Tatiana's Wanderings

After COFFEE TIME, I went out at 2:40 on a 401 to a sick Jeremy's for Jon's birthday dinner since Eric could give me a ride home after UBC hockey and helping in the kitchen. I bought on-sale Knorr Sidekicks in Chicken and Broccoli rice and pasta / Homestyle Cheddar / Chicken Fried Rice, some high-visibility fluorescent yellow-green stickers and slap bracelet straps from Dollar Land (FINALLY!), some 100 mL Vaseline lotion in the yellow tube for Ontario from Shoppers Drug Mart, and a small bag of NEW on-sale Takis Outlaw snacks from Buy-Low for the Gwei-Lo at Kingsgate Mall since I got there at 3:20. I managed to get to Jeremy's at 4:35 after cutting through Dude Chilling Park, and Ayler wasn't even there yet to lock me out like he did last year! Eric sent me a text while I was there to ask if I was here yet... crazy! I did give him his Windel Advent calendar and Delecto dark chocolate assortment, and gave Jeremy his Windel Advent calendar too.

The kids got there a while later; Harmony said she was glad I was there already because then I could help her watch Beckett and take him from Jesse later on when he needed a break. Yeah, I let him look at the big screen for a minute - that's not going to get him addicted! Jeremy said there were some unsafe things for babies behind the chairs - yes, I could see wires! Beckett toddled around and wanted to turn off the computer, which Ayler thought was a touchscreen again. I let Beckett touch my fuzzy purple Alia winter coat, go up on the couch (but NOT touch the Japanese painting), hold my hands as he walked around, spout gibberish about the glass table (he can see the carpet!) and point at the lights and new things, and give me all the beer coasters a few times over.

Yes, he could throw those around if he wanted to, but NOT the candles or anything else! NOT SUITABLE PROJECTILES! He was also eventually curious about Jeremy's beard, like Ayler and Hiero had been. Ayler was smart and knew that I would have Advent calendars for them. He has a bonus dragon book since HE is a DRAGON too! The Santa stuffed dog was in my bag later when I got home, but I can give it to Beckett before my trip. Hiero wanted to be Batman or Superman in front of everyone.

I was civil and polite to Raymond when he was in the way and admiring Jeremy's bookshelf while I wanted to get my UTHER book from my bag to show Trish later, and also when I handed him some dishes that needed to be washed. Caught up with Caleb (I saw his uncle William recently!), Becky, Alice, Jeremy, Randal, Jesse, Trish, Lanie, and Christon for sure. (Ayler's math prowess / the Japanese soldier who refused to surrender until his commanding officer said so / my upcoming trip / writing / Jacob's Well / SERVANTS / the Spain honeymoon / buying a new place and moving / a rice cooker / the microwave / Jeremy seeing Steph in the newspaper as a random RCMP officer and confirming with Jon)

I met Jon's friend Mallory, noticed that his friend Jay had a "scent" about him, and "met" his friends Chris and Mallory. Since we all had to leave an hour or so earlier because Jeremy was feeling under the weather (bad timing as he got sick from his co-workers yesterday!), Eric and I actually left at 9 or so! We talked about gluten-free ice cream sandwiches being good for his mom and brother, his staying home at Christmas, FIRE EMBLEM, and a raccoon being outside near the dumpster when we got to my place at 9:30. (it was a milk jug...)


Trappiste Rochefort beer!




Santa's Sac beer, haha!




( Food and safety and more! )

Darryl wanted back in the server, so of course I let him in. Nate was like, "HOW THE FUCK DID YOU CONVINCE HIM TO JOIN? I have been trying for ages!" Well, I didn't pressure him if that's what you mean! I left at 2 (just missing an early 407) to go to Shoppers Drug Mart in hopes of getting a new Optimum card (which I did) - of course I had to wait 15 minutes for the next bus, and a further five minutes in line, but that's okay. I'll have to call customer service to transfer my points!

I encountered some girl who just made noises on the 407, too. Then I walked to London Drugs to get some NEW Tutti Gourmet Biscotti for National Biscotti Day tomorrow: Almond, Cocoa and Almond, Orange and Dark Chocolate, plus Pistachio / Cranberry / Anise! Got home at 3:05 on a 407 (and an old lady gave ME a seat?!), which is fine by me. Then my computer mouse buttons wouldn't respond and it was skipping sometimes, but it worked again after a while - PHEW!


Cletorius Aretha Fry was wanted in VIRGINIA in January 2019?! HAHAHAHA!




From Crime Watch Daily: Mistie Carlson?! BAD SPELLING OF MISTY!




From Julie: HOW TO SHARPEN PENCILS?!




