Tatiana's Wanderings

I noticed that Terrence unfriended me - okay, then! Went out at 3 on a 407 to London Drugs: I got on-sale Morris Gold chocolate coins, on-sale Lindt milk chocolate, on-sale Lindt assorted dark chocolate (60% and 70%), on-sale Lindt strawberries and cream chocolate truffles, on-sale NEW limited-edition Lindt Milk and White chocolate truffles for Valentine's Day, on-sale Febreze odor killer x2 (Tide / original), on-sale NEW Febreze air fresheners x3 (Bora Bora Waters / original with Gain / Linen and Sky), on-sale NEW Burt's Bees lip balm x2 (vanilla bean / wild cherry), NEW Rochef chocolate-covered dried cranberries / blueberries, one litre of Heinz ketchup, on-sale Plackers Micro Mint flossers in a 150 value pack, and on-sale NEW Nutter Butter fudge peanut butter cookie sandwiches. Was home by 4, which was fine by me! The Febreze things were to replace the ones I bought on October 9, 2018 when Jimmy disappeared AGAIN, probably to block people and talk to others. "Just sitting and taking care of Grandma and thinking in the rain," my ass!


From Holidays That Might Get Overlooked: Feb. 15! Don't even think about getting in between me and my half-price chocolate.




From Holidays That Might Get Overlooked: February 15 is Cheap Candy Day!




From Holidays That Might Get Overlooked: I can't wait for February 15! Otherwise known as 50% off Chocolate Day!




From Someecards and Twitter: Find someone who loves murder documentaries as much as you do. There's really nothing better than cuddling with your babe while watching stories about people having their head cut off with a steak knife.




Morris Gold Chocolate coins for Valentine's Day - European milk chocolate!




( Chocolate, Febreze, lip balm, and flossers! )

THIS ENTRY IS ALLOWED TO HAVE NON-ALIGNED TAGS.


Cards Received, 2018!


Special 2018 (2)

* Cuya: "Flamsterette! Thank you so much for your continued support! It's awesome hanging out with you online! Enjoy these things, please! ♥ - Cuya!" [a Ness from EARTHBOUND perler and two homemade green heart-shaped soaps!]

* Vanessa and Jason: "Hi! Here's Cassidy's birth announcement. One of these days, we'll meet up! ♥ [heart sticker]"


Birthday 2018 (3)

* Jeremy: "Hope you have a great year ahead, Les! Happy birthday - Jeremy." ("You're someone who's lovely, thoughtful, sweet, and kind... wishing you a day that makes you feel as special as you really are! Happy birthday!")

* Rachel F.: "Wishing you continued hope, love, happiness, and excitement for your many years to come! Happy birthday. :)"

* Steph, Lisa, Fraser, Henry, and Havarti: "There once was a very happy tree... who died for this card. The End. Happy Birthday, Tree Killer." (included the kids' handprints!)


Christmas 2018 (11)

* Kitty: "Hello, Leslie. The card is a little late, but I really want to wish you all the best for Christmas and I hope all your wishes for 2019 will come true! Love, Kitty and Ringo the dog."

* Angie H. (auralily): "Happy Holidays and best wishes for a wonderful New Year!"

* photo card from Jon and Harmony

* Steph and Lisa: Merry Belated Christmas, Leslie!

* a photo card from Janet S. (ghost_light) and Mark S. (lonelydumptruck): "Dear Glowing_Dragon, Merry and happy to you throughout the season and the whole new year!"

* Julie M. (moonshar): "Leslie, It seems like each year is flying by. It's almost 2019! Here is to another year of murder shows, bad names, and funny memes! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

* Deanna H. (endlessblush): "Hello, Leslie. It's 38°C and I need to get my Christmas baking done. Summer and Christmas don't always mix. We are home this year, and it will be quiet. Everyone is well here... kids are all busy with part-time jobs now that school / university has finished for the year. I have one more week of work, then have time off until January 2. Yay! Merry Christmas. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Love, Deanna."

