Spring with bumps

The radical change in weather last week brought Spring rapidly to Budapest, such that suddenly the crocuses and even the daffodils were out. Starting my first full week of work, I headed into the office, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the fountain in the courtyard (previously covered over) was now gushing forth water. Elsewhere I saw bobbing golden heads (a la Wordworth), which I subsequently discovered are called Nazis here. Ok, not actually Nazis, but Nárcisz (like Narcissus), they sound remarkably similar though (I wonder....).

The Friday before I'd found out that a friend's friend was moving to Budapest and was eager to see whether they'd be interested in becoming my new flatmate. The day passed with my friend and I exchanging details, and waiting for her friend to arrive here. After work I was scheduled to have my first Hungarian lesson, but it was cancelled, because my teacher was ill. Boo.

I went home, checking my phone all the time to see if this girl had called or texted. Nothing. So I headed out to Tesco, in order to do my weekly shop (which I'd substituted the day before for buying of roses). I also had to get some celotape to put on my mailbox downstairs. I was appalled to find it was around £2.50 for two rolls, which to me seems an exorbitant price, especially in Tesco.

I headed home, and met Miklos, the bane of my life, on the street. He was due to come over to collect money for bills. We'd been trying to arrange this for a week, me agreeing twice, then him calling to ask if he could do later in the evening, and me already having plans. It was all a little frustrating. Trying to make conversation I told him my teacher was ill, which descended into my attempts at mime, which readily failed, and a desire to bang my head against a brick wall. When we got upstairs it turned out he didn't even have the bill, and would have to come another day. Hmmph.

Well, still no news from the girl, so I decided to make the best of a bad lot and go to Ikea. I'd already managed to amass around a dozen plants (I'd purchased three in Tesco that day - shocking impulse buying), and they were beginning to demand proper homes. Fortunately I got there before it shut at 10, but had to race round a little. Ever the savvy-buyer/out-and-out-thief, I snipped cuttings off a couple of plants there, which I'd later pot up at home. I came back with some mugs and a clothes basket too. It would have been rude not to.

Oh well, not such a successful day, but my plants looked happy in their new pots, and I had some new mugs. Time for tea...