Having just found out that Norway has abandoned us, it’s perhaps a bit of a blow to hear that Iceland is showing the love for North Dakota.

Officials in Mountain, a northeastern North Dakota community with a rich Icelandic heritage told Iceland Prime Minister Geir Haarde about the $1.3 million community center project when he came to the town last year for the 108th annual August the Deuce Icelandic Celebration. It commemorates the beginning of Iceland’s journey to independence from Denmark.

“The ongoing effort by our family and friends in North Dakota to preserve and honor their rich and unique Icelandic heritage, history and culture is an inspiration to the people of Iceland,” Haarde said in a statement. “We recognize the necessity of this project and the commitment of those who are involved … and we feel that it is important for us to assist them in their efforts.”

Sweden, you could make it all better for us. We’re feeling vulnerable and jealous. We’re ripe for the taking. We are easily wooed by the next Scandinavian country to bat eyelashes at us.

And with that, I’m heading to IKEA.

(via Tom Elko)