Saturday, March 22, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, again at 5:30, finally waking/getting up at 6:30.

I left the apt at 9am and had a latte in Ganso y Castor while completing another 12 chess puzzles. Like yesterday I saw the red squirrel come down the tree, grab the peanut, take it a safe distance away to the same place before eating it.

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

Teresa called her girlfriend and learned her husband was having a vomiting problem so best she not visit today.

We left at 11:45 and took a Didi to the Poblado Pricesmart. We picked up all our non-cold items then stopped for lunch in their deli where I found the last available table in the back. Teresa was in line for 20 minutes before she could place our order. We each had a garden salad with ham and chicken and a soda. I informed Teresa I don’t like dark turkey meat so if she goes ahead with her plan to buy a whole turkey then the dark meat will all be for her. She was surprised to find out a turkey had dark meat so we went ahead and bought 3 turkey breasts.

After we finished lunch we continued with the frozen and refrigerated items.

We were done by 2pm and it was a short wait for a taxi back to the apt.

I left at 2:30 and had a latte in a pretty busy Los Portenos while starting my new chess book. I left at 5pm and returned to the apt.

I turned on my NordVPN, set it to the US, and checked online for laptops under $500. I found an Acer Aspire 3 A315-24PT-R1L8 for $499.99.

But I’m still going to wait for the Memorial Day weekend sales which should be Fri-Mon, May 23-26.

Laura transferred 300,000 pesos into Teresa’s account to compensate me for what she took out of her account that I had there to pay Smartfit. There is also 100,000 pesos extra in Teresa’s account because Smartfit only withdrew 200,000. I’ll leave that 400,000 pesos as a cushion and just keep depositing what we need each month.

I received an email from Noel Studer that he’s relaunching his Next Level Training course under the new name of Simplified Chess Improvement System.

 

BOB BURFORD

 

Friday, March 21, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, again at 3:30, couldn’t fall back asleep, got up at 4am, read until 4:30, fell asleep on the recliner, returned to bed at 6am, finally getting up with Teresa at 6:15.

I understand Spring started yesterday and I missed it … sort of.

Teresa is taking her mother to a doctor appointment in Las Americas. She invited me to meet them for lunch in Arkadia but Teresa and I will be there tomorrow so I declined.

I left the apt at 8am for my workout in Smartfit and had no problem entering via the turnstile. Once again it was very busy and I had to alter my exercise order based on machine availability.

I had a latte in Ganso y Castor. Brit came by and reported his couch will be delivered this morning. I learned he is on the top (4^th) floor and I recall he has a jacuzzi and a hyperbaric chamber up there.

I finally caught the red squirrel eating a peanut I had placed there minutes before.

You need to zoom in during the first 7 seconds to see it actually eating the peanut.

I left at 10:15 and returned to the apt.

I received our Tigo (Wi-Fi) bill and it’s 259,403 compared to the usual 120,480 pesos. Did I forget to pay another bill last month? Yeah, I don’t see a receipt for last month. ☹

I deleted a lot of my Yahoo emails.

I left the apt at 12:30 and walked to Clap Burger whose storefront and ordering process has changed once again.

They have “place mat” menus at the window and after I ordered my cheeseburger and Coke they give you a metal stand with your order number on it. I took a seat at an empty table and they soon brought my order to my table. (Strange, they didn’t take the order stand when they brought the order.)

The burger was good but next time I’ll get a bottle of Coke instead of the fountain drink.

I went to Los Portenos where I completed another group of 12 puzzles while having a latte. Brit came by and reported he received his couch and was surprised they were able to get it up the stairs.

I left at 4:30 and paid the Tigo/Une bill at the Gana kiosk on my way back to the apt.

