A Week Full of Challenges and Surprises January 7, 2024
What a week that was!
Everything worked out, but it cost me my nerves. If I hadn't eaten so much chocolate to cope with the stress, I actually would have lost three kilos this week...
On January 2nd, we picked up the moving van early in the morning at 8:00 AM, and by 9:00 AM a company was already there to professionally disassemble and load the grand piano into the van.
Then our wonderful neighbors helped us again, and we packed everything that hadn't been transported in December into the van. Michael and Peter set off on January 3rd and—oh my God—drove straight into a terrible snowstorm!
In Denmark, the E45 was partially closed all night. Our Danish teacher, who was visiting her family in Denmark at the time, called me with concern and warned me. She begged me to tell Michael and Peter absolutely not to drive to Denmark that day. The weather situation had been really critical.
But unfortunately it was too late. They were already on their way and well past Hamburg. They refused to get a hotel room and wait out the night. So they drove all night long and spent a whopping 17 hours on the road before finally arriving safe and sound in the darkness, fog, ice, and snow.
My nerves were stretched to the breaking point! I sat at my computer all night watching that little dot on the map bravely making its way through the snowy landscape. And I was indescribably happy watching that little dot move. As long as it was moving, I knew everything was okay.
The next day, from Germany, I was able to organize a helper via Facebook who supported Michael and Peter in unloading the piano. What luck!
Understandably, Michael was exhausted after this odyssey and would have liked to rest for a few days. He even tried to convince Peter that they should spend the weekend together in Denmark. But Peter knew about the planned surprise party and persuaded Michael to drive back to Germany with him using some pretty flimsy excuses.
The two arrived back late Friday evening, and Saturday morning Michael and I returned the van. Then I told him we'd be going out for pizza in the evening.
He wasn't quite comfortable with my story, and when he arrived at the ice cream café where Christoph had gathered everyone, there was a huge surprise! All our friends and colleagues had come, and it turned into a fantastically wonderful party—with smiles and a few tears too. It was really a beautiful event and it felt good to be able to say goodbye in this way.
It won't be long now until we leave for good. One more drive to bring the little blue car, then back one more time—and then it's really time to say goodbye.
