Day 175-Shan's birthday

   June 27-When we drove in to our parking lot yesterday, one of the first things we noticed were big wooden structures that had been constructed in the grass field.  It turns out that these were made by kids and some adults in the first couple of weeks after school was out.  The kids were immediately attracted to them and played at or near them throughout today.  For some reason, the trampoline’s canvas had been removed, so these structures took the place of it.  Unfortunately, the structures are probably more dangerous, since the nails used to construct them were often too long and stick out inside the buildings.  It is just another case of the kids having to learn a little personal responsibility.
   Today was Shan’s birthday and we spent it well, doing laundry and visiting with our friends on campus to let them know we had returned.  We spent an hour or so having coffee and desserts with Gaui and Magga while the kids played with their daughter águsta.  Brindís was also over.  She, her sister, and their mother, Sigrún, moved from Bifröst to Reykjavík a couple weeks ago, but the kids do not know any or many other kids there yet, so both of the girls were spending time with friends in Bifröst and Borgarnes.  We made plans with Gaui and Magga to visit them at their farm/summer home up on the eastern shores of the West Fjords in a few days.

   Signý stopped in for coffee later in the afternoon and we talked about her efforts over the past year to implement a new course that combines three fields in the business department and involves the students completing tasks for Icelandic companies.  The students were ready to rebel in the middle of the course since it was so different and since they were required to work in groups.  By the end, though, they had come around and endorsed it wholeheartedly, so it sounds like Bifröst is going to try to make it a regular part of the curriculum.  We also talked to Emma briefly.  She and Pálmar are moving into Sigrún’s old house, so she has spent the last few days cleaning and painting it.

   Sally made brownies for Shan’s birthday supper, which we ate with ice cream after having lamb for supper.  The kids also made Shan cards and they all got him a couple present, too, so it was a nice way to turn 42.

The moon hangs on the southern horizon at midnight.