Tatiana's Wanderings

Red fire-breathing dragon, Kiefer forest dragon, easily distracted by dragons

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 00:48:52 GMT

I called Ayler at 4:15 or so since I noticed he called me earlier. He picked up within ten seconds because he "didn't want to have it ring even though we were playing with trains." He also told me that he and Hiero have "birthday parties" for their stuffed animals every morning - which I knew about - and send the bad ones to "hell" while singing "the Ha-Ha song," which makes fun of the fact that they're now alone. They went out on scooters today, might have burritos for dinner later, and told me a lot about their toy train tracks setup. XL / A / B / C / D, behind the couch, under the couch, and over the mat too! Sounds pretty interesting. I told Ayler to just listen to his parents and the news for coronavirus updates.

Ayler wanted to know what I did today, what I might have for dinner, and whether I'd remember what I ate when we set up the next phone call for Tuesday afternoon sometime. Probably I will - Saturday is Dumpling Night now and for the foreseeable future! We talked about his puzzles, soap, Hiero not wanting to talk to me today, Beckett saying "hello" (any other word apparently means he doesn't want to talk on the phone) and "Auntie," Ayler's "connections" making sure we talked on the phone for at least 35 minutes, and how he doesn't call me every day because he's not sure if I will pick up or not. We did set up the next talk time for Tuesday afternoon sometime. I even briefly talked to Harmony, who had to go because Beckett was crying since Hiero took away his blanket again.

A red fire-breathing dragon 5D Diamond Painting!

From Julie M. and Etsy: Kiefer the lifesize green forest dragon!

Easily Distracted By Dragons!

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Virgin tombstone?! / Puzzles, phone call overload, 7 PM cheer, drumming, MUTE!

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 02:15:36 GMT

I called Ayler briefly at 6:30 after Jon said at 6 that they were still eating dinner. Jon said that it was Phone Call Overdose at their place - from what Ayler describes about his phone list, that's probably very true about overload! Ayler asked what I did for the 7 PM cheer for the doctors and nurses; did I poke my head out of the balcony window and yell? I said I did. I asked what HE did for the cheer, which led to a bunch of drumming on a metal object on the other end and Hiero explaining it. That definitely would create some noise and be appropriate! I said that fire engines, police cars, and ambulances showed up right outside my window for the 7 PM cheer. He asked about the world's oldest woman right now - 117 years old - and wondered where I got my Guinness World Records books from. The bookstore, but I was looking these things up online as he asked about them.

I told him that I'd gone for a walk at Minoru Park, then heard nothing, so I hung up. He called back to say that he'd pushed the MUTE button by accident instead of the VOLUME button. "You're lucky I called you back... before you got busy!" Gee, thanks! Totally understandable, and I said I understood it was an accident - not a big deal at ALL! (he needs that) He said he and Hiero were working on a 500-piece puzzle, which he might have told me before, but sometimes he forgets things. Of course I also said THAT was okay because I do the same thing! I told him that I'm glad he's my nephew, too.

Hiero was busy preparing his drumming and Beckett was busy just carrying his blanket around. Sounds normal to me! "Any other ideas about our day before anything? I can't talk to your family because you live by yourself." He wants to talk again in "a few" days, meaning Sunday or Monday. Fine by me! People who complain about loud noises should know that it'll start around 7 EVERY EVENING, and prepare themselves or their pets accordingly BEFOREHAND! It only lasts for about two to five minutes TOPS! Unless you have a baby who JUST got to sleep, then you don't get to complain!

Virgin tombstone?!

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The Butt Brothers?! / Birthday gifts, new rules, Hudson, talking a lot, schedule

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 00:53:50 GMT

Ayler called me at 9:40 AM to read me their schedule for the day: free play, mealtimes, piano, spelling, reading, and bedtime at 8 or so! He also says that his new rule should be that he can stay up 15 minutes later every year on his birthday. I said that sounds like a good rule, and wondered how long it would be until he just stayed up all night. Hiero said that he made a birthday card for his mom - yes, Harmony's birthday is today! Ayler also made a birthday card for her, but said that they were giving her a good birthday gift: sleeping in until 10 AM! He also gave me a play-by-play: She wasn't up when he called me, but was when he was going to end the call at 10:10. Beckett was still eating a breakfast of oatmeal and honey, so I didn't really talk to him.

I asked Ayler how he could tell that Beckett missed me: apparently, he goes around saying "Goo-Mah" - cute! Ayler also thinks that Steph lives in a different country because her timezone is different - HAHAHA! We discussed Jeremy's cat Hudson, how burping works, how Ayler really likes talking (so he can talk on the phone to Jeremy for 90 minutes!), my banana yogurt being "gross" (HE'S not eating it!), Hiero thinking I was sleeping when they called me yesterday (I told them that sometimes some people like having their phone off when they're doing other things), my saying happy birthday to Harmony when she WAS awake, my eating all of the chocolate I got for Harmony's birthday this year since there will be no family gathering this year, and our keeping up my coming over when coronavirus is done. He said bye at 10:10 after confirming that it was 10:05 on my end, and also said that I work from 9 AM to 10 AM. Jon's also teaching him questionable things about me, if HIS laughter is any indication!

The Butt brothers Ralph and Roger have a tombstone, AND they died on the same date a year apart?! QUIRKY COINCIDENCE!

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Mathias Jakshitz and Theressa Jakshitz?! / Oatmeal, pork, Auntie, puzzles!

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 21:44:28 GMT

Ayler and Hiero surprisingly called me at 10:20 AM, which is how I discovered that my phone was still on from last night, but that was a good thing in this case! This time, I was prepared with the light on AND my reading glasses very nearby! They wanted to call since we only talked for a very short time yesterday - I said that was nice and thanked them! We discussed a 300-piece Thomas Ravensburger puzzle, Hiero building something, Ayler playing a long piano piece for me, Ayler thinking that Beckett misses me (he probably doesn't understand why I can't come and play), Beckett saying "Goo Mah / Auntie / Yeah" into the phone, and Ayler wanting to play piano a lot. He doesn't want to disturb the downstairs neighbors, so I reminded him about the soft pedal. When they asked me what I ate for breakfast, I lied and said "oatmeal and a granola bar" as I hadn't eaten yet. Turns out they "also" had oatmeal, haha! Good choice!

