Sunday, October 6, 2024

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

Today is my 79^th birthday. Happy Birthday to me! I don’t feel 79, well, maybe sometimes. So far, so good!

We had breakfast downstairs by the pool. Today they set up a side room with premade waffles, bread, and a variety of cheeses.

I had 2 scrambled eggs with calentao (rice & beans) and 2 cups of coffee.

Teresa had mainly fruit with her coffee.

I left the pool area at 11:15, returned to our room, packed my computer into my backpack and set everything up on a table by the pool where I found an electric outlet. Only problem is it’s near an overhead speaker but I think I’ll still be able to hear the game with my headphones.

ONEIPAMETATO1453 resigned our game increasing my rating to 1570.

Bears are ahead 27-7 at the half against the Carolina Panthers. Final was 36-10. That was fun to watch.

Bears won, Browns lost, only thing that would improve the day is if the Packers lose this afternoon.

The Packers beat the Rams 24-19. Well, you can’t have everything.

For supper Teresa had some type of soup or casserole with meat and potatoes and I had the baby beef (slightly chewy but still flavorful) with fries and a Coke.

We played a couple more games of parcheesi and she won them both. Strange, I see mistakes in her play but she still wins. ☹

In the back of my book I found two (used) Continental Airlines tickets for Tokyo to Houston (May 31^st) and Panama City to Medellin (June 1^st). Not sure what year.

 

FUNNY

Saturday, October 5, 2024

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

Today is Teresa’s birthday. Happy Birthday Teresa!

We had breakfast downstairs again. This is the spread today but in addition you can order off the menu.

Service again is spotty, eg, I ordered a waffle and the waiter brough it and said he would bring me the honey and marmalade. He went and took someone else’s order and by the time he returned, five minutes later, my waffle was cold. Well, its obvious they don’t have service like in the US.

Seems like more people today, probably because it’s a weekend.

I lost a game to Troyclough lowering my rating to 1566.

I was sitting minding my own business when an insect bit or stung me on my bicep and I saw it fly away. ☹

For lunch I ordered a cheeseburger and fries, hold the bacon. The waitress soon returned to inform me they don’t have hamburger. I ordered a Cesar salad and Teresa soon asked me where’s the protein. I told her I would order protein tonight. The waitress soon returned to inform me the do have hamburger so I said we’ll go back to that. Of course, when my burger arrived it had lots of bacon inside which I removed.

We played 2 games of parcheesi and she won them both. One of them she had 2 pieces 1 square from home and she threw snake eyes and one.

I was losing a game to ONEIPAMETATO1453 but now in the endgame I have at least a draw with a chance of a win.

Late in the afternoon Teresa ordered a waffle with vanilla ice cream and I a dish of ice cream. Of course she then said it was “tanto grasa” and she put a large portion of the waffle in my ice cream dish.

At one point she asked me if I’ve ever been tested for AIDS. I explained to her that you don’t take medical tests for fun, only if you have some symptoms would you take it.

In the evening we went into the game area and played a game of Jenga with big blocks. She was afraid of breaking a nail so she used a ping pong paddle handle to tap them out. 😊

 

T-SHIRT OF THE DAY

I do this thing called, "whatever I want".

Friday, October 4, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 2am, waking/getting up at 6:15.

We left our room at 6:45 and walked around town a little, finding the restaurant Santorini (still closed) on Carrera 10. We returned to the hotel and had breakfast (included) by the pool. It appears there is only one other couple in the hotel. I guess it isn’t tourist season.

Well, we had some excitement. A large Iguana entered the area and took a swim in the pool. Finally, it came out and a worker captured it and I understand it will be taken to a finca to catch critters:

Another couple arrived so now there are 3 of us (couples).

We had lunch by the pool, both of us had Milanesa de pollo a la napolitana con queso derrerido y pure de papa.

Twice I swam 2 laps in the pool and now my face, neck and shoulders are a little red.

At 1:30 I couldn’t take the heat anymore and returned to the room and our air conditioning. I lied down in the bed and fell asleep for about 45 minutes.

I called Teresa to see if she still wanted to go for ice cream. Instead, she asked me to bring down a few of her things.

She continued to work on her latest purse project while I continued my book, at least until it got too dark.

Teresa thought she spotted another lizard

but after I took a close-up photo and zoomed in I could see it was just a branch.

At one point a branch fell on the floor only 3 feet from me. Not that it was heavy enough it could do damage, at most probably scratch me up a bit.

I had ribs for supper but they were lots of work to cut between the meat and the bone/cartilage.

We were just finishing supper when at 7:30 a downpour started and we returned to our room.

Well, at this rate I should be able to finish this 449-page book before we leave.

