Monday, April 24, 2023

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up at 1am, 4am, finally waking/getting up at 6:30.

I left the apt about 7:30 and took an Envigado bus to Calle 7 in Medellin. Workmen were working together to pull this cable/tube out of a manhole.

Inside Cedimed I went through the usual process of getting a blood draw. I remembered to bring a regular Band-Aid with me to have the phlebotomist put over the little circular one they use. While waiting a few more minutes in their waiting room, I asked a lady working there about what password I should use to access their website. She said to use my cedula number for both username and password. Then she demonstrated something and now I understand I won’t be able to enter the website until my results are actually ready for me to retrieve.

I took a bus back to Envigado, got off at Sao Paolo Plaza, went to the restaurant Olivenza and ordered a latte. Glenn arrived a few minutes later. He had a cinnamon roll and a French press coffee and I had calentao with scrambled eggs and another latte.

I sent a text message to Marcos and learned he and his gf are in Rionegro waiting for their flight to Bogota. 😊

Glenn left and I walked across the street to Bodegón de la Frontera where I bought containers of Heinz yellow mustard and Bull’s Eye BBQ Sauce for 55,000 pesos.

I walked back to the apt.

I found the following email from Capital One 360:

“We have completed your transfer request.

Amount: $100

Transfer Date: 4/24/23

Fully Available On: 4/27/23.”

I left again at 1:30 and this time took a bus to La Frontera and walked across the street to Olivenza in Sao Paolo Plaza. Glenn arrived a few minutes later. He had a bowl of tomato soup and I had their short pasta with bolognesa sauce.

When I left, I stopped in Carulla where I found Smucker’s strawberry preserves so I bought 2 10oz. jars for 26,850 pesos.

I took a bus back to La Buena Mesa and the stupid driver dropped me off next to a wall and I had to walk about 100’ with motorcycles and cars coming up behind me.

At Los Porteños I had a small latte and chilled out for an hour or so.

I picked up 2 bags of milk on my way back to the apt.

Teresa called to tell me she’s trapped in El Tesoro due to a rainstorm. She’s starving so she’s going to J&C Delicias for something to eat. She returned to the apt by 7:30.

This is very strange: I can see emails in my yahoo account with my cellphone but not my laptop. I had to forward some of Teresa’s medical results to my Hotmail account in order to copy them to a USB drive for later printing.

 

tRump’s Arrest

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up twice during the night, finally waking/getting up at 7:30.

We left just after 10am, walked to Ayurá station and took the metro to the Exposiciones station. Downstairs we went across the street to a Tienda D1 where Teresa bought 2 Cokes and a package of plantain chips. Back across the street was a bus leaving for La Ceja so we took it. I think the trip was about an hour and 20 minutes and cost 20mil total for the 2 of us. When we got off it was a long 3-block walk to the town square. Pretty typical with a church at one end, a few restaurants along the side, and vendors selling their wares at small booths.

Teresa asked a couple people for a good place to have lunch and it was at the other end of the square. I wanted to sit on the balcony so I led her upstairs. Turns out it was a different restaurant called La Reserva with no customers. I went through the menu while Teresa was talking to the waiter/bus boy/bartender. I saw enchiladas on the menu and told Teresa I wanted to have lunch here. I ordered the chicken enchiladas and a mango juice and Teresa ordered salmon Thailandia. A few people came in and took seats on the balcony and ordered drinks. Unfortunately, my enchiladas were cold and dry. I guess they couldn’t have been too bad since I finished them.

After we finished eating I asked to see the menu for dessert. They had helado frito (fried ice cream) so I wanted to try it. Teresa wasn’t interested – too much fat – but I ordered it to share anyway. When it arrived Teresa tried the ice cream, declared it wasn’t too sweet, and helped me finish it.

The total check was 110,000 pesos ($25), including 10% tip. I took some photos of the restaurant and realized it was half Mexican and half Asian.

We walked around the town square a while and found what may be the only café, called Un Café.

We hung around there for an hour watching the people come and go then Teresa asked for directions to the bus station. It was about 4 blocks away and looked like a smaller version of Medellin’s Terminal Sur. We bought 2 tickets for 22,500 pesos and got on the bus. I think it was about a 90 minute ride back to Medellin. We got off a block from the Exposiciones station and returned to Ayura by metro. Downstairs we took a taxi back to our apt.

 

tRump’s Arrest

 

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 2am, finally waking/getting up at 7:30.

In my last game vs Troyclough I got his queen but had to give up too much material, a rook, a knight, and 2 pawns, for it but ended up getting a draw by repetition.

I left the apt at 9:30 and had a café con leche in Parva. At 11am I went to the restroom but both of them had buckets of water sitting in the sink. I decided now was a good time to leave. I did my business back in our apt.

