Read My Lips, We Refueled in Iceland

Okay, not my first posting since my world fell apart, but I just spent 15 minutes typing and the laptop freaked out and erased it all.  So, my update on recent exciting events will be posted later when I am no longer throttling the blasted ‘time-saving’ device.

In other news, Pete had to work late tonight.  Heck, he still isn’t home and it is 11:08 in the PM.  Okay, so that is 6:00 p.m. for most of you and not really that late. 

So, the question of the day:  What on earth could make Pete have to work late?  Why, Bushie Sr. stopped in Keflavik to refuel and couldn’t leave without shaking Pete’s hand.  Now, I am no fan of Jr., but Sr. is such the grandfatherly type that I certainly won’t begrudge Pete’s inner Republican. 

So, George H.W. stopped to get more gas for the plane and mingled with a select few in Iceland.  And just in case you are wondering, nope, not the first time Pete has met him.  He had also stopped in Venezuela a few times for fishing expeditions and Pete  made his acquaintance on those occasions.

Last, but not least, Caitlin has a new nickname:  fish.  Yep, she holds her breath and swims underwater!  We truly thought the day would never come but after only three months of lessons she is doing extraordinarily well.  Guess that is what happens when you are taught by a former member of the Icelandic Olympic swim team?

It’s About Time

I know.  I have had so much to think about recently, and not much of it was probably too exciting for most people.

It has been a horrendous month, with other sadness in addition to Mom’s death, but also some happiness.  The girls were able to enjoy Christmas and the playroom is now functional (thanks, Pete!).  Oh, and for those wondering, the Thanksgiving turkey did turn out extremely well and I now have no fears about making one in the future.

So, today I read an interesting article in the Christian Science Monitor about FS (Foreign Service) children or well, my kids.  Except that all of these kids had ridden camels, fed lemurs, lots of stuff that mine haven’t done (yet).  I almost started to feel like a bad mother and then reminded myself how travel was limited in Venezuela.  The lousy infrastructure had nothing on Caitlin’s ability to vomit at any moment (and again 5 minutes later)!

Sometimes Iceland is very interesting and other times I worry there isn’t enough for the kids to do.  So, today, we (Caitlin, her friend Aidan and myself) ended up going to the home of the President of Iceland.  His home is Bessastadir and is about 20 minutes from our house, near the town of Hafnarfjordur (say that 10 times really fast!).