Latest news from Fáklya, planning caching trips, insurance for Portugal, Bridgerton, Top Gun Maverick and lots of cleaning

This last week has been spent resting as well as doing a lot of work. I was also entertained with some amazing news from my sources in Fáklya. When I left, I didn't look at any news, channels or social media, relating to Fáklya for weeks, so that I can calm down and get over the shock. This happened quite quickly and I was just about to look at those channels again, when one of my comrades rang. He was trying to get some advice and in return, I started getting up to date information on how things are going.

Group photo from the RCI inaugural conference

Well, I must admit I was getting more and more flabbergasted. I knew that there was a serious danger of disintegration within the organisation, knowing who are leading it and how. However, even I didn't imagine that it will start happening this quickly. There is a wave of resignations, some due to the fascist attack, but even more of them happening because of the nature of the current leadership. I am still waiting for Jack to ring me, so that I can find out what happened at Marina del Massa, but I can imagine roughly what it must have been, so I can work out what is happening now.

Balázs with lecsó ingredients

Other than the above, there have also been some other exciting developments. You may recall that Balázs, the son of an old friend of ours rang up to ask if my old offer of a weekend in Bér is still valid. Of course, I said, so he and his girlfriend, plus another couple came to stay in the Bunkhouse last weekend, which was great fun. 

Roy having a drink in the pavilion with our guests

They arrived on Thursday and stayed until Sunday. They brought with them enough booze to start an off licence, but there was a fair amount of food too. They did a good lecsó in the outdoor cauldron and generally had fun. We spent two evenings with them, but opted out of the last one, as we both suffered a bit from  eating and going to bed too late. I found out an interesting bit of gossip about his father. After I took him to Scotland last autumn, he suddenly vanished. Didn't ring or contact us at all ever since. I was wondering what's the matter, until Balázs told me. 

Laci's 75th birthday do in Bér last year

Apparently, I was unfriendly on the phone soon after we arrived back. I have no memory of a phone call from Laci, but his hyper sensitivity is irritating. If he did call me, it must have been still in the first week after Scotland, when I still had Covid. The degree of insensitivity is overwhelming. He is a real user and he gets upset at the slightest chance he gets. I told Balázs that he will have to ring me, or I am not talking to him any more. I have enough hassle in my life without deliberately adding to it.

A rail cart in action in the Bugac puszta

I have also planned a geocaching event for my birthday, with narrow gauge railway trip and a walk in the puszta to a multi cache. Further logistics were organised, mostly the negotiation with the train enthusiasts who run the rail carts, as well as organising B&B accommodation for ourselves. I can't remember now whether I have told you this, but my birthday will be celebrated on two days this year. As the capacity of the little rail carts was only up to 14 people I decided to reprise it on the Sunday, but without me.

An old cantilever well in the puszta

Well, I will be there at the beginning, to take the money for the private train that I have booked. While the limit on Saturday is 14, our own train can carry up to 26-28 on the Sunday, but I have to collect the money, and then we can take our leave to carry on caching elsewhere. I do hope the weather will be kind and no rain or 40 degree Celsius will bother us. The latter is more of a problem for me than the former. But we'll see.

Szalajka Valley narrow gauge railway

Once I planned that one, I realised that there was a small gap in our busy schedule earlier in July, so I managed to talk Roy into taking a trip for hunting little trains. If we manage it, during that trip we will be able to grab 4 of them. Starting from Bér, we'll first go to Szilvásvárad, then to Pálháza, followed by Baktalórántháza. First and second overnight will be spent in BB's, the last one on a horse farm. We'll see how it goes. That will be very weather dependent, but hope it will be fun too. 2 out of the 4 choo choo trains are long gone, so we will only go for the cache, no ride. The other two are still active. The first we will have to travel on as the walk to the cache is too long. The second one I hope will have a road to drive in on, as that one is pretty expensive, but if not, we'll spend the money.

Kőkapu narrow gauge railway from Pálháza

I managed to buy the insurance for our trip to Portugal next spring with the Canadian mob. It was less expensive than I thought, and after some hassle online, it was done with the help of Attila, my trusty long time insurance agent. I am being superstitious about buying the cancellation extension on my travel insurance. Back in the UK, that was always included, not here. It is expensive, but my attitude is, that once I bought it, I will not need it. Let us hope it works like that again.

Colin and Penelope's wedding in S3

In a dreadfully boring summer scheduling, where I could not find any watchable TV programs on any of my favourite channels, I suddenly discovered a few films I fancied and the last 4 episodes of Bridgerton. I think I have written about the latter before, that initially I hated it, and now, for some unknown reason, I grew fond of it. It is valueless kitsch, with some soft porn thrown in, but I am addicted now.

Tom Cruise 30+ years on, with his hair still on fire

One film that had so far avoided me, has appeared on Netflix, and due to the warning that it will cease to be available on 30th June, I quickly watched it. That was Top Gun: Maverick. I never thought that it was possible, but I think it was even better than the original 30 years ago. I hate Tom Cruise as a person, but for this sort of crap, he is brilliant. The photography and flying were impressive, and somehow I felt that the script gave him more chances to act, than the old one.

The guestroom after the major clean

And finally, the main reason this post is late and will not be too long, as I am already late, is our extremely belated spring cleaning season. We looked around, and realised that we must have a good go at most of the Farmhouse, as we obviously missed the usual spring cleaning week. So we are in the middle of it, which means that my lower back is screaming every day, but the results are quite nice. 

My soft toys in the guestroom

We started upstairs with our bedroom, the guestroom, the upper lounge and the bathroom. Today we are downstairs: the study and the kitchen, plus the downstairs bathroom is also done. I personally hoovered the stairs as well. Remaining work will be the hall and the main lounge, which is probably not worth spring cleaning, as in a few weeks the stove guy is due to come, and demolish/rebuild the pottery stove. That will produce a fair amount of dirt and chaos, but it will have to be done, as we have now spent 2 winters without a usable stove.

Must go now, take care and I should be back, I hope, next week.