Thursday, August 30, 2018

Typical night, got up 2 or 3 times, woke up at 6:30 and got up at 7am.

Teresa is going to the finca today.  First she’s stopping in Caldas for the electric bill which she will probably give to John.  She will also check the area around the finca and water the plants.  I will be on my own for lunch today so I’m thinking of doing Chinese.

I watched the first 20 minutes of the Today show and left the apt at 9:30.

I walked over to the paper store where I used their computers for their internet connection.  I had a few dozen emails to my US address and 2-3 hundred to my Colombia address.  I didn’t get through them all but I read and deleted quite a few.  An hour of internet service cost me 2,300 pesos – less than $1.

I had a café con leche at the bakery for 1,800 pesos while I read some news articles using my cellphone.  I got a call from Jose Cruz and besides our meeting next Tuesday – usual time and place - I learned that there will be a Columbus chess tournament in early October.  That’s perfect because the Chicago Bears have their bye that week so I won’t have to ask for a bye in the tournament.

I walked over to the other side of the same block where I found the Tigo/Une store at Carrera 42 #38Sur – 69.  Almost next door a couple stores down I found Subway at Carrera 42 #38 Sur – 55 but the girl working there confirmed they don’t deliver.

Back at the apt I solved 19 of 20 chess puzzles in 30 minutes.

I left the apt at 12:45 and walked to the nearest Chinese restaurant which is named China Star.  I ordered the individual chicken chop suey and an iced tea for 14,500 pesos.  Teresa called me and asked me if it was raining in Envigado.  I looked outside and told her “no”.  (After lunch parts of the street were wet so we must have gotten some drops or a quick shower.)  A man who I think worked at the restaurant appeared to warn me about my fanny pack and tech bag that I had sitting on a side chair but he couldn’t see that I had everything wrapped around and through the chair.   The chop suey was so salty it must have been full of MSG and the iced tea was zero calories so of course it had zero taste.  At least they had wifi.  Needless to say I won’t be going there again and I’ll probably be drinking water all afternoon.

Back at the apt I solved 15 of 20 chess puzzles in 61 minutes.  As I recall the last 35 or so puzzles are more difficult.

Just after 5pm it started raining but it only lasted for 5 minutes.

I left the apt at 6:05 and 5 minutes later I was on an Envigado bus.  Five minutes later it left the bus stop.  On the way I noticed Sabaneta buses going in the opposite direction and most were standing room only.  I got off at Parque Poblado and walked up the hill arriving at Patrick’s Irish Sports Pub at 6:45.

I asked a waitress if Patrick was there and was told “no”.  I asked if anyone else knew how to work his Slingbox and was told “no”.  She did show me some games underway on their TVs.  One was Miami vs Atlanta and another was New England vs New York Jets.  A third TV was showing some basketball game.

At least I had wifi so I was able to follow my game a little with that.  I had a chicken sandwich with vegetables and a Coke for 34,900 pesos.  At halftime the Bears were ahead of the bills 20-0.  I called Teresa and told her I’m coming back with half a sandwich if she’s interested.

I walked down the hill and right away caught a Sabeneta bus outside Envios Market.  The bus was about half full so everyone had a seat.

On the ride back to Envigado for the first time I noticed a barbershop named The Fucking Beard.

I got back to the apt just after 9pm.

Teresa told me that on the bus from Caldas it was raining so hard that she didn’t get off at the sideroad to the finca but stayed on until it turned around and returned to Caldas.  Then she sat in a coffee shop until the rain stopped.

We still have no internet.  If it isn’t back on by the start of the NFL season next week, there’s going to be hell to pay with Une.  Laura told me she’ll go to the Une office again tomorrow.  I told her to tell them that if they don’t get it fixed soon I’ll cancel their service and switch to Movistar or Claro.

Today’s Step Count was 8,389.

Joke of the day

A man with a huge grin approaches a priest. 

“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned,” he says.  “I’ve just spent a week with 7 beautiful women.”

“Don’t worry, my son,” Says the priest.  “All you need to do is take seven lemons, squeeze the juice into a glass, and drink the juice.”

“Will that cleanse me of my sin?”

“No, but it’s guaranteed to wipe that stupid smile off your face.”