I reminded Ayler to protect Beckett when he goes on the couch by either blocking him or holding his hands. He said that they play with the red and yellow stuffed dragon, asked me if I knew what "Didibug" and "Didibop" were (interesting - LADYBUG!), and said that they go outside instead of going to church. Hiero wanted Beckett to repeat "John Horgan / Kennedy Stewart / Justin Trudeau" for me, but no dice! Beckett just said my name into the phone, which is good. Harmony asked how I was doing, so I told her about Pathways closing because of the coronavirus pandemic. I also asked about her parents, who are both being cautious. Told her that Dad had texted me asking about my food situation - I was like "NO, DON'T COME HERE!" Harmony said that Mom was more upset about missing the sales than the special senior hour for grocery shopping, of course! That was interesting and good to talk to them.

Mathias Jakshitz and Theressa Jakshitz have a tombstone?!

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Chili, blocks, broccoli, and mango pudding / SESAME STREET muppet generator

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 09:07:34 GMT

It's MARIO DAY today! After COFFEE TIME, I went out at 3:10 on a 401 to help with the kids. Surprisingly, I just managed to get the 3 despite the elevator buttons not responding to my commands. I got to the house at 4:10 despite an electric scooter not knowing how to maneuver smoothly on the bus (I had to move), but those things can be unwieldy! Thank GOODNESS it stayed on the bus AFTER 16th, so I wasn't delayed any more! Once I got in, Beckett wanted to play with me, but my washing hands coincided with his diaper change. After that, we played with blocks / magnets / balls ("boh-boh!") / Play-Doh. He ALMOST licked the Play-Doh lids, looking at me to see how I'd react. I said that was gross and not to do it. He said "come up / yeah / block / ma-net / open! close! / lid / pease / light / purple / Auntie" a lot. Later, he almost fell down, but I was there to catch him and put him on the couch, where we sat together and "talked" about the "funny" blanket and the happy / sad eggs.

When Ayler told me to guess what time he went to bed last night, I actually got the right time: 10 PM! Apparently, there was a choir concert last night at St. James (Jon's old orchestra hangout space), WITH a rehearsal before AND a mass choral recital afterwards, so nobody could leave early even if they wanted to! I realized that they had scheduled it for the day after Daylight Savings, which is NOT GOOD! Hiero spent his time making Superman signals and wanting Popsicle sticks and special paper. He also was less than polite when he laughed at people. Apparently, roasted broccoli is not his thing!

Beckett wanted me to look out the window at the alley because of the lights - good choice! Hiero wanted me to play a game, but I wasn't up for that. There was a felt book with multiple felt pieces, and Beckett identified an X for Tic-Tac-Toe correctly some of the time. He also knew what the moon was, so he's getting smarter! I told him what a flower was when he identified it as a boh-boh (hahaha), and he picked it up from me. When I took my phone out to take photos that were CLEARLY of the food and NOT THE KIDS, Beckett said "gung-gung"... hahaha, I thought he associated the phone with Uncle Joe last week!

Ayler said that their trip is after Tuesday next week, so I said that I know that they get to listen to TICKET TO RIDE on the ride over. "How do you know?" was easily answered since I saw Jon's Facebook status earlier about borrowing someone's copy. Hiero told us about MINECRAFT, but Harmony wondered where he learned about that. The school computers offer that as an option for ALL the kids, apparently, so Harmony says she'll talk to the teacher about that. I did not volunteer that there was Preschool MINECRAFT - she'd be horrified! I left at 7:30 and surprisingly got home at 8:35, despite the stroller at 16th! If you can't be ready when the bus stops, then don't be surprised if a passenger gets on before you maneuver your stuff off the bus! I know it's safer to wait till the bus stops, but come on now - be aware and at least make your way toward the door!

From Janet on LJ, aka Ghost_Light: Your birth month is your muppet. Ernie, Elmo, Big Bird, Abby, Slimey, Oscar the Grouch, Bert, Snuffleupagus, Rosita, the Count, Cookie Monster, and Grover!

Chili, beans, and cheese!

Red Jello and mango pudding made by Jon!

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Harley Burns and Autumn Burns?! So the autumn will burn on a motorcycle?!

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 22:26:12 GMT

COFFEE TIME! The Canucks played Carolina today at 11 AM, but lost 4-3 in overtime and the shootout. I found four packs of Vedan Bah Kut tea noodles that expired on Jan. 25, one pack of Mamee chicken noodles that expired on Jan. 29, and three packs of Mamee vegetarian noodles that expired on Jan. 26 - I'll be eating them all in the next week! INSTANT RAMEN NOODLES FOR DAYS!

I showered today once Jon switched my childcare dates from Tuesday to Wednesday, and Mom said "can you tell me whether there will be autism on Tuesday or Wednesday this week?" What the heck?! HAHAHA! I also accidentally overdosed on those Vitamin D gummies, but called the nurses hotline at 811. They were professional and very helpful (and I got through in 30 seconds despite the Reddit fear-mongering about the coronavirus), directed me to Poison Control, and all I have to do is chill on the gummies till the weekend. Nice!

From Jim and CANUCK NATION: If they say size doesn't matter, they're probably NFL fans. Stanley Cup vs. the Super Bowl trophy!

From CRIME WATCH DAILY and Youtube: Harley Burns and Autumn Burns?!

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Best selfie, blue dragon on Google Maps, Bo Bun Hue, butter chicken wings

Sat, 01 Feb 2020 09:37:32 GMT

Before COFFEE TIME / BRUSSELS SPROUTS TIME / HOT CHOCOLATE TIME, I called Chrystal at work at 10:10 AM to remind her about tonight. I left at 6:50 on a 414 (which actually had the wheelchair ramp slope in use instead of the steps) to get to London Drugs on time at 7:30 or so. Unfortunately, someone caused a delay for me at Brighouse. Why would you try to start small talk with someone in an elevator who obviously isn't paying any attention to you for a 20-second ride?! No, I'm not going to respond to a guy cyclist's "hi, how are you, hope you're okay, ma'am" in an ENCLOSED SPACE, especially because YOU AND YOUR BIKE FUCKING MADE ME MISS THE FUCKING TRAIN AND WAIT AN ADDITIONAL 11 MINUTES! The elevator wasn't on the first floor either when I needed it to be! I saw the train pulling into the station when I had JUST gotten to the stairs outside!

