Limi

Long time since I blogged or even read blogs. Have been full busy in Sweden. First the wedding last weekend, then loads of work daytime. H&M evenings. Then I had four suppliers to entertain for two days. I came back from a windy and cold Sweden to a sunny and friendly Hungary yesterday evening. Just in time for good old T&G.

Today I and little m were up at six for a secret Bounty, and then we watched the Formula one qualifying from brand new Korean race circuit. This was at seven. Vettel on pole, Webber second and ”my guy” Alonso on third. Will be a exciting race tomorrow – hopefully…

This afternoon is was a beautiful autumn day, 16 degrees, blue sky and absolutely no wind, a perfect day for garden work. Now I halve packed up all my 70 plants nicely. Just have to clean up tomorrow and the terrace is ready for the winter.

You can get a shock for less... :-)

            

A new fresh week just started, even if we don’t feel that fresh. More or less the whole bunch has had drip-dropping noses during the week end.  Little m even got a fever, we just noticed. 38 point something. So I guess she will not be able to show off her new fringe in school tomorrow. That’s right. She actually has a fringe since 5 o clock today.

After two years of growing the hair wild, she and her mom voted me down. 2-1 for the fringe… :-( But she still looks very cute :-)

 Just like the rest of her sisters (and brother)

I’m missing gym. Hope I will start slowly in a month or so.

Good thing is that I have plenty of time to other things, like buying a new printer. Half size, half price and double as fast as the old one. Can even print wireless now. wow... :-) 

Look at those two beauties, this is how they look on their brand new school photos.

Days are passing fast, almost Friday again, but just almost.  

Hmm, what did I do this week (except enjoying life…) Ok: Tuesday our internet was down. Called emergency service at UPC (our provider) and asked what’s going on, or more precise; what’s NOT going on. Everything is just fine the girl assured me, but it seems that you’re having a problem with your modem. She checked her papers, and found out that we are premium customers. Promised to send some guys out  immediately to change it, which they actually did.  Then she asked if we wanted to upgrade. We had a 25Mbit connection for 9300HUF a month, and we could get a 120Mbit connection for only 9000HUF. Equal with ca 33 EUR .

Today we got it. Quick as hell, or at least a lightning from hell.

But before today we actually had yesterday. Yesterday I left home at 06.00 for Slovenia. Four company visits and 14 hours later I was back home.  Slept like a 2 week old corpse  (as usual…)

Tonight we went to Trattis with little m. She was not in a very good mood. Long day at school, and then ballet.  A little too much for a 5 year old grl. Good thing is that she normally nowadays goes to bed at 19.15. !9.30 she’s snoring like a pig. Or like her father, if you ask her mother… 06.30 in the morning she will have had her beauty sleep, and will wake up without any pushing from sleepy parents.


               

Today I went to my doc again, to get the MRI result evaluated. According to this, more or less everything was half broken in my knee. Those results are bullshit, the doc said. “If they were true you would not be able to even crawl…”

Then he suggested with sparkling eyes that he would perform a lobotomy. Or did he say laparoscopy maybe… Anyway, he sounded a little too enthusiastic for me to be confident. So I bravely declined, and suggested that we might wait a little, at least until I finished the pill he subscribed last time. What pills?? It was a powder to dissolve in water, he said.

Had to call home and ask what was written on the box. Wrong medicine it came out. Bad handwriting I thought. Typical doctors scribble. Without precisely telling me what I had been eating for a week, he suggested I should stop, and flush down the rest of the pills in the toilet as soon as possible, and don’t worry too much… Promised to do so, and start with the new powder instead.

He will see me in a month or so again.

Maybe 500 EUR per year is too much after all???


             

Made the MRI early this morning. First I had to sign a bunch of papers that said that I voluntarily was doing this, and that I would have no claims whatsoever on the med center if there were later complications. That made me have a second thought. But only for a second, I mean I was out of bed anyway…

They put me into something that looked and also sounded like a gigantic microwave oven. But as I was not cooked after 15 minutes in this thing, I think it was only a magnetic scanning. I looked like an electrified cat afterwards. Hair standing straight up, without any gel or other chemicals.

