Ending the Blahs

It is cold and winter drags on. I find it uninspiring, BUT, besides reading a bunch of Nordic crime mysteries, I know I can take solace in the wisdom of the internet. I try to save the ones that seem meaningful at the time.




It seems there are many fun things out there.

Awesomeness

Some days a patient reminds me of the (dwindling) reasons why I still love this job.


Dr. Grumpy: "Have you had any neck pain?"

Mr. Awesome: "I have no idea."

Dr. Grumpy: "You don't know if you have neck pain?"

Mr. Awesome: "Look, doc, I'm 89. If you pay attention to every ache and pain at my age you become a fucking hypochondriac."

 That last one was from Dr. Grumpy, The famous neurologist and blogger of the medical world.

Other bloggers seem to come up with good consistent subjects or themes to write about and some of us hit periods of temporary creative brain death. I enjoy doing this and feel somewhat compelled, but still run into blocks. A good chuckle helps everything go by just a little easier. Maybe it will even turn on the lightbulb in my head. If you look closely you may see it through the glazed over look in my eyes!

I've felt the coldness of my winter

I've felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go. I cursed the gloom that set upon us...
But I know that I love you so

 Thank you Led Zeppelin (The Rain Song).


It is still winter, but the nude Icelandic ladies gave me a boost and hope for the spring. The beauty here is often stark when you are outside, but you must revel in it to really appreciate what comes later. One day it warmed up to a few degrees below freezing and a south wind blew in from the lake creating a hoarfrost. (as always, click on the pic for a larger view)

Here is what it looks like up close.

Even on the way to work I drive by the harbor in our little nearby town that looks like the north coast of somewhere in the northern hemisphere and that cold, bleak beauty shows itself. With a little wind it feels like someone sticking tiny needles in your exposed skin. Nudity seems like an absurd idea, even when you are running outside naked after a hot sauna. Cutting a hole in the ice to jump in seems like a death wish. Here is the harbor.

That seagull should have flown south months ago like most of the snowbirds. Of course, the seagull doesn't have something that I do. Even getting out of the car when I get home I catch a welcoming fragrance in the air. The vent is blowing warm oven air out into the cold evening and I walk in to find a welcome surprise.

Nothing like warm, homemade sourdough bread to warm your innards, and the cockles of your heart.

Nude Icelandic Women

Now that I have your attention, I have to tell you about this from the Iceland Review.

Húsavík Women Pose Nude for Fundraising Calendar

The women’s club in Húsavík, North Iceland, recently published a fundraising calendar. Women aged 18 to 80 posed in various states of undress for the limited edition calendar, which was photographed by local photographer, Pétur Jónasson, who has had a photo studio in the town for more than half a century.
The funds will be used for good causes in the region, framsyn.is reports.
The calendar, which will only be sold this afternoon and on Friday in the Kaskó foodstore in Húsavík, costs ISK 2,500 (USD 8.50, EUR 6.50) - or more, if you want to pay more.

This is from the Iceland Review which I read almost daily. This reminds me of the movie "Calendar Girls" based on the true story of women in the Rylstone Women's Institute in the U.K. The death of one woman's husband from non-Hodgkins lymphoma inspired a fund raising campaign for leukemia research. I don't think their local club had any idea that they would become famous and raise over 2 million pounds.

While I doubt that kind of thing would happen in Iceland, you just never know. They are using the Thorrablot celebration time to have this fund raiser. I hope they do well. 

I should tell you that I have been in my usual mid-winter funk until now. Let me tell you how I got out of it and added a little excitement to my life. I wrote to the grocery store in Husavik (population about 2200 and known for whale watching) and they forwarded my email to the ladies that are putting this together. That was yesterday. I got a reply today from the women asking for my address (and credit card) and the would send me a calendar right away! I am thrilled that something like this can even happen. I guess the interwebs can really bring people together. I may even be distant cousins with some of these women as my grandfather was born over on the next fjord to the west from there. Next time I am in Iceland I have to go to Husavik! 

Profundity, etc.

Oh, to be able to say something profound and meaningful gained from my years of being on this side of the dirt. To be able to share the wisdom I have gleaned from life's experiences in a meaningful way would give me the fulfillment I so richly deserve. Wouldn't it? My wisdom consists mainly of "dom" without much "wis".

