The hundred and fiftyeighth week of the pandemic

The end of last week was mostly concerned with packing. Obviously, not the final packing, just putting into two old suitcases what we definitely had to take in to BP, and then pack the new suitcases there. Talking of new suitcases, we discovered a problem. These being cheap Chinese copies of the expensive makes, the locks are not to be trusted and the translation of how to use them is unintelligible. I suppose "cheap" is a relative term, but personally, I thought that £120 for 2 was enough money to be spent. The proper, expensive good brands started at £150 each, so we were not enthusiastic to go posh, not this time.

Smart, aren't they?

It took us several days to work out the "how to set the numbered locks" problem on the new suitcases and finally we came to the conclusion, that we are probably right in how to try to do it, but even if we were, we would not bother with setting them, just in case the flimsy stupid things go wrong and we can't get into the suitcases. So, we left the number on 000 and bought a little, (also Chinese and cheap), padlock, which hopefully works. Again, the suitcase shop wanted to sell us a padlock for £10, which was definitely out of the question. A small Chinese shop had some for £1.50 each.

Glorious deep purple

Before we left Bér for BP on Sunday, I had a few other chores aside from the packing, first of which was to go over the Nelly's and give her the orchid I had for my nameday back in February. To be honest, it was probably the best thing I did for the poor plant, as I am well known as a dependable murderer of orchids. There has not been one ever that survived under my tender care in the past. This time, we will be away from Bér for 5 weeks, and the poor thing needs watering weekly.

Marietta aged 17-18

While there, Nelly said something absolutely flabberghasting. She wanted a photo of Marietta, her cousin, in her middle years. She said she could remember her from their youth together and didn't want a particularly old one, as she was very ill by then. The reason why this really shocked me was, that at any time in the past when I mentioned our family she refused to even discuss it, never mind wanting photos of it. I suppose old age has finally caught up with her, (about time at the age of 91), and she got nostalgic, like most of us about the past. I dutifully wrote an e-mail to Andrew, Marietta's son, asking for one, if possible.

Stephen, handsome as ever

I also had another go at proofreading Stephen's citizenship application forms, (all 11 of them) and found one mistake, which apparently was spotted by the consular lady the last time, just Stephen's description of the problem was a bit puzzling. Why on earth would he write "étlap" instead of "elvált" only he knows. Perhaps he misheard it. Hopefully, these are now all in one folder and would satisfy the consulate, so when he goes up to London on the 29th of this month the process might start. Roy's lasted 9 months, hopefully Stephen's would be shorter, as he is not applying to become Hungarian, only for a piece of paper that says that he already is by right of birth. If there was an Olympic event in bureaucracy, no doubt Hungary would gain another gold medal extremely easy.

My new haircut

After we caught and travelled by bus all the way to BP on Sunday, we have been very busy endeed. On Monday I had a 9 o'clock appointment with Timi, my hairdresser, and she managed to sheer me after 6 months. Then we went to have a set of keys cut for Stephen, which turned out better keys than the ones they copied. Obviously, these things are done by computers nowadays, and therefore they are very accurate.

My favourite pharmacy

Then we went to the pharmacy, where I had to pick up enough meds for the cruise and a bit beyond, which wasn't simple, on account of Eszter, our nurse, while very sweet and helpful, is extremely scatty, and you never know which meds will be up in the cloud and which will be missing. Nowadays, the system of writing prescriptions is so simple, it is really saving time and effort. You don't have to go and see the doctor or the nurse, you just ring up and the nurse will look on the computer for the list of your meds and upload them into the cloud. That enables you to go and get them at any pharmacy in the country, as long as you have your NHS card with you. The only risk in my case is that due to Eszter's scattiness, you will have to ring her again for the missing ones and go back to the pharmacy the following day.

My lovely best friend, Bozsa

The delightful part of Monday was meeting Bozsa and having a coffee with her at one of the cafes opposite the Synagogue by the terminus of the 74 trolleybus. It turns out Roy left his hat at their place when we visited them a few weeks ago and as she had to come into town to sort something out at a bank, she also arranged this meet. She is such a lovely person, you know, the type that even if you haven't seen each other for years, would just pick up from where you left off years before. I love her dearly, and we are planning to go out to stay with them again after our return.

I haven't flown with EZY for a while

 

I also had a slight surprise the other day, which finally made me realise that I am getting so scatty, it is frightening. Mind you, at least I have the excuse of being in my middle 70's, unlike Eszter, but that's another story. So, I received an e-mail reminding me that I am flying EasyJet on Saturday, and must check in before that. I didn't realise, but apparently the option of checking in at the airport is no longer available, which I am sure is an empty threat, as there is no way that you can be refused boarding just for that. Anyway, I always check in online, but for one reason or another, (probably due to the interminable hassles with the cruise admin), I completely forgotten this bit of flying. I could have checked in nearly a month ago, as EasyJet is one of those airlines that provides you with a full month of checking in before your flight. So, I did, and surprisingly got seats in the first row. I suppose they give those out last, while hoping for someone to pay for them, which obviously didn't happen. Needless to say, this process was also a 100 times more complicated, contradictory and full of hassle, compared with the past, but as my dear Alex said, the UK is fracturing into little pieces. Very true, and while Hungary is not an absolute delight either, at least over here it has always been like that. Unlike in the UK, which used to be a predictable, well organised country, so the decline is that much more upsetting.

EVO Taxi, hopefully reliable

Another very stressful issue this week was organising how we are going to get to Heathrow on 30th? Railway is out as they are on strike that day, buses are awfully confusing, but finally I found out that two tickets would be £78 and they do not stop at Terminal 4. So, we decided to take a taxi, which will be around £100, but at least no dragging of luggage between stations and walkways etc, which in our current physical state is one of the main considerations anyway. Stephen recommended one taxi firm from Crawley, so I rang today and it is booked for Thursday 30th, 5 am, cost: £95.

Must go now as Roy is missing his coffe and biscuits and so am I.