Done Since 2024-09-29

[mdlbear]

We're here! It's been a difficult week in a lot of ways, but we're in Den Haag, with keys to our house and a large quantity of luggage. (Even so, I made a couple of really stupid bring-vs-ship decisions -- the Starport tableware and the (Cal. Academy of Sciences?) stuffable backpack would have been really useful.)

But we made it. We have until Wednesday to finish moving ourselves out of the hotel, meaning we have until then to make the house minimallly habitable. We're going to start by getting some blankets and maybe sheets at HEMA, across the street from the hotel. The beds left in the house aren't what we want to end up with, but they'll do as a stopgap.

In the last week we have:

• Sold Molly (to N's ex, which simplified things greatly).
• Packed suitcases (leaving behind a few things that would have been very useful, like a stack of maske, the tableware from the Starport, and a stuffable small backpack).
• Flown to Schiphol, and taken a cab from there to the hotel (for which my large MEI suitcase/backpack proved very useful indeed, because it's about a block from the nearest drop-off point -- the street the hotel is on doesn't allow cars).
• Registered with the municipality.
• Met up with (real estate agent)Ceva, who gave us our keys, a lovely bouquet of flowers which we left at the front desk, and a trip to and tour of our house. (Details in yesterday's post)
• Been out to the house yesterday with j, taking a few items (my recording gear, Colleen's ashes, and the green tool bag that once was hers) and meeting the local swans.

It's been a difficult, strenuous week, but also a very busy and productive one. I'll take it.

Notes & links:  
0929Su
  @ International Coffee Day - Wikipedia (US national coffee day is today)
  * up 06:30; S=7:13; Dutch
  * abiraterone 06:31; rest of am drugs 07:31; pm drugs
  * H2O: 7:40ish; 9ish:c, 
  : DAMN! forgot to loosten the strings on the guitars I shipped.  Probably ok, since
    they're going by boat and won't see any extreme temperature changes.  but still...
    also Molly still has junk in the back, including a big bag of drugs.  And I never got
    Colleen's IRA transferred.
  * clean out junk from Molly
  @ Study links anti-trans laws to an increase in trans teen suicide attempts : NPR
  * transfer title to Molly.
    *- Need to decide (with M) if it's a  gift (no) and whether J is on the title (yes)
    <- Warn M that insurance expires on the 15th  Screen 9
    * disable Good-to-Go passes 
    -> BECU app can't read the check
  * crew from the apartment are coming over at some point
  & email Starwood for enough info to help G
  @ Kris Kristofferson, musical rebel and movie star, has died at age 88 : NPR (ysabetwordsmith)
  : The floor plans have vanished from the Funda site for the house.  If I'd known they
    were going to do that I'd have screenshot them.
  * start box for iPad, Blackroot, etc.  Add other things to come back for.

0930Mo  * litter boxen
  * up 05:40;
    % dream included trains in the forest, a building with elevators and corridors
  * abiraterone 05:47; rest of am drugs 07:06; pm drugs 22:25ish
  * H2O: 8ish, 09:33:c, 
  x 12:15 leave for 1pm dentist - cleaning  *- cancel
  @ SMTP Email Relay for Debian Linux Servers with OpenSMTPD
    OpenSMTPD
  . Molly
    * report sale online
    * To cancel OnStar call 1-888-466-7827  * onstar  * sirius xm (required transfer)
    * cancel hotspot with AT+T 669-225-7453 (required transfer) $120/mo (10d) max
    * cancel insurance (umbrella cancellation required print/sign/scan/email)
    ~ deposit check.  App won't read it.
      -> wasted a lot of time looking for my BECU checkbook; finally (after a walk)
         realized that I'd shipped it.  Will have to 
  * see if AT+T has a plan with enough int'l roaming.  otherwise try T-Mob
    * day pass is $12/day max 10 days = 120/mo.  Can move phone to another carrier without
      dropping Chaos from the account.  Have to go off airplane mode to send/rec. sms
  x tarring off Blackroot's partitions.  Slow.  80GB so would fit on <=2 64G micro-SDs
    ... but I don't have time to deal with it
  @ We first look for the eyes, not the face. D&D inspired study
  @ World's first ion-drive airplane can fly without any moving parts
  * posted an infodump to the Columbae list.  some version will show up soon on /tag/nl
  * order kibble
  * re-load drugs

1001Tu
  & awake 3am;
  * up 07:53; S=8:47
  * abiraterone 08ish; rest of am drugs 08:45; pm drugs 00:47
  * H2O: 08:48, 
  * bring out:   * CPAP  *panther  * med bag  * SAD light
    Sherman's already stashed for the next trip
    : Panther is in the small checked bag.  Needs new mainboard.
    : Raven is in the large checked bag, along with the thinkpad keyboard.
    : meds for tonight and tomorrow (abi) are in a dental floss container in Max
  x track down reading/computer glasses! -> hopefully all packed
  ~ pack:  sable, raven, med bag, papers, masks!, cane
    -> in the confusion, all but one of my masks appear to have been left behind
  * leave behind keys for house and Lair
  x assemble second kennel in Lair -> G will do it
  * BECU - deposit check.  becu po 34044, seattle, 98124;  -> Found a deposit slip!
  * 2ish leave for 18:05 flight to NL with N - DL 144 CF# HMPX8L 
    DL 144 CF# HMPX8L LV: SEA Tue 01 Oct 2024, 06:05PM - ARR: AMS Wed 02 Oct, 01:00PM
    -> the food in "business" class is excellent
    -> the "bed" that the seat attempts to turn into, otoh, is the most uncomfortable
       contraption I've ever failed to sleep in.
    -> during that process I managed to kick my sling bag out of the compartment.
       Fortunately it was found by a flight attendant.
  : font sizes and scaling have definitely gone wonky since the Mint upgrade
    -> maybe try LMDE?

