Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Last night we went to bed at 9:45 and it took me something like an hour to fall asleep.

I got up once or twice during the night, woke up at 5:30 and got up at 6:15.  I think Teresa left about 6am.  I was at Carbon de Leña at 6:45 and since they weren’t yet open I sat in the park across the street.  They finally opened at 7:15, I had my calentado and café con leche for 8,500 pesos ($3).

I was back at the apt just before 8am in time to watch the beginning of the Today show on my Slingbox.

Per Dr. Oz, the high blood pressure guideline has been changed. 

PREVIOUSLY 140/90

NOW 130/80

Via the internet: The following new guidelines were announced Monday at an American Heart Association conference in Anaheim.

WHAT THE CHANGES MEAN

The guidelines set new categories and get rid of "prehypertension":

—Normal: Under 120 over 80

—Elevated: Top number 120-129 and bottom less than 80

—Stage 1: Top of 130-139 or bottom of 80-89

—Stage 2: Top at least 140 or bottom at least 90

Mine was 110 over 86 (if I can trust the woman who tested me) on 10/31/17 so I’m good.

I left the apt at 9:15, took the Metro bus to the Envigado station, got off the metro at Estacion Industriales, walked east past the Metro Plus station and found a row of waiting taxis.  The driver took me to Unicentro mall for 7,000 pesos.

I walked the block to Inter-Col where I found a 50ish couple in front of me.  They were speaking English and they had an interpreter with them even though the rep spoke English.  I understood they were there as visitors for the past 3 months and were getting the 3-month extension.  They wanted to stay longer but they were too about 12 years too young for the Pensionado Visa.  After they finished I found out they were from Oregon and I got most of the rest of the previous details.  I wished them a good time in their remaining 3 months here.

When it was my turn I asked the rep if I could start my visa renewal process as my current visa expires December 19^th.  The rep told me it would be better to wait until next Tuesday the 21^st so we are within one month of the expiration date.  I also learned: it costs 1,505,000 pesos ($500) this year, my down payment would be 871,000 pesos payable in cash or debit card, and the 634,000 final payment payable in cash or into their bank account.  I thanked her and left.

Outside it was only 10:15 so I walked thru Unicentro mall where I found most of the restaurants were not yet open.  Outside I quickly caught a taxi back to Estacion Exposiciones for 6,000 pesos.  I took the metro to Envigado and while waiting on the bus it started sprinkling a little.  On the way up Calle 39 Sur (Calle 37 Sur is still closed) I saw what appeared to be a butcher shop called La Pampa at Calle 39Sur (appr. #45-18).  I seem to recall reading about this name somewhere.

I got off the bus 2 blocks from the park (it had stopped raining) and stopped at the “closet” bookstore across the street from the park where I bought Pearl Harbor by Randall Wallace for 7,000 pesos ($2.30).  It’s obviously the book that the movie is based on because I recognized the names of the characters Reef and Danny.

I stopped in Exito to buy a loaf of bread but they didn’t have my usual whole wheat so I got something new called Vital Arándanos which is made with granola and blueberries so we’ll see how it tastes.

I left the apt again at 12:20 to have lunch.  It was raining again.  I had Bandeja Especiales (rice, beans, salad, French fries, slice of plantain, and 3 ribs with a mango juice) for 19,000 pesos (about $6.30).  It was raining harder as I returned to the apt at 1:30.

I left the apt at 2pm, and caught a bus downtown.  I see that Otre Parte is going through some expansion.  Traffic was horrendous and I was pretty sure I wouldn’t get to the movie by the listed start time of 2:45.  I got off at Parque Poblado at 2:24 and still had another bus to take so as not to walk up the hill.  I figured I probably had an extra 15 minutes to spare for coming attractions.  I bought a preferred ticket for 3,000 pesos ($1).  I found out later that Tuesday is half fare day.  I bought a small popcorn and medium soda for another 14,300 pesos ($5).

I was in my seat as they were playing the “ballet” short that I’ve already see twice.  After that I saw a couple of coming attractions.  There were about 15 other people in the audience and the movie – Murder on the Orient Express – was pretty good.

Afterwards I walked down the hill to Parque Poblado where I only had to wait 5 minutes for a bus.

I was back at the apt by 6:15.

Teresa and I watched Boy Missing (6.1) on Netflix.

At 9:30 we found that we lost our running water.

I went to bed at 10:45.

T-shirt of the day: Just got lucky.