I also noticed some other small side effects as the pic shows. Hope it will pass soon…

Yesterdays evening at T&G was great as always, and tonight’s visit to Pomo D’oro won’t be worse. Especially when you consider their very big selection of quality wine…

                   

Another week to put to the past, and soon a new one coming up. The new unfilled ones are always more exciting than the old ones. I mean what happened happened, what will come,  you don’t know…:-)

Still not allowed to run, still a swollen knee, and still on strong pills. Tomorrow I will have a “MRI” – Magnetic Resonance Imaging examination. At 07.20 in the morning, and I’m supposed to drink two liters of water before. Wonder how I will manage that…

Thursday I went to the optician bought myself two pair of new reading/computer glasses, including a proper eye examination. Found out that the +1,5 or +2,0 I normally buy at the petrol station have been too strong. Maybe I should have made this examination some years earlier… Also ordered progressive contacts, also for reading. Will get them in two weeks.

Last night I did not sleep well, as I am reading a v e r y thrilling book by Jo Nesbö. He’s Norwegian. Seems that those Laps got something right after all, producing such a good author I mean.

He kept me awake till 05.00 in the morning. Hope I won’t fall asleep at T&G tonight… :-)

              

Another busy weekend. We had some nice but hectic days with friends from Sweden. Short but very nice and effective I must say.  Hiking in the Buda hills, nice food, sightseeing by car in the Sunday rain. Now we will plan a return visit to Borås. Or not…?? Company would be great. But Borås… well, well, let’s see about that  :-)

Saw 14 000 marathon runners (or at least some of them). Looked like real self-tormentors limping in the heavy rain. I’m normally a great fan of running/jogging. But under those conditions I would pass…

The weather has become real autumnish. Read on my breakfast egg today that 2 years ago we had still summer and 35 degrees. The good thing with today’s weather is that it has inspired me to look for accommodation in Ischgl for x-mas and New Year. Seems that we will spend  both those feasts there this year, as we will have some crazy Norwegians there for Sylvester. Will be fun :-)

              

Ok, Hungary has it’s flaws, can’t be denied. But it also has its sunny sides, especially when you have a private health insurance…

Went to the clinic to check on my swollen knee today. Had an appointment at 18.00.

18.00 sharp, my name was called out by a nurse. The doc was ready to see me. 18,38 I left the clinic. During those 38 minutes they managed to;

·         examine my knee properly, by a specialist of course

·         make 5 X-ray shots

·         evaluate  the shots

·         get me an appointment next week at a sports hospital (as if  I am an athlete, - haha)

·         give me a prescription of some miracle drug, that the doc warned me to even try to bring over any border…

·         get me a new appointment after the whatever they will do on that sports hospital

·         wish me a good week end

Pretty amazing I think.

Now you say; of course they have to perform, it’s after all a private clinic.

For this service, around the clock I pay only 500 EUR per year. As I don’t pay any other social contributions, I must say this is a bargain.

And as a bonus; I went with public transport, and as always I never have to wait more than 3 minutes for the next Metro. Even if a single ticket now cost 1 EUR. Not a bargain….

Now to elections; they don’t screw things up like in Sweden. 75% for the right wing. They don’t have to flirt with anyone to run their own politic. Including changing the constitution...

Is this a dream country or not??

                   

Nice that the right wingers won the Swedish election. Not so nice that the extreme right also got a seat in the parliament. When you read the interview with their representatives, they seem to have a very limited political agenda. More or less all of them claim that they will support whomever in any political voting, as long as they get some payback in form of a harsher immigrant politics.

Seems that they have forgotten that hundred thousands of immigrants (at the time called work force) side by side with Swedes built up much of Sweden´s welfare in the sixties and seventies.

And what about Zlatan? The same guys, who want to throw out all immigrants, still want Zlatan to play in their Swedish national team I guess…

I think many countries all over Europe have a problem with extremists. Some decades ago they were communists, now they are fascists. Also in Hungary we have them. Jobbik. They even show up in parliament in full uniform sometimes. Looks a little scary, even if it is hard not to laugh when you see them. Looks like kids on a masquerade…

We had another extremist as a guest for some days. Linda. In her extreme killer stiletto shoes. Drove her to Vienna today, from where she took a flight back home to Marbella. Was nice to have you here Linda :-)

 Have got some problem with my knee, feels like a swollen football, can hardly even walk. Will see a knee specialist at First Med on Friday. Hopefully he will give me a shot full of chemicals. The stuff use to be green I remember…

I have to be fit for the weekend, when new guests will show up :-)


Linda and her father...
              

