Thursday, September 19, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 5:30, finally waking/getting up at 8am. Wow, I guess I needed that.

Feeling pretty normal (whatever that is) again today. I think I improved quickly because I started taking the cold medicine Dr. James Joseph recommended, Hidroxicina Clorhidrato, as soon as the symptoms started and I took it 3x a day instead of 2. I’ll continue taking for a few more days.

This morning Sweden is playing Bangladesh.

I’m going to try to get up-to-date on my blog postings. Done!

After breakfast Teresa worked a little on her newest project then went to bed to rest her eyes.

Teresa gave me a bag with 2 bottles in it and asked me to leave it with the portero for Alejandro to pick up later.

I left the apt at 10am, left the package with the portero  and first stopped at the Bancolombia kiosk to have MT’s endoscopy & proctoscopy lab results (photos) printed. I noticed next door the mini market has reopened looking much like before.

I hope they have milk so I don’t have to wait in line in Ara anymore. 😊

I stopped at the Gana kiosk where I paid 105,170 pesos for our Wi-Fi.

Entering the park, I found another tree where I left a salted-in-the-shell peanut. I took a seat in Ganso y Castor and it appeared today is modeling day. I missed the first girl and the third but caught this one:

At one point I had a beautiful unobstructed view of the Bastardo restaurant across the street.

I completed level 16 of Chess.com’s puzzles.

Using twitch, I watched another round of the 45^th chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. Anna, her mother and father are all playing. Isn’t current technology amazing?

I left at 11:15 and returned to the apt. I asked the portero but Alejandro hadn’t picked up the bag yet.

I drew Troyclough in a game lowering my rating to 1584.

About 2pm I checked the weather apps but they weren’t very encouraging.

I took a 30-minute nap then left at 3:30 and walked down to Peccato café where I had a latte while reviewing my latest game.

I asked the café owner if Complex Las Vegas had public restrooms and was told at the end of the hall and downstairs. I left at 5pm and at Teresa’s request bought a package of Fab in Mercado Madrid on the way back to the apt. When I arrived, she informed me she wanted powder not liquid. It seems to me she’s switched back and forth several times.

Teresa informed me we’re out of eggs so I guess there will be oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow and then I’ll be making a trip to the mall.

Sweden ending up losing their match to Bangledesh 2 ½ to 1 ½ and Anna drew her game.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Wednesday, September 17, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got p once at 3:30, finally waking/getting up at 6am.

Because I forgot to move the frozen bagels to the refrigerator I had blueberry pancake for breakfast.

At 7:30 I went back to bed for an hour.

Teresa left at 9:30 for her gym class in Mayorca. I looked outside and didn’t see any cars outside Ara. Perfect! I grabbed a plastic bag and 10mil and went next door where I saw 2 cars in the parking lot. ☹ I grabbed 2 bags of milk and after a short line I paid for it and returned to the apt.

I see Sweden is playing Paraguay today. (Sweden eventually won 3-1 but Anna lost her game)

I left the apt for Envios Market where I paid 235,000 pesos ($56) to have MT’s Proof of Life form Fed-Ex’d to Social Security. Victoria explained it will be expressed to Miami where it continues on via USPS.

I went to Ganso y Castor where I took a seat overlooking the park and went through my cellphone. I won an interesting game against ONEIPAMETATO1453, firstly because he didn’t resign until the 84^th move and secondly because I was up 5 pawns to none but we each had a queen and I had to find a way to keep him from forcing a draw by repetition.

I started with a latte but eventually ordered yogurt with fruit & Granola.

I left at 3:30 and returned to the apt.

Teressa returned at 6:30 and showed me her latest purse (above my toes, below the TV) that's now put together. Very pretty!

I told Teresa about how much I paid to send the letter to SS but MT didn’t need to repay me, consider it a benefit of having a gringo son-in-law. Teresa explained to me that her mother is tight with her money but she’ll make sure I’m paid back every peso. Okay.

I’m feeling much better today, I just need to improve my nourishment and get my strength back.

 

FUNNY

Tuesday, September 16, 2024

Today’s pretty much the same as yesterday. It’s surprising that as much as I sleep during the day I still have no problem sleeping at night.

 

FUNNY

Monday, September 15, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 9:30, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up – I don’t remember when. I spent the day in and out of bed, mostly in. but I don’t really sleep, just resting my tired eyes.

At one point a small dog maybe a block away barked nonstop for hours.

I have a little runny nose, feet feel cold but the rest of my body goes from being overheated to too cold but it’s not so bad I would call it a fever, just uncomfortable.

Not at all interested in eating. Teresa coaxes me to eat a little soup which is about all I can stand.

 

FUNNY

 

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up at 7:30. I was actually up a little earlier taking a cold pill as my nose was running a little during the night.

I met Glenn with Bianca at Olivenza at 9am. He’s a Yankees fan and he explained some of the rules changes in baseball. I explained some of the rule changes in football.

I watched some Sweden vs Germany chess tournament on Twitch.

I now have a bad cold and I don’t feel like going out. I spent the day following NFL games with NFL Redzone. Teresa tried to get me to go with her on a day trip, promising we’d be back by my game’s 7:20pm start time but I didn’t feel like it.

About 9:30, about the 2-minute warning of the first half I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer and went to bed.

 

FUNNY

WELL, I'M BACK POSTING!

Saturday, September 14, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10:15, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6:30.

After a breakfast of blueberry pancakes, I went back to bed at 8am. It took quite a while to fall asleep, but eventually I did and woke up at 9:30.

Online I watched some of Sweden vs Albania in the Chess Olympiad taking place in Budapest, Hungary.

About 2pm we had a shower that lasted about 20 minutes.

About 3:30 two teenagers rang our doorbell selling donuts to fund some sort of a trip. They had a large box of regular donuts. We ended up buying a small cinnamon roll for me and a lemon roll for Teresa for 5mil. (Have to support the local community.)

I watched A Quiet Place: Day One (6.3) on IPTV. (I invited Teresa to join me but she was busy working on her latest purse.)

I watched some CNN the rest of the night.

 

FUNNY

Friday, September 13, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up twice during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6:15.

Friday the 13^th!

I left the apt at 8am and completed my workout in Smartfit and after that I had a latte in Los Portenos.

Teresa called me at 11am and informed me she’d be having lunch with her mother so I would be having lunch “on the street”. She immediately asked me where I’m going to have lunch and I told her I don’t know as this is a surprise for me. I asked her where she’s going to have lunch and she had no idea. I asked her to call me when she knows and maybe I’d join them.

 I left at 11:30 and returned to the apt.

I hadn’t heard from Teresa (later she told me she forgot to call me) so I left at 1:30 and walked to La Buena Mesa. I saw what looked like a military man (like a marine) in a special uniform standing at the entrance. I went to Olivia restaurant and near the entrance were 2 motorcycles with police armed with semi-automatic weapons so something must have been going on in the park or someone very important was in the area.

I had their ground beef lasagna with a limonada de coco and for dessert a slice of pecan pie with a latte.

One nice thing about the pie was it wasn’t overly sweet like it normally is.

I went to Ganso y Castor in the park where I had a latte. This is the view of the park from my seat.

Teresa called and suggested we have supper in La Casita Parilla and I told her I’m fine with that. I left at 5:30 and returned to the apt.

I lost a game with the Black pieces to Troyclough dropping my rating 10 points to 1583. ☹

Teresa called at 6:45 to tell me she’s returning to the apt.

We took a Didi to La Casita Parilla and I, not being very hungry, ordered the chicken shish-kebab and a glass of water. Teresa ordered the same with a Coke. When they brought the opened Coke it was obvious they had it in the freezer because you could see the syrup had separated from the soda. We returned to the apt by Didi.

To head off any problems with SS’s biannual Proof of Life form, I had given Teresa instructions to give me any mail her mother receives from Social Security. Teresa gave me the form today. I checked off the applicable boxes, MT has to sign and date it and I’ll Fed-Ex it to SS in the US.

I reminded Teresa of her 9am facial appointment tomorrow.

 

FUNNY

Thursday, September 12, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at midnight, again at 5am, finally waking/getting up at 6:15.

I left the apt at 8:30 and when I stopped by the new café (still closed) a car, that I can only describe as a race car, came out of the back parking area. Of course, by the time I took out my phone and set it to the camera app, it was gone. I stopped at Pasteur pharmacy where I bought a box of 10 Tena Dia pads for 24,489 pesos ($6). I had a latte in Los Portenos for a couple hours. Teresa called and asked me to pick up broccoli in Ara on my way back to the apt. I left at 10:30 and Ara had broccoli but there was a long line and only one cashier so that was that.

Pia and Anna Cramling won their games and Sweden defeated New Zealand 3-1 in the Womens section of the Chess Olympiad.

Teresa said she’s meeting a friend named Monica she hasn’t seen in a long time at Santafe mall and she invited me to join them. They’ll shop and chat while I have coffee in Valentina’s.

It’s after lunch and we’re just waiting for her to call. It was 2pm when Teresa said if she doesn’t call by 3pm we’ll forget about it. She finally called at 2:30 and I had a Didi take us to Santafe mall. Teresa waited for her outside Zara while I headed to Valentina’s. I ordered a latte and a carrot cake which looks like this:

I started going through Simple Chess for a second time. I’m also losing against Troyclough with the black pieces but I might be able to hang on for a draw.

They arrived a couple hours later and we went to Crepes & Waffles where we had ice cream. I had the Suprema

And Teresa ordered the same while Monica had a waffle with ice cream.

We left about 6pm, said goodbye to Monica and we returned to the apt by taxi in heavy traffic.

I watched the first half of the Bills Dolphins game which seemed a little lopsided on the Dolphins side. I then switched to reading my novel before going to bed.

                                           FUNNY SIGNS

 

 

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10:30, got up once at 12:30, again at 5:30, finally giving/getting up at 6am.

It’s 9/11 again, never forget!

Teresa was soon out the door, first then taking her mother to get a proctoscopy/endoscopy then gym then her art class in the afternoon. I’m on my own for lunch but we’ll meet up at Eduardo Madrid around 5:30.

Oh, and Taylor Swift endorsed the Harris/Walz campaign last night.

I left the apt at 9am and completed my workout in Smartfit. When I came out I ran into Teresa with MT across the street. I understand they’ll go to MT’s apt then Teresa will go to her exercise class in Mayorca. I went to Ganso y Castor where I had a latte while going through my cellphone. I left at 11am and stopped in Ara and bought milk. There was only one person in line ahead of me but only one cashier. When it was her turn all of her items were checked and there was some type of discussion which took about 10 minutes. ☹ Finally, she finished and I bought 2 bags of milk for less than 8mil.

Anna Cramling, and her mother Pia, are playing in the chess Olympiad for Switzerland against Fiji. Their team won that round 4-0.

I left the apt at 12:15 and walked to the mall. I tried the ATM outside Exito but it just asked me to remove my card. I went into the mall proper and up to the 2^nd floor where I withdrew 2,000,000 pesos. I paid our Claro bills and went back into Exito where I paid our epm utility bill. Back in the mall I had a BBQ beef sandwich with fries and a Coke at Only Roastbeef for 27,500 pesos.

Doesn’t this Coke look tiny to you? I started to leave and they had to call me back to pay. 😊  Previous times you paid when you ordered.

Downstairs in Urbania I had a latte while finishing my new chess book, Simple Chess. That’s just the first reading, I’ll soon be reading it again.

I left at 4pm and went into Exito to buy a few things but I had to ask for help. I couldn’t find a 9V battery so I asked where the batteries are and was told they’re by the cashiers. I checked a few areas and found the usual batteries but no 9-volt. I guess I’ll have to make a special trip to Home Center. I bought a large carton of eggs and a 12-pack of toilet paper and returned to the apt by taxi. My driver spoke English and when I asked how he learned he said he reads a lot.

I dropped off the groceries and walked to Eduardo Madrid where I had a latte while waiting for Teresa. She arrived by 5:15 (she said she found a shortcut to the bakery).

She had a latte and we shared a chicken sandwich.

Sitting on the other side of the room were a couple that transported me back to the 1950s where when a man went out, he would wear a suit. Notice his hat on the chair next to him although I don’t recall my father wearing a hat.

We left at 6pm and stopped in Ara where we bought a few things before returning to the apt.

ONEIPAMETATO1453 resigned our game increasing my rating to 1593.

I spent the rest of the evening switching between CNN and MSNBC.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 5:30, finally waking/getting up at 6:30.

I see the NIU Huskies are now ranked 25^th in the nation.

I was planning on going to Viva Envigado to pay some bills but Teresa wanted me to join her for her doctor’s appointment.

We left the apt at 9am and took a Didi to Punto Clave (Calle 27 #46-70); I was surprised it came up on Didi. (It’s a small mall across Ave Las Vegas from Mercado del Rio.) We arrived 10 minutes early and I took a seat and was surprised when Teresa returned 2 minutes later. It turns out her appointment is next month 10-09 not 09-10. ☹ We took a taxi to Santafe mall and had lattes in Valentina café. She was hungry (didn’t she eat breakfast?) so she ordered a croissant ham sandwich and expected me to eat half of it which I did. I waited in the café while she checked out Zara. She returned about an hour later and said they have nothing new and they still don’t know when their El Tesoro location is going to reopen. We spent some time discussing our options for lunch and in the end decided we’d first return to the apt.

I had other suggestion but eventually gave in and we took a Didi to Viejo John in Sabaneta. The driver, Miguel, spoke good English (in fact, he had a business card visible that he teaches English. He was in the US Marine Corp and spent 6 years in Texas and 4 years in California.)

We waited about 20 minutes in line before being seated. 

I explained to Teresa I wasn’t really hungry. I’m good eating breakfast, lunch and supper but when she throws in snacks like the croissant sandwich then I don’t have an appetite for the next meal.

She ordered a posta plate for me 

and some type of fish for herself and I ate about half of mine. We walked a couple blocks to a taxi stand where we got right into a taxi which returned us to our apt.

I soon left and had a latte in Eduardo Madrid waiting for my bagels to come out. I left about 5pm and returned to the apt.

Teresa is darning my half dozen or so socks that have holes in them. She said she got a lesson from MT – she puts an apple inside to the end of the sock which gives her a workable surface to repair.

I watched the Presidential Debate. Trump is an embarrassment and the sooner he goes away the better off America, and the Republican party, will be.

My opinion…Of course it’s my opinion, it’s my blog…Donald John (Baron) Trump is grossly incompetent as a president. The alternative, which is too scary to consider, is he’s a traitor. After he loses the November 5^th election (bigly) his trials will continue and he'll go to jail. Forty years, out in twenty with good behavior, ought to send a message to future Presidents of the United States that actions have consequences.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Monday, September 9, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 12:15 again at 5:30, couldn’t fall back asleep and finally got up at 6am.

Soon Teresa will be going to a gym class in Mayorca and the plan is for me to meet her there at noon.

I left the apt at 7:45 and completed my workout in a rather busy Smartfit. I’m still doing the -5# for another week.

I went to Los Portenos where I had a latte. I left at 10am and stopped in Eduardo Madrid bakery where I ordered 6 sesame seed bagels for pickup tomorrow afternoon.

I watched the 40’ condensed version of yesterday’s Bears game on NFL Game Pass aka DAZN.

I left the apt at 11:45 and took a Didi to Mayorca mall. I recycled a few plastic bottles and a 9V battery then went up to the 5^th floor to J&C Delicias. We hadn’t agreed to meet any specific place so I called her but got voice mail. I texted her telling her where I was and she showed up 5 minutes later. Inside she had her usual salmon with mashed potatoes, a side of broccoli and a slimy looking green juice while I had my usual Penne Carmela with a mango juice. I got her to commit to staying in Bogota 2 days before and 2 days after her Dec. 13^th US embassy appointment (Carrera 45 #24B-27) in Bogota. I told her I’m not playing chess with Jose tomorrow and she informed me of a 9:40am doctor’s appointment tomorrow, some place called Punto Clave. She doesn’t know where it is but she can find out at the metro station. ??? The total came to 126,850 pesos ($30.50) including tip.