More info about Peter: One doctor says he should have a Pacemaker while another doctor says no. And something about he had a tick when he was younger. (Well, they do work in the woods.)

I’m now one third the way through my book so I should have no trouble finishing it before we leave.

T-SHIRT OF THE DAY

 I Need Vitamin Sea

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once at 11:30, woke up at 5:45am and got up at 6:15.

Opening today in Cine Colombia is Horizon: An American Saga (6.7) but I guess it’ll have to wait until I return from Santafe de Antioquia.

I texted Jose I won’t be playing chess next Tuesday as I’ll be starting my Visa/Cedula renewal process.

I left the apt at 8:30 and walked to the mall. After recycling a couple plastic bottles, since I was already in the parking garage (S1 level), I decided to try to find the escalator that goes up to Casa Ideas (between the restrooms and Urbania). I ended up coming out at the escalator that I usually take when I return from Unicentro. Next time I’ll aim more to the right.

I had a latte in Urbania while continuing with my endgame book. Teresa called and asked me to pick up a package of Alpina crema de leche before I return to the apt. At one point a woman stopped and asked me what type of shampoo I use. I told her Pantene but my hair is probably mostly hereditary. I also mentioned I don’t shampoo every day – only Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. I left at 10:30 and stopped in Exito before returning to the apt by taxi.

We had pasta for lunch then I finished the remainder (1/3?) of the strawberry cake.

We left the apt at 2pm and taking the elevator down Teresa remembered she forgot her cellphone. Back upstairs she got it and we went outside the porteria where the Didi driver was waiting for us. He dropped us off at Ayura station where we soon were on a metro train. It got crowded and I was a little afraid someone might remove the umbrella or thermos from my backpack. Also Teresa had the carryon with her. I told her next time we’ll take a Didi for 20mil all the way to the bus station. At San Antonio station I finally got a seat.

We got off at Caribe station and walked to Terminal Norte. We bought our tickets for 45mi and got in a van. We were waiting for 2 others to fill the van but it was only a 5-minute wait.

It only took an hour to get to Santafe de Antioquia bus station; the new highway and bridge over Rio Cauca has taken at least 30 minutes off the trip.

I realized I forgot to bring my eBook to read. ☹

Teresa said something about Peter (Laura’s boyfriend) being in a car accident, not remembering it and something about a heart attack. Then again, I may have misheard or misunderstood everything.

We quickly caught a motocar to take us to our hotel for 5mil. Teresa was happy we didn’t have to walk but I knew we were really only about 4 blocks away but the driver had to take one way streets which made It appear longer.

We checked in and they put us in room 217 which I guess is a little larger than before.

We hung around the pool, I had a limonada de coco and Teresa had supper but I wasn’t hungry. (I shouldn’t have eaten all that cake.)

They have added some games to their game room and they also have hundreds of books in English. I finally chose The Street Lawyer by John Grisham.

 

FUNNY

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 11pm, got up once during the night, again at 5am, finally waking/getting up at 6:15.

I left at 8:15 for my workout in Smartfit. After, I had a latte in Ganso y Castor. I checked the tree and one peanut is gone but the other is still there. ? Workers were working on lights but I’m not so sure they are Christmas lights. What do you think?

I found this Facebook post about IKEA’s Grand Opening next week.

At 11:30 a portero came by to notify me that will be turning off the water in 10 minutes but he didn’t know for how long.

Teresa called, something about Medipiel has her SPF cream on sale.

I left at 12:30 and went to Clap Burger where I had a burger, fries and a Coke for 44,300 pesos.

I left about 2pm and walked across the street to Otra Parte where I found this sign blocking the entrance:

I guess they have a running water problem too. I decided to go to Calle La Buena Mesa and on my way I came across Chris Cajoleas watching a soccer match outside Barrio Sur. We chatted a bit, I used their restroom then I continued on to Eduardo Madrid where I had a latte and studied my endings book while waiting to hear from Teresa. She arrived at 5:15 and we shared a chicken sandwich and she had a latte. We left at 6pm and stopped in Tienda D1 where we bought a package of chicken breast before returning to the apt.

I finished reading the 992-page book Truman by David McCullough.

 

FUNNY

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10:15, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up 8 minutes before my 6:30 alarm,

At 7:20 I started the process of ordering a ride, arriving by Didi just as the doors were opening. I went upstairs to Parmessano and took a seat and Jose arrived 5 minutes later. We both ordered French toast but they messed up our order (we noticed when others that arrived after us got their food before us) and it didn’t arrive for almost an hour.