Don't get me started on the three tall white dudes who evidently had something like "Well then! What the?" to say to me when I was running for the train at Broadway on the way home! THEY WERE OBSTACLES IN MY PATH so of course I had to BARREL into them, and I didn't even have time to turn and yell FUCK OFF! Or the guy IN the train who was blocking my path right when everyone got off and I wanted in. People, have some spatial awareness and consideration! Too bad they didn't think I had coronavirus! At least Mike found my text message rants entertaining!

I FINALLY got to London Drugs at 7:45, where Chrystal was waiting for me and wandering near the back of the store. We quickly decided on our default option of Pho Extreme Xe Lua, since Cactus Club would DEFINITELY be busy on a Friday night even if we'd bothered to reserve beforehand! (they made us wait for 45 minutes at my birthday dinner even WITH one!) We ordered a small #1 (special noodle soup for Chrystal), six signature butter chicken wings for $9.50 to share (although she only ate one - we split the bill anyway), and a large #30 Bo Bun Hue noodle soup for me. We talked about my trip (I showed her some photos), her nephews Benjamin and Ethan, Ayler / Hiero / Beckett / Fraser / Henry, my relief that Mom wasn't coming on that trip, the flight delays, toys, that gas leak on Chinese New Year, her sushi Chinese New Year dinner with family, Hiero's UBC birthday party and presents, Beckett learning new words, Hiero being sick, and work not being fun today. I got home at 9:35 on a 407, which I guess wasn't terrible for leaving the restaurant at 8:50...

From James: Might be the best selfie of the year, and it's only January! Cats and dogs!

I got a blue dragon as my home icon on Google Maps on my phone! I set my "home," tapped on the menu icon, skipped the commute, and tapped on the three dots which appeared so I could change the home pin!

Dinner with Chrystal: Bo Bun Hue soup!

Dinner with Chrystal: Signature butter chicken wings!

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GIVE ME THE WEED! / Real-life Hangman / Starman Coffee! Happy Ness in every cup!

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 07:20:12 GMT

The Canucks played the Sharks tonight at 7:30, and won 5-2 thanks to an empty-netter from Pearson and other team play!

Squid selfie! No, the squid is not actually up my nose.

A parody of Uncle Kracker's "Drift Away" from Jim: Give me the weed, boys, and free my soul. I wanna get lost in a sticky bowl and drift away. Of course I sent this one to Mike!

From Nate, Extra Fabulous Comics, and Discord: "How about a C?" "Nope." "An R?" "Nope." "Fellas, I gotta say this is some of the most fucked-up shit." REAL LIVE HANGMAN AND EXECUTIONERS!

From The Onett Times: Special dark roast Starman Coffee! Happy? Ness In Every Cup! Latte art of Giygas, hahaha!

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When you realize it wasn't a fart...

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 03:12:09 GMT

I got a wedding gift thank-you card (for my Cambridge Remi Frost cutlery set) from Alice and Christon in the mail a couple weeks ago. Guess I'll thank Christon later!

When you realize it wasn't a fart...

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Dragon agate necklace, VIGOROUS DRAGON AND LIVELY TIGER, a red dragon with books

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 08:53:27 GMT

Jon sent me a Facebook message at 8:50 AM to wonder if I could come over at 2:15 today instead because Harmony had to pick up Hiero from school and actually wanted to be on time, and Ayler wasn't feeling well. I assumed I had to hold down the fort there, especially when he called a few minutes later after I'd already sent my reply to ask if they were puking or loopy, so I agreed. Then Barry left me a voicemail, but I delete those, so I called him back to find out that he wanted to move grocery shopping to Thursday instead of tomorrow. What did they do - leave the messages and then run away within two seconds?! Sheesh!

Later, I had some New England Clam Chowder today for National New England Clam Chowder Day, right when Harmony sent me a text wondering if I could come slightly earlier. That's on the buses, not on me! After COFFEE TIME, I went out at 1 on an 401 to help with the kids, just missing the early C94 and the early 407. The 3 was seven minutes LATE at Marine Drive Station! GEEZ! I finally got to Jon's at 2:15 - so much for shortly BEFORE that time! At least there were no random two-minute stops along the route, wheelchair / stroller delays, or elevator shenanigans today!

When I got there, Harmony and Beckett left within five minutes, but Beckett did show me his Gorilla Munch cereal, which were indeed balls! He also showed me a huge yellow Blockbuster chip bowl and the blue tub, which he had fun with later. It was good to have some time alone with Ayler, who thinks that I won't get what he has because his dad said so. Haha, I wish germs and viruses worked that way! We talked about Fraser, Henry, racetracks, the school secretary, no nurses at the school, Harmony just driving to the school today (walking 30 blocks in the rain with a toddler in a carrier?!), my phone photos and calculating how many seconds were in a year by using the Calculator app, hand sanitizer, texting, oranges, what it meant when you vomited, water, and reading some children's Bible stories like the Good Samaritan / the Feeding of the 5000 with fish and loaves / Daniel in the lion's den. He wanted to teach Beckett about word patterns and especially the word "gun" since Beckett will repeat anything. Uncle Joe has taught him "hit your butt!" in Cantonese since it's funny.

Everyone else came home at 3:40 (thus ending our freedom to talk), and Beckett had fun with his toys and plopping into my lap to "read" the summertime book and the Christmas piano book cover because he saw "balls" (ornaments) on there. No wonder the piano had wings - there was Santa in his sleigh, too! I gave Hiero his birthday card, which he seemed to like - he also was enamored with the Creature toy I'd given him on Sunday. Hiero opened all the rest of his birthday presents - turned out that Mom had forgotten to write in the birthday card she gave him, but had also given them a pack of Ontrue seaweed in the regular flavor! He also got at least four Lego sets, a PAW PATROL puzzle set, a science toy, and Rain or Shine ice cream gift cards! His friend Leanne gave him three gifts - WOW! Beckett stood on top of a puzzle box (and wanted some grey robot toys - saying "MINE!" when they were Hiero's), and I accidentally squished the Lego STAR WARS box.