Speaking of wisdom, this is how I pictured the Three Wise Men (or three wise guys) at Christmas from the time I was about 10 years old. Really. Who would bring myrrh to a baby?


I have read a few end of year/beginning of year blogs that really do have something useful and wonderful to express.  This won't be one of them. I resolve not to resolve. I just do the best I can and hope things improve even if just in small increments.

This being Minnesota, and the northern border at that, it would be apropos to mention that it was -26F this morning when we let the horses out of the barn. Thank goodness we are near the lake and not inland where it is really cold. Don't mention the wind chill. It did warm up enough to snow the other day and after the plowing and shoveling I noticed that we had snow dunes. Similar to sand dunes, only colder. They look like this...

Back on New Year's Day the ladies wanted to try and continue a tradition of sorts and go out for a short ride around the farm. The temperature had climbed up to 0F that day and so out they went. The horses were happy to get out and do something and were well behaved. They even stopped for a quick picture.

  Tomorrow is Monday and the governor decided that it was too cold for the schools to be open as the children would be endangered by the even colder weather predicted. The Cooker was telling someone about when she was a kid they didn't ride school buses, but walked on the snow banks to school. I remarked that she didn't ride a bus because the wheel hadn't been invented yet. I ducked and hobbled away as fast as my new knee would carry me.

Well it's up to -12F and the wind seems to be staying below 20mph so I think I'll head toward the barn, start cleaning it, and set it up for tonight. If I keep my smart-ass comments to myself I may get some help from the women. That would be a good thing. 
 

Christmas quotes and other delights

There are many meaningful, thoughtful, and poignant Christmas quotes from all kinds of literate people. Many try to find a deeper meaning for humanity and its treatment of the world and its inhabitants. There are many lessons to be learned, even at this age. However, I have thought those thoughts only to be let down by so much of humanity. Even after watching the violent throngs at Walmart and other shopping venues I know there is some redemption in the holiday season going back to its pre-pagan roots. To get a respite from all this deep thought and heavy thinking I have preferred the lighter side of holiday thought. 

Did Joseph really believe Mary when she told him who the father of the baby was?  How naive was the guy?
If Santa would have said Yo Ho Ho instead of Ho Ho Ho, would everyone dress up as pirates on Christmas?
"The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live." -George Carlin
“My parents always said that knowledge was the best gift they could give me, probably because they were too cheap to buy me Christmas or Birthday presents.”- Jarod Kintz
“Money's scarce
Times are hard
Here's your fucking
Xmas card.” -Phyllis Diller
 “What kind of Christmas present would Jesus ask Santa for?”- Salman Rushdie
“Everyone wants a Christmas tree. If you had a Christmas tree Santa would bring you stuff! Like hair curlers and slut shoes.”-Janet Evanovich
 “The worst gift I was given is when I got out of rehab that Christmas; a bottle of wine. It was delicious.”-Craig Ferguson
“A severed foot is the ultimate stocking stuffer.”- Mitch Hedberg
 “The Little Drummer Boy" was playing in the background for what seemed like the third time in a row. I fought off an urge to beat that Little Drummer Boy seneless with his own drumsticks.”-Dana Reinhardt
“The real Santa Claus is at the mall.”- Lemony Snicket

Let's hope we don't forget the really important stuff.

Iceland vs. Minnesota

Seems like an interesting comparison at this dark and frozen time of year.  The most obvious is that Minnesota is much colder. At least where there are people trying to survive. In Iceland, most people live around the edge of the country and the sea keeps them warmer. Maybe the Icelanders are smarter in that respect. I mean why go looking for trouble when there is a simple solution? I live by Lake Superior which is a huge lake, but it's no ocean. It does moderate the temperature somewhat if you stay close enough to it. Of course, if you do that you tend to stay a little more damp.

Wind chill. Today the wind chill was approaching -40 as the winds were 25 to 30 mph and the temperature was well below zero. While the edge of Iceland is warmer than us it sometimes (sort of regularly) gets hit by gale force winds which sometimes reach hurricane strength. It has been known to bend automobile doors totally the wrong way. I have no idea if there are serious calculations for wind chill when it gets going that fast.

Yesterday afternoon we had about 5 inches of snow. By this morning it had blown away. I suspect it went across the lake to Michigan, but I haven't called anyone over there to verify that that's where it went.

