, and really haven't felt good about what they are doing. So I think I'm going to try to do it alone! We'll see! Wish me luck..send me encouragement! (Donations can be sent to: 54 Wakefield Ave Flat #2 Sumner, Christchurch New Zealand......) Ha! Like how I added our new address for you to know? No..monetary is required just implied (: hhhehhehe.
Well, what else? Einar had a manly beard for awhile. I will add a picture of that. After he came off the mountain for his glacier trip with the University of Canterbury where he's going for his Master's in Glaciology, his face was a bush full of manly hair. You could really see the red in the beard...where did that come from? Also ,left over lunch from the day before (;
As for myself, I have made a few new friends. Met them thru a college buddy who hooked us up. Really cool girl I met who has a Kiwi boyfriend (she's American), but a big group of very outdoorsy friends come with them. We just went to their new home in Lyttleton (just over the hill) and watched a movie on their great big projector screen. And homemade pizza. I told them stories of sheep's head and they gagged...
I am just trying to get on my feet here, find some sort of routine. I've been applying for alot of different jobs. So we'll see what direction I go in the end. I still want to do Pilates. But I am looking for any opportunity. I had an interview to become a Guide in the mountains..didn't get it...but that's how I met my friend who in turn showed me the flat we are now going to move to. So things are happening! Opportunities are coming our way (and not just coincidences I believe). To wrap this saga up! We MISS you all terribly. Please Send your thoughts, jokes, stories, love, lockets of your hair, email, anything for us to make us think of you time and again. (Just please nothing that would have to be Quarantined (: ).
Ok! Love you lots! One big..................BIG BEAR HUG..coming your way.....GOTCHA!
Cheers Mate! No Worries! Until we met again!
Carolyn and Einar

Vettvangsferð á vesturströndina

Ég fór í vettvangsferð um daginn í tengslum við einn kúrsinn sem ég er í. Við fórum á vesturströndina og skoðuðum Fox og Franz Josef jöklana. Það var rigning allan tíman - enda er vesturströndin þekkt sem afbragðs úrkomusvæði. Þar getur rignt mikið og lengi í einu - og við hittum inn á eitt svoleiðis rigningartímabil. Vaknaði einn morguninn við þrumur og eldingar - það hljómaði miklu betur en vekjaraklukkan mín! Við gistum í skála sem er staðsettur í Harihari. Þaðan er hálftíma akstur til Franz Josef jökulsins og tveir hálftímar til Fox jökulsins. Ég fann kort af vesturströndinni hér.

Á leiðinni til baka, í gegnum Arhtur's Pass, var aðeins kaldara þannig að það snjóaði í þrúhundruð metrum yfir sjávarmáli. Við þurftum því að setja keðjur undir bílinn yfir skarðið því hér er notkun nagladekkja bönnuð. Arthur´s Pass, eða Arthurs skarð, er fallegt skarð sem vegurinn þræðir sig í gegnum. Hæsti punktur á veginum er rúmlega níu hundruð metrar yfir sjávarmáli. Þar var því töluverður snjór og loksins var eitthvað sem minnti mann á þá staðreynd að hér er vetur!

Við stoppuðum í Broken River á leiðinni heim til að grafa snjógrifjur og fara á skíði. Myndin hérna er frá Broken River -- ekki amalegt útsýni þegar skyggnið er gott.

kv, Einar Örn