The ninetyfourth week of the pandemic

 

The story of the 2021 brew

The great event of the last week was the arrival of Roy's pálinka. Admittedly, we have sent 450 litres this time, but back came 40 litres, which is the largest quantity we have ever had. A couple of days later we have bottled them into 61 bottles and now they are settling down to be drinkable in about 4 months. The collage shows our plums, the bought plums and the grapes that went into the mash, and the transport of both the plums from Galgaguta and the mash to the still. We can't wait to taste it, probably around April 2022.

61 bottles of the heavenly nectar

Another event was that having agreed to have a Vodafone telephone line, cable TV and internet, which is going to be installed on the 10th January, we started rethinking the house. Initially we thought we would go back up into our bedroom to sleep, but Roy is still feeling so cosy in the lounge, that the move upstairs has been scrapped, but some rearrangement is still required. We moved my bed closer to the radiator, pulled the armchair out and the new TV will go on the wall by the iron stove and we will watch it from the bed and the armchair.

BB dry for about £2 a bottle

Roy's Christmas dinner

 

On Christmas day we had a lovely meal and champagne. Roy had his usual fillet steak, while I had my usual salmon. The champagne was a dry BB which is so cheap and delicious, that we ought to drink it more often than just once a year at Christmas, or possibly again at New Year's Eve.

Elian and Xander on Christmas day

The family called on Christmas Day, which was lovely. Stephen started the day with Elian and Xander opening the presents we sent them. You should have seen Xander opening it and finding his iPad. He screeched from joy and was jumping up and down. Unfortunately, Lucy was coming for them in about 5 minutes, so we didn't have long, but it was a lovely beginning to the day. In the afternoon, (6 hours difference), it was the Canadians' turn. They were all at Heather and Lyle's, so we not only saw Callum opening his present from us (subscription to a gaming platform), but had a chance to chat to Heather too. She has been ill, but is OK now. We exchanged medical histories, as it's usual on such occasions, and then let them get on with their Christmas breakfast.

Callum by the Horseshoe Falls

On Saturday, half way round the world, the Turners and the Grants - aka our Canadian family - went to show Niagara Falls to Callum, as he hasn't yet been. He looked so lovely photographed in the usual spot we all have pictures by the Falls taken, I can't believe he is this big already. 12 year old is not very old, but he looks and behaves quite mature for his years.

Alex, Callum, Meaghan and Lyle

One further development of an earlier story is that I have started to get aquainted with the ins and outs of applying for Hungarian citizenship and a passport for Roy. The form is a bit aggravating, as it explains nothing, it is ambiguous and vague often, but at least I am only going to have to fill in about 5 or 6 pages out of the 16. I am trying to find out further details from people I know that have been through the process.  A few of them are not particularly helpful, simply because they did it so long ago that they have forgotten. One guy, however, who has only just got it at the end of summer and his swearing in is still to come in February, should be a better adviser. He must be away for the holidays, as he has not yet answered my e-mail, but I am living in hope. I have already asked the Mayor of the village if he would be able to do Roy's swearing in and he said yes. Mind you, I am being a bit previous here, because even if we get it in during the next month or so and even if he gets it, the ceremony probably will not be for at least another year or close to it.

The moderator election results

Today I have heard that I was elected to be a moderator for another year in the geocaching club. I was convinced that I would not get in, as this year 19 people went for the 12 places, I have not been too active in the club due to the pandemic and I haven't even done my usual lobbying. Of 340 eligible to vote, 199 did so and of these 114 voted for me. That gave me the 9th place out of the available 12. 

Manet and Heino at their last visit

On Monday, Heino and Manet have arrived and we were really looking forward to seeing them. Unfortunately, they couldn't buy a pre-paid SIM card, as planned, at the airport and then when on Tuesday they went to Pásztó, they couldn't get one there either. The problem seems to be that you have to have an address card, which, of course, they haven't. Bureacracy is totally insane in Hungary, and they can't understand why. My reasoning is that a semi-dictatorship, like ours, has insecurity built into its fundations. Its starting point is that everybody is a criminal, and everybody is out to get them. Therefore, you have to prove all sorts of things about yourself that they will need when they have to catch you for something. Insane!!! 

Zita and Árpi on arrival at Hero's Square

I remember when my friends Árpi and Zita cycled round the world between 2011 and 2015, they bought a pre-paid SIM card in practically every country, so that they could access the internet and stay in touch with home. In no country en route did they have to provide proof of address. We were wondering what to do and as they are coming over tomorrow morning to see us, I hope we will stick our heads together and come up with a solution.

Lucille in Call the Midwife

I have done a fair amount of TV watching online, Netflix and with the VPN, which does work occasionally, but still not very well. I watched the Call the Midwife Christmas Special, which was just like it has ever been, but I enjoyed it. Anything that could go wrong, did, but all came out perfectly happy at the end. Ahhhhh!! The BBC's A Very British Scandal was also superb. I love Claire Foy, she was fantastic in The Crown 3-4 years ago and she did a perfect Duchess of Argyll too. 

Claire Foy as the Duchess of Argyll

The only possibly negative aspect of the last week was that I caught some lurgy again, and am furiously coughing, sneezing etc. I am sure that it is one of my usual winter colds, but with the Omicron variant having almost completely the same symptoms, I must admit I was a bit concerned. I am now better, but as it had an effect on my digestion too, I have been a bit wobbly.

Our favourite pizza

Must go now, Roy sounds as if he is waking up and I need to see to the fire. Today was a very active and useful day, during which we did three lots of washing, went food shopping in Palotás, then cooked a lovely pizza for lunch and now I am doing the blog. The pizza was yet another of our "doctored" pizzas. Shopping in the Coop in Palotás, I spotted our favourite Dr. Oetker's Feliciana quattro Fromaggi. We usually put extra cheese on it, thus making it a Cinque Fromaggi, plus mushrooms, red onions, cocktail tomatoes, garlic and corn. It really did go down like a treat. Next, after seeing to the fire I will have to start making a surprise for Heino and Manet for tomorrow's visit, which will also be fun.

The family collage

Next week we are due to spend 2 or 3 days in BP. I am having a visit to my cardiologist, and we also have to try and buy a television set, as big stores in BP have bigger choices. Next post sometime next week! :)