Moving: the ups and downs

In my limited experience, every move involves both exhilaration and disappointment; both celebration and grieving. We are certainly finding that to be true again this time. So, in no particular order, some of our discoveries for this move - the ups and downs. Not surprisingly, many of them come in sets. And yes, nearly universally, first-world problems.

YAY:
Love the space. We are rattling around a bit in 2700 square feet. It might be hard to squeeze back into our own 1700 square foot home after this.

NAY:
No garbage pick-up? Not so excited about hauling our garbage and recycling to the transfer station. Please, no spills in the back of the minivan.

YAY and NAY:
Where, oh where, do people shop around here? No, I am not looking for designer shoes or an international art gallery. Just groceries. And housewares. And a quick meal on Saturday night. I knew we were going to be more rural here in Lincoln than we had originally expected, but we are only 15 miles out of the center of Boston. Is it really possible that we have to drive more than 20 minutes to find a fast food joint? Or even just a local pub with some food?

Okay, it isn't really that bad. We actually have a sandwich shop (lunch only) and a restaurant (dinners) as well as a grocery store right across the street from our house. The kids love the store.  I think they have been every day to buy something - they keep inventing needs. They love being able to do that on their own. But the store is a bit smaller and bit pricier than I had hoped based on a quick perusal back in May. The second try was a Whole Foods recommended by Jamie (our landlord and duplex neighbor). That was 15 minutes away but still too small and way too expensive. It was next to a sit-down Chinese place, a sit-down Italian restaurant, and a Panera's. So, progress.

At church on Sunday, I ended up in the nursery with Helen for half the service and quizzed a chatty woman there about shopping. Have some new places to try in the next few weeks. Here's hoping...but I don't suppose anyone is going to be like Meijer. Maybe this will be the year to try Amazon for all our groceries. Seems odd to be closer to a major city but having more trouble shopping.

YAY and NAY:
What a good way to mark the roads - just point in a direction and head to a town. I am trying to get to something in Wayland? Just follow the signs to Wayland. Don't bother with the names of the streets. Except, I wish someone would bother, just a bit. Like now and then, a street sign to tell me the name of the road I am currently driving on would be reassuring. Particularly since no roads are straight and none keep the same name for more than 3 miles. And, because if I just follow the signs to Wayland, I sometimes go in circles.

YAY and NAY:
Dark at 8:30 pm. Full dark! Kids go to sleep better again. But no more lingering, lovely summer evenings on the deck, in the 10 PM twilight. And WHOA! Why didn't I consider the drawbacks to the lovely skylights in our bedroom? The sun shows up way too early out here on the East coast in the summer.

YAY and NAY:
A 6-burner stove-top is awesome! The professional grade burners and heavy-duty pans in the kitchen are a delight to cook with. But, it is also a bit intimidating. Both of us nearly burned our eyebrows off in the first few days as we learned to manage the turbo-jet burners with an appliance lighter (pilots turned off).

YAY and NAY:
Love the professional-quality, Subzero-brand refrigerator. It is huge and well-laid out. Wish it had been cleaner when we got here, though. That was a lot of territory to cover in washing shelves. And why does this kitchen have absolutely everything, except a microwave? Do I really have to learn new ways to reheat my tea and leftovers?