Going Greener

A quick update on the Hamori's....Our biointensive garden is being set up!! It's loads of work, but the second round of baby plants have sprouted in the green house!! (First round all died but mom helped me out, thank god!!)
Compost looks great from last year and learing all about canning. It should be an interesting change to the family. Learning all about veggies and fruit, hothouses, and sustaining throughout the year.... Big goal, but up until now we only have grown enough produce for about 3 months out of the year....
Also our desil vans from our recycling company are able to going greener!! Yes they can use biodesil...Alfonz has jumped on board. Poor guy, I keep asking the family to stop flushing the toilets and running the water when brushing their teeth and now this!! Oh well, green starts here, in our homes. An that is the true activist. One that changes what they can, now!!
I also have a new organic rule of buying from local farmers, around here. Why in the world did we travel outside SouthSurrey or WhiteRock or South Langley, when we have beautifully grown eggs, ethically raised beef just around the corner. I am also starting to support local businesses in the same fashion. Save on fuel, pay the extra cost, buy only what you need and we are still saving money!!
I have to say the garden wasn't my idea. I stole it from Sherrin from my mother's group...because my garden wasn't very efficient, too small to produce my plans. But the biointensive method allows the smallest garden to mass produce....oh yah and no chemicals....soap and water....and pulling the bugs off....not for the squeemish...

Okay people, photos to follow...
loads of hugs and kisses,
I'm Eva and that's Hamori!!

February 2 2009

The new year, so far so good!!
The Hamori family is always up for a new adventure! Alfonz sold both our 4wheel drive vehicles during that big snow fall last month. Good bye Ford Explorer and Lariate 150 and went in search of a CUV. SUV just didn't make sence in this economic climate with the gas prices and millage. At first we thought a VW wagon but couldn't find an all wheel desil. And then I really likes the Subaru wagon, an allwheel drive. But for the same price they had the Forester. The wagon would suite fine but it was just a little too tight and getting in and out of was a hard adjustment after the explorer. This left us without vehicles for 2 weeks, borrowing the work van and moms van until we finally decided on the VW Tiguan. The Forester was a close second. RDX was a far third contender. It's candy white, great fuel economy, full load at a steal of a deal, and they threw in a bunch of extras: like a tow kit, rubber floor mats, ipod, manicure kit!!! I guess it really is who you know in the car business..... pretty sure Alfonz knows everyone!! She drives like a dream , handles like a racecar, and the kids nick-named her EVE like in Wally. Awww so cute. I hope to get really attatched to this car. With some luck I will have her for a long time....so far the longest vehicle I have had since Alfonz and I hooked up in 2002 was my last Explorer and that was a lopping 6 months!!

Tis the Season

What a year this has been!
Looking back on the turbulent year of 2008, I have to wonder how humans survive through uneventful times.....hah!
Daniel is now 5! How time flys. Daniel finished up his first season of skating in early 2008, followed by a summer of excelling through many levels of swimming. After a refresher, he'll be ready for swim club! Danny-boy started Kindergarden in the Fall, and is enjoying all his new friends. A great year at Sunnyside Elementary's ahead for Daniel. We can feel it!

My baby is 3 and grew 3 inches this year. Angelina learned to put her head under and feels comfortable in the water. She was a little too short for lessons, however looking foreward to lessons in the new year. Angelina-Ballerina started her dance last month, and looks so cute in her pink tutu. At Buena Vista Montessori, (Danny's old preschool), Angelina's been busy. Remarkably well behavied she's turned into a big girl!

Alfonz's business, Alpi's European is also growing. George and Alfonz have way too much fun working together. We are ever greatful for their hard work, while us girls are home taking care of the kids! Thank you!

Talking about work, I am going back to work Saturdays at Safeway, and starting my class back up at She's Fit! Group Power classes in the am and another class during the kids school. Should be fun and gives me a little more me time.

We have also expanded our circle of friends to include Sue and Greg, who we picked up at Milestones during the Spring, and as fate has it, Tracy ended up on our door step in the Summer. Happy to have met them.

We reconnected with an old friend via facebook! Dennis went to school with Alfonz and I at Queen Elizabeth Senior Secondary, and brought his family from Red Deer Alberta for a visit in the Summer time. Their 3 children, Kailee, Emily and Connor are examples of well rounded, well behaved children. I hope to spend more time with them in the future so they can rub off on my offsrping!!

