Thursday, April 3, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, don’t remember if I got up during the night, finally waking/getting up at 5:30.

Google Flights for our trip has come down to a slightly more reasonable $2,085.

After breakfast I went back to bed for 45 minutes but couldn’t fall asleep.

I left the apt at 9:15 and met Marcos outside Tostao. We took the long way (the ramp instead of the stairs) to Ayura station and on the other side he needed to sit down and rest a minute. I told him about my progress with Movistar’s fiber optic internet. We continued on to Badia where I bought 14 boxes of Chamomile tea for 152,600 pesos ($37) and put them in my Dollar City bag. We continued on to Mas Fresco Pescado where we each bought a whole red snapper, mine costing just under 50mil. The fish with my tea fit perfectly in my Skechers backpack. We stopped briefly in Bancolombia where he picked up a document and we returned to Envigado. He said his stomach is bothering him so we didn’t stop for coffee. By the time I got back to the apt I was sweating, so happy I was in shorts and sleeveless t-shirt. That was a long walk, at my age, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to do that.

I checked and there isn’t anything interesting playing in Cine Colombia.

I’ve been looking all over for my old notes on the Botvinnik English, called the TM Opening. I finally found them in exactly the last place I looked, a binder in a drawer of my desk.

Just after 1pm it started raining. It was still raining when I finished lunch just after 2pm. It was so cold, rainy and dreary we did the only thing responsible people would do in this situation – we took a nap. 😊

This time I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until 3:30. At least it had stopped raining.

I dressed in pants, t-shirt, and jacket and left the apt. I printed some notes at the copy center, now having an official Bancolombia sign outside, then stopped at Los Portenos for a latte. I took my usual spot but when we had a little drizzle I found I was too close to it and moved 1 table further away.

I left at 6pm and returned to the apt.

More rain in the evening.

I’m thinking, because of tRump’s tariffs, it might be best nor to wait any longer to buy a new laptop.

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION SIGN

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up several times during the night, once with a cramp in my calf so I took a little Epsom salts, finally waking/getting up at 6:15.

After breakfast, Teresa informed me we will be without water from 8am to 4pm. I told her I’ll shower at the gym after my workout.

I booted my computer but it couldn’t find my D: drive. Shit! Luckily, I just backed it up last night so I could always run off my external hard drive. Maybe I did something to accidentally delete the files on it but I can’t imagine doing anything that would cause it to disappear. I rebooted my computer and all was good again.

I checked Google Flights and the flight I’ve been monitoring jumped up to $3723. Yikes! As I said, it’s a good thing we already have our tickets.

I packed my gym bag and at the last minute remembered to pack a towel. Whew! (I did forget to pack deodorant but that can be corrected when I return to the apt.) I had to remind myself of the combination to my padlock. (Interestingly, most of the padlocks I see here are those TSA locks while I’ve got this big clunky padlock.)

I left the apt for the gym at 7:45.

First let me set the scene: Around the corner from our complex is a tree containing what looks like the bottom portion of a plastic milk container which I assume contains food for the birds and/or squirrels.

Today there was a red squirrel with his head inside it looking for food. He didn’t seem to be alarmed by my presence as I took these photos of him.

He even sat in one place long enough that I was able to take this video:

He seemed to be scolding me for my presence so I placed  a peanut in the usual place and continued on to the gym.

At Smartfit I got an error trying to enter through the turnstile. When I stopped at the front desk the girl asked me something about having a doctor’s prescription to be able workout. I told her I have a May appointment with my urologist and do I need to bring some document from him but she said “no” and allowed me to enter so I guess all is okay.

I went up to the 3^rd floor and put my things in a locker. Back downstairs I soon realized I forgot to take out my thermos so after a couple exercises, I went back upstairs and retrieved it.

Back downstairs there was some type of competition going on. One or maybe two girls were doing exercises with a few other girls gathered around while one instructor appeared to be timing her and another appeared to be filming her. I have no idea what that was about.

I completed my workout, took my shower upstairs and left.

I was walking on the sidewalk when I noticed a spot that was wet. (Balconies here have an outlet pipe so when they wash the floor the water can go out the pipe.) I walked around the wet spot and just then the woman on the balcony sprayed her flowers and got me in the back of my neck.

I stopped in Pasteur pharmacy and bought a 10-pack of Zopiclona for about 20mil. (I can’t believe I didn’t buy enough my last time in Todo Drogas.)

I had a latte in Ganso y Castor while noticing a lot of squirrel activity in the trees. I managed to snap this photo just as a squirrel discovered the peanut I had left there.

Then he came back down and searched the area carefully for more food.

I left at 10:30 and returned to the apt.

Teresa returned at noon from her workout in Mayorca’s Smartfit.

We had pasta for lunch.

