Tag Archives: Catskill Mountain

Home Again…

March 31, 2015

they scanned me, and called Laszlo in New York that I will be home again soon...

they scanned me, and called Laszlo in New York that I will be home again soon…

Home Again… we said a heartfelt  good by with Marja-Leeena and then we checked in with the airline.  I could not be happier with the news that Agyag’s fee was only 75 Euro(!) .  So I showed Agyag’s receipt from New York. I got a big apology and an even bigger refund for the gross over charge at JFK on the way here.   I just love Finnair, I think, they just got a committed new customer.  Before boarding, I kept asking one of the flight attendants wether the dog was on the plane yet.  She was not too enthusiastic about my persistent inquiry, but finally she called the ground crew.  She also asked me what kind of a dog I had.  The magic word, “PUMI” finally brought a smile on her face and she told me that one of her colleagues also has a Pumi.  “You mean Helena Matilla?” I asked… She said, “yes.”  What a small planet to fly the friendly skies…

"Are you ready?"  I asked, "are you ready?" she asked.

“Are you ready?” I asked her, “are you ready?” she asked me…

 

 Agyag plans to sign up with FinnAir as a sniff sniff dog (we might fly free next year...?)

Agyag plans to sign up with FinAir as a sniff sniff dog (we might fly free next year…?)

Photo Mar 30, 8 22 02 AM

The plane could not leave for an additional forty minutes.  So while we were sitting on the ground, I decoded the airplane charmers’ hand signals on the tarmac watching them through the window.

the airplane charmers code to move those big mechanical beasts on the ground.  It is all brain power and focus...

the airplane charmers code to move those big mechanical beasts on the ground. It is all brain power and focus…

The flight was smooth and dry. It  reminded me somewhat the prohibition era.  (It took lots of button pushing to get a few glasses of wine out of the flight attendants. )

the airplane charmers' hand signals to move those giant beasts on the ground...

the airplane charmers’ hand signals to move those giant beasts on the ground…

Finally we landed, and we were home again.  While I was enjoying the NYC sunshine in the traffic jam trying to get out of the City en route upstate, the furious periodic mini snow storms in the Catskills made me question the existence of Spring.

New Draconian measures in NYC to collect unpaid traffic tickects. Vialators are  burried up to their head in the medians to inhale  exhaust fumes so reduce pullution. Look at the heads, it rturns out that blond types do not pay their traffic tickets more often than others...

New Draconian measures in NYC to collect unpaid traffic tickects. Vialators are burried up to their head in the medians to inhale exhaust fumes so reduce pullution. Look at the heads, it turns out that blond types do not pay their traffic tickets more often than others…

snow flurries March 30, 2015 What is going on Mr Weather Man?

snow flurries March 30, 2015 What is going on Mr. Weather Man?

I hope it will come in the next few days. I am ready…

The Return (sequel two, part one)

March 22, 2015

 

I am pretty concerned about apossible Icelandic Culinary Month celebrated by Finnair.  I am not sure if I am ready for a fermented shark fin and pickled herring mousse with sour sheep milk.

I am pretty concerned about a possible Icelandic Culinary Month celebrated by Finnair. I am not sure if I am ready for a fermented shark fin and pickled herring mousse with sour sheep milk.

Men plan, nature executes…  Based on Kaffogo Agyag’s reproductive cycle in the past two years

, we had a perfect plan until last week. Than everything turned into chaos and upside down as the four bitches have brought into heat each other, including Agyag.  Bitches…

I had to contact Marja-Leena Puranen to double check wether the male dog is available and wether Marja-Leena was ready for us.  Once we had the green light, I had to break the news to Laszlo while we had only a few days left for a massive rescheduling of all plans for the next two weeks and of course to buy a new airplane ticket to Helsinki.

Since we left late from home (as usual), we had a nail biting four-hour drive to the airport in an insane weekend traffic jam.  At check-in, our saga has continued with customer service.  They had no idea about “live animal traveling fee rates” and I ended up paying double ($400!!!)one way – for Agyag.  (What is wrong with weekend customer service…? Once I am back in the States, I have to recoup the money.)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LxaTT8uCV8. <——–Click here

according to

according to the yellow label, Agyag is in the  121lbs category that cost $400 (twice the standard price) each way to transport.  Is it a slightly over weight Pumi or a traveling crate carved of stone?

I waited until Agyag’s crate was conveyed into the belly of the plane then I finally boarded too.  When the plane took off and we were ascending, after all the stress, I could only hope that this was not an Icelandic Culinary Month for all Scandinavian airlines when they serve fermented shark fin, pickled herring mousse and sour sheep milk while someone is out-loud reciting from the Kalevala in Finnish.

My anxiety disappeared in an instance when we reached cruising altitude and  I heard the captain in the loudspeaker, “ladies, gentlemen, it is time to start your cocktails….”

Marja-Leena was waiting for us at the Helsinki Airport.  It was so good to see her again.

Marja-Leena was waiting for us at the Helsinki Airport. It was so good to see her again.

If you had one too many of the cocktails on the plane, you might freak out that you ended up on planet El-Adrel from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and bumped into a Tamarian when encountering Kim Simmonnsonn's ceramic sculpture in the Art Port at the Helsinki Airport near Gate 37  (Curtesy of Finavia Corporation).

If you had one too many of the cocktails on the plane, you might freak out that you ended up on planet El-Adrel from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and bumped into a Tamarian when encountering Kim Simmonnsonn’s ceramic sculpture in the Art Port at the Helsinki Airport near Gate 37 (Curtesy of Finavia Corporation).

The Earth Is Flat…Welcome to the Puszta

May 20, 2013

The earth is seriously flat

The earth is seriously flat…

Packed up the car and left from my sister’s home in Budapest  with the dogs to Hortobagy around 6 AM. I felt like a broken airconditioning that leaked out all of its freon and just kept running empty and overheating.  I was barely moving as the adrenalin dissipated from my body after the highly charged busy week ended.   The drive was about 2 1/2 long, boring somewhat resembling crossing through Iowa and Nebraska perhaps even more flat.

The Dining hall

The Dining hall…

I got to the Inn around 9AM.  Grabbed some breakfast and hopped on the bus to join my

international group members.  We will spend a whole week practicing herding and learning various folk art media, visiting the area and learning about its history.

Riding to the herding site...

Riding the bus to the herding site…

We drove to the herding site, got off the bus and there we were; the Puszta (prairie)…flat, barren and  empty.  The laws of physics get seriously challenged here…The midday mirage destroys the effect of vanishing point,  all noise gets absorbed in the air there is no acoustic effect. Speed becomes meaningless as it has no reference point.  The body loses its proportions and one becomes hyper aware of every part of it.  The Earth is seriously flat, endless, disarming and powerful here.

The day started with some talks, we checked out the nature preserve and wild-life reservation.  After

Moving the livestock...

I have to get used to  the flatness of  the landscape after the Catskill mountains in New York State…

Photo 21-05-2013 07 14 15

part of  “Team Pumi Americanus,” me, Tom and Chris Levy 

 

lunch we have begun practice.  The sun was high up and the dogs got tired fast.  Fruska was disinterested, Agyag kept flossing and I could not really focus either.  Was glad when the day ended.  Hope for a better mood tomorrow…