Day 78-children at play

   March 22-"Börn að leik" means "children at play" and can be seen on roadway signs warning drivers about this "road hazard."  This is the sign on the driveway into Bifröst. 

   It is particularly appropriate here, because there seems to be a large number of students at Bifröst who have children.  This has led to a social opportunities for our kids that we had not expected.  Alex sometimes will not come home after the school bus arrives on campus, because she takes off with her friends to do whatever it is that pre-teen girls do.  Joslyn does this less, but she occasionally will go to friends' houses or run into them while playing outside.
Some of Spencer's classmates live in Sjónarhóll, so he sees them around here a lot and plays with them some, too.
   This evening really exemplified these social dynamics.  Of course, we all did our usual things during the day.  Sally worked, Shan taught English at Hraunborg, and the kids were at school.  When the girls got home at 3:30, Alex came home with Brynja in tow.  A half hour later, Águsta came over to pick up Joslyn and they went to a play room on campus where a group of 4th and 5th graders were hanging out and socializing while one of the parents supervised.  They played foosball, air hockey, and board games and then watched part of the Smurf movie. 
   At 4:30, Spencer went to the floor below ours and picked up Elísabet, who was the friend who did not make it to his birthday party two days ago.  We set up a Scotch tape marbles circle again and Alex taught Elísabet and Brynja how to shoot marbles.  Elísabet gave Spencer a lego action figure and they opened it up and started to put it together.  Unfortunately, Elísabet had to go home for supper at 5:15, but Spencer was happy that he had the chance to have her over to play.  Since she lives so close, we will try to do it more in the future.
   Joslyn got back around 6 and our three kids and Brynja played on the iPad and watched TV for a while.  We invited Brynja to stay for supper, but her mom wanted her to go home, so she left and we ate supper around 7:15.  Then, Brynja came back over at 8 and picked up Alex for an older kids' (7th-10th) party.  It took place in the same room Joslyn's party had been, so Alex played some of the same games with the girls in her class and then she watched the first part of "Robin Hood, Men in Tights."  She really enjoyed it, so we will have to introduce her to the world of Mel Brooks when we return to the States.  The party lasted until 10, but Alex left at 9, because she goes to bed earlier than most Icelanders her age.  She found out that this "nightclub for teenagers" takes place weekly.  She enjoyed it and will probably attend it again.  Apparently, parents supervise theses sorts of kids' activities to make up for the "isolation" their kids endure because they are out in the boonies here at Bifröst.  Ironically, our kids see Bifröst as an urban wonderland, since they can walk over to so many friends' houses, as opposed to living in the country back home.