Between Holidays

It’s not easy to slow down back from the excitement of the preparations to the peaceful calmness of the Holy Holiday.

This Christmas was the absolutely most enjoyable one for our little son. I hardly believe that this one was the third Christmas with him. Even now, he plays with his newest toys with the greatest pleasure until late evening. This year’s handcraft was the big heart-shaped gingerbread stitched with silk stripes with a Dominik-photo in the middle. It was perfect present for everyone. Even for the mistresses in the infants’ nursery. There was a little Betlehem play by the children which was about the birth of Jesus then collective singing, children and parents together attended by piano and guitar (I would have taken my flute with myself). Sincere children’s mouth made the audience laugh several times.
Other big bang was my mother’s cake which is called beigli-cake. It’s a combination of the traditional poppy-seed and walnut strudel in a cake. Perfect for those who likes both. Staying by my mother, her magnificent decoration meet with the greatest success. I really liked the decoration in the windows, on the doors, on the banister, the festive board with the luminous runner in the middle and the real surprise were the elegant cover seats and the angel wings especially for the only grandchild.
Holy Afternoon at my mother-in-law’s place, Holy Evening at my mother’s place, first day of Christmas at our house, second day of Christmas at my sister’s place as usual. Variegation and lavishness were the characteristics of our Xmas menu. It was French onion soup served in toasted rye cobs with cheesy dollars then stuffed chicken breast filet with fungous sauce beside ”princess potato” and stewed cauliflower as a garnish (this course mainly for female members) and roast pork with braised red cabbage (mainly for male members) and cheese in breadcrumbs with tartar sauce (mainly for my sister) and salad, cabbage salad… Dessert was my orange cake that was made previous night till 2 AM. What a pity that the snow melted by Christmas Eve.

29 in the light of the fourth candle

Mikulás arrived in the light of the second candle

I wouldn’t have thought that Dominik adapt himself to the new situation (bölcsőde/”school”) so easy. Like a duck to water. The first days were cruel but nicely at the same time so far as a training into a new community can be. This is a process for the mother, too. He asked me every morning if I left him. Till this morning. The question has changed today. ”When will you pick me up?” he asked. I’m incredibly proud of him and I love him too much for words.
Dark days seemed as if turned into bright days (it turned out that I’m entitled to a huge amount of severance pay from my previous workplace through the liquidator company) as long as we became aware of an another bereavement. We layed my father’s sister’s husband (60) to rest last week in the country. It was a simple civil ceremony but so much the more touching.
As regard Mikulás and his presents, I hope sweetie poisoning may not exist…

In the light of the first candle

I add success after success on LABOUR MARKET. I’m not just planning but I’m taking decisive measures for the REAL RETURN – contrary to the original plan to which according I would have to be a pregnant one month old.
In Hungary, women are quite privileged to stay home with their children for 3 years. God knows that I wanted, really wanted to stay. Spending the time being with your child can be never enough and nobody can pay such a huge amount that compensate the absence of each other. My decision is not the source of the conflicts with Krisz but the result of it.
Dominik attends a day care center (it’s called ”school” by the mother of the American little girl named Joy from Kansas). He started from November and I’m going to start from December. It seems that I found my dream job or my dream job found me. It’s in the near (Budaörs is the number one criterion for me so that I can get Dominik at any time, independent of traffic jams), good position, good salary and I’ll be able to use my management knowledge (and English!) that I picked up at the college. I took part in several interviews and I finally got three job opportunities almost at the same time that I really wanted to get. It’s a great homour for me. As a career-starter, it took much more time 5 years ago. Now, there are three positions within one or two weeks. Each company wanted me and I had the opportunity to choose. That’s something like success! Certainly, it would have been far better if it had happened after the second baby, according to the original plan. Unquestionably, it wouldn’t be wise act to rush into a new baby as long as private life is doubtful.
Advent season begins. Time to light the first candle.

Dark Days

A chain of depressing events close to me that clouded the days bygone. Two surgical interventions, a death, conflicts in private life, upset of family planning and others. I’m not sure where begin and how detail and if I wanted to live through the happenings again. We’d be on dangerous ground. I just mention in a few words because of the functionality of this blog that is inspired to exist as a diary in which there is place for good things so much as bad things.
First my godmother went under the knife with her heart and its blood vessels. Subsequent event was my mother’s operation. It was two big abdominal myomas that needed to remove. Both of them are hopefully over the hump, and I can just pray for them to be uncomplicated. While my mother stayed in hospital, I attended the obsequies of my kindest colleague’s husband (age: 64, diagnosis: lung cancer). I got to know just then and there that her daughter’s body partly became paralyzed. It’s said that it never rains but it pours.
To be continued…

