Thursday, October 24, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10 pm, got up once during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6:45.

The Apprentice (7.2) opens today in Cine Colombia with early showtimes at 12:20 and 3.15.

At 9am I was getting dressed to meet Marcos at 9:30. (I thought I’d stop at $efecty on the way to pay the Tigo/Une bill.) Marcos called and informed me that yesterday he went to the emergency room with pain in his arm. (One sign of a heart attack.) It turned out to be arthritis and he’s taking medicine for it but he’s in too much pain to leave the apartment.

I emailed Angie in Inter-Col asking if the Sura form I found from 11 years ago was what I needed to satisfy the requirement of “Certificate of affiliation to Colombian eps”.

I left the apt at 9:30 and stopped at Gana to pay the Tigo/Une bill. The only, but most important, thing I understood was “afuera de servicio” aka “out of service”. So, another time.

I had a latte in Los Portenos for a couple hours before returning to the apt.

Angie replied that I have to sign into the eps website then I can print the document. I tried filling out their form for a userid and password but the field “landline number” is required and we don’t have one. ☹ I was about to email Angie about this problem when I found another email she sent where she found my Certificate so I’m good. Still waiting for that apostilled SS Benefits Letter to arrive.

I left the apt at 1:30 and took an Uber to the mall. (For some reason Didi’s interface wasn’t working correctly.) I recycled a Canadian maple syrup bottle, printed my eps certificate in Auros and went up to Cine Colombia. I bought a preferred seat to the 3:15 showing of The Apprentice (7.2) for 15,300 pesos ($3.50). I had over an hour to kill so I went down to Urbania for a latte.  At 2:55 I paid for my coffee, made a last trip to the restroom, asked for my free platinum popcorn and bought a small soda for 8,900 pesos. I took my seat and counted all of the people in the audience and came up with a count of one (1). Yes, I was the only one there but then again today is the premier and tickets are cheaper the other days. I thought the actor who played Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) really nailed the facial mannerisms. Jeremy Strong was also very good as Roy Cohn as I remember him playing a pretty despicable character in Succession.

After I left the theater I bought a medium size pumpkin in Exito for about 34,000 pesos. I would have liked to buy a slightly larger one but I took the one I thought was freshest and nicely shaped. I returned to the apt, in heavy traffic, by taxi.

Teresa can’t get her doctor to answer so the plan for tomorrow is we go to Arkadia mall where her doctor is and ask in person. As long as we’re there we’ll have lunch in Crepes & Waffles then go across the street to buy individual turkey breasts in Pricesmart before returning to the apt.

 

IN HONOR OF IKEA

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

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

I left the apt at 8am and completed my workout in Smarfit, raising to -5# and completing 7 minutes on the treadmill. I ran into Nebraskja who confirmed she no longer works at Envios Market. She now works from home as sort of a “secretary” she said.

I had a latte in Ganso y Castor. The peanut is gone but I didn’t bring a replacement.

I left at 10:15 and bought 4 bagels in Eduardo Madrid before returning to the apt.

I left the apt at 1pm and walked to Sao Paulo Plaza. I wanted to try the St. Louis ribs in Firehouse.

It was 3 very meaty ribs with coleslaw and fries. 

I had them with a Coke for a total of 57,889 pesos ($13.50).

Teresa called asking where I was having lunch and I asked her if she wanted to meet at Eduardo Madrid for a sandwich after her class (appr. 5:30pm).

I walked to Otra Parte where I had a latte on their patio. I started having some stomach pains so after a trip to their restroom I just headed back to the apt. I texted Teresa about my problem and I wouldn’t be meeting her at Eduardo Madrid after all.

I took a couple of Loperamide tablets and that shut me down and I’m no longer feeling stomach pain.

She returned at 5:45 with a package. I opened it and it wasn’t the package I was expecting for me but a pair of gym shoes Laura sent her as a present.

 

IN HONOR OF IKEA

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally getting up at 6:45.

Teresa was already gone so I took my shower to be ready to leave after breakfast.

It’s 7:30 and it started raining again. I hope Teresa brought an umbrella. By 8:15 the rain had finally stopped.

