Saturday, July 20, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 5:45, finally getting up with Teresa at 8am.

Today is a holiday, Colombia’s Independence Day.

Teresa wants to go on a day trip somewhere today. We discussed Hotel Blanco Piedras in Parque Arvi, Complex Los Bolsos, Castilla de museo, Santa Lena and Comfama so we’ll see what happens.

I checked and museo de castilla is closed today but Jardin Botanico is open.

I left the apt at 9:15 and walked to the mall. I had a latte while going through my chess book, The Power of Pawns.

I noticed this advertisement on an elevator door. I guess something will be going on at Medellin's Cultural Center (across from Museo de Antioquia in Plaza Bortero) during the Flower Faire.

I left at 11am, bought a bag of milk and large carton of eggs in Exito and returned to the apt by taxi.

I lost a close game to ONEIPAMETATO1453 lowering my rating to 1612.

I think Teresa is thinking about us having lunch in Otra Parte.

In the end Teresa ended up making blueberry pancakes. She also wanted to go to Pricesmart this afternoon but that never happened either.

I watched a few more episodes of Blue Bloods.

We’re talking about going to La Ceja tomorrow.

 

EL ARROYO SIGNS

 

Friday, July 19, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 1:30, finally waking/getting up at 7:15.

Teresa informed me she is taking her mother to a doctor’s appointment this afternoon at 2pm.

Basically, I just vegged out on the recliner watching Blue Bloods episodes. I didn’t feel like going out.

Teresa called me at 4pm to meet her in Crepes & Waffles in Viva Envigado but I didn’t feel up for it.

 

EL ARROYO SIGNS

Thursday, July 18, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 1am, again at 5am, finally waking/getting up at 7:15. I went to use the toilet but it didn’t flush, I removed the tank top and the reason was obvious, we have no running water. I should have checked that first. ☹

I left the apt at 8:15 and found the area outside Los Porteños cordoned off by yellow caution tape and workers appeared to be cutting down a tree.

I had a café con leche (price went up from 4,500 to 5,500 pesos) in Parva while waiting for Marcos. He arrived by 9:15 and we talked politics, football and the recent ban on plastic bags. We both agreed we’ll probably have to buy them in Dollar City for our garbage; either that or garbage disposal sales will be going up. Teresa called and asked me to stop in Ara or Tienda D1 and buy her a cigarette lighter. Before Marcos left, so he could watch over my stuff, I made a trip to the restroom.

Marcos left and it was a few minutes after that I noticed the stain on my shorts. I remembered a strong smell of Clorox in the restroom and they must have wiped down the side of the sink with it and now some of the dye has came out of my navy-blue shorts. ☹

I talked to the manager and I did see her talk to the workers at the counter but who knows what was said. I left about 10 minutes later and stopped at a tiny grocery store and bought a lighter for Teresa.

Back at the apt Teresa didn’t want me to get rid of the shorts, she said she often sees gringos with stains like that. ☹ I recommended, to be more in fashion, that I could add some holes in them. 😉

I left the apt at 2:45 and had a latte and an alfahor (a soft cookie with arequipe inside) in Los Porteños. 

The tree where I used to leave peanuts for the squirrel is now gone.

Teresa called and asked me to pick up chicken breast and cilantro in Ara on my way back to the apt.

I left at 5pm and returned to the apt after a stop in Ara.

I finished reading Samuel Arbesman’s Half Life of Facts. Interesting but not so interesting that I want everyone to read it.

 

EL ARROYO SIGNS

 

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 3:30, finally waking/getting up at 6:15. I took my morning pills, laid down on the recliner for a few minutes then got up and returned to bed. I woke/got up at 8:15 and Teresa was finally up and made me breakfast.

She reminded me she’ll be going to Mayorca for gym class then Envigado for art class so I’ll be on my own for lunch.

I left the apt at 9:45. Los Porteños was busier than usual for a Wednesday morning but I got the last outside table. I completed another 3 pages in my puzzle book, getting all of them correct. I watched an episode of 1920 Football Drive on Youtube that my son sent me. NFL football will be here soon. I have the advantage in all 3 of my correspondence games and I have the Black pieces in each.

I left at 11:15 and bought a sesame seed bagel in Eduardo Madrid on my way back to the apt.

I left the apt at 1pm and took a Didi to Philly Steaks in Poblado for 8,245 pesos.

I had their Philly Steak with a Coke and it was a little on the chewy side.

Next time I’ll try the meatball sandwich. I left at 2:45 and took a Didi to Otra Parte for 10,500 pesos. On the way I noticed this sticker on the back of the taxi in front of us.

I’m sure Teresa won’t be interested in paying 400mil or more to see it besides I want her to see it in Chicago.

I changed my mind (need more shade) and tipped the driver 2mil to continue on to La Buena Mesa. I took a table in the shade at Ganso y Castor.

ONEIPAMETATO1453 resigned our latest game increasing my rating to 1622.

I left at 4:30 and returned to the apt; Teresa had probably just arrived as I noticed the elevator came down from the 4^th floor.

I started watching the series Blue Bloods (7.7); the 293 episodes should keep me busy for a while.

 

EL ARROYO SIGNS

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

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

Teresa made me breakfast then left at 8am for her exercise class.

