Tatiana's Wanderings

Today is No Bra Day! After COFFEE TIME, I went out at 3:10 on a 407 to go to the family Thanksgiving Dinner. Killed time at Shoppers Drug Mart by buying on-sale M and Ms in Hazelnut Spread flavor, on-sale Life store brand honey lemon cough drops (the pharmacy students didn't understand the word "lozenge"...), and NEW on-sale Live Clean foaming body washes: Shea and Murumuru Butter, plus Mango and Aloe Butter! I must have LOST MY COMPASS CARD on the 3 Downtown bus (which I just managed to get at 4 PM) because I couldn't find it when I left Jon's! It definitely wasn't in my pockets or on the floor that I could see. I need to stop stuffing things in my pockets! UGH!

Anyway, I read six whole books to Hiero (BERENSTEIN BEARS / three STAR WARS / one BATMAN / one Monkey book) and remembered to enjoy the moments of him on my lap and listening. Ayler wanted to read the bus timetable, tell me about decimals (in Grade 2?!) and division in Grade 3, and said "Are you kidding me?!" in Cantonese a lot. When Harmony got back with Beckett, he wanted to play with me, so I made him laugh at the baby pop-up toy. He also went up to Mom, who didn't seem to know he was there, so Jon and I had to say that Beckett was saying hi to her! Of course he also wanted to play with the HP printer display, which had changed into Chinese for Hiero-related reasons. Dad eventually managed to fix it, so was blocking Beckett from playing with the display. He wanted to grab my hat, but I said no. Mom said something about SIM cards and Steph's number and phone. Sure, whatever. She also referred to me as "Fat Aunt" with him - UGH!

Due to the dinner configuration, I sat next to Beckett while eating cheese / apple slices / turkey / gravy / kimchi / cranberry sauce / pizza bread / Brussels sprouts / salad. He grabbed my sweater a few times (I JUST washed it!) and threw food around as usual. Later, he wanted to crawl to my chair when he'd finished eating and Harmony had cleaned him up, but was blocked by Ayler's special chair. I did play with him more after I myself had finished eating and washing my hands: he still throws the little Play=Doh container at people, as well as all the balloons that were on the floor.

Then Beckett cried when a balloon popped! He also cried when he was really done with dinner, as in real tears and everything! Later, Harmony had to put him down for sleeping, so we waved goodnight to him. Harmony was surprised when Beckett imitated what I was doing; that was the FIRST TIME EVER that he waved to ANYONE, so I must have the magic touch! (like I did with Hiero in 2014 when he wouldn't let Harmony sleep) Since Jon agreed to drive me to King Edward Station later, Mom and Dad left because there were only 12 inches of room between the carseats in their vehicle. Hiero asked me about that later, using the correct family names, so I gave him an answer. I later discovered that I had somehow lost my bus pass! Jon gave me $6.50, which was it (that's fine) and enough to cover Tuesday's fare as well. Got home at 9:10 on a 401 (I'd missed a 407 by a few minutes) and then thought that maybe the bus pass could be between the couch cushions. If not, then I will call the Lost and Found Office / Ministry on Tuesday morning.


Random stuff from Mom and Dad: Western Family hot and spicy pasta sauce, plus a small silver pan thing.


Live Clean foaming body washes: Shea and Murumuru Butter, Moringa and Matcha Butter, plus Mango and Aloe Butter!




Western Family hot and spicy pasta sauce!




What is with this weird VerifyError Spectrum Plugins error message when I try to post phone pictures on Facebook?!

I went out at 2 on a 414 to see Rachel at the Caring Place, and got home at about 3:50. Now there's going to be no water on Thursday?! Damn construction and sewer upgrades, haha!


From Julie: When you discover what your cat is really doing up all night making noises... here's a witchy cat inside a pentacle, probably doing incantations! WITCHY BLACK CAT!




From Uncle John's Bathroom Reader: Batman Batsuit history infographic, as of early 2012! Eric M. and Nathan would LOVE this!

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!

Note to self: This entry is public because I want to call the pervert out by name.

Bingo of the night so far:

CORSAIRS (98 points) - against Alice P.

High-scoring words of the night so far:

MONDOS (116 points; 2W, 5W, hook off WELFARE for a plural), ANTISEX (110 points; 5W) - against Lyn M.
JAKE (395 points) - against Mark S. [5W, two 2W, hook off HI to make AHI]
TIPTOES (104 points) - against Jan S. [2W, 4W]
STUNS (163 points) - against Leah D. [two 5W, hook off AXE for a plural] (a good deficit-erasing word!)
ARMING (100 points) - against Leah D. [5W, 2W] (different game) (a good deficit-erasing word!)
YOGA (156 points) - against Nancy L. [5W, 2W]
GIFT (100 points) - against Carrie P. [2W, 5W]
REPEAT (160 points) - against Shelley R.-B. [two 4W]

Facebook quizzes taken from Kelly, Angela B., Steve L., and Gretchen:

( Sea creatures who will eat you, Transformers, Stanley Kubrick protagonists, elements )

Corey and I discussed Milo chocolate drinks (available here and in Malaysia, but not there?!), Tim Tams, hot chocolate, strawberry / chocolate NesQuik, and more hot drinks. He thinks that the Vancouver stoners offended Britney Spears - hahaha, I did hear about that, and think it amusing. Honestly, she can think what she wants, but man.

I got my first creep (Mark William Shaffran) in Wordscraper, who suggested highly inappropriate things regarding sex and drugs. I'm not a prude or sheltered or anything, but seriously! You don't tell me those things, especially in a GAME. Good thing the best revenge is WINNING, which I am doing by a handy margin in BOTH games he started. Thank goodness that I'll never play him again!

Poo nugget for Friday, Apr. 10: Where Beano Fails... - Chester Weimer received a patent in 1998 for airtight underwear that is lined with a charcoal filter. This garment supposedly lets you fart with impunity by absorbing the emitted noxious odors. Lest you decide to don this diaper and let loose in company, bear in mind that this device will do nothing to block out sounds. (I'm listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd's That Smell right now, so this is a quirky amusing coincidence!)