* Rebecca R. (reeby10): "Happy Holidays! I hope that 2019 is a wonderful year for you! Best wishes!" She included IRON MAN stickers / rainbow stickers / superhero stickers / Roald Dahl JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH bookmark / Roald Dahl THE BFG bookmark / golden owl bookmark / golden stylized leaf bookmark / STAR WARS "Join the resistance!" and "power!" stickers / IRON MAN stickers / rainbow stickers in a huge Canada Post plastic bag. Apparently, the card with a red robin and logs was "damaged in the mailstream."


Total: 17

2018 Year In Review!


THIS ENTRY IS ALLOWED TO HAVE NON-ALIGNED TAGS.

[Meme fun: Take the first line from the first post of every month of the year. Repost it here as your year in review. (I'm discounting greetings and things like that :P) Yeah, it's been an interesting year!]

Go to your Calendar and find the first entry for each month of the year. Post the first line of it in your journal as a paragraph, and that's your "Year In Review."

I got a baby girl card for Jason and Vanessa ("KEEP CALM AND CARRY BABY WIPES"), NEW Shasha organic ginger snaps for Vanessa (no sugar?!), 200g of on-sale Ferrero Rocher, 100 store brand bandages, a NEW Carnation variety pack of hot chocolate (TURTLES Canada / Coffee Crisp / After Eight), and NEW Lipton Chicken Noodle Supreme soup from London Drugs, which has just started charging for plastic bags. SO MUCH ON-SALE BLACK PEPPER SALMON JERKY FOR ME AND JIMMY AND JULIE, OH MY! I called Barry at 8:35 AM to tell him about the mouse on the glue trap which I discovered last night. The computer restarted at 6 AM! I called Barry at 9:40 this morning to remind him about going to Rona for a Victor Pest Chaser Ultrasonic Rodent Repeller, which cost $33. I went to the pharmacy next door at 1:50 to refill my prescription early; yes, even Adam commented on it!

I left at 5:55 to get two 3-subject Hilroy notebooks in green and light blue (for home use and road use) from London Drugs, returning home at 6:40 on a late 407. CHOCOLATE AND BATHROOM REPLACEMENTS GALORE AGAIN, and today's date is a palindrome: 8/1/18! Yesterday, Frances C. emailed me to say that she couldn't make it to Felico's because of work, which is fine. I went out at 12 on a 401 so I could buy Campbell's Chunky Soup (Jerk Chicken with Vegetables / Butter Chicken with Vegetables), NESCAFÉ instant coffee (December 16, 2017), a NEW on-sale limited edition Oh Henry! Canada / Oh Henry 4:25 Pop-Up candy bar, barkTHINS snacking dark chocolate with pumpkin seeds for Thanksgiving dinner, NEW limited edition Doritos Late Night Fully-Loaded Nacho chips, and HALLS assorted mint cough drops. I went out at 12:20 on a 414 to do some shopping for on-sale Halloween candy and Advent calendars. COFFEE TIME while I'm still figuring out why Jimmy blocked me instead of just talking to me about what I did...... I should have posed it as a hypothetical a while ago!

Barry came by at 11:15 to help me with a flashlight / rubber gloves / steel wool, and left at 11:45. I gave him the parking pass, and he removed another dead mouse plus a nearby pack of playing cards. Since I didn't have to help out today (which I found out at 2:40 right when I was going to leave), I took the "extra" time to shop at Price Smart instead when it wasn't so hot outside at 3:20. I bought a Japanese bento box (sushi / egg / rice / meat / two potstickers / thin red noodles!), crunchy pig's ears, NEW limited-edition Olympic Krema passion fruit yogurt, NEW limited-edition Olympic Krema Greek lemon ginger yogurt, NEW Western Family sriracha chips, store brand steel wool, an on-sale Crunchie bar (for 50 cents!), and NEW on-sale Breyers Reese peanut butter cups chocolate ice cream.

Before I left the store (getting Erik's sister Lindsay as my cashier), I had to endure the lady in front of me thinking that she could use her new points redemption / points rebate coupon on the same transaction where she got it, then take an extra minute to slowly get her debit card out of her wallet and then use it. Ugh! It's a good thing that I was home within 15 minutes at 4:30 on a 407!


Breyer's Reese peanut butter cups chocolate ice cream!




Western Family kettle-cooked sriracha chips!




Clinton Bacon?!

THIS ENTRY IS ALLOWED TO HAVE NON-ALIGNED TAGS.


Tonight's menu:

Heirloom Bean Chili with Garnishes (cheese, rice, avocado, and onions)
Cornbread
Winter Green Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Quince and Apple Crisp
Agua de Jamaica
Dark Chocolate Cookie Cheesecake
Beer / Coffee Porter / Pot Filler / Gluten-Free Cider


After COFFEE TIME, Eric picked me up at 6:25 (he had to work from home today) so we could go to Jeremy's. I had his Ganong Delecto dark peppermint creams and Christmas card, plus Jeremy's FROSTY THE SNOWMAN Advent calendar and Christmas card. I'd also decided to give Ayler my old NIV Reference Bible (from 2010) for later in life. HA! Eric and I talked about life on the way there ("Christmas spirit?" "Well, I can't bitch about it being too early to mention Christmas..."), Wo's Restaurant, his not seeing Jon's new place apart from moving help, that Kwong Chow dinner, and his asking if I liked hot or cold yoga. Hahaha, no! I do know there are places near Jeremy's that offer it, though. We passed by the Boiling Point Hot Soup Restaurant which I'd seen on Yelp a couple years ago, too. The Canucks played Toronto at 4 today, and won 2-1, which I heard about later. When we got to Jeremy's apartment, I could hear what seemed like Randal pontificating on something, so I commented on this to Eric in a low voice. After hearing a little more of this "pontificating," I understood that it was the pre-dinner prayer. Oh well!

I saw Ayler and Hiero for two minutes as they were getting ready to leave with Harmony, and Ayler greeted me with "You should be here earlier!" Hahaha! I told him that Eric had had to work from home today, so that hadn't been possible. Then Jon said that I could have been there earlier had I not been too lazy to take the bus. Whatever - Eric had enabled it by being home when I called his cell at 2:30 to see what was going on after he hadn't answered my email reply last night! I asked Ayler if that meant he wanted to see me more, and he said yes. I think that's a good sign, so I said I'd see him on Monday. "And then Wednesday!" he said. No, that isn't going to happen! I managed to offload the Bible to Harmony since she had the cleanest hands out of her and the kids before they left. Later, Jon said that if I didn't hear from him, I should come on Monday - his student had been sick last week, so he'll call to see if the lesson is still going on. I also said that I'd sent Steph his address, so she'll send him that baby card with Henry (but I said "some mail") when she gets around to it. I gave Jeremy his FROSTY THE SNOWMAN Advent calendar, which he apparently really loved because he used to watch that exact FROSTY THE SNOWMAN cartoon religiously as a child! Hahaha, I'm glad that he really loved it! Of course he thanked me! He was also surprised at the pile of mostly change that I dumped on the donations table, deciding to raise my payment by two loonies and a toonie. (Jon's smoker friend Edwin left at this point, too)

I talked to Dilys and Trish about using Ayler and Hiero's leftover mugs (kid cooties can't get us!), wedding card / wedding thanks etiquette, early Christmas decorating / Christmas songs, Jesse's brother Hubert holding hands with a girl named Amanda at their first group meetup at a movie (that worked for them), Steph / Lisa / Fraser / Henry (Dilys had seen Steph and Lisa with my parents at a White Spot on Kingsway [?] while she was pregnant with Fraser), cookbooks, reading books, non-fiction, swearing around kids, hillbilly society, and documentaries after saying hi to a guy named Jonathan / Caleb / Jesse / Christon / Gino / Quan / Rebecca. Then I finally got a chance to ask Kevin whether he'd received the MEGA SUSHI email two months ago (couldn't do it at the Wo's Restaurant dinner), but he said that it must not have come through his inbox, then apologized. Nothing to be done about that!