Now we (me and Linda) are back in Budapest after almost a week in Båstad. Managed to work a lot, meet Kajsa, Victor Hilda and Maja, and last but not least; to buy new gadgets for training; new super shoes, new pulse meter, racing socks and other useful things. Now I have to download some new software, so I can analyze all new data I will be able to collect. Sport activities without proper measuring analyzing and then bragging about it would be spoiled time. I don’t know if it is typical Aquarius behavior, or if it’s just me… :-)

Also got a new nice shiny Nokia phone for myself. But somehow yesterday evening (while dining and wining with M and Linda at T&G) I gave it away to M. If this was  a sign of true love, or it was just under the unpredictable  influence of alcohol I don’t know. I prefer to think about it as a love evidence… :-)
Tonight the three of us will meet Toomas and a certain “Diana”. It will be interesting to find out who this mysterious woman is. M will for sure hold a third degree interrogation…

In my absence little m managed to get the reward “Star of the week” at school. In the schools weekly morning assembly she was called up to the stage by the headmaster to get the diploma.  200 pupils in the audience applauding. This was a very proud moment for her. Won’t be forgotten very quickly, and a good motivation to keep the good work up.

Reason for the reward was:

·         You listen

·         You pay attention

·         You put your hand up and can answer all questions

·         You are kind and gentle

Makes also her dad very proud...


Number 4 and 5 caught on their way to their daily sports activity: dance and gymnastics...
         

Now all the ”to do” boxes are checked on my to do weekend list;

·         Tom&George

·         Movie

·         Trattoria Pomod’oro

·         Pancakes

·         Formula one

We watched Lukas Moodyssons “Mamut” a pretty good movie, showing the life of two families. A good example how you can screw up a potential good life. After this movie we appreciate our life here in Budapest even more. Lucky us :-)

Even if M now thinks I will run off with a cookie. See the movie, and you’ll know what I mean.

Only minus with the film was that half of it was in Thai, with Hungarian subtitles…

Finally Alonso and Ferrari are back where they belong; AT THE TOP!! :-) 

Tonight I will order some home delivery; Sushi…

Tomorrow morning  I leave home already at 04,30. Will drive to Zagreb to pick up Linda, then we drive back to Budapest to catch a flight to Malmö around lunch.

Meaning that next week will be spent in Båstad. Promised to help out a little at work, as they have been, and still are, one man short at the moment.

Back home again next Friday

Oh, bye the way; my (I say my, 'cause big M still isn't THAT conviced that we really need it...) wine storage/cooler finally arrived on Friday, my little darlings already moved in, and they seem to do good in there, I know, because I check them every morning… :-)


         

Back from Split, and two perfect days at the Adriatic Sea. Thanx a lot L&C :-)

This is how I imagine a boat vacation at its best; comfortable and spacious boat, nice breakfasts, a stop in a  beautiful bay with super clear deep blue water, a quick swim, then time to head for a small village for lunch, where you can get grilled fish and wine. A looooong lunch in the sun.

Then time for a new bay, some snorkeling and sun taking. Then again time to find a new harbor with new restaurants and new wine. And next day you start the process from beginning again.

Skipper C handled the cruiser like it was a small car when parking in those narrow harbors. Like he did it for a living. Maybe next career?

Seems that I left the nice weather in Croatia, because here it’s rainy and cold. The last two years weather in this region has not been as it’s supposed to be.  I have had ten years of perfect  weather, and recently two crappy ones. I’m spoiled. And I deserve it. So please bring the normality back!!!  Normally I don’t ask for things, I just do them. But in this case it seems that I have to trust a higher power…


The skipper and his crew on the fly-bridge :-)
         

mmmmmmmm
         

Yesterday Trattoria Pomod’oro. Tonight T&G. Tomorrow Split, Croatia. Last year we needed 5hr 20 min for the drive so I will leave home 03.30, as I have a rendezvous with Linda, Chris and the beauty shown below at 09.00. This year I go alone, as little m can’t skip school…

I was almost on my way to Decathlon, to buy some useful gadget, like for instance a harpoon with laser aim device or an underwater-scooter. Unfortunately big M talked me out of it, so I will just dig out my old swimming fins and snorkel out of the storage.