At 9:15 I took a Didi to the mall. I recycled several plastic bottles then made copies of our epm bill and Teresa’s cedula in Auros. I made an ATM withdrawal. This is what the new back room looks like in Starbucks.

I made a stop in the restroom then had a latte in Urbania. Glenn posted on Facebook that Davivienda is now charging a 26mil transaction fee. Unfortunately, I didn’t print a receipt and I had already comingled my cash. I left at 10:30 and made another restroom stop and realized I no longer had the plastic envelope, containing Teresa’s cedula and the copies I just made, with me. ☹

I took a quick look in the restroom but of course it wasn’t there. I stopped at the information desk and they had it. 😊 Whew! I wonder if I should alert Teresa I might have a memory problem. For now, I’ll just try to be more careful in the future.

I went upstairs to Fotomilenio where I had a visa photo taken and was told it would be ready in 30 minutes. I went to Exito and picked up a carton of eggs. I was waiting in a short line but 2 of the 3 cashiers were otherwise engaged. (I saw one customer run away with what looked like a head of lettuce and a couple minutes later return with another. Another cashier was waiting for something with a customer and a third woman soon joined them so there was only one cashier available at the moment.) Next door was self-service checkout with no customers. They only have one machine for cash but the cashier invited me over where I checked out faster than if I’d still be in line.

I went back upstairs and after a 5-minute wait they gave me my photo, informed me they sent a copy to my email and she copied it to my USB drive.

I returned to the apt by taxi.

About 2:30 the sun came out but it only lasted for a few minutes.

We left the apt at 4:15 and took a Didi to Torre Medica in El Tesoro. I paid 223,300 ($52) for her mammogram then I went across the way to O’Cake to have a café con leche wait for her.

She finished about 6:45 and we went to find somewhere to eat. She mentioned something about where we had a sandwich with her gf Vicky and when we got to the area it wasn’t Santa Lena but next door at Chef Burger that she meant. We sat down and started looking at the menu. I had just noticed something on the menu called Chicago Meatballs when she decided she’d rather go to Valentina’s. When we arrived, we found they are out for today. We headed down the escalator to have quesadillas at a Tex-Mex restaurant when she changed her mind to El Corral, the burger place. This surprised me but we went back upstairs and took a table in what looked more like a restaurant than a burger place.

We each ordered their La Original burger and a Coke. We were told they had Pepsi – surprise, surprise – so Diet Pepsi for her and Regular Pepsi for me. It’s been a while since I’ve had a Pepsi but it tasted strange to me. I took a closer look at the bottle

and found it’s a Pepsi Black. I googled it and found this:

I tried Teresa’s and that’s when I figured out they mixed up our drink orders. I switched our drinks and we were both happier. I paid the check and we quickly caught a taxi back to the apt and traffic wasn’t too bad.

A few of my lesions have returned: one on my right wrist, one on my right calf, and one on my left side. ☹

Even thought it was 8:30pm, we finished episode 3 of Monsters that we had started the other day. I read a few pages in my book and went to bed at 10:30pm.

 

IN HONOR OF IKEA

Monday, October 21, 2024

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

I left the apt at 8:15 and completed my workout in Smartfit. Because I missed my workout last Friday, today I just did a -10# workout but Wednesday I’ll move up to a -5# workout.

I had a latte in Ganso y Castor for about 90 minutes. (The peanut is still in the crook of the tree.) I left at 10:30, stopped in Ara to buy sugar (they didn’t have any milk) before returning to the apt.

Just about noon a guy (Teresa was expecting) showed up and conducted a little interview. All I understood was it had something to do with “sisben” which I understood was the minimum health insurance for those who couldn’t afford to pay for it. He asked questions like how long we lived in this complex, how much do we pay each month for utilities, health insurance, and food. There were other questions I didn’t understand. After he left, Teresa informed me that the arts & crafts classes she’s taking are only for residents of Envigado and this was ensuring that we live there. She can now take classes in painting, crochet, embroidery, making purses or whatever she wants.

Teresa asked me to go with her to Santafe mall because she has something to exchange in Zara but first she wants to stop at the clinic across the street from Otra Parte to check on something.

Troyclough blundered on the 12^th move and resigned our latest game, increasing my rating to 1594.