About 9:15 we finally adjourned to the food court. I was happy I brought my jacket as it was a very cool morning.  I had the Black pieces in the first game and was winning the first half but he took the advantage and I blundered my queen on the 27^th move. ☹

In the second game again (according to the computer) I was better coming out of the opening but lost the advantage in the middle game. I ended up resigning on the 39^th move.

It was only 1:15 when we finished and I ordered a Didi to take me to Viva Envigado. I was walking down the hall when a young man said hello. His name is Shawn (Shaun?) and he claimed we met in the gym. He told me: he tried living in Portugal but found it too expensive and their laws for foreigners stricter than Colombia’s. He has an apt near City Plaza but goes to my Smartfit on Ave Poblado, usually early like 7am, because he likes an instructor named Santiago who he claims speaks English. He recommended a number of places for local music including Cabana de Recuerdas across from Antica Pizza. He said they have live music on Wednesdays around 9pm.

We said goodbye and I had a BBQ sandwich in Only Roastbeef. Their Coke has gotten much smaller than before – it’s only 235 ml. I stopped in Cine Colombia and their small soda is 600ml so maybe in the future I’ll get their sandwich to go.

I stopped in Linea Estetica and bought a new container of AOX Therapy for Teresa for 182,400 pesos ($44).

I went downstairs to Urbania where I had a latte while continuing my endgame book.

I had a close game going with ONEIPAMETATO1453 until he blundered his queen increasing my rating to 1577.

I left at 4:30 and returned to the apt by taxi.

I received an email with my federal ballot. 😊

We had rain in the evening.

I watched the vice-presidential debate from 8 to 10pm followed by CNN analysis from 10 to 10:30. C.D. Vance was obviously a more polished speaker than Tim Walz. Walz couldn’t explain why he said he was in Tiananmen Square during the Chinese protests. I laughed out loud when Vance said the Trump Administration supported the Affordable Care Act (Republicans called it O’Bama Care) when they did everything they could to repeal it. Even during the presidential debate, Trump said “we have concepts of a plan” to replace it. Vance also deflected when asked directly if Trump lost the 2020 election. Vance called the US “the greatest country” while Trump has been calling it a third-rate nation.

I read some of my Truman book, only 20 pages remaining, until 11pm. Still raining when I went to bed.

 

FUNNY

Monday, September 30, 2024

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

Teresa left just before 8am for an exercise class and I left at 8:45 for the gym.

The gym was very busy but I managed to get thru my routine without much delay. At one point I was waiting to use the Triceps Press machine and when the guy got off, I said, “you don’t look Colombian”. He said he’s from England and has been here 10 years then he had to take an important call.

After finishing my routine, I was having a latte in Ganso y Castor when Teresa called and informed me she would meet me there. I put another peanut in the crook of the tree and was surprised to find the previous one still there. ☹ Teresa arrived and asked me to buy a small cake from O’Cake. I went across the street and bought a small (serves 4) strawberry cake for 20mil. Teresa then decided it was too fattening so she only had a few spoonfuls. She soon left to buy some things in Ara. This photo is a guy checking the water meter right in front of me

And this is one is a continuation of putting up the Christmas lights.

I made plans to meet Jose for chess tomorrow.

I left at 11am and returned to the apt.

I found a charge to my checking account from the Chicago Tribune for $15.96. I called them at 1-312-546-7900 and the rep reminded me I signed up for a 1-year subscription for about $8 that just expired. The new charge is $15.96 a month but when I asked to cancel it and issue me a refund I ended up with a 6-month subscription for $6.50 and they will refund me $9.46 in the next 7-10 days. (I checked my checking account and I don’t see any Chicago Tribune charge from a year ago. ☹)

I was going to go to the mall to buy AOX Therapy tablets for Teresa but she asked me to see if they have yoga classes at Otra Parte.

I left the apt at 2:15 and felt a few raindrops on the way to Otra Parte. I asked the security guard but he said they don’t have yoga classes. Instead of sitting outside on their patio (which didn’t even have umbrellas set up on the tables) I went to the restaurant proper and took a seat near the building. After waiting almost an hour (they were busy) and no one asking to take my order I called over a waitress that wasn’t busy and ordered a latte. It wasn’t light enough to read my book so I just went through my phone. We had a short shower with a little thunder. I left at 5pm and bought a bag of milk on the way back to the apt.

I checkmated Troyclough in 47 moves, increasing my rating 5 points to 1573.

I received a text message re: my Hotel Mariscal reservation asking for my: full name, identity document number, date of birth, email and home address. I sent it to them and they acknowledged receipt.

I watched the 40’ version of Sunday’s Bears game then the news for the rest of the evening.

I’m trying to finish my 992-page Truman book before we leave on vacation Thursday. Tonight I got up to page 956 so I think I’ll make it.

 

FUNNY SIGNS