( More food! BISCOTTI AND GUM! )

I went out at 2 to see Rachel at The Caring Place on a 414, and pleasantly discovered that the three nearby bus stops have FINALLY been liberated from construction and are now operational again! WOO! I definitely had to text Paulo to let him know, especially since they'd just been officially reinstated yesterday! After talking about stuff and fulfilling a biological purpose, I got home at 4 on a 407 after waiting for late buses.


From Julie M. and CHEATERS: Kennethia Barnes?!




From Vanessa and the Richmond News: Emotions Paradise Universe?! What a name change from an Iraqi name!

After MORE COFFEE TIME, I left for Jon and Harmony's at 2. I stopped by the Kam Do Bakery to get a BBQ pork bun to eat on the train, then got to the house at 2:45 or so, right on time. I was delayed a couple of minutes by some neighbor lady with a dog who recognized me from Mom's Facebook photos. I didn't really mind talking to her, though. At least the door was open, probably because it was pretty hot outside! When Jon asked, I requested some water. The kids were eating some snacks when I got there: Hiero offered me his peach pit (no thanks!) and Ayler told me that they didn't have any more BBQ pork buns. That's fine, as I'd just eaten one! Then came the usual questions about how long ago and what time I'd eaten it, along with Ayler reciting all the Canada Line stations up to Olympic Village. He's getting smart!

While Jon's music student Justin was over, the kids were pretty loud, but made "gas stations" out of bristle blocks ("Gas gas gas!"), offered me grapes from their plate (sure!), made long trains, and put some tiny playing cards in numerical order. Apparently, they got them from the hospital ("not blood draws - a vaccine!") a couple weeks ago. At least they're not being taught how to gamble yet! Ayler also wanted me to stay for dinner, so I said I'd think about it. Hiero pointed out some holes in my socks - I swear I just bought them, but who knows? I'll just have to get some more later! Ayler asked me whether Jon would have two more music students; I had no idea! Hiero wanted me to read a book about 100 vehicles to him - sure, why not? It's better than fighting with your brother over toy trains and train tracks!

When Justin left, they "gave" him some train tracks, which he of course put back when they weren't looking. Easy to do! When the kids weren't there, I put back the noisy xylophone and the hammer to go with it, but Ayler was okay with catching the balls with his hand. Jon noticed and thanked me, then a woman came over for a piano lesson. Harmony got home and also invited me to stay for dinner, which was ratatouille / zucchini / corn on the cob. Harmony got home and also invited me to stay for dinner, which was ratatouille / zucchini / corn on the cob. She said that she was thinking about taking the kids to the Family Centre, the park, and then to physio on Wednesday, so my coming over around 12:30 would be good. No time for anything but mushroom soup, then!

Ayler said that we could eat the zucchini seeds, and I offered an apologetic "sorry" to Jon and that other student when Hiero squealed at seeing the corn on the cob. "Corn excitement over here!" Then Ayler said that I could stay for "the ice cream" - cute! Ayler thought that Randal would come over - who knows? He did, though. Hiero told me that Uncle Randal was there, so I asked how he knew. Apparently, he heard Randal's voice. Randal was indeed over for music lessons, and he said hi to me. To be polite, I offered him a frosty Hello back. Whatever, I don't care what the kids think. Then Ayler wondered if he'd eaten yet and whether he'd eat later. I said he might eat later if he hadn't already. Ayler asked why he was reading, so I said that he was probably doing it because he liked reading just like me. That's fine for me, but that's all I'm willing to concede.

Harmony brought out one Easter egg each for the kids (which she'd apparently forgotten about for some time), and Ayler asked why I wasn't having any. I had some chocolate at home already, I told him. Harmony said that I could go after dinner, which was fine by me. I actually had to put down my dinner bowl because Ayler requested a hug before I left, which is totally fine. Ayler also wanted me to stay overnight, so I asked him where I'd sleep. "Share Daddy's pillow!" was the answer I got. I told Harmony that she might want to explain why I could NOT sleep in the same bed as Jon, then left after saying bye to everyone except Randal. If the kids notice and say something, whatever. At 7:15, I was home on a 407, and fielded an email from ERIC HO saying that he'd even had to work on his birthday last week! Poor guy! He wants to catch a Lions game, but I looked at the schedule and the only near ones are in September! Not doable if he wants to hang out as August winds down!


From Julie S. and BFUK: I have 20 unread books at home, but I really, really need to buy this one. That's the story of a book lover!




From the r/hockey Discord server: Nick Bonino has an Italian background, so he's enjoying some homecooked spaghetti right out of the Stanley Cup!