Hornbjarg Years

My uncle Jón told Lura this story and she Emailed it to me, after I mentioned that in this photo it appeared that my dad, Áskell Löve, had no safety equipment at all. Then my cousin Sigrún pointed out the shoes he's wearing in the photo, that she thought might be from sheepskin, but sewn by my grandmother. Here is the story:

Jon told me that Amma made the boys "skin skor" when they lived in the lighthouse. Afi managed to shoot a seal with his shotgun (apparently the only gun he had) and they skinned it and Amma sewed shoes with the skin. Sheepskin wouldn't have worn well and the sealskin was more durable. Your Dad lived in Isafjordur during the school term so that he could go to school. He stayed in a room in the house owned by the father of the present President of Iceland and Jon thinks he ate at Gauja's house. He was only home during the summer. The rest of the boys and Sigga were taught by a travelling teacher who lived at the lighthouse for a few months and taught the family as well as several children from Horn. Jon remembers learning more from Askell when he was home than from the teacher. He remembers that Amma was really upset because the children that came to live with them brought lice. Horrors! She had to cook for them and clean them up and de-louse them. It must have been a lot of work.