We had peas and macaroni in soup with some grapes, cherry tomatoes, and sticky rice while discussing last week's snow and other things. Ayler said the soup was salty, but it really wasn't - it was really bland and just what you might want if you were sick with tummy upset. Beckett threw cheese and some other things on the floor, but liked his cereal as usual - and smiled BIG for the Vitamin D tablets! I had some leftover cheesecake while the kids had some orange Jello which was rather liquidy in consistency! Hiero did some "home reading" with me - but I had to sound out words and make sure he knew what was going on. Beckett and I played with balls, the stacking blocks ("doggy!"), and the toy train which can zoom on the wooden floor. When I showed him my doggy slipper socks from Grandma Joan, he sniffed them and played around with the "ears" - silly kid!

Just as I was about to leave at 7:25 (with Beckett saying "BYE BYE!" in a serious manner a few times), Ayler vomited on the bathroom floor and surrounding floor area! Yes, I could stay even later because that had happened and Harmony had to do clean-up. She barricaded the area with a garbage can and laundry basket, while I made sure Beckett stayed on the mat. That meant he could read even more, relax with the blanket, look out the window at the lights, and call the new 3-D Glowing Planets "boh-boh"! When Hiero took things like the action figures away from Beckett, he cried - so of course I gave him some hugs and told him that his brother was terrible! Lately, Beckett has learned the word "help" and is using it in the proper context instead of just pointing at things and vocalizing - good job! He usually needs it to get balls out from under the couch, or to get balls out from small boxes and blocks!

Turns out Ayler requested that I stay to watch him eat his banana and drink some water while Harmony bathed everyone else. Sure, why not? We talked about applesauce, tuna NOT being part of the BRAT diet, the school having a janitor / custodian at least, my opinion that he should probably stay home, math, "my baby" being Beckett, Beckett's talking in his sleep (to say "please" and other simple words), and more things. I finally left at 8:10 (encountering an Evo driver who liked driving on the sidewalk...) and got home at 9:35 on a 407. PHEW! Extended Nephew Time on BOTH ends of the time spectrum!

Campbell's clam chowder and a Nature Valley granola bar for National New England Clam Chowder Day and National Granola Bar Day!

From Julie M. and Etsy: A dragon agate necklace!

VIGOROUS DRAGON AND LIVELY TIGER artwork at the hospital across the street - YAY FOR DRAGONS!

VIGOROUS DRAGON AND LIVELY TIGER, by Shirley Chiang, donated in 2015!

From Dragons: A red dragon with piles of books in a castle! INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

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Happy Blue Year / Dilbert human intelligence / Quandae Shanoah Stewart / ONTARIO

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 08:33:17 GMT

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND 2020, EVERYONE! NEW YEAR, NEW DECADE!

FINALLY HOME AFTER A FLIGHT! I left the house with Steph after thumping my suitcase up the stairs from the guestroom, hugged the kids, and Steph noticed Havarti was sad because she knows what a suitcase means. We drove 45 minutes to the airport; why WOULD she take a $20 or $30 toll road to save one minute?! I hugged her goodbye, then got selected for a pat-down because I accidentally left my phone in my pocket. UGH! At least a kind employee got me a zoomer to go all the way to my YYZ gate after the elevator! The flight itself was uneventful - I was seated in front with the babies and children, but played with my new friend, the year-old baby boy next to me.

White Eric picked me up as advertised after I landed at 2 today. Wow, time change! Haha. I had to walk the length and breadth of YVR because the outside exit for domestic arrivals was all the way at the front. Sweating for sure! I was home by 3, and everything seemed okay, but THE MICE MANAGED TO CHEW THROUGH THE STEEL WOOL IN THE BATHROOM?! YUCK!

At 12 AM the night before New Year's Eve, it will be Ramones time. It will be 2020, 24 hours to go. I wanna be sedated!

From The Onett Times: Happy Blue Year!

From Not Always Right: Dilbert says, "I have now officially lost all faith in human intelligence."

Quandae Shanoah Stewart?!

( ONTARIO TRIP! )

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Made in Vachina! / Animal skull bonsai trees! / Cute cat glass tea mug!

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 20:35:15 GMT

The Canucks played the Sharks tonight at 7:30, and s.

From Scott C. in CANUCKS NATION: A baby wearing a MADE IN VACHINA bib. "Really, Dad?"

From Julie M. and I Love Skulls: Animal skull bonsai trees weave life and death together in darkly beautiful art.

From Julie M. and Amazon: A Carlie cute cat glass cup tea mug with a fish. A tea infuser, tea strainer, and tea filter!

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How Will I Die? Devoured by Republicans?! 9Gag generators!

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 05:26:44 GMT

The Canucks played the Penguins tonight at 7, and s.

From 9Gag: How Will I Die? Devoured by Republicans?! Mike would be Buried Alive by Justin Bieber! My ex-friend Jimmy would be Suffocated by Living! HAHAHA!

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Muff, Donegal, Ireland?! / Hummingbirds and woodpeckers / Messiah Booker?!

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 03:58:58 GMT

Steph sent me a Facebook message wondering if December 19 to January 1 was okay for the Ontario trip, or if I had New Year's Eve parties back home to attend, saying that she and Lisa have low-key New Year's celebrations themselves. That's actually great, since she thinks the airports won't be too crazy on those particular dates! WOO! TIME TO POST A BUNCH OF PLACEHOLDERS!

Muff, Donegal, Ireland?!

From Janina and The Crypto Naturalist: Hummingbirds shall sip nectar from this flower in a silent ballet. Woodpeckers: I'M GOING TO STAB THE BUGS OUTTA THIS TREE WITH MY FACE-KNIFE!!!

From Crime Watch Daily: Messiah Booker?!

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Phone photo dump! / Salmon, delays, and congee! / Pumpkin spice chicken wings?!