1002We
  & awake all "night", probably.  1am = 10am at destination.
  * up [undefined]
  * abiraterone 01:29PDT, 10:30 CET; rest of am drugs 14:22; pm drugs 22:28
  * H2O: not logged. wine, gin, OJ, and a little water on plane
  * 2min:  did enough unpacking to track down the Tums.  Did _not_ manage to find the
    power strip, which I distinctly remember packing. -> Ha! in the green tool bag!
  * print out draft deed, for registering tomorrow.  (Email to front desk)
  * 15min:  bath.
  
1003Th
  & awake
  * up 7:40; S=8:57;
    % slept like a lump, apparently -- N heard my 7:30 alarm and came to wake me up
  * abiraterone 07:50; rest of am drugs 08:43; pm drugs 20:32
  * H2O: 08:38, 08:45:c, 08:50, 20:33
  * 8am both of us must be up
  * 11am register with Den Haag municipality
    * stop at AH for groceries on the way back.
      -> I got, among other things, oat-nut-raisin bread.  YUM!  works perfectly with
         cream cheese  (of course), also with spicy hummus.
    : Luggage note:  (sling bag)Max worked very well.  didn't take sable.
  @ Astronomers discover a new exoplanet orbiting the closest single star to the sun
  @ FDA Announces Position on Use of Compounded GS-441524 to Treat FIP | FDA
  * Ceva came around 2pm, gave us the keys, and took us to the house.  OUR house!
    The previous owners took a few things they'd said they were going to leave.  Some of
    that was wall-mounted cabinetry, which left a bit of a mess.  But it's ours now.
    Two ovens:  microwave/convection and conventional/convection.
    Going home has a very different meaning now
  * 18:00 CET Eurofilk - Ended about 21:15.
    singing: Get Up and Go (pretty ragged), Ship of Stone.  Should have used capo.
    ran zoom on Sable, used Raven for music.  Surprisingly readable
  % 22:52 falling asleep.  Should splat
    
1004Fr
  & awake 3:30ish; freezing (nothing to do with room temp).  down 5ish
  : received slightly weird email from Al about a meeting with a company I'd never heard
    of.  My guess is that it was meant for one of his colleagues, but took the opportunity
    to give him an update.  -> yup, autofoil in outbreak
    : all _my_ auto-fills will have to be re-jiggered
  * up 09:05; S=7:36; exercises, Dutch
  * abiraterone 09:10; rest of am drugs 10:16; pm drugs 18:29
  * H2O: 0930:c, 10:16, ??, 18:29
  * retrieve flowers from front desk  -> put them in the beautiful Le Crueset French press
  * 15min:  guitar (N's suggestion) Freight Train, Ship of Stone, Cap and Bells.  Having a
    lot of trouble with F chords, which is an indication that those need work.
  * researching Ikea desks, dressers, wardrobes.  The desk I had in Seattle is a Malm, but
    I can't find it here in any color but white.  Malm bedroom stuff comes in oak as well
    as black and white.
  * (solo) expedition to AH -- found salt for N, but no more meringues.  sushi, soy sauce,
    cheese plate, bread, chocolate, etc. for me.  I really like having real bread.
  * register at thomann.de.  Note that musician's friend won't let me log in.  Need VPN
  ? tell G about kibble, drug deliveries;
    
1005Sa
  & awake 2:40ish; couldn't get (back ??) to sleep.  read Science; down 3:30
  @ How to sleep when you’re a perfectionist | Psyche Guides timely: 03:55
  * up 09:20 (slept through alarm); S=8:32;  No exercises, but walk ... Dutch ... shower. 
  * abiraterone 03:13; rest of am drugs 09:27; pm drugs 19:10
  * H2O: am:c, am, 16:45ish, 17:20ish, 19:10
  * 10am j meeting us here.
    * take small suitcase with Colleen, tool bag for the house
    : tram to DH Centraal, topped off our chip cards, then took Uber to SchildHavn
    -> set Colleen and the little purple plush dragon up on glass shelf in the cabinet
       N designated as the household shrine -- a stack of semicircular glass shelves
       between the kitchen and living room.  (They're open, which worries me a little;
       hopefully they won't catch the cats' interest, or accumulate much dust).
    -> Chance also stayed, inside a beaded curtain dangling around a hanging lamp.
    : We have swans!!  They came to our deck obviously expecting to be fed.
    : there's also a mostly-white with brown patches cat guarding a neighbor's door
    -> walked to the shopping center -- actually including sort of a little mall -- on
       Laan van Wateringse Veld (divided street with a lake or bit of canal in between)
       ! the round trip is a bit much, but doable.  ~1.3km each way.  The tram stop is
         only slightly closer, on the other side of the street.
    : met our neighbor in #20, rather briefly, on the way to the Uber pickup point
    : I should maybe have brought a stuffable backpack.
  * walk:  1:20, s=5300, 30hp,  4.6km (2.8mi) 90mv min for the day. 
  x 3 pm Pacific – Church Lewis, Drawing Attention to Wealth Inequity Issues through
    Support for B Corporation Certification
  % 20:37 fell asleep in comfy chair.
  * guitar:  Desolation Row.  ~2 verses before fingers started hurting.

Comments

[azurelunatic]

Oh, swans! What fun!

[cellio]

Mazel tov and best wishes as you start this exciting new chapter!