Overwhelmed

This morning we woke up to our second full day in Kandern. I still can't believe this is really happening. It feels very surreal. The days seem to go up and down like a see-saw...equal parts exciting and overwhelming.

Exciting:

Our first trip to the grocery store went well! We decided going into it that if we left with food, we would consider it a success. I was so proud that I found almond milk. It made me feel like I could decipher German...never mind the picture of a creamy liquid flowing from almonds on the box. Jordan found some cereal called "White Flakes" and I couldn't stop laughing. Doesn't that sound so gross? I think it's the German version of Frosted Flakes, but it sounds more like dandruff or dead skin to me.

Exciting:
Meeting lots of nice gals at a get-together at the apartment of a fellow BFA staffer and neighbor.

Overwhelming:
The plethora of baskets in our house. We've found 15 so far.

Note several of said baskets above the cabinets

Overwhelming:
The clock on the stove (and every other digital clock) that tells me it's 15:28.

Exciting:
It's so beautiful here. The town is charming and the hills surrounding Kandern's valley are covered in lush, green trees.

Overwhelming:
It turns out that jet-lag is a very real thing. It feels nearly impossible to get out of bed in the morning. And when I finally do get up, I feel like I'm dragging my body through water. Several times Jordan and I realized we were both just sitting and staring into space when we were supposed to be unpacking or cleaning.

Overwhelming:
We registered at the town hall and ordered a trash can. A very small trash can. And then they told us they would pick it up once a month. A month?! We were not to be alarmed because most items can be recycled. Just look for the special symbol on plastics and aluminum. (I haven't figured out what that symbol looks like yet). But bring your plastic bottles back to the grocery store. And paper cannot go in the regular recycle. You have to take that somewhere else only opened on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays...or something like that. And glass goes somewhere else. All that to say, it's quite complicated. Every time I go to throw something out, I stop and think...which can?? So I have a pile of questionable trash next to the sink. I did not know throwing away trash could take so much energy.

It seems that this metaphorical see-saw is weighed down a little more on the overwhelming side right now. I think that's to be expected at this point, though. Hopefully, things will be more balanced after we are settled and the jet-lag wears off.

And finally, here are some shots of the refurbished barn in which we live: