Budapest, Hungary

2 overnights in Budapest. I had only been there once, years ago, but one of the flight attendants who was working with me on this tour, is a big Budapest fan and tries to request it at least once a month. She invited me to tag along with her while she went to the huge market hall with vegetables and fruit, meat and cheese. She showed me the the little shops where the Hungarians and not the tourists go shopping. She took me to an original Hungarian restaurant and went with me on a walk along the Donau river.

Just before going back to our hotel she invited me for cocktails. "Cheers!" she said. "Let's toast to beautiful Budapest!"

Gelato

Since we are spending August at home we are trying to sweeten it up with ice - cream. And lots of it. Son's buddy and his mom showed us the newest and best ice - cream place in the city. Italian gelato...the best we have ever had outside of Italy.

And the Italian ladies always give the kids the biggest scoops.

93 degrees

It has been incredibly hot today. 93 degrees hot. Too hot to clean the apartment, do laundry, cook or do anything else for that matter...

that's why I took the kids (son and his buddy in the picture above) to the best burger place in town and only brought them home after dark, in the hope of them being too tired to notice the mess.

On Break

Today I was working on an international flight. Loads of passengers, many of them from Arabic countries. The briefing before the flight is long and extensive. We are prepared for people who don't speak our language. We have international newspapers, extra pillows and special meals catered. During the flight some of us play with the children. The whole cabin crew is as charming and caring as we can be. After the flight a lot of passengers compliment us on a "perfect flight" and we are proud of our tact and understanding.

Then there is the last flight of the day. Just a short hop, really. Only a handful of passengers. A new cockpit crew.

After we land most of the crew is getting into the bus. The plane is empty and quiet. But my colleague is still in the galley up front.

"What was the captain complaining about earlier? " I ask him.

"Nothing really." He replies. "It was really childish and I think he overreacted. He is a bit odd."

Which is exactly when the door to the restroom next to the galley opens and our captain gets out. And I just know that he has understood every single word.

Our tact must have taken a break.

For Hire

For hire:

Reader.

Will bring her own book.

$2.00 an hour, plus snacks.

Stand By

Today was my fifth day of stand by. Stand by meaning, I am on call from 5am till 9pm. In case I am needed, I have to be at the airport within one hour. I might be called out for a short domestic flight or I might have to go to Moskow and won't be back for the next five days.

Or I might not get called out at all.

Which can be good. On my first uneventful stand by day I cleaned the kitchen.

On the second day I changed the sheets, washed all the bedding and did the laundry.

On the third day I filed all the bills that have accumulated during the last six months.

Day fourth I caught up on correspondence.

Today, on the fifth day, I ran out of things to do.

There was absolutely nothing left to do that didn't require leaving the house. I had even ironed my uniform blouses.

Then daughter caught my eye. "Let's study." I said. "Let's do a dictation. Let's practise spelling and grammer."

"I am on vacation!" she protested.

"That's ok." I said. "I have nothing else to do. It will be fun!"

I think there was a second when she thought a flight to Moskow for me wouldn't have been that bad after all.

She did cheer up remarkebly though when I told her that tomorrow, unless I get called out, it is her brother's turn.

He did it - She did it

I am on stand by and the kids are off, meaning they are kind of stuck in the apartment with me. And without fail, there will be one point during the day, where I will hear screaming out of their rooms.

Annoyed by the noise I will run in there. I will ask, "what did you do now?" and invariably I will

get the finger pointing and each of them will say, "he/she did it!"

And every time there will be a lengthy, confusing story about who did what of which I tire halfway through.

Of course, as soon as I leave the room, they are best friends again...

at least till I hear the next scream.