Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10:15, got up once at 1:45, finally waking/getting up at 6am.

Today I’ll be hanging out not far from the apt expecting my package to arrive today. I dropped off a note for the portero to call me if and when my package arrives.

I stopped in Eduardo Madrid for a moment but didn’t see any bagels. I’ll try again in the afternoon.

I checked the tree and the peanut is still there. I took a seat in Los Portenos and had a latte while watching the red squirrels, I counter 4, cavorting in nearby trees.

I left at 10:45 and returned to the apt.

Just before noon Julio, one of the porteros, called and told me my package had arrived. I grabbed my keys and opened the door and a TCC delivery guy was standing there with a large package. I signed for it and it has everything I’ve recently ordered including my apostilled SS Benefits Letter. Inter-Col’s hours are 8am to noon and 2pm to 5pm so I’ll be heading there right after lunch.

ONEIPAMETATO1453 resigned our game in 30 moves, increasing my rating to 1595.

I left the apt at 1:30 and after a 10-minute wait I was on a bus to Poblado. I got off behind others right after we passed Starbucks. I went into the Davivienda garage and took an elevator up to what they call the main floor. I presented my Id at the front desk and was asked to take a seat. After about 5 minutes I was allowed to go up to the 8^th floor to the Inter-Col office.

I handed over my passport, cedula, USB drive with my photo and most important my apostilled SS Benefits Letter. After copying a few things she returned everything except the SS letter. She charged $575 to my debit card, $500 for their fee and the other $75 for a translation of my apostilled letter.  She reminded me that they only have a week to process my visa and I reminded her they have 10 days. The whole process took maybe 20 minutes and I returned to the garage by retracing my steps via elevators.

I crossed the street and while waiting for a bus a woman approached and asked me how to catch a bus to La Estrella. I informed her I was a gringo and apologized for not knowing. I then pointed to a nearby security guard and she went to ask him. I caught the next Envigado bus back to Calle la Buena Mesa. Uh-oh, on the way I realized I forgot to ask Angie about Teresa’s eps document.

I was surprised Ganso y Castor was closed and tarps were being put up covering the front of the restaurant next door. I have no idea what was going on.

While having a latte in Los Portenos I called Angie and asked her about an eps letter showing when Teresa got put on my eps insurance. She soon texted me a pdf with the letter. I noticed the first Christmas decoration in the park:

I left at 4:30 and finally was able to pay the Tigo/Une bill at the Gana store. I stopped at the Bancolombia kiosk and printed Teresa’s eps letter. Cutting through the parking lot I heard some birds making a racket. I’ve heard this before but thought they were these green parrots I sometimes, but rarely, see. First, let me show you what to expect (thank you google) before you look at the next few photos.

It appeared a couple of Macaws were making love in the tree tops.

In the last photo, they’re in separate trees and it’s like “what just happened”?

In Eduardo Madrid bakery I bought a 3-pack of sesame seed bagels before returning to the apt.

Teresa and I watched another episode of Monsters on Netflix.

As part of my pre-sleep routine, I was reading my book Code Girls, “The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II” when on page 270 they mention a 22-year-old girl named Louise Pearsall from my hometown of Elgin, Illinois. (It turns out she made important contributions to the war effort.) On the next page they mention that 2 Elgin seamen went down with the USS Arizona on December 7^th, 1941.

 

IN HONOR OF IKEA