Seasons of Change

You never know which day is the last warmest day of the season before autumn/winter. We tried to act as if each day was the last warmest one. (This reminds me of the initial sentence of a movie which says that this is the first day of the rest of your life.) So we weren’t inactive during indian summer either. To stop weediness at this time of the year is the most grateful task because it doesn’t grow again (at least till spring) or just very slowly. I like my chrysanthemums because they’re charming when other plants loose their beauty. Pelargoniums grew a lot but I’m not very satisfied with this type. It’s quite thin, not like my mother’s. However, she wasn’t satisfied with hers, they usually run over the fence by this time, but this time they don’t hide the fence either. The surprise of the season was the tomato plant that came up from previous year without any care before discovering it. By now, it teemed several kilos king-sized tomato.
Unfortunately, we left off cycling because of the wet chilly weather. We used it the whole summer and was a good choice in many respects such as economy, environmental protection, physical exercise, shape forming, getting tanned…
Meanwhile, Dominik’s great-grandmother (on Krisz’s side) turned 85. We congratulate Dédi! Cordially.

Füles Mackó: A hegedűművész --- for Dominik (and for Gábor)

Weekdays and Playgrounds

I became an English teacher! Nowadays preparations for lessons keep me well employed. This isn’t my new job, this is a favour for family members. My pupils are my sister and her husband and Krisz. Ancsa’s aim: medium state degree that is neccessary in order to get her diplom. The boys’ aim: speaking and understanding English. I want them to take an exam, too. All of them met the language previously (I mean as a curriculum) but they all needed to refresh their knowledge, so we started from the very beginning. To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t have thought that a teacher’s life can be so complecated. Preparing for the lessons requires so much time. Theory, practice, homework, the proper structure of a teaching period, to grab the attention with various examples, questioning, nothing can escape my attention. The most important thing is to check myself continuously in order to give no disinformation. Consequently, a teacher’s job involves many responsibilities. It’s a good practice for me, too. Otherwise practice makes perfect. I enjoy.
Developing the thought and staying at the theme of work, I’d like to mention that I found a new job that is much more closer to me than credit affairs. It’s catering, party service. Why is it perfect for me at this time? It’s casual work and I’ve been payed on the nail. On the other hand I like it because of its diversity – changing places, changing people, changing occasions (conferences, birthday parties, weddings, outdoor programs). You misunderstand me dear reader if you think that I want work whatever happens. I just want to complete the family cashier, being away from my son the less time possible.
We tested as many playgrounds as we could this summer. The absolute winner located in downtown, in Millenial Park. It’s fabulous, belongs to the world of fantasy with its fairy creatures. The elements are really smart, interesting and entertaining. Disadvantage is the crowd. On the 2nd place on the winner’s stand is the simpliest which is the only playground that suits Dominik’s size.

Visiting Angelika in Croatia

Aug 28 - Sept 2, 2009 Dubrovnik, Croatia

We could feel ourselves privileged because of the opportunity of spending a couple of days in Croatia’s most beautiful town at Angelika and Vlado’s place. I wouldn’t have thought that we meet the sea this summer for the second time.
Dubrovnik is a drive of about 1000 kms from Budapest, so it requires a whole day or a whole night drive. We travelled by car and tried both part of the day. Even the little one bore the long tour patiently. Dubrovnik (Italian, Ragusa) is a historic city on the East Adriatic coast in the extreme south of Dalmatia. It’s one of the top tourist destinations in the world and is nicknamed "Pearl of the Adriatic". This was our first time in Croatia in spite of the fact that it is the most famous recreation area for Hungarians because of its beautiness and nearness.
As regard meals, one day there was Croatian tasteword (tuna pate, shells, schrimps with wild rice) by Vlado; the following day there was Hungarian kitchen (palócleves made of potato, butter-bean, meat) by Krisz. Bravo guys, truly bravo! Next day but one we were in a restaurant in the harbour and tried seafood again including octopus salad, fish, potato with spinach, grilled vegetables. I think it would have been a mistake to miss it, just as well as this pleasant summer send-off. Thank you.

K. László Szilvia versei a hónapokról (részlet)

AUGUSZTUS

Új búzából sül a kenyér,
hú, de finom, ropogós,
Nyárbúcsúra készülődnek
az iskolás nebulók.
Augusztusi meleg napok
odébb viszik a nyarat,
De a sok szép, kedves emlék
még sokáig megmarad.

