Friday, September 29, 2017

Last night I took 3 sleeping pills and went to bed at 11:15.  I fell asleep quickly waking up twice during the night finally waking/getting up at 8:30.

At 12:10 it started raining.  Teresa and I took a nap from 12:15 to 12:45 and by then the rain had stopped.

Among new US movie releases I would like to see Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (6.2) and maybe Super Dark Times (6.7).

Locally, I would like to see The Healer (6.3) playing at Mayorca, Oviedo and Santafe (7.9) and It playing at Oviedo, Santafe and El Tesoro and Vizcaya.

I was a little surprised to see I had a partial influx of my monthly deposits.  I made a withdrawal from Citibank and bought a few things from Exito.

When I got back to the apt I found flyers downstairs informing us that for work on the MetroPlus the water will be off from 8am to 2pm on Sunday.

Teresa left at 7:45 to care for her mother saying she’d be back by 11pm.  I think she might be moving in here on Monday.

I watched a couple episodes of Jesse Stone on Direct TV.

At 10:10 I could hear a persistent meowing coming from somewhere outside.  A couple minutes later at the next commercial I walked to the window and the sound appeared to come from the bushes next to the building across the street.   At the same moment Teresa and Laura came back and told me the cat followed them from MT’s apt.  Over the next hour a man came and gave it some food and a couple girls stopped by and also fed it.  It finally headed back down towards MT’s apt about an hour later.

Funny Veterinarian signs: It’s all fun and games until someone ends up in a cone.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Today is my brother’s 65^th birthday.  Happy Birthday Jim!

Last night I took 2 sleeping pills and went to bed at 10:15.  At 12:30 I was still awake so I got up and took another 1mg sleeping pill.  I quickly fell asleep, got up once during the night, finally waking at 7:30 and getting up at 8:15.

I watched the 2-hour Today show.

At 12:30 Chuck arrived and we, with Teresa and Laura, went down the hill to Deli Hoy for lunch.  Today was buffet day but the only meat they had was fish, chichirron (pork rind), and carne molida which is a dry granulated beef (I can’t think of any better way to describe it) so Teresa ordered chicken breast for me.

Afterwards Laura headed back to the apt, Teresa to her mother’s apartment and Chuck and I to Home Center.  Chuck picked up a few things for his house and I picked up a package of plastic closet hangers for 17,000 pesos.  It was raining lightly when we came out so we took a taxi to the park.

At Bartolos Bar he had a cup of coffee and I had a couple café con leche and we talked for some time.  While there a guy came by and I bought the DVD 47 Meters Down (5.8) for 3,000 pesos ($1).  When we left I stopped at the paper store and had my Experian Security Freeze pages printed out.

I was back at the apt by 4pm.  I signed the Experian pages, now I need to stop at Envios Market and send them to the US.

Teresa returned at 6:15 just as I was toasting a bagel.  She said she hurried back to make me a sandwich.  She was upset with Laura as I understood Laura was supposed to relieve her at MT’s apt a little earlier.

About 7:15, before Teresa went back to her mother’s apt, I asked her to make me some popcorn.  She was about to make it and remembered we don’t have any cooking oil.  (Weren’t we at the grocery store just yesterday?)  I opened a cabinet and took out my emergency bag of microwave popcorn.  I sat down with it and a glass of Coke from the large bottle I opened last Sunday.

Tonight the Chicago Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers 35-14.  They have something like 11 days until their next game; time to start the rookie QB Mitch Trubisky, 2^nd pick in this year’s draft.

I took 3 sleeping pills and went to bed at 11:15.

Funny Veterinarian signs: Against animal testing.  They get nervous and get all the answers wrong.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

At 11pm last night I took my sleeping pills and we went to bed.  I was still awake at 1am so I got up and took a third and soon fell asleep.  I got up twice during the night finally waking at 7am and getting up at 7:30.  I still feel like I slept well.

It appears I’m still fighting a cold so Teresa made me some more hot orange-aid (like lemonade but made with oranges).

I think Friday might be MT’s move-in day.

Today at the gym, besides the Seated Row and Lat Pulldown I decided to skip the Triceps Extension, Biceps Curl, and Triceps Press until my elbow feels more normal.  I completed the rest of my exercises in 90 minutes.

After lunch I watched most of the 2^nd hour of the Today show because they had the cast of Curb Your Enthusiasm on.

I’m missing a lot of movies (in the theater) waiting to find out if Teresa wants to see them and is available to see them.  I’m going to announce I’m going to see a movie at such and such a time and she’s welcome to join me.  Today it’s American Made (7.3) playing at Oviedo at 5:40.

