August update

Hey…just to anyone still reading this blog that I am back after a long break! And have given the blog a new look…hope you like it.

There have been quite a few changes recently…

Firstly, I have now moved into a new home! We felt the time was right to move on from the café (Glætan) where we were living in Laugavegur, the main street. We were praying that we would get new accommodation somewhere quite central. Eric viewed one place near the domestic airport but there were about 20 people viewing at the same time, there is so little movement on the housing rental market here that any new place attracts a lot of interest. We told them we were interested but the owner selected someone else to rent to. The same agent then told us about the place we are now living in. We looked around and were amazed and how beautiful the place is, a funky kitchen and bathroom and large, light living room on the top floor and 2 balconies! (Nice for the summer and hopefully a good view of the Northern Lights in the winter). It is a bit more expensive than you would normally pay for this size flat but the design and layout really make it feel bigger than it is. We are planning on renting a room to a 4th person which will make it more affordable for us. The location is about 10 minutes walk from the centre of town, not far from Hlemmur, the bus station.  The thing we most love about the place is that is is perfect for hospitality, with room for 8 people to sit and eat in the kitchen and about 20 people in the living room. So we are well and truly blessed with this place! And its a minor miracle we managed to rent it considering all the competition!

I now no longer work in Glætan, so will need a job before too long. I will be back in UK for a month from 20th August, and when I return to Reykjavík on 21st September I will need to start looking for something. The savings I have a the moment will last a lot less now I am paying rent.

Eric and I are now meeting with Tyler , one of our friends from YWAM to work on a book. We would like to write a basic introduction to the Bible for new believers, with a particular emphasis on the bigger story of the Bible, rather than something focussed on isolated verses or passages. We are learning a lot from each other just by meeting and discussing the theology and application of different parts of the Bible It’s a long term project rather than something we will finish in a few months but the idea is that a book comes out of our corporate discussion together.

I recently began an online digital photography course with the Photography Institute which is helping me improve my technical and camera knowledge. Some of the assignments are written and others involve submitting my photographs for comments by an experienced pro photographer, which will be really helpful. The beauty of the online course is that I don’t have to go anywhere for a class and can also do the course in my own time, without specific deadlines, apart from having the whole thing completed in a year. I have also met a good photographer here in Iceland (our friend Lilja) who is helping me to improve and is keeping my inspired by her amazing shots.

I am yet to start drumming but I have decided to firstly concentrate on the photography and will hopefully take up drumming again once the light starts fading and  the darkness rolls in for a long winter….what better way to help pass those dark nights than to practice rudiments, grooves and stick technique? I will firstly need a drum kit and somewhere to practice though!

I will be leaving Iceland for a month to go back  to the UK and see my family, celebrate my niece Sophie’s 4th birthday and meet my new niece, Alice, born on 20th July. If anyone is around in the Essex and London areas between 20th August and 2nd September for catching up, would be great to see you! Following this time back home I will be doing some travelling in the Shetland and Orkney Islands, Scotland for 11 or 12 days with some friends  and then heading to Edinburgh for the annual 24-7 Prayer gathering from 16th September before returning to Iceland on 21st September…

I promise to keep more updated with my blog from here on and to write some more articles about life in Iceland, my weird thoughts on things, views on politics and theology and anything else!

Please keep reading…..

My new niece Alice

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