Teresa called about 5:15 and asked if I would meet her at Wilson’s bar. She called back 15 minutes later and reported that Wilson’s was too crowded and could we meet at McDonald’s for burgers, not now, she would call me later. She called at 6:15 and reported she was on her way and I should meet her there. I dressed, put my bottle of French’s mustard in my tech bag and walked down to McDonald’s. She arrived about 5 minutes later and ordered her McNifica combo and I the Quarter Pounder combo. I got extra packets of ketchup and confirmed they don’t have mustard. I added a little mustard to my burger as they always seem to be a little dry.

We returned to the apt and I watched some news on MSNBC.

One of the reasons my eyes always seem tired is because they don’t produce enough tears, like 10% of normal, but I recently saw this TV ad for Blink.

I’m guessing Todo Drogas isn’t going to have it but I’ll pick it up when I’m in Chicago.

 

EL ARROYO

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, took quite a while to fall asleep, got up twice during the night, finally waking/getting up at 7am.

I met with Marcos outside Tostao at 9:30. We discussed the NFL, dog training, my trip to Chicago, their upcoming (April 30^th) trip to Spain, and American politics.

He left just after 10am and I moved to Peccato where I had a latte while completing 12 more puzzles in my book, The Woodpecker Method.

I left at 11:15 and bought a carton of eggs and 2 plantains in Mercado Madrid before returning to the apt.

I spent quite some time deleting emails from my Hotmail account.

I left the apt at 1:45, left a peanut in the tree in the park, noticed Ganso & Castor is open again, saw Chris Cajoleas talking to a couple guys in the park, and had a latte in Los Portenos.

Brit came by and told me about a leather couch he’s having delivered tomorrow that won’t fit up the stairs.

I found when I paid for my large latte the price has gone up to 11,500 pesos so my 500-peso tip hasn’t been sufficient.

I left at 5pm and noticed the peanut was gone on my way back to the apt.

Teresa was finishing up with a massage from Kelly.

Correction: Workers aren’t putting the new Ara roof over the old one, they are replacing it.

I found this HP Pavilion 15.6” HD 1TB SSD laptop on Amazon for only $388.

I’m not concerned with the alleged poor battery performance but I am little concerned about the keyboard feel and I don’t know how I would check that without personally being there.

I finished reading Lee Child’s Worth Dying For (Jack Reacher #15) on my Kindle.

 

EL ARROYO

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

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

I left the apt at 7:45 for Smartfit and again the turnstile wouldn’t let me enter. At the front desk the girl seemed to already know we’re switching Bancolombia accounts but I double checked they have the correct account number anyway and she admitted me. It was busier than usual and several times I had to wait to use a machine.

In the park I found Ganso y Castor closed so I took a seat in Los Portenos. Brit soon arrived and ordered lunch for his son and informed me Ganso y Castor is closed because it’s being repainted. He introduced me to his handyman and I got his name and contact information - Guillermo at (313) 310-5606.

I left at 10am and returned to the apt.

Teresa went to her gym class in Mayorca, she’ll have coffee with her friend, then she has her craft class from 2-5 so I’ll be on my own for lunch and after.

Teresa returned at noon so I guess we’ll be having lunch here then she’ll be going to her crafts class.

I checked LA Fitness and YMCA in the area where we will be staying outside Chicago and it appears it would be exorbitantly expensive for the two of us for only a month.

Workers are replacing the roof next door on Ara.

They’re just nailing the new plastic sheets over the old one.

I did something similar years ago. My brother-in-law, Bobby, asked if I could help him replace the ceiling over his patio. It turned out to be an interesting experience, not too difficult because the plastic sheets were already in place I just had to replace them with new ones. What I didn’t know was “helping him” turned out to be “me doing all the work”. I don’t recall exactly but it probably just took a couple weekends.

Teresa left at 2:45 for her craft class.

I found that in O’Hare airport we’ll have to take the Airport Transit System to the Multi-Modal Facility where the Budget counter is to rent our car.

Hotmail keeps warning me, “You’re out of storage. You can’t send email, and won’t be able to receive in 7 days.” I’m trying to delete old emails in the hope of fixing it.

