Thursday, July 19, 2018

Typical night.  I got up 2-3 times during the night, woke up at 6:30 and got up at 7.

I left the apt just before 9am in shorts and sleeveless t-shirt.

This time I didn’t bring my chess board and pieces as the chess league has boards embedded in the tables and Jose said he would bring his chess pieces and clock.

On the metro I briefly met a man from Switzerland who was visiting with his young daughter of about 8-9 years old.  They were on their way to visit Plaza Botero.

I arrived at the chess league just before 10am and Jose was waiting for me.  With his help I signed up for next month’s Flower Faire tournament for 76,000 pesos.  This will be a large tournament with hundreds of players.  Jose says they already have players enrolled from Spain and Cuba.  Jose gave me a large slice of carrot cake that his wife Maria made.  Yum!

I got the White pieces and won a long close game.  I had 2 connected passed pawns 2 squares away from queening while he got a mating attack against me. He probably should have won but he made one move a little too quickly and he ended up losing.

We walked over to Tropical restaurant for lunch.  I had the menu of the day and Jose had their mixed lasagna.  I ate most of my bean casserole but got the rest to go.

Back at the chess league I had the Black pieces and Jose won in the endgame.  Jose believed I could have gotten a draw but we both know I’m not strong in the endgame.

Today I practiced keeping score in Spanish instead of English.  What’s the difference?  In the following, the first column shows the English notation, then the piece in English, and then the Spanish notation (with explanation).

K = King = R for Rey

Q = Queen = D for Dama (lady)

R = Rook = T for Torre (tower)

B = Bishop = A for Alfil

N = Knight = C for caballo (horse)

P = Pawn = is just notated by the square it moves to.

Anyway, we both feel like we’re close to being in shape for next month’s tournament which is only 2 weeks away.

On the metro, at the Poblado station, I saw the same man from Switzerland that I had seen this morning.  We both waved as he passed my car in the Poblado station.  I got a seat next to a woman and I wish I could describe the “coat” she had on.  It was long sleeves, looked to be a tight knit and when she got up to leave it came down to her knees and she didn’t appear to be uncomfortably warm in it at all.

Back in Envigado all the tables were taken at Bartolos so I had a small coffee for 1,800 pesos at the small bakery.  I bought a kilo of strawberries from a man in the park for 10mil but from experience buying a kilo so often I’m pretty sure he shorted me on the weight.

I was back at the apt by 5pm.

Teresa returned at 7pm and said she has to return one more time, probably next Tuesday when I go to play chess with Jose.

For dinner I had leftovers – jumblaya from yesterday and the casserole from today’s lunch.  And I sneaked a little piece of carrot cake.

Teresa has been complaining that I overfill the water chamber in the fridge and it spills on the floor.  I got my flashlight and discovered it’s from the little catchbasin on the outside of the fridge.  It’s full so when the door swings open or closed some spills out on the floor.

I asked Teresa if she wanted to see Skyscraper (6.2) tomorrow starting at 7pm at Oviedo.  She said yes.  I said after lunch I would go and buy tickets so we know we will have seats when we arrive shortly before showtime.

Since tomorrow is Colombia’s Independence Day I asked the ladies if the gym is open tomorrow.  Teresa seems to think it will be closed and Laura thinks it will be open until 5pm so we’ll see.

Today’s Step Count was 10,220.

T-shirt of the day: I’m dumb or maybe just happy.