Lunch with the family and happy reminiscences

We drove back to my uncle's house and ate a lovely Hungarian meal that my aunt had prepared for us. Before this my uncle had popped out and picked up my God-son, Gabriel, and his younger sister, Andi, from nursery and they joined us for the meal.

Andi, at two and a half, a year younger than Gabriel, seemed a bit more capable at the lunch table. She broke off bits of bread from a large slice and used it to mop up the juice from her dinner plate when she'd finished whilst Gabriel was a bit lazier and played around more. He was also much shyer than Andi who warmed to us instantly. I remember that it had taken three days before Gabriel had come out of his shell during my previous, longer visit but here was Andi, this time, with no such similar reservations. The other half played peek-a-boo with her and she loved it!

Over dinner it became obvious that my aunt and uncle had misunderstood me on the phone, when I had rung to say that I was coming to visit, as they had got a room and a bed ready for us to stay the night.

"No, it's alright, we're only here to visit for the day. We need to be back in Budapest tonight so that we can pack and get ready to fly off tomorrow afternoon," I had to explain to them.

It was still scorching in the house and I suggested to the other half that we go for a little stroll around town to walk off the food and so that I could show her my grandma's old house and perhaps visit one of the neighbours.

We ambled along the narrow pavement past gardens each with guard dogs too hot to bark at us until we arrived by my grandma's house, a place thick with memories for me. I remember arriving here by car, straight from the airport, years back when both my mum and dad were still alive, a dust cloud following us along the then rocky road and my grandparents running out to greet us. My shyness caused in part by my poor Hungarian language skills always made me feel awkward when we arrived but they'd all kiss me on both cheeks, my grandma many times over, and make me feel at home and loved. We'd only visit Hungary every other year, since that was all we could afford, and I'd always be taller each time they saw me, something I recall that they ALWAYS commented on!

I remember the smells and sounds of the house, now locked up and slowly falling apart and I couldn't help but feel sad, wishing that time would stand still, in just this one place, so that I could relive those happy Summers over and over...