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 10:29:54 GMT

It's National Punctuation Day today... MY FAVORITE! After COFFEE TIME, I had to leave at 2 on a 401 and then a 410 (which I just got to on time, no thanks to idiots blocking my path on the sidewalk) for my appointment with Dr. Ruby before I helped with the kids. That was uncomfortable - I also saw a professional Audrey. Also, I had to buy more NEW Beehive Burst Peppermint lip balm at the Dollar Tree since there was no photo online that I could find, so I had to take my own photo. (I had ripped mine open last week before I figured this out...) I was there on time, but STILL had to wait 20 minutes to be seen! UGH! I should have gone to Dollar Tree before rather than after! Then I tried to speedwalk over to Lansdowne station a block and a half away, and just missed a Waterfront train thanks to these two slow ladies on the elevator going down.

When I got to Marine Drive station, I definitely needed a snack, so I went to Tim Horton's. Luckily, there was no lineup, so I got a non-sticky cheese tea biscuit and then got out of there to find that a wheelchair wanted to get on the 3 as well. Then a stroller wanted to get on - at least this one contained a fairly curious kid who growled and made various noises, unlike the other stroller who got on after that one left! After another delay caused by the driver stopping in the middle of the road for five minutes to check an alarm that was going off, I finally got to Mount Pleasant at about 4:20 when I could have been there at 4:05! Too many delays! Yeah, I used Term to complain to via text, haha.

Inside, Penny was just finishing up speech therapy while Beckett was failing at napping again. Almost right after Penny left, it was off to the park across the street because Harmony wanted to walk Beckett around the playground to see if he'd nap then. Spoiler alert: He did not. Ayler asked if I wanted to play tag or Manhunt - no, because I had run out of energy and was like a car which had run out of gas. Hiero asked why I walked how I did, so maybe Jon and Harmony should talk to him about it at some point. Once we got home again after more promises of consequences, I got to play with Beckett for a bit. He liked the baby pop-up toy because it made him laugh more than usual, wanted me to shake my head a lot because it was funny, liked PEEK-A-BOO as per Hiero, tried eating my DRAGON HOODIE strings again, and climbed on me a few times. (he did pull Hiero's hair, though!)

At the same time, Hiero was trying to show me his origami. Blowing up squares to make huge boxes, oh my! Later, I stayed close as Beckett crawled on the couch despite Ayler telling me not to let him do it. Well, you're doing and completing a HUGE connect-the-dots puzzle, so I'll do what I want while keeping Beckett safe in my own way, including trying to put on one of his missing socks. We had salmon, congee, Chinese chicken soup, meatballs with ketchup and barbecue sauce, some veggies, and ridiculous amounts of shredded pork. Then we talked about whether Jon had been shot today at the Downtown Eastside (he was fine and didn't have to lie on the floor as per Hiero's question), why people shoot at each other ("because some people think that the best way to resolve their problems is with guns" and "that's why we don't joke about guns"), my Cactus Club birthday dinner, Ayler seeing Brooke early this morning ("how do you know?"), Hiero doing flips and gymnastics in the elevator earlier and being injured, and how much everyone in the family could eat compared to each other.

After I washed dishes for a bit, I read to Hiero about Optimus Prime and the Decepticons, then listened to Ayler play a boogie on the piano before listening to him read a Level 2 story about polar bears. Sure I had to help him with some words, but that's normal. I left at 7:20, but couldn't get a 3 bus till 7:40 thanks to a couple of buses being out of service! I missed a Brighouse train by five minutes, and JUST managed to get a 407 at Brighouse, no thanks to people blocking my path where I was going to run to the front door of the bus. Do I really have to shove my way past other people all the time to get where I'm going in a timely fashion?! I got home at 8:35, checked my mail, and found Julie's birthday card plus random stuff - yay!

Random stuff: Nathan returning the OUTLANDER novel to me, six packs of Compliments Safeway brand spicy chicken instant noodles, and yet another pair of reading glasses. Good thing I didn't buy the Jergens lotion today because of all the walking I had to do, AND the utter weight of the 650-page paperback book!

From WINGS Restaurants and Pubs: Pumpkin spice chicken wings for fall 2019?! BLEH!

( Peppermint lip balm, birthday swag, Compliments instant noodles, a bunny, construction workers looking out for the baby rabbits, doughnut drawing at the hospital bus stop, Polestar planner )

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C'Bo Flemister is a football player?! / Kyle Twomey is a baseball player?!

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 03:18:05 GMT

I left at 4:30 to meet Rishu at 5 at Touchstone, then went to the public market for some dinner while I was out anyway: Eggplant (ew), fried noodles, cauliflower, bamboo shoots, broccoli, carrots, and pork! Met up with Nick from Discord, which was fine - boy, is he open about some things, though! Talked about his being a Flames fan in Canucks territory, Michelle, narcissism, therapy, exes, drunk confessions, concerts, missing his best friend (but he's working), stepfamilies, frat bro people, welding, the Commercial / Broadway area, pizza, drinking a lot, smoking again, and more. I just wanted to get home reasonably quickly! After I got home at 6:35 on a 407, I took a shower.

C'Bo Flemister is a football player?!

Kyle Twomey is a baseball player?!

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Being quiet, potato SHIPS, kimchi, handyman agreement, creative piano variations

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 04:07:43 GMT

Today is Hot and Spicy Food Day! After COFFEE TIME, I went out at 3:30 on a 401 to help with the kids. Just before I was going to leave, the handyman came by and agreed with my assessment that the toilet float needed to be replaced, thank goodness! That left me with little time to catch the bus, but I JUST managed to. Then I was STILL left with time to kill at Marine Drive, so I went to T and T to buy NEW Sautao hot and sour soup vermicelli noodles and what turned out to be Choco-Caramel Mentos. I also texted Term (as is now the tradition) to say, "Hey, guess where I am right now!" Then I saw an Engrish sign: LAYS POTATO SHIPS IN KIMCHI FLAVOR?!

Jon texted me when I got to his building at 4:45; no wonder they weren't answering the buzzer because they were at the park across the street! I found them in due time; he decided to see if Beckett liked the baby swings. He was still expressionless after a few minutes of swinging, not sure what to make of it even if he'd had that experience once before a while ago. Later, Jon tickled him and took video of him laughing for Harma. Ayler and Hiero threw sand on the slide and over the railing for the kiddy structure. I swung the baby gently as Jon went over to discipline. Hiero called me by my first name, which Jon scolded him for. Later, Harma met us at the park with a new puzzle from work! Jon told me that they'd had a playdate with Deb, Dylan, Declan, and Elysse recently, and that LA Chicken was good with kimchi. Fried chicken with kimchi - WEIRD FOOD COMBINATION!

