The usual beginning.  What have I got to lose?  Registration at a dating site.  For a long time, nothing.  Occasionally I'd look through the database, one or two letters, responded or not...

At a deciding moment I've seen the following ad :  "I am a preparer of candle lit dinners"  It stood out from among the many standard introduction pages.  There was a photo attached which also demanded attention.  I wrote an introduction, although having read the 'who's looking for what' -  it seemed pretty hopeless that I would qualify.  There was a response, however, followed by what could be called traditional attempts at an introduction.  A few messages exchanged on the chat line, an exchange of e-mail addresses that began many KB worth of correspondence back and forth with attached jpg’s.  He/She from the office and I from home.  On a courageous morning of my day off I sent a message that brought up the topic of an immediate face-to-face, knowing that the next day I would be up to my ears in work.  Having sent this message enhanced with telephone numbers, I turned to take a nap as I do on the mornings of all my days off.  Perhaps a half an hour had passed when the phone rang and to my big surprised my proposition was accepted.  Tonight at the IKEA.  That's what we did.

IKEA was dressed to seduce the consumer society and it appeared to be a good place for a meeting: quiet pub, heated rooms, charming merchandise listed on the logs with ID numbers.  For instance what we've christened outdoor units that appeared to be gigantic candles.  Armed with some half a dozen of these we headed for Dozsa street.  Once we've burned the candles we proceeded with some hair raising maneuvers in the freshly fallen snow as is the habit of some half crazed drivers here in Budapest.  Having concluded these procedures it was time to start for home, but instead I've chanced a slightly insane thought: lets go for a swim in Egerszalok in the warm mineral water trickling forth from the hillside!!  We should leave right now as the roads are not passable from the falling snow, it would make sense.  Another shock -- I was not turned down!  We got on the way around 10 p.m. on M3 motorway among a variety of iron monsters attempting to keep the road snow free.  It took close to 3 hours to navigate the 120 km and for a 4-5 hour old relationship this seemed proper.  The town's name speaks for itself Egerszalok.  The conditions were ideal at near freezing temperatures with snow pouring from the sky there was not another wild soul like us around anywhere.  The pool belonged to us entirely and swimming was all we did.   She fell asleep immediately as we started home and I heroically stayed awake behind the wheel all the way home.

The next day a lengthy nap then the realization and comprehension of what had taken place.  I found myself thinking that I hope she is concluding the same as I that it would be a shame to leave this thing as is.  Telephone calls, new meeting after which I still did not dare to be certain of anything just yet.  Then came another appropriately winter proposition – the chair lift.  A little lunch prior on the hill then came the global freeze in the form of a snowball fight, several falls in the snow, an attack by a cocker spaniel and a first kiss.  By the time we landed at the bottom of the hill with the chair lift I was certain.

Ever since it is becoming more certain confirmed by many mutual and pleasant memories: weenie roast, board games, the attempted solution for the gate phone that was generously hinted with laughter, sleep overs here and there and things I would rather not mention here.  But most importantly we were together a lot.