We went down to Medipiel where Teresa price checked something (not on sale) and I bought another container of Cetaphil Pro Urea 20% cream for 108,000 pesos ($26). I thought this would be the last one I would have to buy but Teresa believes with my dry skin I’ll have to use it the rest of my life. ☹

We stopped in a few stores where she checked out t-shirts but didn’t find anything.

We stopped in Dunkin Donuts where she chose a Chantilly (whipped cream) donut with custard filling and I a Mega Mani (lots of peanuts) donut with a custard filling for 14mil. We took them to De Lolita where we ate them with lattes.

We left at 3pm and took a taxi back to the apt.

Since I got up so early, I was tired so I took a nap for about an hour.

Troyclough resigned our game increasing my rating to 1589.

I watched the first half of Monday Night Football, waiting to see if Aaron Rodgers would be able to scramble or execute a quarterback sneak.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Sunday, September 8, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6:15.

First thing when I got up I saw IPAMETATO1453 made a move so I quickly replied and soon I realized I captured his pawn with the wrong piece. ☹

I left the apt at 8am, walked to Olivenza arriving by 8:30. It took a while for anyone to take my order of a latte and an almond croissant but Glenn arrived right after with Bianca. They are doing well. He’s coming here more often where before he would walk to the Starbucks in Santafe mall more often. He’s given up on chess and is back to occasionally playing pinochle. I told him about my struggles with HBO Max to see Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears.

Later I had calentado with scrambled eggs, a dinner roll and another latte for 50mil.

I left at 10:45, bought a large package of blueberries in Carulla for 35,500 pesos and walked back to the apt.

Teresa gave me a hard time for spending so much on the blueberries. I guess I should have waited until my next trip to Exito.

With my bag of peanuts and a Coke I watched the Chicago Bears defeat the Tennessee Titans 24-17.  The offense was struggling but the Bears defense and special teams saved the day.

Teresa left at 5pm and took a Didi to visit her mother. They were then going to La Estacion for the little empanadas I don’t care for.

I texted Jose about chess on Tuesday but he still doesn’t feel up to it. ☹

It was a nice weekend: the Packers lost, the Huskies beat the Fighting Irish (btw, they were 28.5-point underdogs to the #5 ranked team in the country), and the Bears won. It also didn’t hurt to see the Cleveland Browns lose with their $230,000,000 quarterback.

I was winning against ONEIPAMETATO1453 but then hurried a couple of moves in the endgame and was lucky to come away with a draw, lowering my rating to 1585.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Saturday, September 7, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6am.

I see the Eagles beat the Packers 34-29. 😊 Oh, and Jordan Love was injured on the last series of the game and he should be out 4-6 weeks with a partially torn MCL.

Troyclough resigned our game in 22 moves, increasing my rating to 1588.

The current plan is to have lunch in Crepes & Waffles in Arkadia, buy a few items across the street in Pricesmart, then visit Esmeralda in her nearby apartment.

Now Teresa informs me Esmeralda she isn’t staying in her apt, she’s in her mother’s apt wherever that is.

We left the apt at noon and took a Didi to Arkadia mall where we had lunch in Crepes & Waffles. We both had their chicken with cheese and broccoli over a crepe and she had a bottle of water and I a limonada de coco for 69mil.

We walked across the street to Pricesmart where we bought 2 large bottles of olive oil, 2 bottles of Smuckers’ Strawberry Preserves (for me) a large box of Salmas Colombian crackers (for Teresa) and a cake to take to Esmeralda for 359,000 pesos ($86).

We took a taxi to Esmeralda’s apt and Alejandro was there and I think he fixed Teresa’s cellphone. A girl named Isabel arrived…I’m guess she’s Alejandro’s girlfriend or just a classmate.