At home, Beckett wanted to play "catch" with those hard plastic stacking blocks... ouch! The soft toys they borrowed or bought are much better for that purpose! Ayler showed me his "creative part" for "THE PLANETS" (not Gustav Holst, but his own creation) and some variations he'd made up for a piano piece. Awesome! Hiero just hid Koosh balls in the "Duplo" blocks and made me guess where he'd put them. That kind of went okay, but I still had to watch Beckett, who was doing a lot less throwing than last week! I had lots of kimchi and some ratatouille for dinner, plus another slice of nectarine thanks to Ayler's aversion to mushy things. He didn't care if I ate it! (I asked him first just to be sure)

We discussed Caleb's greenhouse, Parksville, Hi-Chews candy, Uncle Percy's death (why else would Mom be inviting me to his celebration of life this weekend?), what "avid' meant in the context of being an avid reader, what Beckett liked to eat, summer reading (Ayler read a book all by himself with no alternating pages!), origami with the Summer Reading Log, practicing reading and writing, whether they needed me once school starts up again (could be chaotic), and colorful train tracks which apparently aren't appropriate for Beckett yet. He still seemed to like them, though I know that's not really the point. I left before 8 and got home at 9 on a 407, which isn't bad at all. I thought I was going to miss the 8:56 407 like I did last week, but thankfully did not run into any delays, although other people on the elevator could have counted as one. Luckily, they seemed to be efficient, which I value.

From Julie M. and Introvert Spring: I may be quiet, but I have so much on my mind.

Lays potato SHIPS in kimchi flavor! Nice Engrish!

NEW Sautao hot and sour soup vermicelli noodles!

NEW Choco-Caramel Mentos!

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Popping toys and laughter! / Books and blocks / Shoplifters will be prostituted!

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 05:57:53 GMT

I finally called Chimo's Housing Connect this morning at 9:15. Nancy is on sick leave, but I got an appointment with their housing manager Sue next Tuesday at 11:30 AM. After DOUBLE COFFEE TIME AND SHOWER TIME, I went out at 3:10 on a 401 to help with the kids again. Jon messaged me at 1:45 to wonder if I'd received Harma's text message, but I had not. Yeah, I know she's sick. She wanted me to come earlier, so I just called her instead. Sure, I could come by at 4-ish depending on "delays" and transit time... and it ended up being 4:30 because I just missed another 401 when I was on my way out!

Since Ayler and Hiero wanted to do puzzles in their cramped room, I let them while I hung out and read a book on the couch with Beckett's screams as accompaniment. Eventually, he fell asleep and the boys came out to do Summer Reading. Hiero wanted to sit on my lap while Ayler and I alternated pages. "Can you read upside down, Hiero?" "I can't even read right-side up." Good point! They did tell me about busing to VBS Later, Beckett did come out and wanted to toss everything around as per usual. They gave away the hard blue ball and hard red ball (his favorites!) plus some other stuff because he'd made a dent in the floor, hurt Ayler by indiscriminately tossing things, and had the potential to break a window... YIKES!

Like yesterday, Harmony thanked me for playing so nicely with the baby. We had penne, rutabaga, ratatouille, and honeydew for dinner. Ayler and Hiero did origami tricks with the Summer Reading logs, and Ayler told me about staccato and STORMS OF SATURN, while wanting to know what I felt about his practice runs of OUR DETECTIVE AGENCY. They kept getting better, which was what he wanted! Beckett wanted to play the piano too, so I supported him while he tried playing the high keys, but of course he isn't tall enough yet, so I sat on the piano bench with him in my lap instead.

Later, I made him laugh by playing with the Little Tikes popping toy (yellow and purple) - I pressed on the purple part and it pooped out within a few seconds. He "helped" me by putting his finger on it, haha. As long as it amused him for a bit! He looked up at me and wanted me to repeat that over and over, which is fine. Once Ayler and Hiero finally got to bed at 8:05, I could leave the house - I got home at 9:30 thanks to having to wait a while for the 407. I wish they'd gone to bed ten minutes earlier! Since I figured it wouldn't take forever and I might not miss a train, I held the elevator for a lady with crutches at Marine Drive. Her toes had splayed out - yikes! LUCKILY, I didn't miss the Brighouse train!

Bit fucking extreme: Shoplifters will be prostituted! No exceptions!

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Tillamook cheese, climbing, HURTS, puzzles, Kwik-E-Mart and Lego SIMPSONS

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 06:15:39 GMT

After DOUBLE COFFEE TIME, I went out at 4:05 on a 407 to help with the kids. Thanks to user-caused delays and a wheelchair going in AND going out before my stop on the 3 Downtown (creating more delays), I was about ten minutes later than I thought I'd be, arriving at about 5. Jon thought it was a traffic delay, but nope. I hung out with Beckett, whose first recognizable word is HURTS! (he was imitating Harmony the other day) He climbed up on me, which IS cute when he's that size! I scooped him up away from the balcony window a few times, but I didn't mind that. Ayler attempted to read a Dr. Seuss book, Hiero threw things around like HE was the baby, and I watched Beckett's new favorite activity: flipping pages of a board book! (he also can climb up on the couch, so Ayler and I were around for support)

Hiero tried taking my hat off, but that was a NO and led to a talk. Ayler wanted to play SIMON SAYS at dinner, and also asked me if I'd taken a shower before coming here. I lied and said yes. We had blueberries, cherries, fried rice, and Tillamook cheese for dinner - I refused the figs because they'd be messy. I was still slightly full from yesterday's carb fest (pasta AND Chinese food?!), but figured dinner tonight would be fine for a meal. Beckett can still fit under the couch, but I definitely didn't want to startle him! Ayler and Hiero wanted to listen to Liszt and Chopin, and then do some puzzles in their room. Sure, I could come next week if needed. Hiero asked me, "Does poo grow?" I guess it does...