Will only stay for a day or two, then they will drop me off on some island, and I take a ferry back to Split. On the way back to BP, I will visit a new presumptive supplier outside Zadar. So there is a tiny bit of work involved as well. Not ONLY pleasure.

By the way; as I have written earlier, little m did not say one word in Kindergarden for two years, even if she's absolutely fluent in hungarian, and babbling like hell with her best friend. "selective mutism", was the doctors diagnosis. Yesterday Miss Pamela gave us the great news that she is talking english at the lessons without hesitation. YES :-)))

         

Tomorrow there is PE on the program. We got a long list of items needed from Miss Pamela.

Went out to shop all the stuff while little was in school, then we had a big try out. The track suit trousers were to short , (she must have grown…) so they needed to be swapped for a size bigger. But now everything fits. And even matches…

Next Tuesday they have swimming on schedule. I’m sure there will be a new list… :-)

Loads of driving nowdays as well. Normally we use the car very seldom in the city, but now we spend two hrs a day forth and back, forth and back. Will make 400 hrs in a year...

         

       

Last week we had summer.  32 degrees during day time, and nice long warm evenings.

Today we have 12 degrees and rain. What is the matter with the weather??

Hope it will be better next weekend, when I will go to Split, to visit Linda and Chris on their yacht…

Anyway, as the rain is poring, and winter jackets are needed to go somewhere to eat, we decided to cook at home.  If I exclude breakfast and Sunday pancakes, we haven’t cooked a real dinner in our kitchen since March or April. Ok we do the potato wedges what we sometimes eat with what we grill on the terrace. But that’s not real cooking, right?

Little m decided for boiled chicken with rice and Lemon sauce. So now I am cooking chicken with rice and Lemon sauce. And no cooking without a decent wine!!! So I’m having a very decent one! Cheers ZZZ

Talking about wine; have I mentioned a bought a wine storing fridge/cooler on E-bay the other week? Hope it will arrive soon, so I can start building my stock. It has place for 168 bottles… This early winter weather also reminded me about skiing, so today I also paid the deposit for our Ischgl apartment.  29/1  - 5/2 2011.  All involved; please make a note regarding those dates, so no one will come later on and say; “didn’t hear about those dates before…”


            

            

First day at school went very well.  13 kids in the class. 8-5 in favor of the girls. Days are long though; 8,30 until 15.30 -  5 days a week. We have also seen that this is not a prolonged Kindergarden. This is school. Even if it is a bit playful. However little m seems to like it, she can’t wait until tomorrow, or even better till Wednesday, when she will go to her old Kinder-garden after school, to say bye to staff and playmates. When Kinder-garden closed for summer, we had no idea that m would start school in the autumn.  Never knew that Brits start first grade when the kids are only five… So there was no farewell in June…

Today we went to “da Pippo” for Spaghetti and Pizza, but only me and little m. Big M was to exhausted after not sleeping too well day before school.  Little m slept like a horse last night, and was very hungry after the first school day…  

Flowers for Miss Pamela

            

            

New friends
            

This morning my head felt at least two sizes too small. Our British neighbor threw a party yesterday... Fun guy and pretty weird guests... Weird is good :-)
The last week I have been busy collecting info, to build a family tree. With good help from my half-brother Greger we have now 161 person registrated. Not bad, huh? Everything is accessable in Internet, and everyone can apply for log in details, and from there you can add missing fact about yourself or others. Hopefully this site will live its own life due to that fact. Let's see...  Check it out on; www.sandberg-nahkor.myheritage.com
Tomorrow we need to be at school at 08,30. First day for little m. Our little girl will be a 1st Grader... :-)

Check out the school om; www.britannicaschool.hu