Teresa returned about 5:30 and informed me she received another message from Smartfit of insufficient funds in her account.

Teresa called Laura and I don’t know exactly what was said but when I talked to her it appears she withdrew most of the 300mil I had put in her account for Smartfit. I understand Teresa asked Laura to deposit 300mil into Teresa’s account to make up for it.

We went to Smarfit and learned: 1) we don’t owe anything as the payment has been made. 2) Teresa’s payment is due the 1^st of the month and mine the 10^th of the month 3) Teresa’s annual maintenance fee is due in June and mine in October.

 

EL ARROYO

 

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking up at 5am and getting up at 5:45.

I left the apt at 8:15 and walked to the mall. I recycled a few plastic bottles then cut through the parking area hoping to find Home Center. I ended up having to take an escalator up to the main floor and using their main entrance. I ended up having to go down the escalator to their first floor anyway where I bought a toilet flapper with chain and another small tube of silicone gel for the other toilet. My cash receipt was a QR code that can be scanned to show the actual receipt. That’s a first for me.

I stopped in Starbucks and bought a blueberry muffin which I took to Urbania. This is my Starbucks receipt for a single item, my muffin

The price breakdown seems like overkill.

I ate it with a latte while starting to read my new chess book, The Iron English. (The price of my latte had gone up from 9,800 pesos to 10,100 pesos.)

I left at 10:45 and stopped in Claro to ask about the constant text messages I get asking me to pay my Claro Hogar bill, a service I don’t have. I was given number T31 and they were only on T22 so I left, I can certainly return sometime when they are not so busy.

I stopped in Exito and bought a few things before returning to the apt by taxi.

I left the apt at 12:15 and took a Didi to Santafe mall. I arrived only a couple minutes late and Teresa already had a table in Crepes & Waffles. She had chicken something and I had a Cesar salad with chicken and we both had a glass of water.

She said she found a beautiful pair of cheap Nike gym shoes for me. She walked me to Pro Champions and I thought the shoes were very nice but they only had them in size 10 and I’m size 9 or 9 ½. She insisted I try them on but they were obviously too large.

We went to Dollar City where Teresa purchased a few things.

We went down to Valentina’s where we had lattes and shared a slice of yogurt cake.

Teresa told me her the husband of her friend Nigely?, who had esophageal cancer, now has lung cancer so we’ll probably be visiting him on Saturday.

With Teresa’s help I finally got in touch with Dr. Francisco Vargas’, the Rheumatologist, office and got an appointment for Monday April 7^th at 5pm. The address is Calle 4 sur #43AA-26, Edificio Formacol, and it appears it’s in Oviedo mall. The cost of the visit will be 320,000 pesos ($78).

A storm came through about 3:15 but it ended about 30 minutes later and we returned to the apt by taxi.

I replaced the flapper on the toilet, to Teresa’s surprise, and we’re back in business again.

I understand last Sunday was Emeralda’s birthday. She came over about 5:30 and Alejandro a few minutes later. I told Alejandro about my Claro Hogar problem and he started a chat with them using Whatsapp on my cellphone. By the end of our evening together Claro’s last message was, “Estimado señor Andresen, en este momento he dejado la evidencia en las notas para que el área encargada pueda validar a detalle y así este inconveniente no se vuelva presentar nuevamente.” We left at 6pm and took a Didi to Antica Pizza where we all had individual slices. We walked down a block to the bakery where I bought 2 pastries for our security guards. It only took a few minutes outside to catch a taxi back to our complex. Alejandro showed me his new 160cc motorcycle, which looked nice.

They left and we prepared for bed.

 

EL ARROYO

Monday, March 17, 2025

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, got up once during the night, finally waking up at 4am and getting up at 4:45.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

After breakfast I had a 1-hour nap.

I left the apt at 7:45 and was surprised to find Smartfit empty. The girl at the front desk said it was only closed for today. I had a latte in Ganso & Castor for about 90 minutes. I stopped in Ara on the way back to the apt but they didn’t have any milk. I went next door to Tienda D1 where I bought an off-brand bag of milk that was 1,000 pesos less than what I pay in Ara.

