First, some photos from our regatta in Oregon are here.
Next, as anyone following along on Facebook, Ravelry or even Avontuur knows, I managed to leave my wallet in the Portland airport and realized it only upon arrival in Amsterdam. Good thing I was traveling with my husband, or I don’t know how I could have gotten home. Luckily I did have my passport, Dutch residence permit, iPhone, work phone and house keys because they were in other pockets in my backpack.
That’s mostly been resolved. The shop where I left it FedExed it to me and it arrived Wednesday.I did the responsible thing (unfortunately) and canceled my bank cards and Dutch credit card, which means I lost a wallet with debit and credit cards and got one back with useless bits of plastic in it. However, I didn’t cancel my US credit card (because it would have been difficult to get back – they can’t send it to an address outside the US – and because I could keep a close eye on it via the bank’s website) so I have that, and I have received my Dutch PINcard already. This is very good, since I have to go back to the US on business in only another week. (Could be worse – Ted leaves for Taiwan tomorrow.)
If you’re in the Portland airport, buy your magazines and candy at the place next to Powell’s near gate D7. I think it’s called Northwest Travel Mart. I can vouch they’re honest people!
The other reason I was working from home Wednesday besides getting my FedEx package, wasso that the repairman could come and fix our microwave/oven combi (the cover over the light exploded!) and washer (door latch won’t work). He was able to establish that it’s OK to use the combi without the cover, but he had to order a part for the washer. He came today and was working down there with Ted, who has just come up to report. Apparently now we’re in limbo: the door laches and the washer works, only now we’re not sure if it will unlatch. It’s running now as a test now, with an empty load, so we’ll know in an hour or so. Because that’s how long this washer takes.
Our friend K, while visiting us in Oregon, kept laughing at me for being so excited at how big and efficient our US appliances were. This is part of why. She was depressingly correct. I had thought our ovn was biggish even by US standards – nope, it’s this one, which is a nice range but bog-standard as to sizing – in fact, that brand has two larger sizes and none smaller. I really need to write a post on Dutch vs US kitchens. Our Dutch ones have been prettier than any US ones I’ve had, but not so good for actual function.