Gone

Last Wednesday my sister and her husband have moved to Ireland. It is still something I can't really grasp - as they weren't living nearby I am used to not seeing them every day. But naturally, Ireland is further afar and so I must become reconciled to the fact that I will see them less often.

The plus is that they own a big house and having two sisters living in Ireland will certainly result in me going to Ireland much more often - yay!

Anyway, the last weekend (or rather Saturday, Sunday, Monday, AND Tuesday) was under the motto "Saying Good-bye to Anke and Adrian". And it was awesome!

Saturday:
The Saturday evening farewell party was made a little complicated by severe weather in our hometown. Timo and I were just driving to my Mama's place (the location of the party) when it started to hail. We took refuge in one of the underground carparks in the town where we were forced to stay one and a half hours because it was bucketing down all the time. When we left the carpark we saw that the thunder storm had left extensive damage and it took us ages to arrive at the party. But in the end we finally all had a nice evening with even nicer food (kidding - both great)!

The odyssey to the farewell party.

Sunday:
We made a trip to Miltenberg - a lovely town near the river Main with a lot of timber-framed houses and a castle with a beautiful view over the city, the river and the surrounding landscape.
I wanted to go to Miltenberg with Adrian and Anke because I knew she would especially love one spot there: At one point you are still in the town of Miltenberg, walk through an old gate in the town wall and you suddenly find yourself in an enchanted forest (or that's what it looks like). A really dream-like experience!

Not the gate I am referring to in the text but also picturesque!

Monday:
Anke, Adrian, and Mama visited Timo and me in the evening and I cooked vegan Pancakes and made vegan Icecream (at the moment I am doing the so-called 30-days vegan challenge from the German vegan chef Attila Hildmann). I don't want to blow my own trumpet but the food was great! We really had a nice time together and Anke and Adrian were able to say farewell to Emma and Leo, too!

Tuesday:
After work, Timo and I went to my Mama's place again and Mama made potatoe salad and Klopse (some sort of little flat meat balls - I had a vegan alternative of course) and Anke prepared apple crumble and even a small vegan wholemeal apple crumble for me - yummy! Different to most of the other people who know about my vegan challenge plan Anke is very understanding and interested and she even encouraged me to try it out. And I know that it is not self-evident that others prepare a special meal for me. @ Anke: Thank you, Spatzl!

Later that evening it was time to say good-bye and at one point I was close to bursting into tears. However, I was able to keep my composure because I knew it would have made their going so much more difficult. 

Anke and Adrian - stepping into a bright future!

Speaking of the devil...right now, I received a text message from her! Luckily, today distances do not have the same meaning they used to have in the past. 

Gone...yes, but still so close!

Lots of love to my two Hiberno-Sisters Marina and Anke!