In the Middle of the Last Summer Month

August 8-9, 2009 Füzesgyarmat

We spent the whole weekend in the country – unfortunately without Krisz because he had a night shift on Friday and had to work on Sunday as well. Dominik had great fun with each member of the family and special thanks for Évi for babysitting and take care of him while staying there. He also enjoyed the company of his godparents who actually had the 1st wedding anniversary on Sunday. Pig sticking, horse show, bathing, sunbathing – we were rich in outdoor programs. Dominik used his motorcycle with pleasure all day long. Configuration of the soil are much more favourable than our hilly landscape. As it were a part of his body like my camera of mine.

The sand pit is ready! Grandpa fabricated it, father (and of course Dominik) layed the foundations. Really practical because its cover can be framed into seats. Sand-castles, sand-moulds, shovels, riddles make yourselves ready for playing!

As if Dominik found out my every secret wish. I wrote about potty training last time and since then, from the following day he uses W.C. regularly. At first, for just number one and a few days ago was a milestone, the first number two in the W.C.! I was so happy! I think we’re on the right track to clean habits. I wouldn’t have thought that it would happen quite soon. I’m very happy, it’s a real sense of achievement! And let me report that he also can „read”. He is able to recognize his name written on a paper and the word „Tesco” (saving shopping center) in any context, written on any product.

His ruling passion is boobs henceforward. No comment. Opinions differ.

What's new

Spectacles for Dominik! Poor sweet darling. Certainly, it’s not a tragedy but I feel sorrow for him because it’s just a disturbing factor BUT the sooner the better. How did it happen? How did it start? We realized that his eyes look sometimes inwards by turns. The eye-specialist said that we should had drop into his eyes for 3 days mornings and evenings so that the muscles of the eye would be entirely loose so that he could make certain the real reason of the convergent squint. The side effect of the drops is the mydriasis = it dilates the pupil like a drug which remains for one more week after the last drop. It worked well: the doctor measured much more dioptres like previously. This was the more difficult part of it – to keep him in and safeguard his eyes from too much light – but he is a smart little boy and understands everything that is explained what to do and WHY to do. Many times he said automatically that ”the sun is shining, we can’t go out because of my eyes” (süt a napocska, nem jó szememnek) and wore sunglasses without disagreement or he automatically put on when needed. So I think I felt worse of us two. But it’s over, the glasses stayed (as a birthday present) at least for 3 months, till the next medical examination. What is the problem? It’s a taint, a hereditary thing. His eyeballs are a little bit smaller than need, that is why the picture seen is created not in the suitable place of his brain, his eyes struggle. Aim: the reduction of the number of dioptres till zero. Anyway, he wears the spectacle heroically and tolerate very well. He looks like a wise guy with it, his face changed very much (for me).

After some education and after my one hundred and three – per cent – final exam I became a credit consultant/administrator, a link between creditors (merchant banks and banks) and borrowers. Flexible time-table, go-ahead, on comission, mainly collateral loans. Not the job of my dreams but can be a source of living (or rather salary supplement) in the world of credit in which we live in these days. I’m going to see my money after each successful loan disbursement. My first job is to find my client and to know his/her aims, to pick up information. Information about the credit (sum of credit, period, purpose, type of currency, istallments), about the object of the credit (how many people, age(s), earning(s), outstanding debts, checking the central registration of abbey liard), about the property (location, type, size, value, mortgage). After examining the creditability to choose the most suitable (or the only suitable) bank for him/her on the grounds of aims, facts, property as cover. To give information about the conditions of the credit, to collect the necessary client and property documents without loss, filling the necessary forms, signing the contract and make the bank receive and grant the credit.

Meanwhile, Dominik turned 2. (The train-cake is made by my mother.)
Things in which he shines: ”poetry recital”, knows and says at least 2 dozen verses shorter and longer as well, speaks well-worded, conjugates correctly, thinks along the right lines, dutiful, orderly, always behaves as ought, plays really fair, helps me in the kitchen (beating the eggs, mixing the ingredients) and in the bathroom (taking the dirty clothes into the washing machine, carrying the laundry basket, hanging out the wet clothes)…
Things in which he doesn’t shine: potty training (he tries the adult toilet sometimes with a constrictor or without it and shows more interest than in a pot). Is it a stereotype that girls become potty trained earlier and summer is the most suitable period to get rid of the diapers?

All children are wonderful, but the most wonderful one for us is our 2-year-old Dominik!

Salam Aleykum! Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Sharm El Sheikh is the biggest town of the Sinai Peninsula (the most southern point of it) at the Red Sea. It is a real diving and snorkelling paradise, it’s abounding with scuba divers and snorkellers. We’ve never seen such a clear turquoise-blue water and such a beautiful colorful fishes right in shore. By the way, there is desert everywhere.

