After a 7 hours trip, I have safely arrived at home. Long train rides exhaust me quite a bit because I get headache and nausea from the constant shaking, and all the chatter and noises around do not make it better. Therefore, I was happy to change trains twice and had two little rests on the way.

~ changing trains at Frankfurt main station ~

The train to Frankfurt was incredibly full (although not as badly as last year), and I sat on the floor all the way, but in the other trains, I was happy to get a seat. Before leaving, I had prepared a big batch of cooked chicken, onions, and tomatoes which made up for two servings enjoyed in the train, and I also had tea, water, and a bottle with almond milk, so everything was fine regarding food. As I ate and drank my way through all of this, my baggage weight reduced remarkably.

My parents picked me up at the station, and we spent a nice and relaxed evening together. I was excited to play the piano my parents had arranged to be repaired before I arrived. This is my grandmom’s piano which she gave to me when she recently sold her house, some time after my granddad had died, since she could not take it to her current apartment and I did not want it to be sold. I love that it is an old piano with ivory and ebony keys, and it has a beautiful, mellow sound. Now that it is tuned and all keys respond evenly again, it is wonderful to play, and I know lots of playing will happen during these holidays.

Food-wise, I am living very well here. My mom had made a venison pot roast before I came, which she flavored with star anise, and it is delicious.

The pot roast makes up for countless servings, so you can easily cut a slice off it as a basis for a quick meal. These were the first two meals I enjoyed at home. And probably, today was also the first day in many, many months that I did not eat any chicken.

~ venison pot roast with carrots and brussel sprouts ~

~ venison pot roast with roasted onions, fresh tomatoes, and parsley ~

So you see, I am incredibly well here. Tomorrow, we are going to do the last Christmas preparations and set up the tree, and I am looking forward to a relaxed holiday, after the rather stressful pre-Christmas time. I hope you are all fine and enjoy the time with your loved ones as well!

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