Because I didn’t get to the gym today, I did a few exercises with my 7# dumbbell.

I reserved our Budget rental car but it was more expensive than I planned due to $906.93 just for Fees & Taxes. The total cost for a month came to $2,924.19, about $1,000 over my budget.

Teresa asked me for extra legroom on our flights. I checked and just the MDE to/from Houston portion for extra legroom for 2 would be $639.96 or 2,265,000 pesos. She decided we could live without it. 😊 I told her I’d rather spend the money in Chicago.

I left the apt at 2pm and the copy center was closed for lunch, a sign indicating they would reopen at 2:30. Note to self: Remember she closes for lunch and doesn’t reopen until 2:30.

I was 4^th in line and got my Budget rental car confirmation printed.

I continued on to Los Portenos where I had a latte for a couple hours, returning to the apt at 5pm. Teresa was in the midst of getting a massage from Kelly.

ChessMood has finally caught on and they want $600 for the Tactics course I’ve been going through for free. ☹ In case they ever unlock it in the future, I’m on Tactics Ninja, section 22, Underpromotion.

From about 5:30 on we had a light drizzle which later turned into a downpour but it was all over by 7:30.

 

IRISH HUMOR

OH CANADA!

 I think it's important that Americans pay attention to the things Trump has been saying about Canada and understand how Canadians feel about it. The current situation is very serious. The following is a Canadian view. Tom.

This was deleted from Facebook after downloaded. Mugsy Margarit was the original author.

**Updated to reflect threats made by Trump the morning of March 11th.**

One thing I've learned over the past few weeks, and it's been a bit of a sobering lesson, is that a lot of Americans I know don't actually know what's going on between the US and Canada right now, and just how seriously Canadians are taking this. So, against my better judgement, here's a timeline to explain why we're here, and why we're angry.

Nov 30th, 2018 - The United States, Canada and Mexico finalize a trade agreement. Trump personally negotiates the terms and signs the document, celebrating it as 'the greatest trade agreement in history". (This is important.)

Nov 29th, 2024 - In a face to face meeting, Trump threatens the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, that he will be imposing 25% tariffs and that if Canada wants to avoid that, it should join the US as a state.

Nov 30th, 2024 - Trump publicly calls our Prime Minister 'Governor Trudeau' and instructs his staff to only address him as Governor going forward. He again suggests Canada should join the USA.

Dec 3rd, 2024 - Trump remarks that he would split Canada into two states once annexed.

Dec 10th, 2024 - Trump posts that the majority of Canadians support annexation, despite public polling that only 13% of Canadians would consider the idea. 

Dec 18th, 2024 - Trump again falsely states that the majority of Canadians support annexation and that one of his lapdogs, Wayne Gretzky, should have a leadership role in that new scenario. 

Jan 7th, 2025 - At a press conference, Trump says that he would use economic force to destroy the Canadian economy to annex it.

 

Jan 14, 2025 - Trump again claims that most Canadians want to be American, despite new polls showing only 10% of us are open to the idea.

 

Jan 20th, 2025 - During his inaugural address, Trump says that the U.S. will 'expand its territory' during his second term.

Jan 23rd, 2025 - At the World Economic Forum, Trump says that Canada can avoid tariffs and economic collapse if it joins the US. He says this in front of representatives from most countries in the world.

Jan 24th, 2025 - Trump states publicly that Canada 'will' become a state.

Jan 31st, 2025 - Trump announces a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports to begin the next day.

Feb 2nd, 2025 - Trump refers to Canada as its 'Cherished 51st state' and that it should join the US to avoid tariffs.

 

Feb 3rd, 2025 - A one month delay is agreed upon. Trump, in a conversation with Trudeau states that he doesn't think existing border treaties with Canada are valid, and need to be revised.

