Oh my God, he really made it!! Having met all the qualifications, Ruben’s registration was accepted for the competition, and he is currently competing at the European Archery Championship! I still can’t believe that my little son has reached this level and is holding his own at adult distances in such a prestigious event. Thirteen years old! I have always been proud of him, but this is an achievement that goes beyond maternal feelings and is an objective confirmation that this boy is truly capable of something exceptional. The training over the past years was at half mast (actually, not even that), so the preparation for the European Championship was…

Since I started my new job, I haven’t had much time for anything else—you know how it is: you try to settle into your new routine, figure out the expectations, and do your best in your new role. But even when life gets busy, you can’t just let the important celebrations pass you by—especially not when you’re celebrating one of the most important people: your mom, on her name day! So after work, we met at Nyugati, where she arrived from the countryside and I rushed over straight from the ministry. We made the most of our time together, from the afternoon all the way until the next morning—fitting in…

And finally, we’re here!! The night before leaving, we somehow made it to bed by 11 PM, and after just 3 hours of sleep, we were already up at 2 AM to catch our flight from Budapest Airport. Half-asleep, supporting each other, we stumbled our way to our gate. But when we arrived at the house and the boys dropped me off before heading out to get food, I just melted into the place.Those who know me know that water is my element, and as I breathed in the salty air and listened to the sea, I simply felt: I’m exactly where I’ve always belonged.

I never thought I could feel Vienna as close to me as Budapest, two cities that seem like frequent pen pals. It’s as if they’ve shared everything that has happened to them, experiencing each other’s stories and occasionally waving to each other from afar. And when you start to get to know the cobblestones of their streets, the whispering murmur of the Danube’s waves flowing through both cities’ beds, the curves of the trees in both places, it feels like recognizing a rhythmic pulse. And this rhythm in Vienna and Budapest is almost the same, just with a slightly different flavour; if you stop, Vienna tends to lull you gently,…

So when you’re in the middle of changing jobs and a thousand things are swirling in your mind at once, planning and replanning, letting go and making space inside yourself for new things, and feeling a bit sad about the letting go, it really helps to have a son you love being with—one who even goes out for coffee with you because he sees you really need it. I know these mornings have a different meaning now, because a teenager’s focus is very different from that of a little boy, but that’s exactly what makes every one of these moments priceless…!

Moments from Mother’s Day, a kids’ day hamburger outing by the Danube, Easter celebrations, and favorite spots for morning coffee in Budapest, Vienna, and along the Danube in Vác. Plus a little bit of this and that, captured by my phone:

If you’ve moved to Vác and have a long weekend granted by the calendar, it’s definitely worth visiting this charming little arboretum. Even if you haven’t moved to Vác but love plants, or if you don’t have a long weekend but can spare some time to recharge, I wholeheartedly recommend this leafy, branching destination! It can be explored thoroughly in 2–3 hours, with time for a coffee from the super friendly snack bar. This planned duration includes jaw-dropping admiration of the blooming cactuses, tuning into the inner world of the greenhouses, and wandering lost among the countless paths—only to find yourself again. And what did a plant-loving mom feel during…

The best part of this birthday season is that my kid and I celebrate on consecutive days. Now that he’s old enough, he can pass the birthday celebration baton at midnight, which has become a really lovely tradition 🙂 My birthday is quieter than a teenager’s, but what makes me happy is getting a little extra time from an increasingly independent young person, more than on an average day. So today started with a melange breakfast by the Danube, continued with some duck watching, and ended with a little wandering on the cobblestones of Vác. The “excuse” for the stroll was to pick up a stylish glass jar to transfer…

So here we are, 13 years after I met this new person, after learning to distinguish the nuances in his voice, discovering his moods and feelings, then his worldview and stance on every aspect of life. After 13 years of shared experiences, billions of everyday moments, on this birthday all I could think was: more, more, more of this person—let me see what extraordinary thoughts will sprout in his mind, what path he will take, what gifts life will still bring him. When I think about how he has been so far, it always blends with how he will be, all that still lies ahead of us. And after all…