Author: PirosAntwerp

I am Hungarian living in Antwerp, Belgium. Having landed in my blog might mean that you are interested in topics like How to Run A Happy Family, or How To Be Successful At Work, or Which Places Not To Miss When You Travel Abroad, and if you indeed want to know more about those topics, please do visit some real blogs, due to the fact that I also write about family, travel, work, etc, however the common element of those posts being that you will for sure not find them useful, in any sense. You will meet recurring characters, such as my daughter (2006), my son (2009), my husband, and some others (grandmas, neighbours, teachers, colleagues..) who are all very nice people, so appearing in my stories is not at all their fault..

Time flies when you are having fun

Our son (10): ‘Mama, what is a ‘gramophone’?
Me: ‘Walter, it was similar to a record player, and…’
Walter: ‘A recordwhat?’
Our daughter (13): ‘Thanks, Mama, I’ll take over from here, if I may.
Walter, a gramophone was a device on which mama and her friends used to listen to music: they put a big CD on an even bigger machine, and scratched the surface with a needle. Of course, you don’t exactly know what a CD is, being totally outdated technology by now, but what you do need to remember is that gramophone was just like Spotify, only it took funnily big room in the house.’

Nuances

I’ve just found back an email: my announcement from 3 years ago made to the parents of our son’s class:

‘Parents of children from 2nd grade – attention attention!

Walter (7ys) invited yesterday already some of his friends for his birthday party in December.

The invitations were perfectly made, only the date, time and location is missing from some of them.

Plus he couldn’t exactly tell who he has already invited.

If you happen to see a mysterious invitation card where – with a bit of luck – the name is indicated, please let me know, and you will receive some additional irrelevant details. Have a nice day all!

Or anything

First of all you need to know I cannot cook. Never could, nor having been any interested. However, I married well: my husband is a great chef 🙂
Me (on Sunday to my 10-yr-old son, who fortunately takes after his papa):
‘It’s great that you are baking a cake!!’
He (in strong encouragement): ‘Mama, I am sure your mom will be also very excited once you bake your first cake.. or anything..’

Parents solve everything

Our son, Walter’s (10) birthday party takes place this afternoon in a playhouse. A lot of toys, pancake and other inevitable ingredients foreseen.

Walter (last night before going to bed, slightly worried):

‘Papa, what would happen if I became ill by tomorrow? All has been organised and been paid..’

My husband: ‘We would solve it Walter, do not worry.’

Walter: ‘Hurraaay!! You are the best papa!’

My husband: ‘..As I said we would solve it. We would look for another boy aged 10, named Walter, and go for the party..’

Nostalgia

Hungarian grandma calling her grandson in Belgium:

‘What would you like for Christmas?’

He (10): ‘A Monopoly!’

Grandma: ‘But I remember you have already such a board game at home..’

He: ‘The Hungarian version is much better.’

Grandma (touched by this 2nd generation nationalism): ‘Better, right? You also prefer the things which are from your motherland..’

He: ‘Yes! In the Hungarian Monopoly we don’t pay tax..’