 

Feb 7th, 2025 - In a closed door meeting with his cabinet, Prime Minister Trudeau is recorded, without his knowledge, telling everyone that he believes very strongly that Trump is serious and that he stated his reason for annexation as Canadian resources.

 

Feb 9th, 2025 - In a Super Bowl pre-game interview, Trump says that he's serious about his threats, calling it a 'viable consideration for expanding US territory'

Feb 10th, 2025 - Trump announces an additional 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada to come into effect March 12th.

Feb 24th, 2025 - Trump publicly remarks that whoever signed the USMCA agreement is an idiot. He was the one that signed it.

 

Feb 27th, 2025 - Reports of American spy planes and reconnaissance aircraft flying over southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.

March 4th, 5th, and 6th 2025 - Tariffs come into effect. Canada retaliates with it's own tariffs. Tariffs are again postponed until April 1st after a huge market backlash.

 

March 4th, 2025 - In an address to a joint session of congress, Trump states that the US will own Greenland 'one way or the other'.

 

March 5th, 2025 - US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick told Canadian finance minister Dominic LeBlanc that Trump "had come to realize that the relationship between the United States and Canada was governed by a slew of agreements and treaties that were easy to abandon."

March 7th, 2025 - Unconfirmed Memorandum and maps leaked on twitter reveal Trump is allegedly planning to annex the entirety of the great lakes and Southern Ontario, home to 13,491,332 Canadians. This amounts to 35.25% of Canada's total population and includes its largest city, Toronto. This region accounts for 38% of the Canadian economy, and its loss would make Canada's independence functionally impossible. (see map)

 

March 8th, 2025 - Canada's foreign minister warns European allies that their government considers Canada to be under existential threat.

 

March 9th, 2025 - Mark Carney, the new Canadian Prime Minister, in his acceptance speech, states that Trump is seeking to destroy Canada, and its way of life.

 

March 11, 2025 - President Trump threatens to “permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada” if Canada does not drop a 250% to 390% tariff on U.S. dairy products, which he doesn’t state only kicks in after a certain quantity of tariff-free U.S. dairy enters Canada, a quantity that was originally negotiated and agreed to by Trump during the USMCA in 2018.

 

In Trump's own words, "The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear. Canadians’ taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the World will be bigger, better and stronger than ever — And Canada will be a big part of that. The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World — And your brilliant anthem, “O Canada,” will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!"

To my American friends, I know most of you are amazing and generous people. You didn't ask for this, and I understand that. I hold no ill will towards you, whatsoever. But I must stress, with as much seriousness as I can, the amount of damage this has done. 

We have viewed you as our closest friend and ally for a century. We thought of you as brothers and sisters. We answered the call, again and again, for any support you needed from us. Most of Canadians visit the USA so much that we've seen more of the US than we have the rest of Canada. 

American products have been taken off our shelves. Canadians are cancelling travel plans to the US. Photo after photo has been shared on social media of empty flights from Canada to the USA. 

This isn't a joke to us. We're not overreacting. We don't think he's just saying this shit to cause chaos or negotiate a deal. We wholeheartedly believe that our closest ally and friend is about to bring violence across our border, economically destroy us, and eliminate our way of life. 

The main driver for Canada's creation in 1867 was SPECIFICALLY to not be part of America, and to end America's very public threats and plans to annex our territory. 

We're angry. We're really, really fucking angry. Open your eyes to what's happening because we're tired of trying to make you understand why and asking you why it seems like none of you care. **

I still hope that there is time to repair this. I still believe that this is the result of one man's plan to burn it all down. But time is running out, and fast.

**Note**

 

The hundreds of positive comments and messages I've received from Americans today have restored my faith in you, and humanity. You do care, and I was wrong in assuming you didn't.

Thanks for spreading this news goes to Dennis Melzer and Holly Siegel.

#Note# There are certain kinds of things Trump says that should be believed. This is one of those. tm