Darkness. Iceland is darker since it is farther north. But that means they get Northern Lights more often and that may offset some of the lack of sunshine. The good news is that in a week the days start getting longer for all of us in the Northern Hemisphere.

Food. We have Lutefisk (made from cod) here in Minnesota. It is an acquired taste, but if you take a piece of lefse, stuff it with mashed potatoes and butter, and then throw on a little Lutefisk it can be tolerated. Sort of like a Norwegian taco.

O Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, how fragrant your aroma,
O Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, you put me in a coma.
You smell so strong, you look like glue,
You taste just like an overshoe,
But lutefisk, come Saturday,
I tink I eat you anyvay

Iceland has Hákarl which is fermented Greenland shark. Fermented is a nice way of saying "rotten" or "putrefied". The taste is apparently something like ammonia. I say apparently because I have never tried it. Maybe next time in Iceland. Maybe. This is also supposed to be an acquired taste, although I cannot imagine how or why anyone would want to acquire it.

Both of these "delicacies" require long periods of time to make. Burial, fermentation, sitting on the floor in the corner of the outhouse may be things they have in common. I suspect that is why the occasional stray dog gets a chance to urinate on them for that "special" flavor. Both are meant to be eaten with traditional beverages like Aquavit or Brennevin. These drinks can be referred to as "Water of Life" or "Black Death" again depending on whether or not the taste for them has been "acquired". I'll have to admit acquiring the taste for them, but not the food with which they are used to chase.

Minnesota has Cold Spring, Spring Valley, Pine Spring, Glennwood Springs, and numerous others. These are cold, but good to drink. Iceland has many hot springs because of the volcanic nature of the country. Most of these taste like sulfur. So the question here is, do you want to quench your thirst or warm up? This time of year "warm up" wins. You can always melt snow if you are thirsty or have one of the aforementioned beverages. 

Ways to stay warm. In Minnesota we have trees. We turn them into firewood and burn them in stoves to keep us toasty warm. In Iceland they have no trees. Why they don't is subject to debate, but that is usually done halfway through the Brennevin. They do, however, have sheep. Lots and lots of sheep. I suppose you could cuddle up with a bunch of them for warmth (be careful of rumors) or sheer them in the spring and make warm clothes out of the wool. Often the wool is made into a Lopapeysa, or traditional Icelandic sweater which is warm and somewhat water repellant. The preferred method of using sheep for warmth is probably different from the country to the city, but I don't want to start any rumors. What happens in Iceland stays in Iceland.

Those of you in warmer climes probably don't understand why anyone would live in such a place, but sometimes you need the painful feelings of your extremities thawing just to let you know that you are alive. Screaming, "I want to go to Miami," as this thawing occurs is permissable.

Sea Smoke or Winter comes to Lake Superior

The change from late autumn to early winter is often abrupt. Basically, overnight in fact. There I was, minding my own business, spacing out the entire month of November, when all of a sudden it's December and I am up to my eyeballs in snow. When it falls horizontally that isn't saying much, but we really did get a foot or two over a few days. Now the ground is covered and the frost probably won't penetrate down more than a few feet.
Late November:

A few days later in Early December:

Sea smoke is an interesting phenomenon. When the cold air from the arctic whooshes down upon us like a (insert clever analogy), the "heat " from the not quite frozen Lake Superior rises causing a mist or even a small spinning vortex of steam to be seen rising into the air. The temperature needs to be close to 0F (-17C) for this to occur in a noticeable way. This morning it was -10F (-24C) so it is definitely noticeable. In fact it gets so high over the lake that sunrise is delayed by about a half hour. But it makes for some interesting light. Sometimes you start to see things in the mist, but what?

Then you keep scanning the mist and there! I'm sure that is something. Look closely and you will see a ship plying through the cold inland sea.

Do you see it now?

Someday I may think I see the Flying Dutchman plying through the cold and dangerous waters of the big lake. The more likely thing, considering this area is sometimes referred to as the Scandinavian Riviera, might be to see the Flying Norwegian or the Flying Swede. If a person believes in ghosts or ghost ships Lake Superior would be a good place to see them. There are over 350 shipwrecks with more than a thousand lives lost in the relatively brief history of sailing on this lake. It demands respect from those who ply its waters.