I left the apt just before 5pm, quickly caught a bus and was 3^rd in line at the theater by 5:30.  I bought a preferred seat for 8,750 pesos ($3).  I had just received my snack order of small popcorn and large soda for 14,800 ($5) and as I walked away I heard the man behind me say something in English.  I filled my soda with Pepsi and as I walked away I was next to the man that was talking English.  I asked him where he was from and he said “here for the last 5 years and before that Chicago”.  He taught at the University of Illinois.  The lady with him (probably his wife) looked Colombian but spoke good English.  We walked into the same theater.

The movie was good; I was surprised there were some funny parts.  

I remembered during the movie that scenes were filmed in Colombia including Medellin.  I think Teresa would have liked that.  I was back at the apt by 8:30.

I took my sleeping pills and we went to bed at 10:15.

Funny Veterinarian signs: A cat is always on the wrong side of the door.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

I slept well only getting up at 2am and 5:30 finally waking up at 6:30 and getting up at 7am.

We left the apt at 7:45 for Mayorista.  We walked in the side entrance of the Euro grocery store and right away it didn’t look the same.  They had completely remodeled that end of the store.  The cafeteria where I used to have my coffee was gone.  I helped Teresa gather some things and then walked across the street to a small mall where I found a stand alone kiosk where I had a café con leche.

We bought about 420,000 pesos of groceries and were back at the apt by 9:15.  I watched the next 90 minutes of the Today show.

Teresa called her eye doctor and cancelled her appointment – partially because her eye isn’t bothering her anymore and partially because we ran out of cash for the month to pay her consultation fee.

We took a nap from 11am to 11:45.

I went online to TransUnion and they reported that my account is currently not frozen but I was able to do a create freeze, no charge, after I created an account with them.

But Experian reported “We were unable to honor your request to place a security freeze on your personal credit report based on the information you entered.”

Even though I cancelled my subscription with the Washington Post I’m still getting their articles.  In addition, today I received an email offering a 60% discount for their digital access.

I tried contacting Experian via telephone but got the same result - to mail in my request along with $10 plus applicable tax.  I checked Experian.com/freeze and found that the fee is waived for those older than 65.

I checked MBE online and the Miami distribution center processed a document last Friday, September 22^nd.

Teresa left at 7pm to feed her mother some soup.  She returned at 10pm.

At 11pm I took my sleeping pills and we went to bed.

Funny Veterinarian signs: Dogs have owners.  Cats have staff.

Monday, September 25, 2017

Last night I took my sleeping pills at 10:45, fell asleep quickly, got up once at 5am, woke up at 6:30, took half an Excedrin Migraine to help ward off an oncoming cold, finally getting up at 7:30.  I’ve been sleeping much better lately.  Is it because I’m taking a 100mg Magnesium tablet (half the recommended dose) after lunch every day?  Is it because I’m taking my sleeping pills with minimal water?

Teresa informed me that the lemons I bought the other day are actually oranges.  Oops!  She made me a hot cup of lemon (orange) tea to ward off a cold.

I watched the first 40 minutes of the Today show and left for the gym.  I was crossing a side street when a woman came up to me and said in Spanish, “Sir, I have a question”.  I told her in Spanish that I don’t speak much Spanish.  She switched to English and said, “Sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

Last week I felt some pain in my left elbow when I was doing 2 of my exercises – Seated Row and Lat Pulldown – so today I moved the weight down a notch from 80# to 65#.  I told Jose about the pain and that I thought it was a problem with a tendon not a muscle.  He told me to rest it for 3 days so I’ll skip those exercises until next week.  I did everything else in about an hour and 45 minutes.

I’m not sure if I mentioned this before.  I Googled “symptoms of magnesium deficiency” and 2 of the results were “cramps, and sleep problems”.  Maybe it’s the magnesium tablets I’m taking that are helping me sleep better (and I haven’t had a cramp since taking them).  The recommended daily dose is 2 tablets and I’m only taking 1 so soon I think I’ll see if an extra one per day makes a difference.

In the evening Teresa and I walked down to MT’s apartment.  She was in bed but looked pretty good.  I understand she’s getting up and walking at least to the bathroom with help.  She insisted on showing me her stomach (the area not the organ) scar.  Teresa said she had laser surgery but since I saw no incision I’m sure she meant laparoscopic surgery.

We left there and while walking up the hill Teresa said she’d like to buy some cookies in order to have cookies and coffee.  She asked me what time the corner store closed and I said “9:30”.  She asked me what time it is now and I said “9:27”.  We continued on past the apt to the corner store where we found a family of 6 talking to the owner and her daughter.  They moved back a little so we could make our purchase.  In the group I noticed a smiling girl of about 16.  A couple times I looked back at her while Teresa was talking to the owner and each time the girl’s grin reappeared.  I guess I can still attract the ladies.  Lol.  Without even talking I guess she could tell I’m a foreigner.

