Harald and Silvia left Horizontina a week ago. A few days before they left, they had a going-away party at Rancho Quintiliano, a rustic restaurant located in the country, about a mile south of town. Excellent food, good music and great people! The Grossjohann's moved to Horizontina from the U.S., where they had been living for over 2 years. This month marked two years here for them, making it well over four years since they've lived in their native Germany!! I think they were ready to move home! Although we didn't see them very often, we will miss them. Our ex-pat parties were always full of laughter when the Germans were with us. Never a dull moment, that's for sure!! Silvia was so sweet to Emma - our first winter here, she knitted a toddler-sized scarf for her. It reminded me of something my mother would have done in a matter of minutes. Silvia brought Emma a giant birthday balloon and a gift for her last two birthdays here and it just makes her day! Last week, just before she left, she brought over a small green box with a red ribbon wrapped around it. She had no use for the box and remembered how much Emma loves to collect little things in boxes. Needless to say, Emma was beside herself with excitement! She could hardly contain herself! When she opened the box, she was thrilled to find used notepads and a miniature puzzle inside. She hasn't stopped playing with the box since she got it. She loves to fill it with her tiny toys and then open it over and over again. She's pretty easy to please sometimes!! Every time I see her playing with her box, I think of Silvia and then of Harald and then I smile, thankful for the opportunity to have met them while living here!!