When I left at 7:30 or so, I heard Beckett practicing his new word to himself. It was funny to hear "HURTS! HURTS!" Hahaha! I got home at 8:35 on a 407, then promptly threw out all the random (probably) non-working ballpoint pens in a plastic bag from Mom. "She pays for pens, Harma?!" Yes...

Lego Kwik-E-Mart and THE SIMPSONS!

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Cool Chinese Restaurant, Chapstick, Bellagio Gelato, safety hugs, puzzle pieces

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 20:15:43 GMT

After DOUBLE COFFEE TIME, I went out at 3:05 on a 407 bus to help with the kids at 4. I checked to see if Shoppers had any cheaper lip balm - I was unwilling to pay $9.99 for a little tube of Burt's Bees once I finally found it at the back of the store (even London Drugs has it for cheaper!), so I went straight to Mount Pleasant instead. Turns out Jon wanted to meet at Bellagio Gelato - worked for me, even if I had to wait for a bit. Hell, I could just hop on their wi-fi from just outside the doors. They showed up at about 4:45, and Ayler asked how long I'd been waiting, and about my route. I joked and said five hours, then revised it to 15 minutes. Beckett didn't seem to like his sunhat, but the kids got white bubblegum gelato (with no bubble gum pieces!) while I got some raspberry sorbetto. Of course I did the polite thing and thanked the ug! We tried offering some to Beckett, but he turned his head away like his brothers had when they were one year old. Maybe when he's four years old, he'll like it!

Ayler, Hiero, and I talked about the puzzle with the most pieces: 551,232 pieces?! I totally blew their minds with that factoid! They were impressed by the photo which I was able to find online, too. We walked or ran back home - with lectures about stranger danger and people possibly grabbing them - and I was able to hang out with the kids and Harmony. Catching Beckett whenever he crawled to the back window because he threw his red ball around, preventing him from fitting under the couch, his chewing toys and seeming interested in the Christmas baby books at times, almost tripping over crap in the way (hopefully not hurting Beckett), flossing, and ODE TO JOY piano music.

More origami, SIMON SAYS, some calorific pasta for Beckett (who just threw everything on the floor anyway), what had lots of calories, school and therapy, calling Dad for his birthday, reading books about bikes and trains, the double-layer puzzle, salad, Chinese noodles with peanut sauce, allergies, blueberries, calories, corn on the cob, and hugging Beckett to me when his brothers were being too rambunctious with pinches and he wanted support and security since we were all in a tiny circle... that was heartwarming and he wasn't scared of me! Ayler wanted me to come next week - sure, but do I have to smell their poo air?! They laughed at that, of course. I was able to leave at about 8 (Harmony thinks I did a good job with all the kids?!), grabbed the 3 Marine Drive Station bus, and was able to find some more lip balm x4 while I was out... gotta have backups! At least I was able to find the beauty section at T&T - $1.79 for one tube is way better than $9.99 to $11.99, no matter if Burt's Bees is more "quality" than Chapstick! I also grabbed a pack of Paldo Bul Jjamppong noodles on my way out. Got home at 9:30 on a 407, which is good.

Yes, there is a literal Cool Chinese Restaurant near my place. They took over the old space when the old Mad Greek owners retired!

Cherry Chapstick!

Mint Chapstick!

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Surfboard noodles, puzzles, babbling, salmon, spinach, Wilvince Kemmy Bazil

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 06:58:53 GMT

After COFFEE TIME, I went out at 2:40 on a 407 to help with the kids, telling Jon to text me if something happened. Got there at 3:45 and discussed poop hygiene, Beckett waking up just then, paper planes, bullet trains, origami (I was just folding along with them and not caring if I was any good), babbling, outer space, fast trains, Myles and the ER, Mom not noticing certain things like the cooking soup overflowing right in front of her and making a great puddle for Beckett to crawl in, Lizst, classical music, minuets, and Beckett chewing on things.

Also talked about Mount Pleasant Park, puzzles, jumping down stairs, Beckett cruising to things aided by the couch, how to properly steer Beckett towards stuff (gentle!), Ayler's music school, bike camp, Seattle's monorail, and reading baby books to Beckett. We had salmon (Omega-3 makes you smarter!), surfboard noodles, papaya, blueberries, apples, spinach, and soup for dinner while Beckett almost got yogurt into his eye from slapping the table when he was done or feeling excited. Sure, I can come by next Monday! Got home at 9:25 after walking from Brighouse since the next 401 and 407 would come by in 20 minutes.

From This Is True: Wilvince Kemmy Bazil?!

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McIlhenny Original Brand Tabasco Sauce x5 / Pregnant women like Kinder surprise

Sun, 14 Jul 2019 03:08:03 GMT

It's National French Fry Day today! A troll named Elizabeth Kuchta from the True Crime group just tried adding me after leaving stupid comments on my posts filled with hearts and failure logic. Her request is now "bilge water" and I've blocked her. I WIN!

Enlarged! Jack McIlhenny's original brand tabasco sauce: It's Like Love: You Always Want More, No Matter How Badly You Got Burned Last Time!

( Tabasco sauce! )

From Julie: Hannibal Lecter says, "For a cannibal, a pregnant woman is like a Kinder surprise."

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Danish Minhas?! THAT'S A FOOD ITEM! / Chanda Turner?! BAD SPELLING OF SHANDA!

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 08:04:01 GMT

Mom picked me up at 5 so we could go to Tsim Chai for dinner before the VOS (Vancouver Oratorio Society) choir concert that Dad was doing at Fraserview. BEEF TENDON NOODLES! She had discovered the pocket dial from my phone to Pothead Mike and complained that it had cost her one extra dollar, then wanted to use MY phone to call Steph. She ended up using her own phone, HA HA! I had to explain the concept of a pocket dial to her... and of course vent to Steph while Mom was in my bathroom, ha ha ha. Mom even complained that I didn't have Jon and Steph in my phone or WhatsApp contacts - I don't use WhatsApp at all, but I could for video calls at some point, I guess.

