Words by

Nanna Árnadóttir

@nannaarnadottir

Photo by

RMM

Hi Nanna,

While visiting the the Maritime Museum in Bolungarvík I learned that in the olden days Icelandic Fishermen used to use lýsi to make their clothes waterproof, how many litres do you think I’d need to make say a large jacket and a pair of pants waterproof? How much Lýsi can I take out of Iceland?

Fisherman’s Friend

Hi Fisherman’s Friend,

Well it sounds like you’ve really thought this through. Think how popular you’ll be, when you board the bus back home in your fragrant fish liver oil rainsuit!

How much Lýsi would you need? My ball park guesstimate is maybe 10 litres, and when you’re done you can strain the Lýsi and drink it with breakfast every morning. Those 10 litres of cod fish liver oil should last you at least 2 days. Lube those innards hunty, turn your colon into a fishy slip’n’slide!

Best,

Nanna

Dear Nanna,

So, while touring the Golden Triangle last month the guide told the people on the bus that those mounds you see in lava fields are dead and buried sheep from times of yore. People just nodded along accepting this information blindly but I smell bullshit. How about you Nanna? You smell it too?

Skeptic Sue

Whatever do you mean Skeptic Sue?

Many a times I sat upon my grandmother’s knees while she told me of ancient sheep burial rites. She smelled of sniffing tobacco and warm sugared coffee, the rocking chair we sat upon – which my grandfather made with his own hands – creaked beneath us as she told her tale.

The higher the mound, the more high ranking the sheep. The younger the sheep, the deeper the grave had to be and most important of all, the more lambs the ewe had delivered, the more wild flowers were braided into her long shaggy locks.

The troll guide spoke true, for this is our precious heritage.

Nanna

Dear Nanna,

This morning I saw a couple on Piers Morgan’s morning show here in the U.K. They were trying to talk about being non-binary and P.M treated them terribly. I’m very ashamed and want Icelanders to know that people in the UK don’t all think and act like that.

B.

Hey B,

That Piers Morgan, I’d whisper that he’s the scum of the earth into his ear but on leaning in I’m pretty sure I’d be met with the sound of the sea echoing inside his head.

Thanks for your email but I’d send it to Ugla and Fox instead if I was you.

And while you’re at it – since you’re identifying as an ally – maybe consider donating some cash to Mermaids UK, an organisation helping children who struggle with gender identity, to Samtökin 78’, Iceland’s LGBTQ organisation or Trans Ísland (the paypal button is in the upper right hand corner).

Thanks!

Nanna

Do you want to ask Nanna a question? Go ahead, but continue at your peril. Shoot her an email on nanna(at)grapevine.is or tweet her using @NannaArnadottir