We left the apt at 2:30 and halfway to Los Americas Auna, across the street from Otra Parte, it started raining. By the time we entered the clinic it was a full rainstorm. After Teresa talked to a lady at the front desk, the rain was coming down harder. Teresa discovered they have a café up on the 3^rd floor. We went up and they have a De Lolita and we ordered lattes and Teresa ordered a sandwich for us to share.

At 3:45 I ordered a Didi for 13,100 pesos. It dropped off a passenger nearby and didn’t seem to move for about 5 minutes while we were standing at the entrance waiting for it. It finally arrived but as we left the entrance it moved further down the street to another entrance. I didn’t know the clinic had another entrance. We got in and Andres went up the street where we quickly hit heavy traffic. On a major side street the bomberos (firemen) had closed off 2 of the 3 lanes with their firetruck. As we passed it looked like a river and then we saw a fireman trying to clear a drain that must have been blocked by leaves or something. It was a slow trip to Santafe mall and we got out at our usual entrance at the top of the hill. I tried tipping our ride 20mil for the inconvenience but for some reason my payment was denied. ☹

We went down one level where I took a seat outside Zara while Teresa went in. At least I was on a comfortable sofa while I was trying to dry out.

Teresa was gone a long time so it might have been an hour. I was wishing I had gone down to Valentina’s for a latte. When Teresa came out she was hungry and wanted to go to Crepes & Waffles. Despite felling cold I ordered a Suprema and Teresa a chicken crepe.

I wonder what time we left, maybe 5pm? We went to our usual exit but after waiting a while for a taxi we decided to try something else. We went down to the 1^st floor and entered the garage where they have a formal area to wait for a taxi. There was a long line and we inched along but at least we were warm and were sitting down. Teresa several times suggested we take a bus but I wasn’t interested in going out in the rain again or standing on a bus with all its rude stops and starts as it crept through traffic. The wait turned out to be an hour and a half and we were back at the apt by 7:15.

I tried to watch CNN & MSNBC but got too much buffering so I switched to reading.

The plan for tomorrow is Teresa is going to a 7am gym class and when she returns at 8am she’ll make breakfast.

 

IN HONOR OF IKEA

Sunday, October 20, 2024

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

Troyclough resigned our game in 26 moves, increasing my rating to 1589.

We left the apt just after 10:30 and walked to Ayura station where we had about a 5-minute wait for a metro train. We got off at Exposiciones station and went downstairs where we found a large Rio Negro bus.  It left the station about 10 minutes later. The air conditioning was on and I just about froze until he turned it down after the airport drop-offs. As soon as we reached the Rionegro area it started raining. It was still pouring when we got off the bus and we looked for shelter in the station. After about a 20-minute wait the rain lessened and sharing my small umbrella we walked the 3 blocks or so to the restaurant Candilejas. We each had a different version of the Colombian dish Bandeja Paisa.

For dessert we shared a slice of cheesecake

and we each had a latte. The check came to 102mil.

I saw something on Facebook, that soon disappeared, about Chris Cajoleas moving. I texted him to see if it was true; it is and now he and his wife live a block north of our apt complex.

We left at 3pm and walked around the park but the only thing interesting was this man playing his violin for tips.

We took a seat and listened to him for a while.

Teresa informed me she’s finished visiting this pueblo. I suggested we try the pueblo Carolina del Principe that she mentioned the other day.

At 3:50 Teresa went inside the church for mass while I returned to Candilejas to have a latte while waiting for her. I made some initial plans to meet with Marcos to see the Bears vs Cardinals game on November 3^rd. Teresa  returned at 4:30, had her own latte and we left at 5pm, in sunshine, and walked the 3 blocks back to the bus station. We immediately got seats on a bus and were on our way back to Medellin; the Rionegro bus was 11,500 pesos per person.

I explained to Teresa the metro costs 4mil each and the taxi from Ayura station is another 7mil so it’s a total of about 15mil. I suggested we try taking a taxi direct from Exposiciones to our apt and see how much it costs. She fought me on it a little but I was insistent that it might be less expensive. There wasn’t much traffic and it cost 18,900 pesos. It was more expensive but we saved time, plus having to walk up the steep stairs of the station, standing on the metro for 10 minutes, and walking up and then down the stairs of Ayura station.