Bori, my cousin from Hungary, and Curtis her boyfriend from Calgary made a quick stop here after we came back from Budapest. Bori is much loved and we enjoyed every minute of their visit. Curtis makes a mean roast beef -people! and if they end up at your house, put his cooking skills to the test!! My door is open to you both anytime...

I am so proud of this family! Even after illness, and death, our family has stuck together. We are still mending after my uncle's death and going through Steve's and Big Alfonz's medical issues. Are we stronger people? Hopefully more greatful of the lives we have and the people we call family. We love you.

So That's Hamori!!
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Random Photos

My mom and Angelina infront on the yellow church, some more photos around Budapest, Mor Wine festivals: Daniel on Peter's shoulders, And Bakonysarkony: Zsolti and Peter's Nagymama, on her farm

Last thoughts on Budapest

Last few thoughts on the trip are mostly positive, but is you asked me yesterday, they were negative and emotional…..no kidding after the travelling and stress….
My mom needs to be thanked again for watching the kids our last evening in Budapest. We went one last time to the Szecsenyi Baths. The therapeutic waters, the jet filled pools, the open air relaxation pools, the ½ naked people making out all around us, is exactly what we needed to disconnect from the stress. After, we went to our little restaurant across from the apartment, 'Bastya', where they got to know us and us their staff, especially Sanyi, our main waiter. A big guy, who loves food, and sports, knew the menu inside out. The food, more traditional, was very reasonable priced. In the summer they have an outdoor terrace on Racotcsi Ut., to watch the busy passer-by’s.
A view of a little yellow Catholic church can be seen from the restaurant window, and also happens to be where my parents were married. Electric trains, buses and cars drive by, along with beautifully well dressed people making their way to and from work during the day or clubbing in the night. At heart I must be a big city girl for I am alive when life rushes by and a feeling to jump up and join them takes over. There is always something to do. Theatres, festivals, wine tasting, tourist sites, history... whatever you fancy, can be found within walking distance from here.
I love Europa, and in the heart, a little country, once not so little....the Magyar's country: Hungaria.

Germany

Have you ever had a gramma drink you under the table? Down by the Neckar River?? Zsuzsa Neni and Josi Bacsi brought champagne from France and treated us to a tasting…before I knew it I was ready for bed. Not Zsuzsa……..hats off to her, she can hold her own!
Josi was very sick when we were there and didn’t partake in the festivities….Alfonz showed pictures of Hungary to them and our trip thus far.

Passau was picturesque. Three rivers flow into one another: The Danube, Inn, and Ilz. Bordering one another, Czech, Austria, and Germany, is the location of this younge old city full of history and culture. Passau has been shaped by a variety of historical events. My favortie event is The queen of Hungary in 856, came from this town, and converted the wild King Istvan to a Saint, after showing him Christianity. Before that pagan kings ruled Hungary.

We lucked out with a sunny day. Enjoy the pictures...

Oct 15th

October 15th 2008
On the M7, stuck in traffic, with no movement in sight. Not out of Hungary yet and still have 4 hours once through the boarder. I just don’t get why they don’t push everything off to the side and let people get through, but it could be a huge 6 car accident for all we know. Last time through Austria, the traffic baked up for miles, and it ended up being the highway repair trucks. It does add on time but on a happy thought we got through safely.

Before we left Hungary we stopped off quickly to drop a phone we borrowed from Akos, at their bakery. Gabor, Alfonz’s cousin, also a master baker, loaded us up for the road with his specialties from organically grown ingredients. Chocolate dipped coconut and walnut cookies, puff pastries with mild sausage inside and for the kids pizza buns. The store also carries a brand of no salt seasonings and soda syrups. Gabor stalked us for another year away. Thanks Gabi!! Can’t wait to see you here in Canada next November. We said our goodbyes to Mama and Gabor and off we went.

In Austria now and the warm weather is definitely changing. We brought the heat with us to Budapest and now its turned cooler as we leave. Angelina and I just woke form our naps to find ourselves in an Austrian gas station with the boys no where in sight. I noticed that most of the workers stopping to refuel and cut the grass on the outskirts of the highway still spoke Hungarian not German. Alfonz reappeared with coffee to go with Gabor’s cookies. On the road again…