under construction

I'm back from Germany, but completely absorbed in family matters (christmas cards and cookies inclusive), that's why I can't write a complete posting about our trip right now. But I know, I owe you some photos and stories and I hope I'll be able to spending time in front of my laptop soon.

Job decisions

Lately, I've been thinking about what to do to earn some extra money for us.

I thought about finding a job for the christmas crazyness in a shop (book- or toystore) and just forget about everything that has to do with translations and presenting books. One can't live of it and advertising oneself is extremely energy draining.

BUT.

The other day I got an e-mail from a publisher in Munich, she wanted to call me and ask me about some books. When we talked together, I felt, how much I missed this book stuff during the last 8 months, how much I like speculating, advertising, informing and writing, talk to icelandic publishers, reading in general... Well, I accepted to write two summaries for her in Munich, AND sold her a summary I already made 2 years ago - about a really nice book, no-one seemed to be interested in. 100 € almost directly cash for my german account, very nice.
Then, the day before yesterday, I went to a little christmas get-together at the writer's union. There I met a known author, who received the women's literature price in spring, and we had a very intense talk about translations from icelandic into other languages and how important it is for an author, to have a reliable good translator - it depends on him whether the book is top or flop in a foreign country. I also got to know another author, she gave me her book, and I'm looking forward to reading it soon.

When I came home, I was so excited about new connections, books, conversations - that I directly plunged myself into the new book catalogue for finding more appealing titles. I felt a tickeling in my fingers and a kind of gold-digging fever came over me, that I understood I can't leave my fingers out of this profession.

But what to do in money-matters?
I decided in the end -together with Siggi- to take two of my still missing nursing-courses in evening school next semester, and try to find a work in the university hospital next summer for earning money. This way, I'll have time to work on my translation (Stella 6 is due in june) and a few presentations, as well as learning for my nurse's aid-diploma. I'd like to graduate in june 09 and for not ending up in stress and beeing able to taking it slowly, I have to start organizing my courses and internships now.

I'm looking forward for the new year to begin!

Verónika 5 years!

The same day, but at a different time (typical!), I had to show up with Verónika at the clinic for her 5-years-check. She is now 112,5 cm and 20 kg.
She did all tests all right and didn't even whimper when the nurse gave her the shots. Brave girl! But the nurse wasn't really friendly, just doing her job and she didn't even make an effort connecting with Verónika... So everything went fast and we were out again after half an hour (they usually book one hour for the 5 years' check).

We had a nice birthday party at her date, 11th november, and I'm preparing an album to give you an impression.

Veronika´s 5. Birthday Nov07

Júlíana 8 months

On last wednesday, I went with Júlíana to our clinic for the newest shots and check-up. Besides high speed crawling (which she learned from her baby-friend Fiona in Germany), she is very eager standing up at every thing in her reach, also already very quickly.

And here are the newest numbers, Júlíana 8 1/2 months:

73,5 cm
8,715 kg

She's still taller than her elder sisters at the same time, Jóhanna was 70 cm and Verónika 71,5. And I always thought, Verónika was tall!
Here is the standing up picture, 8 months in Germany, still not really stable on her feet for a longer time.

Júlíana 7 months

Now our little girl is already 7 month old! She's quite wiggly on the changing table and is moving around on the floor in caterpillar-style: firs a few steps with her feet until bottom is high in the air, then she takes both arms together for moving onwards. That looks very funny!
The newest achievement of hers is sitting up on her own. Today she surprised us with her new skill when I went to visit our neighbors and she suddenly sat very concentrated on the floor, examining a toy.
Here we are at home again, and I needed to take a shot of this event, of course!

First Day of Winter

This year, the first winterday was october 27th. It is the first day of "gormánuður", according to the old norse calendar.
It was really cold that day, ice on the pavement and even snow in our garden!

Then we dressed up well and here we're ready for taking a walk.

Another Halloweenparty

Today, our girls were again invited to a Halloween-Party. This time at our neighbors' down the street. Both were really excited about being vampires again and I took out my make-up bag another time. Now I used tons of hairspray and -wax so they would have a decent hairdo as well!






Júlíana was really afraid of the girls, when they both showed up in their costumes, ready for leaving.