Saturday, March 16, 2019

I got up twice during the night but otherwise slept well finally waking/getting up at 8:30.

After breakfast I happened to look out the bedroom window and saw a hummingbird on the feeder.

Just before I left the apt Teresa noticed that we had no running water.  The portero didn’t answer the phone so I went down to the guardhouse and learned it should be back on in about 40 minutes.

I walked up to Avenida Poblado and while waiting for a bus I saw a young man bring what looked like a large key cabinet to his motorcycle.  I was wondering how he was going to carry that on his moto.  He got on and struggled picking it up and then looked at me and asked me something.  I picked it up – maybe 20 awkward pounds – and handed it to him but we both realized there was no way he was going to be able to hold it along with the handlebars.  He put it down, got off, looked across the street and then asked me “something”.  I gave my usual reply “I speak a little Spanish and understand less” in Spanish.  He laughed, my bus arrived and I said “good luck”.

I got off on Calle 36 Sur where I picked up a free Adn newspaper.  I think one of the girls recognized me from when I used to live nearby.

At Pagos Financiera there were already 7 people in line ahead of me.  It turned out that some of them were together so I didn’t have to wait as long as I thought.  Twenty five minutes after I first sat down I had my cash.  As I was leaving I noticed another security guard fixing our security guard’s revolver.

Alex accidentally called me.  He thought he was calling Alba.  He’s standing outside the Museo de Antioquia and can’t find her.

I went to $efecty where I found a line of about 10 people in front of me.  (It’s best to avoid Saturdays where possible.)  I paid the utility and wifi bills for the month.

At Bancolombia (no line) I added 178mil to Laura’s account to pay Smartfit’s annual maintenance fee.

I bought a dozen mixed color roses for 12,000 pesos ($4) at a local florist and took a bus back to the apt.

For lunch we decided to order from Frisby.  Teresa placed the order and, as usual, asked me if I had exact change for the order.  As usual, I said yes.  I asked her several times how much and I understood the total was about 76,700 pesos.  When the deliveryman arrived I gave him 80mil and thanked him.  A few minutes later I saw the bill and it was only 60,700 so he got a nice tip of about $6.50.  Shhh!  Don’t tell Teresa.

Teresa informed me that tomorrow is Esmeralda’s birthday.  I suggested we take her to Mu tonight.  She said her son, Alejandro, would probably be joining us and she thought that might get a little expensive.

Teresa and I took a nap from 2:30 to 3:30.

Esmeralda called.  She has pica y placa today so she suggested we go out tomorrow or Monday.  Teresa suggested we go back to Sarku’s in the mall.

A few hours later Teresa informed me we’re meeting Esmeralda and Alejandro at the mall at 7:30 to have dinner at Sarku’s.  I understand they are taking the metro.  MT is joining us but she won’t be eating.

I saw another hummingbird on the feeder.  Usually they are green but this one was very brown, almost black.  He only stuck around for 30 seconds.  I think you can usually hear them arrive as their wings hit the feeder before they settle down on the resting spot.

We left the apt about 7:15 and walked to the mall.  MT was in the main entrance waiting for us.  After about 15 minutes Esmeralda and Alejandro arrived.  We went up to the 3^rd floor to Sarku’s.  The place was full but we soon got a table as another party finished.

I ordered their chicken teriyaki with pasta and a red mixed fruit juice.  I brought a newspaper article with me about road construction going on outside the mall.  I gave it to Alejandro and he read a little of it and told me that the first phase from Ayura station to Envigado station should be finished in May.  As a gift to Esmeralda for her birthday I picked uip the check of 108,100 pesos.

Afterwards it was almost closing time, 9pm, but we went to Café Arangos.  I asked when the close and they said 15-20 minutes before 9pm but they said it was okay to sit for awhile at one of their tables.  Alejandro mentioned that he’d never been to Starbucks.  He looked down 2 levels and saw it was still open.  We went down and he took a look at their menu and I mentioned that I like the café mocho blanco, hot or cold.

We walked MT to her apt, they caught a taxi and we walked back to our apt.

9,205 steps.

Joke of the day

A doctor and an engineer entered a chocolate store. As they were busy looking around, the doctor stole 3 chocolate bars.

As they left the store, the doctor said to the engineer, "Man! I'm the best thief ever, I stole 3 chocolate bars and no one saw me. You can't beat that."

The engineer replied, "Okay, you wanna see something better? Let's go back to the store and I'll show you real stealing."

So they both went up to the counter and the engineer said to the shop boy, "Hey, would you like to see some magic?"

The shop boy replied, "Yes!"

The engineer said, "Give me one chocolate bar." The shop boy gave him one, and he ate it... He asked for a second, and he ate that one as well. He asked for a third, and finished that one too.

The shop boy asked, "Okay, what are you trying to pull here? Where's the magic?"

The engineer replied, "Check in my friend's pocket. You'll find all three bars."