I left the apt at 8:45 and walked to the mall. I recycled a couple items then got in a short line at Exito Wow to pay the utility bill. Two guys ahead of time took some time to retrieve a lot of cash and then they gave most of it back to pay some bills. I paid our epm bill of 372,260 pesos. Since I was in the back of the market I took my usual shortcut through the parking garage to the mall side entrance.

I see the iShop (Apple) has reopened but the space in the back of the store where the restroom used to be still looks unused.

I had a latte and a glass of water in Urbania while completing 3 more pages of chess puzzles (I got one wrong).

I left at 11:15, bought some groceries (milk, apples, bananas) in Exito, stuffed it all in the nylon bag we got when we bought Teresa’s Skechers shoes and returned to the apt by taxi.

Another Amazon package arrived in Florida; one more and I can release it all to Colombia.

I watched the first two episodes of Kolchak: The Night Stalker (8.4). I used to love that show, starring Darren McGavin, but it didn’t age well.

I completed a couple more lessons in my new chess course.

Teresa reminded me she has an early morning gym class, like 7:15?

 

EL ARROYO SIGNS

Monday, July 15, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 11:30, finally waking/getting up at 7:15.

Today is a holiday, a civic holiday, due to the championship match last night.

ONEIPAMETATO1453 resigned our latest game on the 25^th move increasing my rating to 1614.

I forgot to mention that Ana Maria visited us yesterday. She got lost walking from Ayura station and Teresa had to go down to Texaco to retrieve her. They both watched the match with me last night and she stayed overnight in the guest bedroom.

I’m not going to the gym today so I did some exercises with my 7# dumbbell.

I left the apt at 9:15 and had a latte in Los Porteños where I discovered I didn’t have a pen with me. ☹ Troyclough resigned our game in 38 moves, increasing my rating to 1618. 😊  I left at 11:15 and returned to the apt.

The ladies were still here. I’m waiting now on them to get ready and we’ll go to La Bahia for lunch. We left at 12:30 and took a Didi to the restaurant. We all had their menu of the day, with chicken breast for me and chichirron for them. They went to visit MT while I paid the bill then went across the street to the mall.

(Still a large open space on the outside of the mall for an IKEA sign.)

I paid the Claro bill (forgot to bring the epm bill ☹) then took a seat downstairs in Urbania. They were a little busy but still lots of seats available.

I left at 4:15, confirmed that everyone coming out of Exito were carrying paper bags, then returned to the apt by taxi.

Tersa called me at 6:30 and suggested we have supper in the new Argentinian restaurant, Quilombo, at 7:30. I arrived right at 7:30 and it was closed. I see now that they’re closed Mondays.

Instead, we met at Olivia’s and had a nice supper for 174mil.

We stopped in Ara just before their 9pm closed and bought a few things (only paper here too) before returning to the apt.

Teresa showed me the inexpensive plastic bags she bought in Dollar City for our garbage.

I finished the TV series, The Night Agent (7.5) which was pretty good.

 

EL ARROYO SIGNS

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 4am, finally waking/getting up at 7:30.

Yesterday I texted Glenn asking if he was available for breakfast but he said, “he had other plans”.

I left the apt at 8:45 and walked to Ganso y Castor in La Buena Mesa. I took an end table making it easier for others to join together 2 tables if a large party should need one. I ordered a latte and French toast. 

A middle eastern looking young man took the table next to me and ate a pastry puff. He left and a young couple with 2 large dogs, a German Shepherd and a Rottweiler took one of the concrete tables not far away. The German Shepherd wasn’t on a leash but the Rottweiler would go crazy when any other dog was in the vicinity. The guy would yell at it and smack it in the face. That dog needs professional training before it hurts someone.

The middle eastern man stared into his cell phone and walked the width of the park dozens of times.

Zoom in and you can see he’s looking directly at me as I took this photo and you can also see the dogs in the foreground.

Teresa called about 10:45 and asked me to order chicken from Frisby. I tried but the app, which I haven’t used in a long time, and it seemed to think I’m a new user asking for my choice of: Google account, email, phone number, etc. for confirmation.

I left at 11:30 and stopped in Ara to buy 2 bags of milk before returning to the apt.

I got signed up again with the Rappi app using my cell phone number and ordered chicken.

Biden: “This is not who we are as Americans.” Well, actions speak louder than words. This is exactly what America is. So, let’s stop pretending and issue every American adult an automatic rifle and a bullet proof vest. I guess, per the 2^nd amendment it is our duty to all join a well-regulated militia.

I’m seeing lots of Colombians in their Colombian team jerseys or t-shirts.

Not sure what time zone this was quoting,

 just before 6pm I searched for the correct channel and found it at SOCCER SPECIAL EVENTS. Even though the caption read CANADA/US it had the Argentina vs Colombia match.

At 7pm it still hadn’t started. Same at 7:30 and 8pm but I did find this:

The match finally started at 8:23. Quite a bit of noise in the neighborhood including those ooga horns At the end of the first half the score was 0-0, how exciting. At the end of regulation it was still 0-0. Argentina finally scored with a shot to the goalie’s head in the 2^nd overtime. Ho hum, time for bed.

 

EL ARROYO SIGNS