Teresa wants to go to La Ceja or El Retiro tomorrow. Her plan is for us to walk to the Ayurá station, take the metro to Exposiciones station, then take a “colectivo” to the pueblo. She said there were lots of colectivos going to La Ceja when she went on Palm Sunday but I reminded her that was a special day. This is her plan; we’ll see how it goes.

Using an email they sent me I finished setting up my Capital One 360 checking account. (I have a credit score of 736, not to shabby for not even being in the country.) I requested a transfer of $100 from my USAA account to my new account which should be completed in a couple of days. 😊 A confirmation email they sent reminded me, “when your debit card arrives, don’t forget to activate it.”

I left again at 1pm and had a latte in Los Porteños for a few hours. Teresa called and asked me to pick up a loaf of pan sano from Parva and reminded me to bring milk and a bag of Fab (laundry detergent). In Parva they didn’t have pan sano and it took a few minutes to get the muchacho and Teresa together on the phone. They ended up giving me a small loaf of something and I returned to the apt with the bread, milk, and Fab.

Teresa had another massage session. Not bad, 10 massages for 200,000 pesos ($44).

I watched a couple more episodes of Boardwalk Empire.

 

tRump’s Arrest

Friday, April 21, 2023

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, again at 5:15, finally waking/getting up at 7:15.

I left just before 9, gifted the chocolate bar from yesterday to the portero and walked to the mall. I recycled a couple batteries then showed a security guard my package of underwear with the security tag still attached. He put a paper tag on the package and a young man took me to Exito where another young man removed the security tag. At Auros I had them print Teresa’s blood test results and my list of the top 10 position rankings for the NFL draft which begins next Thursday and I picked up a Gente newspaper.

The mall is having what I thought was an auto show throughout the mall but I also saw bicycles, dune buggies, motorcycles and an airplane.

I went up to the 4^th floor and entered Smartfit using my userid and password without any problem. I completed my regular routine with only a few seconds of waiting on other people. (I still have a little discomfort on my right knee when I do the seated leg curls. ☹) I took my shower this time in the 3^rd stall from the far end with no problem. I guess I’m getting used to the cold water especially since I’m overheated.

I went down to the 1^st floor and had a latte and a glass of ice water in Urbania. The English-speaking chica seemed to already know about my embarrassing encounter last Friday. She told me tomorrow is her birthday so I wished her an early birthday and many more.

I left about 45 minutes later and returned to the apt by taxi.

Teresa returned just after noon.

I left the apt about 2:30 and walked down to the Servientrega store on Ave Las Vegas where I showed a screen print of my Tigo/Une bill at the $efecty window. He couldn’t find my account from that so I showed him my bill from the previous month which didn’t work either. I showed him the entire bill Tigo/Une sent me last December and then he was able to find my account and I paid the bill of 68,492 pesos ($15).

I went next door to Maca but the inside was gutted so either its under remodeling or it’s closed for good. I walked across the street to another strip mall to a café called Cannell. I saw some cookies that looked like macadamia nut with chocolate chips but the chica said they were blueberries with something else I didn’t understand. I had one with a latte and went through my cellphone for an hour or so.

I stopped at Mercado Madrid on my way back to the apt and bought 2 ripe plantains that Teresa requested.

I had an Amazon order delivered in Florida on March 27^th (my salted-in-the-shell peanuts) so I Whatsapp’d Gisela to ask about it. She informed me it was in their Miami warehouse along with 2 other packages and 4 envelopes. I asked her to forward me everything she has for me. I hope they arrived in time for the NFL Draft next Thursday.

I finished season 2 of Boardwalk Empire (8.6) on MTV.

For supper I ordered Peruvian food from Chiclayo. I wasn’t hungry so I just ate the French fries and saved my entrée for tomorrow.

Teresa was tired but wanted to see her soap opera at 9:30 so I suggested she take a nap now and I’d get her up when it starts. After I got her up I soon went to bed.

 

tRump’s Arrest

Thursday, April 20, 2023

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 5am, finally waking/getting up at 7am.

Teresa left at 7:15 to pick up one of her monthly medications, we’re going to meet for breakfast at Los Porteños, and then I’m going to meet Marcos in Parva at 9:30.

Teresa returned by 7:30 with her medications and informed me she’d be making breakfast here.

Marcos texted me, “…have to cancel café today. The plan was to leave Colombia Monday, April 24^th. As of this writing she [Marcos’ girlfriend] is not going. Problems with her son and school. Will call when we or I return to Mde”.

Teresa is going to meet a girlfriend in Laureles this afternoon so I’ll be on my own for lunch.

After breakfast I had coffee in Los Porteños where I finished my Woodpecker Method test. I watched a small dog play “fetch” by himself by carrying a ball up an incline and then dropping it.

😊 I checked Cine Colombia and they have Beau is Scared (7.4) opening with a 1:50pm showtime.

On my way back to the apt I picked up a sleeve of 6 bagels for 18,300 pesos ($4) in Eduardo Madrid bakery.