The cookies turned out to be crackers – I think they call them biscuits in Great Britain.  I had a package with a small cup of coffee hoping the liquid (it was decaf so I shouldn’t have to worry about caffeine) wouldn’t get me up at night.

I took my sleeping pills and we went to bed at 11pm.

Funny Veterinarian signs: Dinosaurs never went to the vet.  Look what happened.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Last night I took my sleeping pills and we went to bed at 11pm.  I quickly fell asleep waking up once at 5:30, finally waking/getting up at 8am.  Wow, I feel great!  Now I just have to protect my eyes from the sun (sunglasses) so they won’t feel dry and scratchy later.

I stopped at Bancolombia and made a small withdrawal and it doesn’t appear I was charged an ATM fee.  I double checked my previous ATM notes and they don’t charge a fee.  So why don’t I use Bancolombia all the time?  Sometimes I’m such an idiot – or maybe I’m just losing it.  On the other hand, I have to pay USAA an extra $2 for every withdrawal beyond 10 for each month.

I stopped in Exito and picked up a few things.  I was happy there were almost no lines.

I went to www.EquifaxSecurity2017.com (to see if I was included in the Equifax security breech), clicked on “Am I Impacted?” and received “ERROR The Request could not be satisfied.  The Amazon CloudFront distribution is configured to block access from your country.”  Ah, yes, now I recall getting that same error before.

I went to www.Equifax.com to request a freeze on my credit report.  I entered my current and previous address and some other personal information and it came back with “unable to find my credit file”.  Then it allowed me to request a freeze on my credit report and returned the security Pin number.  Huh?  It couldn’t find my file but allowed me to freeze a file it couldn’t find?  Does that make sense?  Computers!

I watched my Chicago Bears beat the Pittsburg Steelers 23-17 in overtime.  I didn’t have any buffering problems throughout the whole game using my Slingbox.  (I finished a bag of Act II microwave popcorn with Coke during the 1^st quarter.)  Next up are the Green Bay Packers Thursday night at 7:30.  Now if Mike Glennon could just throw the ball further than 10 yards we might have a chance.  Soon after the game I switched to NFL Redzone on Direct TV.

At 5pm I found The Walking Dead again on Direct TV.  Here’s the order of the episodes over the next 4 hours:

Season 5, episode 3

Season 5, episode 9

Season 6, episode 15

Season 7, episode 16

When Direct TV schedules TV series don’t they know they aren’t individual episodes, but a logical continuation from one to the next?

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

Funny Veterinarian signs: Neutering your pets makes them less nuts.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Last night I took 2 sleeping pills and went to bed at 10:15.  I woke up once at 4am and checked my watch again a few seconds later and it was 5:30.  I woke up at 7am when I heard the leaf blowers and got up briefly to take half an Excedrin Migraine to clear my fuzzy eyes and help ward off the slightly scratchy throat I was feeling.  I finally got up at 7:15.

About 10:15 I’m waiting for Teresa to get off her call to Vicky so I can take her phone to get it registered in her name.  Finally she got disconnected and I took that opportunity to switch her phone with mine. 

I left the apt and first stopped at Gana where I added 20mil to my cellphone for her use.  I caught a bus and got off at Premium Plaza mall and walked up to the 3^rd floor to the Clara office.  It was almost dead and I only had to wait a couple minutes.

When it was my turn I handed the young lady (who didn’t speak English) the new cellphone, my Cedula, Teresa’s Cedula, and the purchase receipt for the cellphone.  I told her the phone is a gift for my girlfriend and that I want it registered in her name.

She turned on the phone and checked a few things inside and then told me the SIM card inside isn’t registered in my name or Teresa’s.  I told her I bought the phone recently together with the SIM card and I didn’t know why I wouldn’t be in my name.  She told me I could buy a new SIM card there for 5mil so I agreed.  She went to the printer and picked up a sheet a paper and disappeared around the corner for a minute.  Shortly after she came back she stapled a few pages together and told me to go to the cashier.  After paying 5mil I came back with the papers stamped and gave them back to the rep.  She put a new SIM card into the phone and registered it in Teresa’s name with a new phone number.  She gave me the old SIM card back, told me it would be registered in 2-3 days and I left.  Outside I quickly caught an Envigado bus.

I got off by Envios Market and walked up the hill to Parque Lleras looking for a Velvet Café that’s supposed to have great carrot cake.  Of course I took the long way around finding the location.  It turned out the address is right next to Ay Caramba but it’s a hotel.  I didn’t ask if the café was inside.  (Back at the apt I checked their website and it looks like I was off by a block.  Despite what the signs said I must have been on Carrera 37A instead of Carrera 37.)

