MY FIRST FOOD BLOG: ON COOKING DURING QUARANTINE

Fünferplatz, Nürnberg

WHAT HAPPENS TO US DURING SIX MONTHS OF QUARANTINE 

How we rely on ourselves our neighbors and our friends and family, it was interesting to see the power of how strong we are without huge groups of people. The people who really matter in our lives. Some of us focus on our greatest strength, the strength we didn't know we have. "The possibilities are endless" needless to say.

LIFE MUST GO ON  

We still have to be productive even though life throws us these unpredictable curves .......I still wake up every morning feeling "blessed that I am still here. 

Every morning I do my regular morning chanting, get my exercise clothes on start my pilates via YouTube ( the girl with the pilates mat) then have a cup of coffee, read for a couple of hours call or send messages to people trying to find out how they are managing then I start planning what's for dinner, the good thing for us when this all started we decided to plant a little balcony garden with tomatoes, peppers and herbs one potato plant so now for tomatoes and herbs we just go to our balcony the funny thing we didn't even know we had a green thumb. So for our safety and good health we also decided to always eat at home we just go out for drinks to support our local business, now instead of shopping for shoes and bags, I shop for " cookbooks and kitchen gadgets".

Pics: from our balcony garden

The good thing about living in Nürnberg, Germany

We can always get fresh fruits and vegetables every day in our local supermarkets or grocery markets, most of the farms are local and most are within city limits, fresh food such as meat and vegetables and fruits are always in the markets.

What I learn about myself during this pandemic is that I really love to cook. My husband, he's my table judge like" Ina Garten and Jeffery," I am very interested in food and how some things work and some things don't. Cooking food for me is like doing magic so I was always excited to see the outcome:

Months later and we are under shutdown again

As much as Germans follow the rules some people don't, so now we are back to square one, wearing a mask nowadays is a must .... or you will die.... but there are still people who love to roll the dice.

Interestingly now we have to be creative, learn about the things we wonder about, read books we had on the shelf or table do the things you didn't have time to do.

But best of all we all want to live and be happy.

I read this somewhere the other day:

What is the purpose of life?

Is it happiness?

Absolute happiness misunderstood but happy.

Complete fulfillment or true happiness.

WHY I MADE THE MOVE TO GERMANY

 THE STORY OF WHY I MADE THE MOVE

 My Sonnenshine and I 

Living in the big city of Chicago as an entrepreneur, working and running all the time, it was very hard to find true love;  Not only that,  you have to connect with the right person or it would be a total waste of time. I didn't think I have a problem finding a man, I had a problem finding the right man for me. Sometimes we think we are ready, but often we aren't. 

                   LIVE BY MY OWN DISCIPLINE:                                                                                   

One day I made a list of what I could live without and what I couldn't live without. It was very simple for me, but strangely the one thing I  couldn't live without was a" man."  The things I mapped out for myself and my life included a man. I am a diehard romantic; I believe in love stories.

I watched Pride and Prejudice a thousand times, so I had to have my "Mr Darcey". I still believed in "chivalry" and I wasn't going to settle for anything less. The most beautiful thing now is that my husband is madly in love with me, as I am with him.

Finally, I found the love of my life. He's what I dreamt of, someone who loves me unconditionally with all my flaws.

 

I made the move to Nuremberg because I meet my husband and fell in love with him instantly.

 

My husband, Thomas, is such a loving, kind and gentle soul you can't help but just want to be a better person. in response to him. I met him in April 2016, got married on October 15 that same year and moved to Germany on December 24 now we've been married for four years and he is the same person I met four years ago. He still tells me every day how much he loves me and how happy he is that I am here with him. 

Now we are a big family, I inherited two daughters and a wonderful mother-in-law, followed by an equally wonderful son-in-law and we're about to become grandparents!.

THE FAMILY

I dreamed up my own destiny because I always believed in myself, the power of my own mind and life-condition,   Sometimes we have to dream the impossible; we have to be bold. Sometimes we have to toot our own horn. I don't know if I am always right, but for me, it is important to listen to my heart. The people who love and care about you will always be there.

Speaking for myself, I have always been disciplined, work, exercise and eating healthy, I have been the same size for years. My friendships with people who understand me and have supported me are important.

Life is a journey. Never stop dreaming. Always sing out loud. A true love story never ends.

Maxbridge / Maxbrücke,Nuremberg

HOW I END UP IN GERMANY? STORY OF WHY I MADE THE MOVE

HOW DID I END UP IN GERMANY ?-Story of why I made the move

After all my years traveling to Europe, and I loved every minute of my experiences and always felt like I belong.

 I had done a lot, seen a lot in my life, and was pondering the idea of moving to France. I was talking to a friend about moving there and her response to me was,   "Maybe you should "date more often," my response was that; I am over that; it's too hard to find a good man to connect with,  plus I have a certain type I'm interested in, haha. The conversation went on about my dateless life. She suggested I try a dating site she was familiar with, I protested, but she made her case and it seemed doable.  She said, eHarmony. I said "Really?" she said, "Yes, because I know if they don't answer the 100 hundred questions, you won't respond to them". She was right; that's my A-type personality.

 Reluctantly, a few days later, I joined for free, answered my 100 hundred questions with all my checkmarks for countries, height, recent travel, must be a handyman, and a lover of fine wine and whiskey.

THE POWER OF THE INTERNET: 

 Then in February 23,2016: "Sharon, you have a match". I read his answers to the questions and answered back. From then on, we start writing emails to each other. At the end of March, Thomas told me he was coming to visit Chicago on April 2-2016.

 I told him, "Yeah when you get here we can meet for dinner or drinks", He replied, "No, I am coming to see you".

 Naturally, I was surprised, but he did, as he said he would. He stayed for two weeks, went back to Germany, and came back six weeks later for my birthday on June 9th and stayed for ten days.

MY JOURNEY BEGAN:

 On August 6-2016, I came to Germany to visit Thomas and his family: his mother Christine and his two daughters, Samantha and Rebecca. 

 I stayed for two months, until the end of September. Before I left, Thomas and I got engaged. We both travel back to  America on October 1,2016. We went to New York visiting friends and family for one week, then headed to Chicago. On October 15, 2016. We got married at the City hall with three of our closest friends, who are really is our family.

 Thomas head back to Germany on October 20,2016 which was very difficult for him because I had to stay and empty my apartment and my work studio took care of other personal stuff.

 

Thomas's mother wanted me to come back for Christmas, so I was working hard and as fast as possible. Meanwhile, I had my plane ticket for December 24,2016, and I made it in time for the family fest on Christmas Eve.