Teresa suggested we watch another episode of Monsters (7.8) on Netflix. I put it on and it didn’t work as I must have still been on Jimmy’s account so I put in my subscription info and all was good.

I started reading the New York Times Bestseller Code Girls in paperback.

 

IN HONOR OF IKEA

Saturday, October 19, 2024

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

At 9am I got my haircut with Daniel, picked up my monthly medications at Todo Drogas, bought a couple bottles of supplements at Tienda Naturista and walked to Ganso y Castor. (I noticed some Christmas decorations put up near downtown Envigado.) I checked and the peanut is still there. ☹ I had a latte while going through my cellphone. Teresa called and asked me to pick up a couple things in Ara. I left at 11:30 and there was a pretty long line in Ara but thankfully there were two cashiers open.

I signed up for a Netflix subscription for 26,900 pesos ($6.31) a month, cancellable anytime. I used Teresa’s Bancolombia card to pay with her name but my email address and cellphone number. The password is recorded in the password book in my desk.

Teresa and I watched the 1^st episode of the 2^nd season of Monsters on Netflix.

I finished Anthony Fauci, M.D.’s book On Call.

 

IN HONOR OF IKEA

Friday, October 18, 2024

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

Teresa was already gone.

I returned the empty cube tray to the freezer and turned it back on. I’ll repeat this every 2 months or so as a preventative measure.

My envelope arrived in Chicago at 4:24am this morning.

I have a split nail that only plit worse last week when I helped Teresa put a fitted sheet on a bed. Since then, every few days I put a drop of Super Glue on it to hold it together.

Oops I messed up; I scheduled breakfast with Glenn today forgetting this is a gym day. So, I did a few exercises using my 7# dumbbell.

I left the apt at 8:30 and walked to Sao Paulo Plaza where I tried checking Teresa’s balance in her Bancolombia account.

If I understand correctly they want me to pay to view the balance? I cancelled the transaction.

Glenn with Bianca were waiting for me and when I explained my Bancolombia problem, he suggested I try their website. (Later I did and the Spanish was too overwhelming.) Glenn is happy with Youtube TV for $73 a month. I have to check it out and see if it can replace my Direct TV. Today I had pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and a latte for 42mil. I left at 10:30 and returned to the apt.

I had quite a bit of leaking but not as bad a yesterday. I hate to say it but I’ll probably have to start doing my Kegel Exercises again. Not that they are painful, just uncomfortable.

My envelope was delivered to the Cook County clerk at 11am.

We have the first few ice cubes but we’ll need the weight of more before the ice crusher will work.

I left the apt at 12:15 and took a Didi to the mall. I noticed Starbucks has now expanded in the back to the space previously occupied by the restrooms.

It's back where you see the bright light.

I bought a preferred seating ticket to Superman for 8mil. I mistakenly thought the movie started at 1:05 but it started at 1:30.

I had some time to kill so I went to Bancolombia and checked Teresa’s Bancolombia account and found she has 104,493 pesos. And it didn’t cost me anything.

I took the receipt and returned to Cine Colombia. After I sat down I couldn’t find the debit card. I checked my fanny pack several times but it wasn’t there. I returned to Bancolombia and it wasn’t in the ATM. I went inside the bank and the lady that monitors the turn machine had a Bancolmbia card in her hand. Using my translator, I told her I left my debit card in an ATM 5 minutes ago. She led me to an associate who asked me for my name. I gave her Teresa’s name and she confirmed something and the 1^st lady took me out to the ATM, put the debit card in and asked me to enter the password. I did, she printed the balance and compared it to my receipt and handed over the card.

I returned to Cine Colombia and I still had some time to kill. Fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time I made my last trip to the restroom then got my free Platinum popcorn and bought a large soda. There were only about 8 other people in the theater. The movie was good although sad.

I went down to Urbania and had a latte. I left at 4pm and went up to Pergamino but all tables were taken. I had a BBQ roast beef combo sandwich in Only Roastbeef for 33mil. I went downstairs and got in a short line for a taxi was back in the apt by 6pm.

Terresa returned at 7pm and I learned she was at a water park in Santafe de Antioquia named Kanoloa. She also recommended we visit a pueblo named Carolina del Principe on one of our day trips.

 

IN HONOR OF IKEA