The Three Corners Palmyra Resort is located in bay of Nabq. The beach of our resort was located 10-15 minutes drive by the bus of the hotel. It started at whole from the hotel hourly and at half from the beach. It was hard to get used to the sight of the men furnished with weapons all over the place, in front of the resort, at roadside everywhere. The tourist police takes special care of the safety of the tourists because they exactly know that Egyptian (and many other) people do well at the tourists’ expense, they make their living by tourism (think of terrorist attacks, attempts).

This holiday was different than last year. Not better in some respects, not worse in many respects. Krisz cherished the hope that we had an easier job with a 2-year-old. I knew exactly that he was mistaken. He has legs to use and will to work, can achieve his object – that is the difference between a toddler and a little boy. As for the rest… live and learn! Our main struggle was meal-times. Most of the times Dominik wanted everything else doing except eating. Even the mere approach of the restaurant generate the following sentence: „We shouldn’t have breakfast” (=Nem kell reggelizni!) regardless which part of the day it was.

Day One: The flight time was 4 hours including one more landing in Hurghada. Dominik slept a little and he said halfway „we should get out” (=kiszállunk). When he looked out of the window he saw the air-wing and said „it’s coming with us” (=jön ő is). We got to know at the Egyptian Airport that we’re not infected by H1N1. It was a really exhausting long day because we had to get up at 3:20 AM.

Day Two: The discovery of the possibilities and each aquatic environment including firstly the sea, secondly the amazingly giant water surface of the resort. We feeded the fishes from the floating stage on the beach. That night we started up from our sleep. Somebody was knocking on the door loudly. It was created some scare, our frightened eyes met in the dark sitting up on the bed. We thought of a kind of alarm or emergency. It was me who (was less undressed) opened the door. It was three guys what I was seeing and one of them was holding a cake with a candle on top. „My husband has birthday today!” said without hesitating. „The baby is sleeping” added immediately. I think this was the sentence which saved us a Happy Birthday song in tenor voice from three kind men in the middle of the night. They lit the candle up and said a quiet Happy Birthday and wished to have a good time and to enjoy the cake. What a surprise! What a courtesy!

Day Three: Dominik got up very early in the morning so we tried the playground in the light of the rising sun. A little bird stole pancakes from our little son’s plate at breakfast. He was seeing that scene a little bit frightened with wide open mouth and eyes. We had fun seeing the dolphin show in the afternoon. The cleverness of those animals was fascinating and touching at the same time. After Dominik’s nap we spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach and arrived the hotel with the last bus. The athmosphere was stormy on board, the song of Ali Baba howled from the cassette recorder. Everybody felt extremely well, the driver became one with the rythm that was expressed by his handling the steering wheel and the brake. We got to know Mustafa, Said, Ahmed, Miina by that time. Latter is the seller at the pool and asked Dominik „Whether you want to be my friend?” and lended a beachball to him while staying at the pool.

Day Four: Being on the beach in the morning and had fun with the staff on the bus. One of them especially symphatized Dominik and took some picture of him and was kidding all the way long. A cat joined us at the sea and Dominik asked repeatedly „What are you doing here?” (=Mit csinálsz itt?) By that time, our little son felt his feet and exactly knew where to go, what to do and what he wanted. In the afternoon we sat into a taxi in front of the hotel and asked the driver to give us a lift to the Old Market Bazar. We wanted to get an inside view of the life of the local poeple and buy souvenirs. Our driver was a very kind person and really helpful and useful, he seemed to be not only our driver but also our guide in the not so friendly, red-blooded, money-hungry environment where we dropped in.

Day Five: Glassboat – we saw the bottom of the sea, the colorful fishes, corals and coral islands through the glass bottom of the boat that left Dominik quite cold. He just said that „we couldn’t take them out” (=nem tudjuk kivenni). In the evening we visited Dominik’s favourite place in the resort as a rule. It was a cosy place for those who wanted to try hubble-bubble/water pipe. It was the colorful bulbs, pillows, poufs, carpets that he liked most. The staff smiled patiently in advance seeing his approach.

Day Six: Swimming in the pool. Dominik bended his knees so that the water was shoulder-high for him and said „I’m swimming about” (=úszkálok!) We got to know a nice black-white couple on the stage with their cute children.

Day Seven: We spent the whole day at the sea (gone back at noon). Krisz instructed Dominik in swimming and he proved to be a promising pupil. Mohamed entertained us in the rest of the afternoon with his biography while we were sitting on the sunbed. He’s 28 and wants to be a diving instructor, his brother lives in Australia and he lived four years there… and Dominik is so cute and we are lucky to have him. Amen.