Later, the phone was off the hook, so some people showed up randomly. I told Dilys that at the last dinner, I had accidentally locked Jon out of the apartment when he came back from taking the kids home with Harmony; I'd locked Jeremy's apartment door out of habit! I shouted over the music to ask Randal about NaNoWriMo, but he hadn't done it. He did say that there was a local challenge to write a novel in three days - yeah, I could never do that! Also, he mentioned that it was too loud with the music and other conversations. Not as bad as the Shark Club, man! I said hi to Ivan, who said I looked the same with my festive "jeweled" shirt and Santa hat - OF COURSE! Dilys asked if the clock chimed - yes, it did! Someone asked whether Jeremy had a VHS collection, but nope! He did have vinyl records, for sure! Christon told us about the Willingdon café $5 meal ministry before he left early.

Later, Jeremy was showing Trish some Christmas ornaments and decorations (including candy canes, which my nephews had recognized) on the Christmas tree. Lots of yearly ornaments and inheritances from his grandma! There was a bird feeder decoration from his grandma, and Eric wanted to ask Jeremy whether there was a leftover Communion glass there. Nobody heard him, so I used my existing NG lungpower to relay the question. Jeremy gave us a look, looked at the decoration again, and laughed - there was indeed a Communion cup! I had to laugh and said that Eric had NAILED IT! Ivan, Randal, Eric, and I talked about "accident" kids like Hiero and Ivan's brother Nathan, kids ten months apart, Richmond life, renting, his paying cheap rent to his parents, night shifts / managerial positions not being worth it for sleep / money considerations, the high gasoline prices (147.9?), Ivan's having to make FOUR trips to and from Richmond / Steveston to the Italian Cultural Centre because Stanley's wedding cake fell through (but they then got 500 different doughnuts from Steveston - PLAN BETTER FOR LESS DRIVING!), a pharmacist job, the new Shoppers Drug Mart near my place, the Richmond Centre Shoppers Drug Mart, patients wanting to set him up with their kids, my mom wanting to set me up with John Law once, how Mom acts when she's drunk (like the mooncake at Thanksgiving lunch 2007 at the townhouse - Kevin said that I had a good memory if Randal couldn't remember what happened WHEN HE HAD BEEN THERE!), Dad and others getting old, and the declining attendance at VCEFC.

I remembered to ask about the small group situation (Crossroads), but everyone in existing positions is overstressed and overstretched because there are fewer people around since they've left for various reasons. Awana is still a thing, but the leader-to-kid ratio is something like one leader to eight kids, as opposed to one leader for three or four kids like when I was doing it with Anita and Melia. The Fellowship situation may be starting up again with another version of David Fellowship, but lots of people have pre-existing small group commitments once or twice a month already, so the connection aspect may not be there if people only go to the big group once a month or so. Eric and I left at around 10:10, after I'd asked Ivan whether the church website had a livestreaming service, but he and Eric just chuckled - nope, probably not, although I do remember that they record the services and put them up at some point during the week.

When we left after I had drunken trouble with my winter jacket (Jeremy laughed - but I did thank him for hosting and all of that), Eric wondered if I'd had an enjoyable evening - I had, and so had he. He reminded himself not to go into robot mode, and I reminded him again when we got near that important turn-off. In the parking lot at 10:30, I asked what it meant if the computer restarted randomly or Windows didn't start up properly some of the time. I'm sure it could be a number of things, but I didn't want to set up something right then. He isn't even going to church tomorrow because he has a lot of work to do! I'll just email him later sometime, but it is time for bed now! Yep, Jimmy seems odd in the "wait a minute - why are you not saying anything?" way, but it's best to leave that alone.