Saturday, October 20, 2018

Last night I had a great night’s sleep.  I only got up once at 4am, fell back asleep quickly, and didn’t wake up until 7:30am.  When I got up Teresa and Laura had already left for the finca.  (Btw, now when I go to bed I put Teresa’s cellphone on the charger.  When I get up at 4am or so I switch it with mine so by morning both are fully charged.)

I had my usual breakfast at Carbon de Leña for 9,200 pesos.  I stopped at the copy center where I printed out Joan & Airin’s flight itinerary for next February.

Back at the apt I exchanged some things and left for the mall.  I had a café con leche at Habia Una Vez for 3,600 pesos.  I got a good internet connection so I suspect the mall’s router is somewhere on this first floor.  I noticed they also serve some simple breakfasts that include scrambled eggs.  Another plus is being close to the entrance I got a nice breeze.

I received a text from the Au Pair in America agency that Laura has accepted an au pair position from Michael Lydon & Sara Lodi, the family with 2 young daughters in Brighton, Massachusetts.  Good for her!

As soon as I walked into Exito I saw a new health food store called Zonazul that sells loaves of fresh bread.  I noticed a Middleby Marshall oven in their new food court.  That oven is made by a company from my hometown – Elgin, Illinois.

According to the weather app on my cellphone we’re not supposed to break a high of 79 degrees this coming week.

About 1:30 I went the 100’ to La Casita Parilla where I had grilled chicken breast with a mango juice for 13mil.  It started raining during my meal but finally let up a bit when it was time for me to leave.

Teresa and Laura returned about 3pm.  Teresa informed me that she sold our furniture to Ana Maria for 1 million pesos and she’s coming over tomorrow to take a look at it.  I guess Teresa is really serious about getting new furniture.

I’m oversimplifing things a little, but the mortgage company for the townhouse my ex is living in wants to increase her monthly payments.  It seems the townhouse has increased in value in the past few years.  She wanted me to sign a loan modification form so she could stay in the house.  I declared bankruptcy 6 years ago, I have no credit rating in the US and I want nothing to do with the property even if there is a profit to be made.

I called my ex and gave her the bad news.  I recommended she get a free property appraisal, find out how much is remaining on the mortgage and the difference is her equity.  She can always sell and get an apartment somewhere else.  Or she can wait until the bank tries to foreclose and hire a lawyer.

We all decided to go to Mu to celebrate Laura’s au pair match with the family in Massachusetts.  MT is going with us but she won’t be eating anything because she’s full.

We left the apt at 7pm and quickly caught a taxi to Parque Lleras.  We got a table right away although it was near the door and it was a little cool being that close.

We left there after a dinner for 4 (3 ½) for 90,000 pesos.  The restaurant called a taxi for us and we were back at the apt by 8:30.

Teresa was very tired and my eyes felt like they were burning they were so tired so we went to bed at 10pm.

Joke of the day

Two blonde girls were working for the county public works department.  One would dig a hole and the other would follow behind her and fill the hole in.  They worked up one side of the street, then down the other, then moved on to the next street, working furiously all day without rest, one girl digging a hole, the other girl filling it in again.

An onlooker was amazed at their hard work, but couldn't understand what they were doing.

So he asked the hole digger, "I'm impressed by the effort you two are putting into your work, but I don't get it... why do you dig a hole, only to have your partner follow behind and fill it up again?"

The hole digger wiped her brow and sighed, "Well, I suppose it probably looks odd because we're normally a three-person team. But today the girl who plants the trees called in sick."