It was 3pm when my brother sent me a photo of the field where the NIU Huskies were tied 7-7 in after the first quarter with Notre Dame.

We left at 4:15 and returned to the apt by Didi.

I turned on IPTV and put on the channel for NBC in Rockford and watched most of the second half of the football game which the Huskies won 16-14. 😊

Despite the headline, the Huskies beat Georgia Tech in 2021 and Boston College last year.

Teresa suggested we have ribs at La Casita Parilla so at 7pm I ordered a Didi to take us there. We both had ribs and she had an order for butifaras (sp?) for 47mil. (Butifaras are these little sausage links which I don't think are anything special.) I think I got (nicely) chewed out by Diego for taking so long to return. We left at 8:15 and returned to the apt by Didi.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Friday, September 6, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6:30.

Teresa was going to go to an 8am gym class but I guess she talked to someone and it wasn’t what she wanted so she didn’t go.

I left the apt at 8:30 and completed my routine in Smartfit without incident. I had a latte in Los Portenos before returning to the apt at 10:45.

Teresa’s having some problem with her cellphone. Some of her apps (eg, Youtube and Whatsapp) are dimmed.

Google says that means they are disabled. I have no idea how she would have disabled them nor do I know how to reenable them. We asked Laura but she couldn’t figure it out either and suggested Teresa go to Exito and see if one of a salesman can help.

I won an easy game against StefCHOBIN rated 938 and I guess there was too much of a rating difference because I didn’t receive any points.

Teresa believes she will have a massage from Kelly this afternoon but she isn’t sure what time.

I left the apt at 2:30 and had a latte in Ganso y Castor. A beautiful day with lots of activity in the park including these two men playing Jenga.

The entrance to the restaurant Bastardo across the way is decked out with balloons the color of Colombia’s flag so I assume there must be an important soccer match tonight.

I left at 5pm and bought a small tres leches cake in O’Cake for 14 mil

On my way back to the apt I observed a number of TVs in restaurants showing Mexico vs Colombia but it was the women’s teams.

I watched the first half of the Packers vs Eagles, game with the former ahead 19-17 at halftime. Then it was time for my pre-sleep reading.

Teresa tells me we’re going to visit Esmeralda tomorrow who is recovering from her foot surgery and maybe Alejandro can help with Teresa’s cellphone problem.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up at 7am.

Today is my daughter Jeannie’s 1^st wedding anniversary. I guess it’s Jacob’s anniversary too so I guess I should mention him.

I left the apt at 8:45 and walked to the mall. I thought I had Teresa’s Claro bill on my phone but couldn’t find it. ☹ I had a latte in Urbania while going through more Stonewall Dutch defense games. I received this text message from our realtor:

that I’ve overpaid by 1,077,732 pesos which I can deduct from my next payment. 😊

I left at 11am and cutting through the parking lot to Exito I discovered they have reopened the front restrooms, they’re just back of where they used to be.

I bought a number of items in Exito filling my Skechers backpack and returned to the apt by taxi.

I lost a close game to Troyclough, lowering my rating 10 points to 1583. ☹

Just before lunch I watched episode 5 of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears. It was very good although sad because they were cutting players to get down to the 53-man roster.

I left the apt at 2pm and had a latte and chocolate chip cookie in the café whose name I can’t seem to remember:

I left at 4:30 and returned to our complex.

TMI ahead: I was standing at the elevator, which was on the 8^th floor, needing to pee badly. I got in the elevator and pushed the button for my floor and I couldn’t hold it any longer. I filled my pad, wet my shorts, and dripped all over the floor of the elevator. ☹ Back in the apt I stripped and quickly jumped in the shower. Did that happen because I had a latte and glass of water? Because of the TENS 3000 exercise I’m now doing twice a day? Because I’m no longer doing Kegel exercises? I don’t know but it was embarrassing. Ah, the challenges of getting older.

The NFL season starts tonight but it’s already been delayed 20 minutes due to lightning in Kansas City.

I watched the first half until 9pm then I had to turn it off and start my pre-sleep reading routine.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up twice during the night, finally waking/getting up at 7:20. Now I just have to wait a little until Teresa returns from her 7am gym class to make my breakfast.

