The Unexpected Package

Maybe the title should be, “The Long-Awaited Package” but regardless, there was a package today at my doorstep that met both criteria.   I got in the car to go get my children from their respective schools this afternoon after letting the dog get in with me (on account of she never wants to be left at home) and as I backed out of the driveway I saw a large, black shrink-wrapped package on the doorstep.   

It was festooned with stickers in various places and from a similarly decked out package some weeks back, I knew exactly where it was from.   I pulled back into the driveway, disarmed the house and pulled the packed in, stopping only to glance at the label to confirm that it was indeed the package I’d been waiting weeks for. 

When I picked up the children I told them Blake was coming over to help this afternoon before their father got home from his motorcycle trip and I was asking for some grace from them because…my new 3D printer had arrived from the Czech Republic!  

My daughter said, “yay, Mom’d 3D printer arrived!”   My son was more of the, “meh” feeling so I said, “I love my daughter for being excited for me; thank you, sweetheart.”  My son said he was happy too, feeling a little badly about not sharing in my enthusiasm.   

So now we have three 3D printers.   It might sound a little crazy, but lots of the prints that are substantial and more than little trinkets take hours and hours to complete.  Having more than one printer is going to be a very handy thing.   For example, I’m printing four bolts, four washers and eight very small connecting brackets tonight on the new printer and just those parts are taking five hours.   I could print them faster with poorer quality settings or by sacrificing stability by making less of the interior solid, but these are precision pieces I need to connect well, otherwise a shorter print is just a waste of time and filament.  

Printers continue to gain more in the way of sophisticated functionality while prices drop, even in the short time I’ve been 3D printing (I watch a lot of printer reviews instead of watching television shows before I fall asleep at night.)  Just a few years ago it would have been quite expensive to have a single 3D printer.   I recently watched a review for a printer that was under a hundred dollars. 

I’m signing off for the night and going to bed, but before I do I’m going to check in on the two printers printing away in the room behind me. 

The Big Boy Update:  My son let me cut his hair last night and apparently prefers to have me cut it.   I find this strange because I don’t know how to cut hair.   The only hair I’ve ever cut is his but after four times, necessitated at first by COVID-19 shelter at home, I’ve gotten more confidence in what I’m doing.   I cut his hair fairly quickly last night and this morning when he woke up I thought it looked pretty good for someone who doesn’t know how to cut hair. 

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter had a very good but tiring day at school.   Tomorrow is her last day at school until after Thanksgiving.   Then, provided nothing changes she’ll go back for four days each week until the holiday break.   After that we have no idea what the plan will be.