Later, Mom said that "my brother's wife's sister" (just say "Auntie Kwai") is going to be living with them for a couple of months since she lost her low-cost housing in the move from BC to Ontario, and she can't get used to life over there. She also told me redundant stuff about Maria Tam who just died from lung cancer, some missionary friend Winnie who will be staying with them (from July 12) for a week or so after they get back from Toronto on July 4, and how Harmony supposedly wants me to help with the kids when they're away from June 18 for the Oratorio Society concerts with some Hong Kong chorus. Well, I'll wait till Harmony actually says something to me about it first before I commit.

The conductor of the Oratorio Society is named Kemuel, and the associate conductor is named Neville?! One of the youth singers is named Jermyn Wong?! The overall concert was all right, I suppose. Lots of Psalms, lots of music - I saw Auntie Catherine around the washroom when I went. When I looked at the program, I saw Libby's name, so I had to tell Vania about it on Facebook. Mom suspiciously wondered why I was online, and asked if my mobile data was off - yes, of course. I did not help her get online during a lull or the intermission, ha ha ha. I got home at 10:15 or so, which is fine.

Random stuff from Mom and Dad: A white JESSICA winter jacket, Lipton chicken noodle soup which expires in March 2020, a thin orange fish-themed 2012 tote bag, a Zanyah Eco Spa Treatment "Your Reinvigoration" body cream pouch, a Zanyah Eco Spa "Your Tenderness" body cream pouch, a random Home Depot plastic bag, a random white bra, a thin black DKNY shirt, a thin dark blue-green summer scarf, a thin blue Baleno fall coat, and a random pair of greying white and blue thin socks.

A random pair of white and grey thin socks, a pink clothes hanger, a Chong Lee Market plastic bag, a Wing-on Incorporated paper bag, Nosh and Co. shortbread cookies which expire in December, a thin purple Ardene shawl with holes in it despite the price tag still being attached, a random pair of thin purple socks, a small pair of thin black panties, a thin frilly Van Heusen pale blue shirt with roses on it, one black fuzzy mitten, and one dark blue fuzzy mitten.

Nosh and Co. premium artisanal shortbread cookies!

Nosh and Co. Munch Madness cheddar and sour cream chips!

Nosh and Co. Munch Madness lightly salted chips!

From CRIME WATCH DAILY: Danish Minhas?! A Danish is a PASTRY!

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Happy Mother's Day from Casey Anthony! / Black Ness T-shirt #2 / A.J. Careless?!

Mon, 20 May 2019 02:33:19 GMT

Today is Mother's Day 2019. I was slightly awoken by the sun in the window, then by quick footsteps outside the bedroom door. Later, it turned out to be Declan and Elysse running into their parents' room to wish Deb a Happy Mother's Day at 5 AM! SO EARLY, kids! We had a rushed breakfast of cranberry and raisins Post cereal with milk and Nutella croissants before church. Elysse wondered if I was "too fat" to fit into the backseat of the van because I sat up front with Dylan instead. WHAT THE HELL?! First, I'm an alien, and now I'm fat?! Her parents made her apologize to me and said that was not very nice and hurt my feelings. Declan said that I wasn't fat - thank you! We actually had great parking luck across the street from the church at 9:45 - nobody had taken up all the good spots before the liquor store!

Church service was fine - I like how Pastor Dan acknowledged the strained relationships that some people may have with their mothers on this day. I caught up with Emily, Auntie Catherine, Stella, Joe T., Benedict, Rosenda, Helen C., David Marr, Lawrence, Jason, Vicky, baby Lucas, Martin T., and some other people. I only had to interact with Mom for a minute; thank goodness I could use eye surgery as an excuse for not doing anything for Mother's Day OR her birthday on the 14th! We eventually got going and eventually went to Kyoto Takenoko at Seafair Centre for lunch, hoping that fussy Elysse would eat SOMETHING. I had the spicy miso ramen and one gyoza.

While we were at Shoppers afterwards looking at Minions toothbrushes and other things, I decided that I might as well buy three yellow, black, and salmon BATH RETREAT shower puffs since Price Smart hadn't had any when I was last there. I guess I'll have to live with the string not fitting over the shower head properly. We had lamb chops, white wine, bok choy, mussels, and rice for dinner while Dylan's parents were over. Later, it was CHUTES AND LADDERS time with Popsicles and Coke! Deb and Dylan had finally completed a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle a while ago and wanted to hang it up in the living room. NICE!

BLOGTHINGS IS BACK OCCASIONALLY?!

What Should You Get Your Mom For Mother's Day?

You Should Get Mom Breakfast in Bed!

Your mom works hard from dusk til dawn, and you can't remember the last time she got a break from her responsibilities.
There's probably no chance your mom will take a rest even on Mother's Day, so get her early with a surprise breakfast in bed.

Your mom will love getting a treat first thing, especially one she didn't ask for or expect. You'll make sure she doesn't have to lift a finger.
Give mom the fuel she needs for a productive Mother's Day with a delicious breakfast in bed. Just make sure to clean up afterwards, too!

(Ha ha ha, NO!)

Happy Mother's Day to all the other great moms out there from Casey Anthony!

BATH RETREAT shower puffs or shower poiufs from Shoppers!

From Julie M. and Wish: A black Ness T-shirt... yay!

From Bored Panda: A.J. Careless is a lawyer?!

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10 Commonly Misunderstood Words in English! / Kalan is for a girl?!

Wed, 08 May 2019 04:38:40 GMT

My parents are on a cruise and didn't let me know, so I wasted my time calling them to get their voicemail multiple times yesterday! Then Dad emailed me to say that they could call me from the shore at 8:30, but then emailed me again at 8 to say that they were still on the ship. Since I don't want to deal with stressful and inconvenient phone calls in the morning when I'm trying to shower and get out the door, I just PMed Brian about it instead since Paulo said he could be good for this sort of thing. To be fair, we had discussed it yesterday just in case. Thank goodness for friends since he agreed to do this for me! He doesn't even have to stay for the entire four hours! I also got to text Pothead Mike for the first time, so YAY! (and talked to Jon via FB Messenger for a bit about the surgery and other things)

From Grammar.net: 10 commonly misunderstood words in English! Enormity, nonplussed, bemused, redundant, plethora, unique, fulsome, noisome, ironic, and literally.

From Julie M. and DR. PHIL: Kalan is a girl's name?!

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