Wednesday, October 21st, 2015

I got up 2 or 3 times during the night finally waking/getting up at 8:30.

We left the finca at 12:10 and as we got past the killer dogs undetected I had the thought that maybe they aren’t here this week.  Near the top of the hill I turned around, whistled and yelled “where are you” and they came out looking for me.  So much for that thought.

We had to wait 15 minutes for a bus.  On the bus I heard some chirping (cheeping?) and I saw a man holding a box with lots of holes in it.  I’m pretty sure it contained baby chickens.  We got off at El Poblado and took a taxi to El Tesoro.  We arrived 15 minutes early so we shared a grape juice at O-Cake.

I left Teresa with the dentist and went downstairs to Carulla.  I found a copy center where I had some documents scanned to my flash drive and I added 50mil to my cell phone.  I walked around looking for things I might want to buy today or in the future.  I found jars of El Preferida salsa and relish for my hot dogs.  I also saw dog chews like I brought from the States – 5 for $3.  I tried to withdraw some cash from their ATM but the machine wouldn’t recognize my card.  I went upstairs to the mall and had the same experience on the first ATM I tried but the 2^nd one worked for me.

Back upstairs in the dentist’s office I learned this was just a consult that cost me 80mil.  I left a deposit of 200mil as we have another appointment for next Tuesday because she needs some work on her front tooth.

We had lunch at Crepes & Waffles in the mall’s food court.  I had a Mexican crepe with chicken that I enjoyed and Teresa had a Thai salad that she couldn’t finish because she said it had too much lettuce.  I had a mango juice and she had two strawberry juices.  The total came to 54,900 including tip.

Teresa went into Zara browsing for clothes while I sat out in the hall reading my Nook.  She found a pair of leather looking pants for 129mil she asked if I would buy for her.  I asked her if she had tried them on.  She replied no.  I told her to try them on first and when she did she told me she didn’t like them.  I may not be getting smarter but I am getting more experienced.  At least this is one thing she won’t be buying and returning.  She tried on another pair of pants that I thought looked good on her so we bought them for 99mil.

In Carulla she picked up some ground beef, ham, cheese, pasta and a loaf of bread and I picked up a new jar of relish for my hot dogs and I finally found a box of waxed paper.  Eventually we’re going to need the waxed paper when we try to make taffy apples.

We waited about 15 minutes for our turn for a taxi to El Poblado.  Right away we caught a bus back to the finca.  When we got off the bus it was obvious the area had had some rain.  There was a little more than a full moon without the clouds blocking it so we were able to walk down the path and still see our way.  The killer dogs heard us and came out to hassle us.  We got back to the finca just after 7pm.

Teresa tried on the new pants again and didn’t like them so we still have to make a return to Zara.  Sigh.

The Mets Cubs game was on Direct TV again and I only missed one batter in the 1^st inning.  After 2 innings the Mets had a 6-0 lead.  The final was Mets 8 Cubs 3.

The Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908.  Two weeks ago I was beginning to think there might be a 70 year limit on goat curses.  Let me explain:

The Chicago Cubs have not appeared in a World Series since 1945, when, legend has it, tavern owner Billy Sianis placed a curse on the team in retaliation for refusing stadium entry to his goat.
Going into Wednesday night's potentially decisive Game 4 of the National League Championship Series trailing the New York Mets 3-0, it seems the Cubs' "curse" is as strong as ever.
According to the Billy Goat Tavern's website, which is now owned by Sianis' nephew Sam, the tale goes as follows:
"The Cubs entered Game 4 of the World Series leading the Detroit Tigers 2 games to 1, and needing to win only two of the next four games played at Wrigley Field. A local Greek, William 'Billy Goat' Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern and a Cubs fan, bought two tickets to Game 4. Hoping to bring his team good luck he took his pet goat, Murphy, with him to the game. At the entrance to the park, the Andy Fran (sic) ushers stopped Billy Goat from entering saying that no animals are allowed in the park. Billy Goat, frustrated, appealed to the owner of the Cubs, P.K. Wrigley. Wrigley replied, 'Let Billy in, but not the goat.' Billy Goat asked, 'Why not the goat?' Wrigley answered, 'Because the goat stinks.'
"According to legend, the goat and Billy were upset, so then Billy threw up his arms and exclaimed, 'The Cubs ain't gonna win no more. The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field.' The Cubs were officially cursed. Subsequently, the Cubs lost game four, and the remaining series[,] getting swept at home and from the World Series. Billy Goat promptly sent a telegram to P.K. Wrigley, stating, 'Who stinks now?' "
Seventy years later, the Cubs have yet to make it back to the World Series, and their fans have adopted the unofficial slogan, "Wait 'til next year."

Btw, the date the goat was refused entrance was October 6, 1945, the day I was born, but I’m a Chicago White Sox fan not a Chicago Cubs fan.  Btw, the name of the goat that has cursed the Cubs all these years?  Murphy.  The name of this year’s NLCS MVP?  Daniel Murphy.

At 10:20 it started raining.  I went out and checked my thermometer and it was 60 degrees and the barometer showed 100% humidity.  The rain stopped 7 minutes later.

I took my sleeping pills at 10:45pm and went to bed.