Busy week

Last week we couldn't go outside much (yet again) due to bad weather, but managed to keep the house warm and get on with other work. We were both getting excited about going to BP for over two weeks for Stephen's and Gun's visits.

We came in on Friday, spent most of Saturday morning cleaning the flat. It is such a lovely, ergonomic space, it takes no time. Made the bed and put the heating up, so that Stephen should not suffer from the cold. Got an e-mail from Sheila saying she wanted to come over in May, so fixed that up as well. I went to an organ concert in the afternoon in an unusual church. The performance was in aid of the restoration fund of an ancient church somewhere near the Balaton. I am used to free concerts which usually cost more than the paying ones, but I do not mind contributing to a good cause like this. I can even put up with a little religion, which you usually can't avoid when the concert is in a church. This particular organ was enormous and very modern. The guy playing was not the best performer I have ever heard, but the pieces included famous works by Bach and Vivaldi, so I was happy. What made me a bit concerned, however, was the obvious connections between this particular church and the extreme right wing. The little church needing restoration was associated with St. Stephen, the first Christian king of Hungary and this was a perfect excuse for ultra nationalist, irredentist, extreme right wing sentiment expressed in some of the speeches I heard, the text on all the plaques on the walls and the dozens of right wing flags everywhere. If it wasn't for my two friends with me I would have scarpered right at the beginning.

Sunday was very busy, yet again. I went hashing in Erd, followed by a barbecue party in the house of one of the hashers. This time Roy came as well and confirmed his feelings that this hashing crowd is not exactly his cup of tea. I find some of them really nice to talk to, but I think Roy is right that on the whole the atmosphere is not to our liking. The people are too expat, too right wing and too public school. I can stomach a small amount of any of those three, but not all three together. Still, this hash will go down in the annals of epic survival efforts, as slap bang in the middle of it came a whiteout snowstorm and we got totally lost. The fact that the trail was marked in flour somehow did not help. Once there was an inch or so of the white stuff everywhere (including sticking to my glasses) the trail markings have petered out and no wonder we had no idea where the checks were or which way we should turn. Finally, we asked someone in the neighbouring village and found our way back looking like drowned rats. Thankfully I took some spare clothing, so I was quite comfortable, but I can't see me joining the hash too often in the future. As it happens, the orienteering season starts soon and then I couldn't go anyway as it clashes with events on Sundays.

In the evening we fetched Stephen and Katy, they were extremely lucky to get out of Gatwick, considering it was closed soon after they left. Since then we have been sightseeing, shopping and generally having a good time, (see above!) even though the weather is still wet and cold. Both gigs went extremely well: Monday had a better crowd, so it flowed better and Stephen enjoyed himself more. Tuesday had a large group of punters who possibly could not follow Stephen fully and therefore there was less interaction. Still, both nights were full and it was very successful all round.

The coming weekend will also be somewhat busy: HOV executive meeting on Friday, orienteering on Saturday, running and possibly even hashing on Sunday with another concert in the evening. Gun is due on Tuesday, so it's all go here.