Tatiana's Wanderings

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!

I left at 11:20 on a 407 to go to London Drugs to get new scissors. I couldn't find Scotch scissors or Ekco kitchen scissors, so I got Kortari kitchen scissors instead while getting some NEW Tazo Chai Tea for National Chai Day today on September 21. Got home at 12:05 on a 407, and texted white Eric for a ride tonight. Things worked out even if Darryl now can't come since he'll be all tapped out by tonight with MAGIC: THE GATHERING and other things going on today. I understand even if he did acknowledge that he's being a flake! Definitely shower time now!


NEW Tazo Chai Tea! QUIRKY COINCIDENCE because it's National Chai Day on September 21 today!




Lays curry chips and Lays wasabi chips!




( Chips Ahoy, special 2006 Excel, Suave, Panago Pizza, and lots more past food purchases! )

From Julie: A labradorite dragon guardian pendant from Etsy!




From Dragon's Den: A yellow HERE THERE BE DRAGONS sign!




From Dragons and Dude, I Want That: A dragon wine bottle holder!




From Dragons: Dragon Art wine bottle holder!

Adam L. seems to be back on Facebook for now, so YAY! :D


Soup Dragons - I'M FREE!




I have this $2 Antioch dragon and yin-yang bookmark, minus the bead! The dragon is gifted, intelligent, tenacious, and generous. Design by Evelia Garcia.




From Hayley and the r/hockey Discord server: Soup Dragons from the Clangers in the UK!




From Julie M. and Wish: A mythical dragon salt and pepper shaker set!

What I got for Christmas 2017!

* lots of online wishes! (Holly L., Mikki M., Jim S., Ryan B., Billie E., Sean K., Sean S., Mandy D.-R., Nas, Jan M., Kitty B., Barb D., Vanessa H., Ellen W., Mike B., Shelley H.)

* homemade chocolate peanut Eat More bars from Vanessa H.

* a surprise Christmas card from Karla W.

* wishes from Frances C. via email

* a Tarot Two of Swords Christmas card, Swedish Christmas card, Swedish Bilar candy, Swedish Polly chocolate / butter toffee / vanilla candies, and Swedish fruity-floral Twinings tea x3 from Katherine K. (cactus_rs)

* a Snoopy and Woodstock Christmas card with ice cream / Christmas cat / Christmas dog / taco / emoji / hamburger / butterfly / cactus stickers from Mandy B. (dazzamre)

* a Christmas Hello card / Christmas note / various Australian postcards x 24 [Love The Mornington Peninsula x8 / Australian War Memorial / PAINTERS / National Archives of Australia / Tarkine / DIARY OF A WIMPY KID / Bangarra Dance Theatre / Melbourne Zoo / Best of British / bugs of Melbourne Museum / Hokusai / Mental Health Australia / Princess Highway / Linden Postcard Show / Show Us Your Tattoos / REMOTE ALIGNMENTS at the Mars Gallery / THE FATHER at the Melbourne Theatre Company] from Deanna H. (endlessblush)

* a Christmas photo card from Steph, Lisa, Fraser, Henry, and Havarti

* a Peanuts Christmas card, CHRISTMAS HOUSE erasers, Snugadoo Too Super Soft purple striped socks and a red toque, two CHRISTMAS HOUSE jingly necklaces, Hot Tamales Fierce cinnamon jellybeans (better not let the kids have any...), bite-size Tootsie Rolls in a bank, 12 CHRISTMAS HOUSE pencils, Christmas stickers, and a Christmas memo book with pen from Julie M. (moonshar)

* a Christmas card from Sheryll T. (sheryll)

* wishes from Chrystal C. via phone call


* Random stuff from Mom, Dad, and others: A winter-ish dark grey jacket which used to be Grandma's, a Christmas card, $10 in cash, a brown Tahari leather jacket (not as cool as it sounds), a blue polyester Stormtech winter-ish jacket, a dark blue San Francisco winter-ish jacket, a red Roo handbag, a blue Sport Sport handbag, a brown Chinese handbag, a light brown wool toque, blue Thinsulate gloves, a zebra stripe AMAZING GRACE cap, a thin red scarf, a thin leafy dress (?), a brown polyester winter hat, and thin black gloves.

Also: Laura Secord praline Christmas Collection chocolates from Eric, a MYSTERIES home fragrance gift set / a FOOTPRINTS journal / Christmas card from Amy, Santa's Gumball Workshop Dubble Bubble cartons x2, Santa Lifesavers cherry / watermelon / green apple / strawberry / orange Gummies, Florida's Au'Some Christmas candy cane Nuggets, and a Waterbridge chocolate letter N.

Plus: A thin Man Fang Yuen Wa long-sleeved shirt, Nosh and Co. Yummy Mixed Fruit Berries, Lifesavers Holiday Mix (candy cane / cherry / apple), a lined blue and white snowflake toque, a colorful small beaded hand purse, a small black BB Design handbag, a thin leafy Orla Kiely long-sleeved shirt, and a colorful Vietnam tote-ish bag.


* a photo card from Jon, Harmony, Ayler, and Hiero - complete with a DUCKFACE in the Santa photo!

* a Christmas card from Deb and Dylan

* a Christmas card with a dog on it from Jaymee L. (kirei_xo_ai), who also included a packet of Swiss Miss hot chocolate

* a Grinch Christmas card from Sam C. (acidquill), who included a small dragon charm / BATMAN stickers / dinosaur stickers x3 (perfect for Ayler and Hiero!) / STAR WARS stickers / FINDING NEMO stickers (perfect for Fraser!) / cute food stickers (ice cream cone / taco / sushi / hamburger / doughnut / pizza slice / French fries / cupcake with cherry on top / a Coke cup playing a guitar / a pretzel / a chocolate bar) / smiley face stickers / IRON MAN stickers / TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE stickers / American dollar bill and American coin stickers / robot stickers / Martian stickers / GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 2 stickers / THE AVENGERS stickers

* a Christmas card and colorful smiley face stickers / polar bear sticker / luge sticker / snowflake sticker / snowboarding cat sticker from Bella (med_cat)

* a Christmas card and penguin / Santa hat stickers from Christy C. (snoopdawg)

* a dog photo card and a postcard of downtown Rotterdam from Kitty B. (bornwitch)