I walked back down to Parque Poblado and walking to the nearest bus stop I thought I heard a woman speaking English to a man.  I got on the bus and walking to the back I saw the same couple in the rear.  Because of the hat he was wearing I asked him how Texas is doing.  He told me they haven’t been there in a few years.  They live in Costa Rica and are visiting Ecuador and Medellin to decide where they want to live next.  We talked for a bit and then I got off at Oviedo mall.

At Starbucks I had a slice of carrot cake and small vanilla latte for about $6.  I took my time consuming them while I ate my snack.  I stopped in Cueva de Quesos where I bought a bag of sesame seed bagels. 

I was soon on a bus back to Envigado.  Back at the apt Laura was there but Teresa was visiting with her mom.  Laura put the old SIM card in the phone and told me it wasn’t important so I put the new one in my files.

About 2pm Laura ordered some lunch for us from Frisby.  While waiting for it I went to the corner store and added 20mil to my cellphone for Teresa, 4 bags of milk and a 1.5 liter bottle of Coke for my game tomorrow.

Laura and I heard something ringing and on the 2^nd call we found my cellphone in the guest bedroom.   Teresa hadn’t taken it with her after all.  It was Calvin Alexander of Medellin 4 Less and I told him about the finca.  I told him it would be best if he called back in a few months after we get it painted and talk to Teresa.

Just after the food arrived ($1 delivery charge) it started raining.

Just after 3pm I found The Walking Dead on Direct TV.  They are showing episodes over the next 6 hours but look at the order:

Season 5, episode 2

Season 5, episode 3

Season 5, episode 5

Season 5, episode 16

Season 6, episode 11

Season 7, episode 1

I’ve seen all but the last 2 so we’ll see if I’m able to watch them over whatever Teresa wants to see.

This week the Colombian Peso closed at 2,905 to the US Dollar.

Teresa came back, made me a toasted ham & cheese sandwich and soup for herself.  She told me the woman that will care for her mother only works during the day.  I understand Martha will stay with her tonight and tomorrow it’s Teresa’s turn.  Teresa headed back to her apt but will return by 10 or 11pm.

Funny Veterinarian signs: What do you call a dog magician?  A labracadabrador.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Last night I took 2 sleeping pills at 10:30 and went to bed.  I fell asleep quickly and only got up once during the night, finally waking at 6am and getting up at 6:30.

I received 3 emails from Apple.  It appears someone used my account to find my home address using Find My iPhone so I changed my Apple Id password.

I watched the first 20 minutes of the Today show and left for the gym.  It’s been 6 months since my last weigh-in so I had another today.  I’m 76.6 kilos, down 3.4 kilos or 7 ½#.  Not bad.  I did all my exercises in an hour and 45 minutes.

On my way back to the apt I ran into Alan; long time no see.  While we chatted in the shade of the doorway of the new Claro office an old man came up to sell us something.  He touched my arm and I understood it was something to aid muscle growth.  I told him I drink protein powder.  He then opened a vial and had each of us sniff it.  It smelled like Vicks Vaporub.  I pointed at my private parts and asked him if I put it there.  At first he said “si” and then he laughed and gave me a fist bump and walked away.  Then a young Colombian man stopped and talked to us about tutoring him in English but I explained that we’re pensionados and not allowed to work in Colombia.  I invited him to sit and talk with us anytime he sees us in Parque Envigado.

Teresa is still a little under the weather so I walked down to Deli Hoy where I had lunch alone.

I took a nap from 3:30 to 4:15; Teresa spent most of the day in bed.

Among new US movie releases I would like to see Stronger (7.5) and The Tiger Hunter 5.3).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Locally, I would like to see American Made (7.3) playing at 5pm in Oviedo and It (8.0) playing at El Tesoro, Oviedo, and Santafe.

At 5:30 it started raining, not hard, just enough to inconvenience everyone.  About 6:30 it started coming down harder with thunder and lightning, finally lessening about 7:30.

Teresa got a call from Laura, who was helping take care of MT, that now she’s got stomach problems.

I finished Michael Connelly’s The Closers: Harry Bosch Series #11 and then downloaded James Essinger’s The Mating Game. 

At 9:30 Teresa sent me out to the pharmacy for 3 bottles of Pedialyte – I’m guessing to prevent dehydration.  The first 3 stores I tried were closed but I remembered seeing one open 24 hours across the street from the bus stop.

I took 2 sleeping pills and went to bed at 10:15.  It soon started raining again.

Funny Veterinarian signs: If cats could text you back, they wouldn’t.