Today is Laura’s birthday. Happy Birthday Laura!

Esmeralda is having foot surgery this morning. Apparently, the surgery she had before wasn’t done correctly or something.

I left the apt at 9:45 and completed my workout in Smartfit without incident. After I had a latte in Ganso y Castor while going through my phone. I briefly met a guy from Boulder, Colorado thinking of moving here but he wasn’t very talkative. I left at 11:30 and returned to the apt.

I made plans to meet Glenn for breakfast on Sunday. (Football season is here and most Sunday’s I won’t have time to go on any day trips with Teresa.)

I chatted with Juan Carlos who informed me he’ll be playing in the World Rapid & Blitz Championship in New York over the Christmas holiday.

After lunch I was thinking of going to Pecatto for coffee until Teresa asked me to meet here after her art class at 5:30 at Eduardo Madrid. I left the apt at 2:30 and had a latte in EM until Teresa arrived at 5:40. We shared a chicken sandwich on Kaiser roll then a cheese croissant while she had a latte.

We left at 6:30 and returned to the apt.

For the rest of the evening, I watched news on CNN.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up twice during the night (it was drizzling lightly both times), finally waking/getting up at 6:15. It’s still drizzling lightly; very overcast and cool so we’ll have to see if it warms up today – it usually does.

As I mentioned Jose isn’t available for chess today so I think I’ll wander over to the mall.

Teresa left at 8am for her Pilates class.

I left at 8:15 and walked to the mall. I recycled a couple plastic bottles then took a seat in Urbania. I had a latte while going through my 2^nd set of Dutch defense notes and a little more reading in my book Simple Chess.

Teresa joined me about 9:45 and since she was hungry we shared a palito de queso and she had a latte. She soon left to buy some groceries at Mercado Madrid. I left at 11:30 and returned to the apt by taxi.

I left at 2:30 and had a latte in Eduardo Madrid and bought 2 Kaiser rolls to go before returning to the apt at 4:45.

It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day.

Kelly arrived at 5:15 to give Teresa a one-hour massage.

We had a few showers in the evening.

I reached the halfway point of my 1,000-page book on Truman.

I suggested to Teresa that we stay our birthday weekend at the Dann Carlton Bilfort and work on our tans at their pool but I haven’t gotten a commitment from her as yet.

 

FUNNY SIGNS

Monday, September 2, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 4:30, finally waking/getting up at 6:30.

I left for the gym at 8:15 and completed my workout, today 5# less than the previous maximum. I’ll continue this for two weeks and if I have no issues then I’ll move up to my previous maximum.

I had a latte in Los Portenos where I met Bobby Hermsen from Jacksonville, FL originally from Nebraska. He’s thinking of moving here permanently. He asked me a number of questions about living here and we exchanged phone numbers.

I finally saw what all the construction was about across the path from the restaurant:

Not sure what the reason is, just an art piece? A prediction that the stock market is going to go up?

I see there's going to be another restaurant competition, this time pastries:

I stopped in Ara on the way back to the apt and picked up a few things Teresa requested.

Teresa informed me I have a package in the porteria.

One of my current games is against StefCHOBIN rated 936 from Australia.

On the 35^th move I checked ONEIPAMETATO1453’s king and all he could do is delay checkmate by a couple moves so he resigned, increasing my rating to 1593.

I went down to the porteria and claimed my package. Inside was Teresa’s new umbrella (which fits inside her gym bag), my August Chess Life magazine and my new notebook:

I don’t think it’s going to be needed any time soon but I can start working on it now. (Maybe I should do it in pencil. 😊)

I left the apt at 1:30 and had a latte in Ganso & Castor while going through the first set of Dutch defense games I had printed.

I left at 5pm and bought a half liter of coconut gelato (as instructed) before returning to the apt.

My Amazon Firestick seemed to die as I couldn’t get power for it. I moved the power cord to another outlet and it worked fine. (Later I found there was nothing wrong with the outlet, I guess it just needed to be rebooted.)

 

FUNNY SIGNS