Day 0: Christmas in Amsterdam; Ready, Set, Panick

I left work early on Friday and followed along on-line at home and on my phone. The last-minute items were all failing to land at the Shoe Company–the upgrade work I was supposed to do on my time-off did not get final approval. No last-minute requests or upgrades. Free, well until the approval comes. Timesheets, three weeks, done. Out-of-office message in place. Work calendar blocked and non-blocking meeting showing me out to all my work colleagues done.  Handshakes and hugs, done. Out-of-there!

We are flying to Amsterdam for the holidays on Sunday. Never done Christmas in a hotel room before. Tickets, pre-purchased and allowing us to avoid the lines, are on my phone. The international Apple plugs for my computer charger found. New around the ear noise-reducing headphones, cheap, purchased for Susie and Corwin. So I think we are ready.

The Rijksmuseum on 24th. The Van Gogh Museum on Christmas. The Rembrandt House Museum on 26th. We arrive on the 23rd and leave on the 28th. So the trip is bookended with free days; a low-stress trip.

So packing is nearly done and passports found. Euros already acquired and distributed.

I received a Christmas card from the makers of my very lovely (expensive) chess computer with wooden pieces and an electronic board.

Yes, little hats, scarfs, and Christmas sweaters for my king and queen pieces. It is the best chess machine.

I have also taken the next week off and I have all these projects to do.

My 3D printer broke, don’t ask. We have new pasts to put in.

The supercapacitor charging circuit needs just a little more work. I have already acquired the buck regulator circuit to use the supercapacitor.

So much do.

So I expect I will be dreaming of boardgames, supercapacitors, 3D printing, on the plane.