Speechless, Emotional and Proud

Last week Diane told Steve she wanted to watch the inauguration live. He successfully found an Irish bar that promised to have there TV's tuned in. So, at 4:00 we went to the bar and at 5:30 we watched, we toasted and we applauded. What a night!

There were lots of photographers and reports at the bar getting all the smiles on camera. The guy in the photo below with his arm up was so happy and so loud that the cameras were focused on him all night. The funny thing, he wasn't even American:)

Diane and Steve at Becketts Irish Pub

Andi joined us in the celebrations

Home Alone!

Steven is home alone in Budapest.  Diane would be happy however that he is cleaning the house, doing laundry and eating well...mostly.

editorial:  I really could never stand this movie. - Steven

A simple hello

Just a simple update to say hello. We don't have any photos to post or any exciting stories. We are happy to have our boxes from the states. Our apartment feels more like home with familiar things around us. Diane has been sick for the past week and Steve has been crazy with work. It has been freezing cold here-averaging 20 degrees Fahrenheit. It is so cold that there are chunks of ice floating down the Danube River.

Diane leaves for Frankfurt on Thursday. She is attending a huge textile show with 20 other Hungarian textile designers. It should be an inspiring and productive trip for her. She will post photos from the trip when she gets back on Sunday.

Until then, have a good week and stay warm.

Lucky 13

They have arrived! All 13 boxes. After months of waiting, negotiating, translating and testing our patience, we received all 13 boxes today. We (Steve mostly) climbed 3 flights of stairs over and over to get them to our living room. Here are some photos..

The last time we saw our boxes..August.

The boxes in their new home! It is like Christmas!

Sweet Treats!

I went to the post office on Monday and what did I find?? Two boxes from our friend Margarita! I came home and started working and the boxes kept calling from the table, "open me, open me". I patiently waited for Steve to get home and then we busted them open. So many treats! Soap, candle, cookies and nuts, coffee and tea and a book! We had so much fun opening all the gifts. We didn't get off the couch until 1/2 the box of candy Cane Joe Joes were gone:) Thank you Margarita!!

Steve thinking about a cup of coffee

Diane chowing down on Candy Cane Joe Joe's

What the New Year will bring?

While in Estonia, Kätlin told us of a tradition of fortune telling on New Years Eve. You melt tin and pour it into a pot of cold water. The tin solidifies and forms different shapes. These often abstract shapes predict what the New Year will bring.

We bought some tin before we left Estonia. In the photo, the horseshoe is what the tin looks like before we melted it. The shapes on the left are Diane's. The two shapes below the horseshoe are Steven's.

What do you think they look like? What do they predict for us in 2009?

We would love to hear your interpretations!

Boldog Új Évet!!

Happy New Year from Budapest!!

We had a great New Years Eve! We started off with a bite of Mexican food where we watched the Hungarians and tons of tourists walk by. Everyone was dressed up with masks and...bunny ears...Fireworks were being released everywhere!

Then we were off to our first party of the evening! Our friend Eva invited us to join her to meet up with her friends. We went to a fun bar called Katapult Kávéház. It felt very Seattle and the DJ was AWESOME!

Steve at Arriba Taqueria

Diane at Katapult Kávéház

Katapult Kávéház

Katapult Kávéház

Then we headed to a Buddhist dance party. I can try to explain it....It was at a Buddhist community center where people live, meditate and practice Buddhism. Boy, can they throw a party! Dancing, terrible drinks and ton of people! We stayed until 3:30 am then headed home.

Steven and Eva at the dance party

Eva and her friend

Steven and Diane