Happy Anniversary

20 years on 4.21.10
First try

Replacement arrangement

Let's Go Fly a Kite

On the Border

Some non-volcano beauty! Grandpa planted bulbs in various places last fall. Now we have colorful borders around the farm.

Behind the smokehouse
Along the road

When the Volcano Blows

Surtr gave my family a pass last week -- there was a new eruption this morning at Eyjafjallajökull.

4.15 Update: Apparently the Fimmvorduhals volcano Dan & G visited is no longer erupting. They traveled over the area where the new volcano is located. Latest here.

Eyjafjallajökull glacier from the window of their jeep

Where Continents Collide

Dan & G visited Þingvellir, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are actually pulling away from each other at a rate of 2 cm a year (but that doesn't make for a catchy title). It is an historic area as well, because the first governing assembly, the Alþingi, convened here each summer. The Prime Minister has his summer home here, and according to one of the guides, anyone can just walk up and visit him any time.

North American and Eurasian plates pulling away from each other
G at the edge of the North American plate
The Prime Minister's summer home in "No Man's Land," the rift between the plates

The Four Elements

Loft
Vatn
Eldur
Jörð

Huldufólk

Two guides referenced the fact that 60% of Icelanders believe in "Hidden People." There are Elves, which are benevolent beings. One said that when building a road, if equipment breaks when trying to move a stone, it is a sign that Hidden People live there and the road is detoured from its original path. There are also Trolls, which are malevolent. Apparently they come out at night and are petrified if they are caught in daylight. Such stones were pointed out during their tours.

A troll who did not make it to a cave before first light

Ísland

Dan and G spent 2½ very structured days in Iceland, taking the Northern Lights, Golden Circle, Fimmvorduhals Volcano and Blue Lagoon tours. They found Icelanders to be friendly, open, and very willing to talk about their economy and the prospect of joining the EU. One guide opined that it was a ploy to steal their water, while their driver (originally from Lithuania) believed that living in an EU country would be worse than living under the Soviet regime. For many reasons, it will be a stay that they won't soon forget!

Bundled up at Gullfoss (Golden Falls)

Les Touristes

Louvre Pyramid
Obelisk
Notre-Dame
La Tour Eiffel

Role Model

If you are raised Catholic, you grow up with a knowledge of the lives of the saints. Unlike many female saints, who seem to be young virgins who refuse Infidel princes and therefore die gruesome, horrible deaths, Sainte Geneviève, the patroness of Paris, lived a long and action-packed life that included running a Frankish blockade and turning back the Huns through the power of prayer. I sent Dan & G on a Sainte Geneviève scavenger hunt through Paris and they graciously obliged. However, my daughter is more of a Classicist, and preferred the Greek-themed monuments throughtout the city.

Sainte Geneviève at the Quai de la Tournelle
Sainte Geneviève at the Jardin du Luxembourg
Athena at the Louvre
Triton & Naiad Fountain at Place de la Concorde

L'Alchimiste

While Dan wanted to visit as many venues as possible while they were in Paris, G had the parallel goal of trying to get to places that are featured in Michael Scott's The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series.

The French version of the first book in the series
At Nicholas Flamel's home, now a swanky restaurant where they had lunch
G at Point Zero
G at Sacré-Cœur

7th Arrondissement

Dan & G stayed in the 7th Arrondissement at the Hotel Muguet, a small hotel on a quiet street adjacent to Les Invalides. It was within walking distance to the Eiffel Tower and was close to the Metro, which G quickly mastered.

The Hotel Muguet
Walking distance to the Eiffel Tower
Their Metro stop: Ecole Militaire
Across from the hotel

Parisians

Contrary to the American stereotype of the French as rude and condescending, Dan & G found Parisians to be helpful, friendly and tolerant of their attempts at conversing in the language.

Dan with a Parisienne who good-naturedly answered his "Ou est l'Hotel Muguet?"

Fimmvörðuháls

In this video, you can see how close Dan & G were to the volcano. They did not have a rogue guide who was freelancing -- there were at least 20 jeeps at the volcano while they were there. Believe it or not, the Icelandic government was allowing this -- the police checked the guide's papers before they left the road for the glacier field. Although Dan & G called me from the glacier, needless to say I am glad I did not understand at the time what that meant! If it had erupted while they were there, if the lava didn't kill them, the flood from the melting glacier would have ...

Nostalgia

I don't have any pictures from my trip, but here's a photo from the past that my cousin Rick sent to my dad while I was visiting. That poncho I'm stylin' was hand-knit for me in Girl Scout colors by my grandmother Victoria, and was my pride and joy!

My dad with my cousins Rick & Marty, my brother Michael, me and my cousin Betsy, circa 1970

G Versus the Volcano

There are lots of pictures from Dan & G's trip to Paris and Iceland, but here are the most spectacular ... the intense, grueling ride across rocky terrain, glacier and lava field is one that they won't soon forget! (Article on volcano tourism here)

G at the Fimmvörðuháls volcano
It was spectacular while they were there

Spring Break

I'm heading out East today and Dan & G leave tomorrow. In 14 years, Dan's been away on business and G's been away to various things, but I've never spent a night apart from both of them at the same time. Happy Easter and Chag Pesach Sameach to all!

Dan & G at State. She had a good tournament, but not the one she was hoping for. Thanks to all you well-wishers!

Happy Birthday!

G had a quiet birthday after her music lesson and second semester school conference. Grandpa made her favorite spaghetti, because it was too cold and windy to grill.
Birthday Girl with Dad and Grandpa

Cheesecake Shot

G made her own birthday "cake" -- mini cheesecakes, which she loves.
Birthday Girl!

State Tournament

Congratulations to everyone on the Forensics team who qualified for State! G will be traveling with the team to Neenah next weekend to compete in the Informative category.