Terea left at 2:45 for her arts & crafts class. She’s now learning how to make bracelets.

I left at 3pm and had a latte in Eduardo Madrid while waiting for Teresa. (I returned a bag with three plastic containers for them to reuse.) Right at the stroke of 5pm it started raining, pretty hard, and didn’t stop until 5:45. I traded emails with Teresa and she told me she was waiting for the rain to stop. She finally arrived just after 6pm. We had lattes and shared a cheese croissant. We left at 6:45 and returned to the apt.

We have running water again!

We heard some cheers and surmised there’s a soccer match going on.

I watched some news interrupted by buffering.

I have an Amazon Firestick hooked up to my TV and I listed on my JBL headphones. Interestingly when I turn off the TV or just switch to Direct TV (HDMI 3 to HDMI 1) I can still hear the HDMI 3 program on my headphones.

I finished reading Personal (Jack Reacher #19) on my Kindle.

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION SIGN

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 9:30, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up by alarm at 6:30.

I recharged my shaver today. Hopefully it will work for a month so I won’t have to take the charger with me to Chicago.

I checked Google Flights and the flight I’ve been monitoring jumped up from $1231 to $2219. Yikes! Good thing I already bought our tickets.

At 7:30 I started the process of ordering a Didi and I still arrived at Unicentro a couple minutes before 8am. I went upstairs to the restaurant and the waiter brought me 2 obviously new menus. I mentioned that to the waiter then I said, “same food, higher prices” and he laughed. Jose soon joined me and he ordered the French toast and I 4 eggs scrambled with the (tiny) Italian sausage and a latte.

I learned he has Movistar fiber optic internet and is very happy with it. He couldn’t recall how much he pays but he did say it is less expensive than before. He said my only problem will be cancelling my other services and I have to continue to pay them until they do so as not to destroy Teresa’s credit rating.

We adjourned to the food court and I had the Black pieces in the first game and it was very close until his 43^rd move. I was threatening to capture a piece and he didn’t notice and made an innocuous pawn move then when he saw what he had done he immediately resigned.

It was 11:30 when we started the 2^nd game. I had the White pieces and got strong pressure against him but he ended up with an advantage in the endgame. But like I did a couple weeks ago on the 36^th move I got into the same position with my queen and knight where I threatened checkmate or he would lose his queen and he resigned. (It was nice to win both games against him as it doesn’t happen very often.)  It was 1:40 when we finished and I ordered a Didi to take me to Viva Envigado.

On the way I saw a man moving a lawn (I think it was a small soccer field) with a lawnmower, first one I remember seeing here in Medellin.

I had the granola with yogurt and fruit in Pergamino then went downstairs and had a latte in Urbania.

Teresa called and asked me to pick up a container of Greek yogurt in Ara on my way back to the apt. When I arrived in Ara I asked a worker for it and she led me right to it.

I informed Teresa that Jose & Maria have Movistar fiber optic internet and are happy with it. She said it’s fine as long as they don’t have to drill holes. I’ll still be talking to Glenn for his comments on Sunday.

I watched some news experiencing some buffering.

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION SIGN

Monday, March 31, 2025

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

Jack W. FYI: If where you are moving in Mexico is 6,300 feet that sounds like jacket weather and you might need a few days to acclimatize to that altitude.

Anyone who liked the Terry Savage article can get on her mailing list.,

Well, at least no more threatening messages from Hotmail.

Teresa informed me she wants me to go with her after lunch to Itagui to pick up her Vitamin A injection.

I left the apt about 8am and found Smartfit quite busy but a few minutes later it seemed to settle down. I talked briefly to Michael and recommended Asados Rogelio if he was looking for a cheap lunch.

I had a latte in Ganso y Castor for an hour but today there was no sign of a squirrel.

I left at 9:45 and returned to the apt.

My little finger is a little better in that it’s easier to hit the ‘A’ key.

Teresa returned at 11:15.

After lunch she informed me she was too tired to go to Itagui.

I left the apt at 2:15, paid the Direct TV bill of 189,900 pesos and had a latte in Los Portenos. That’s when I realized I forgot to bring my cellphone. ☹ I left at 3:30 and returned to the apt.

I’ve been texting with Paola (sp?) about Movistar’s fiber optic internet and television. She says we can have it installed in the living room only. I checked the current cable situation and there are 2 cables coming out of the same spot, 

one for the router (WiFi) and the other for Direct TV. Paola tells me they can route the fiber internet through the same spot without making any new holes. Teresa doesn’t trust her thinking she just wants to make a sale.

I just found out Glenn has fiber optic internet so I’ll be having breakfast with him next Sunday with lots of questions.

I watched some of MSNBC in the evening but was often interrupted by buffering. (Which is why I want fiber optic internet.)

 

SEATTLE GAS STATION SIGN