Jayne Lawless: Is it really nearly over?

Ok, I need a word invented that means happy and sad at the same time, yeah, yeah I know I could say bitter sweet but that's not right as there's been no bitter. Happy/Sad in equal measures and I mean really high up on each scale, like 100% happy and 100% sad when thinking about the fact that this is my final week here and reflecting on the last three months...

So, what's happend?

Well, I should start with the exhibition. On the 22nd December on a cold Saturday evening I'd say around 20 or so hardcore BG guardians took to the bridge, lighting fireworks from our hands courtesy of my film-maker and future superstar Victor Krc, remember the name, this kid's remarkable. So anyway, the idea was to meet on the bridge with lanterns to release out over the Danube before walking back to the BG house and officially opening the exhibition (or expedition as one of my neighbours kept calling it). Viktor brought these fireworks that we lit and held pointing at the sky and praying there wasn't some kind of malfunction and they exploded in the opposite direction, health and safety boffs would've had a heart attack in the UK! We all survived and it was really good and marched back into the warm.

I'd arranged to have a large steel drum (Cyprus style - those who know, know) placed outside in the garden to have a roaring fire to greet visitors, keep the smokers warm and because it just looks damn good. So, the fire blazed in the background whilst everyone started mingling and looking at the work. It'd been such a mad build up the show and I did what I always do which is to give myself too much work, sleep became a fond memory. The reaction from everyone made it worth it though. I have no idea how many people came but there was A LOT, the house was packed and thanks to Zoli we had enough drinks, the becherovka (drunk in egg cups due to lack of shot glasses) lasted about half an hour I think! I had to give a speech and listen to Gyuri and Karol talking about my time here, I still have no idea what they said, one in Hungarian and the other Slovakian so I'll have to wait for the video then have it translated. People were laughing though, which is a good sign...I think. My favourite part of the night was hearing people read out 'their' bits on the wall...you'll know what I mean in a second when you see the photo's.

Jovilagvan, a local band that plays all over Europe had agreed to play in my living room, that was pretty sound of them and it brought in even more people. Thank you, köszönöm, ďakujem.

http://jovilagvan.blog.hu/ Check them out...

So I this was my stuff...

photographs by Ivett Puskas

Thanks to Ivett for taking some great photographs, she's also made a panoramic view that I'll print and leave behind at the BG place as the work itself will be removed and painted over this week. I wouldn't expect any other future BG to have to work around such a big piece, it just wouldn't be fair. Sorry to all those who wanted it to stay...

Lusta = Lazy

Tatarak at Sil's (I ate raw beef, still can't believe it)

I don't speak proper English according to Joseph and Zoli

Matyi supports the wrong team

Viktor rules

somewhere in there is the door way to the bedroom

OK...so then there was a small matter of CHRISTMAS and Janet and Dave's arrival which is a full blog in it's own right but for the purpose of staying concise I'll sum up by saying it was great to have friends from home here over the holidays, we ate, drank and were very merry. They were introduced to the mighty Green and shown some real local hospitality from the Pinterova family. We even had snow!

and then...New Years Eve, let's just say that was an adventure!

So here we are, I moved out of the BG place on the 3rd, I got quite emotional but it was made easier by the fact that I was just moving up the road to another apartment until I fly home on the 15th. This is the highest compliment I can pay to the people here, that I am very sad at the thought of leaving. But I'm not focusing on that now...I still have Viktor's video from the BG Night to come and other loose ends to tie up so I'll leave the farewells until later...

In the meantime, look...