Relaxing in Bér

On Tuesday, 5th February we went back to the village, as planned. Healthwise both of us seemed to have got worse and finally we realised that we both caught a cold, again. The extra feature was Roy coughing and spluttering as well as me. Still, peace and quiet in the country was probably the best idea, even though that the weather started to cheer up again and that always makes me really frustrated sitting indoors and not hiking or caching in the sparkling sunshine.

Aba Novák Vilmos fresco in Jászszentandrás Church

The plateau above my Slovakian cache

Church designed by Nagybaczoni Nagy Vilmos

The village belfry in Ordaspuszta, the site of my first cache

Thankfully, after last year's 10 new caches + 4 adopted ones, I decided not to bother with any new ones this year, but I still like to find new ones, and unfortunately I do have some caches of my own that need maintenance and/or redesigning. The one in the church with the frescoes needs replacing again and as this is a really long way away, I decided to redesign the box and the hide, hopefully make it more weather and muggles-proof, so I don't have to get over there twice a year or more.

There is also one in Slovakia, which needs redesigning, partly because since I put it there the Slovaks built another look-out tower and it would be nice to combine it with the quarry, plus it apparently has someone or something that loves digging it up, so very often it disappears or gets chucked under a bush some distance away. There is also another one West of town, about a 40 minutes train ride away, where the small tube is always full of water, so that needs re-thinking too.

Robson Green, James Norton and the new vicar, played by Tom Brittney

Finally, my very first one, which has been out for nearly 7 years and never needed replacing, but frequently needed either moving a bit or a new logbook, is needing a new logbook again. So, if I add together the mileage from Bér to my very first one, then onto Slovakia and back home, followed by a trip to the one in the church, then back into town and out to the one in the West and back to town, that seems something like 200 miles or more. No new caches, but a lot of work and travelling to repair 4 of my caches this year.  And that's assuming that no more of them develop problems and need mending too.

The great Brenda Blethyn

During the week when we were trying to get better I did a lot of watching of television. I picked a few movies on Netflix and also watched BBC iPlayer a lot. ITV was also in use, even though I haven't watched it for ages. Midsomer Murders, Grantchester and Vera were the favourites. On BBC I started watching Silent Witness, which is also one of my all-time favourites. The Yanks are having a break, so some of my usual serials were missing, but hopefully they should all be back soon.

The pálinka bottle, contents of which I gargled with

Mariann suggested a day of geocaching, after I offered to take my car and do the driving. She seems to be missing it a lot and of our little group of her, Gyuri and me, my current total is the highest. So they are all desperately trying to catch me up. So, she and her friend Gabi, plus my good self are off to somewhere South of Cegléd next Friday, 22nd. Hopefully I will fill better by then, as my improvement is so slow that it is hardly noticeable.

My nut and dried fruit store

Cucumber salad with garlic

The next sack of walnuts waiting to be shelled

On Monday, 11th I had an appointment with Zsófi, my homeopath, and offered also to meet a Canadian family history buff, who wanted to meet Roy, but he had to stay behind.  Unfortunately, in the last minute I felt so bad, that I had to cancel both. Zsófi put my appointment off by a fortnight and Roy perked up and offered to get into and out of town in one day and see the Canadian himself. That seemed OK and went off fine.

In the meantime we have been engaged in a fair amount of cooking and preserving and nut cracking, as well as being on the internet. We made a large bottleful of cucumber salad with garlic, finished cracking the last sack of walnuts then started on another one, and I even managed to struggle with my VPN, which was a bit hairy due to MPN folding and merging with a large outfit. Finally, when everything was fine, my computer had given up the ghost. I think I will try to have it mended, rather than put it in the bin and have a new one, so the next time we are in town by car, that'll be brought in.

Goldfinch on the veranda under the feeder

The bird feeders were replenished when we got back, but the tits were slow getting back to them. On the other hand, the finches, who were hardly seen on the feeders all winter, have turned up again. Good news to know that they are still alive, but not so good as I do not like the personality of finches. Bossy, argumentative and very dirty. They sit in the middle, while eating and throwing the chaff all over the place, as well as chasing the tits away.

Oh, another funny event was my sore throat being gargled with pálinka. Mariann suggested it and Roy gave me a half bottle of the new pálinka from 2018. Strong, aromatic and slightly sweeter than the year before and while it has only spent barely three months in glass bottles, it is ready to drink now, methinks.

On 13th there was a pigfest at the Mill and we were having up to 6 guests in the Bunkhouse.  However, it seems that nobody turned up, which is not good, but as far as I am concerned they have to pay whatever, as letting people down this much is out of order. I am not 100% sure that that is what happened, I'll find out when I get home from town where I am at the moment.

A gorgeous recent photo of Kristóf Baráti

The reason why I came in by bus and will go straight home tomorrow morning by bus, is because  way back in August, Hulk and Haggis bought me two tickets for my 70th birthday, to MÜPA to a concert by my absolute favourite violinist on the planet, Kristóf Baráti. The only excuse for missing one of those is DEATH. Since he has become world famous, it is not easy getting a ticket to one of his rare appearances in his home country. I am really looking forward to it tonight, and am taking Bozsa with me.

The Hungarian Philharmonic Orchestra

PS.: The concert was brilliant, Brahms is always a treat, but the Shostakovich Symphony was a revelation.  I have never heard him live and while a bit strange in places, it was pretty good.