I soon left again and walked to the mall. On the way I heard jackhammers in McDonald’s parking lot. It looks like they’re going to replace the asphalt.

Cine Colombia still had their gates down so I went up a level and had lunch in Only Roastbeef for 35mil ($7.75). Back downstairs I bought a preferred seat for 15,600 pesos. I made my last trip to the restroom, bought a Cine Combito for 15,300 ($3.40) pesos and entered the theater. Twice during the movie an usher came in and walked up the aisle; I wonder if this is a new security procedure. The 2 hour 59 minute movie was very strange, just not as strange as Everything, Everywhere, All at the Same Time which I walked out of. Teresa called me about 4:30 and I messaged her I was in a movie and I would be back by 5:30. After the movie I bought 2 bags of milk and 3 bananas in Exito before returning to the apt by taxi.

Teresa was supposed to have a 6pm massage but Kelly cancelled on her at the last minute. Teresa told me Kelly is diabetic and has to take insulin 3 times a day. That can’t be cheap. Well, maybe here.

I watched another episode of Boardwalk Empire.

 

tRump’s Arrest

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

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

Teresa informed me that her current gym schedule is semi-private lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Smartfit on Tuesdays.

I left the apt about 8am, completed my workout in Smartfit and was back by 9am.

Teresa returned by 10:15. She’s taking her mother to a doctor’s appointment sometime in the afternoon so I may go see a movie.

My Amazon package sent directly to my apt arrived 9 days after my order.

I left the apt at 1:45 and walked to the mall. I was surprised to see this fishing boat outside the entrance.

In Cine Colombia I purchased a preferred seat to I Love My Dad (6.4) for 7,000 pesos ($1.50). I tried to use my points to purchase my popcorn combo but again I had to pay for it, 15,300 ($3.25) for a small popcorn, small soda, and a chocolate bar.

 I took my seat in the last row of the general section and I was the only one there. A few minutes later a few people came in and filled the row ahead of me. During the coming attractions another couple large groups came in and filled the 2 preferred rows behind me. This was an unusual audience. During the coming attractions a man came up the stairs and looked at the people in the preferred section then stood in the aisle by the row in front of me for a minute. During the movie, people kept getting up and leaving the theater especially the man sitting directly in front of me who must have gone back and forth half a dozen times. And an usher would come in and walk up both aisles to the to like she’s looking for something or someone.

The movie was interesting, a little short and could have had a happier ending.

In Auros I sent a screenshot of Teresa’s gynecology result from my cellphone gallery to their Whatsapp account and they printed it. I returned to the apt by taxi.

I gifted the chocolate bar to one of the porteros.

Teresa called me just before 7pm and told me she’s on a bus back to the apt and she wants to go to Gloria’s for pizza.

She called me at 7:30 and asked me to order a Didi. I did and met her and MT outside our porteria and we took the Didi to Antica Pizza.

At one point I heard some gringos behind me talking in both English and Spanish.

When we left we bought the usual pastries for the porteros in the bakery down the hill and returned to the apt by taxi.

 

tRump’s Arrest

 

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, woke up at 2:45, made a trip to the bathroom, took an allergy pill, quickly fell back asleep, finally waking at 5:30 and getting up at 6:15.

Teresa has a blood draw scheduled for this morning then 2 doctor’s appointments in the afternoon in El Tesoro so she may not be back until around 7pm this evening.

I left the apt at 7:30 and walked to the mall. Jose arrived about 10 minutes later. I showed him my most recent games against Troyclough and told him about my progress planning our Greek vacation and we each had their complete breakfast which has increased to 23,400 pesos.

We went upstairs and I had Black in the first game but lost on time in an even game. With the White pieces in the 2^nd game he checkmated me in 20 moves. ☹

I also lost my first game to Troyclough after 7 straight wins dropping my rating to 1605 and raising his to 1518.

Jose left and I went to Only Roastbeef and bought a small roast beef sandwich to go for 21,200 pesos and took it down to Cine Colombia. I tried to order a small soda using my 963 accumulated points but I guess that’s only for combos. I checked out the movie marquees and learned that:

Blanco Facil aka Easy White is in French

Una Famiglia Mostruosa aka A Monstrous Family is in Italian.

Maravilloso Desastre actual title is Beautiful Disaster (5.4)

I bought a bottle of AOX Therapy supplements for Teresa for 208,000 pesos ($47) then had a latte in Santa Lena for 8,900. I took the backway through the garage to Exito and paid the Epm utility bill. I bought a large carton of eggs and a bag of granola then returned to the apt by taxi.

A few weeks ago, I bought a 3-pack of underwear to replace some old ones I’ve throwing out. Today I went to open the package and inside they still have that security thingy holding them together.

My Charles Schwab Travel Notice for 4/28/ - 5/11 has been approved.

I watched a couple more episodes of Boardwalk Empire.

Teresa didn’t get back until 7:30 but at least all of her test results were negative.

 

tRump’s Arrest