Tatiana's Wanderings

It's Earth Day 2020 today! I also temporarily got QUADRUPLE DIGITS IN MY BANK ACCOUNT again! Hopefully, my spending habits are a little better than they were the LAST time this happened! Also, I won't need to give $900 of my own money for a family trip like the ICBC insurance settlement. Of course, that only lasted for the time it took me to go banking, never mind grocery shopping! I think I'll just continue my usual money habits this time.

After dealing with a stupid Reddit Vancouver troll, I went banking and shopping at 11:25 AM on a 407 with my Asian old lady shopping cart, noting that the 414 shuttle bus would be discontinued next week as per a sign at the bus stop. Briefly peeked into London Drugs, and at least I didn't have to walk all the way around the block from Moore's clothing store to get to Royal Bank this time, unlike LAST payday! I got NEW Iogo cherry yogurt, NEW on-sale Oikos strawberry-raspberry / Zesty lemon-lime Greek yogurts x2, NEW Lysol Click Gel toilet bowl cleaner x3 (SPRING WATERFALL!) which was really easy for me to unwrap and apply, on-sale Earth's Own original almond milk, a NEW on-sale Tao Kae Noi BIG SPICY SEAWEED ROLL box with nine of them, chocolate orange Jaffa Cakes, and Shin Ramyun Black CUP noodles x2.

Also purchased NEW Western Family regular grated Parmesan cheese (green), NEW Western Family light grated Parmesan cheese (yellow), NEW Pulmuone Katsuo Soba Ramen noodles, NEW Ottogi Super-Spicy Yeul Ramen noodles, NEW Ottogi sesame ramen noodles with an egg block, Western Family mixed frozen vegetables AFTER TWO MONTHS, and a LUCKY 24-pack of Purex toilet paper. When I got home at 2:15 on a 407 with a nice friendly understanding bus driver, I paid my Shaw and hydro bills online. after text exchanges with both Erics about life, I went out again at 7:05 and luckily got another 12-pack of Purex double rolls along with some Old Dutch Restaurante salsa con queso (cheese salsa) and a big bag of Western Family mixed frozen vegetables for more peace of mind.

I also got Green Works toilet bowl cleaner x2 since I can just turn the cap and not have to squeeze it in impossible or difficult positions like I have to do with Lysol or Scrubbing Bubbles. London Drugs also has this, and I forgot about this till now. Got home at 8:10 on a 407 and tested out the Starfrit jar opener on the salsa jar. I hit the jar on the counter first to hopefully break the seal, tried opening it a few times, then I made a mistake by tilting the jar.... I think after that spill, I'll postpone a shower and laundry till at least tomorrow!


Hungry Man Boneless Fried Chicken microwaveable meal... YAY!




[( Smoking Backyard Barbecue! )

After I showered, I went out at 1:25 on a 407 with my Asian old lady shopping cart to do some banking and go grocery shopping. The sidewalk is closed by Brighouse Station because of the loop construction, and Shoppers and Price Smart both have lineups to get inside in the name of social distancing and limiting the number of people! I got Krinos Athena salt x3 for $3 at London Drugs, where they've shut down all cash registers (I think) and two of the infernal self-checkout machines. Then I had to navigate the sidewalk closure and answer a couple of basic travel-related questions at Royal Bank before I was allowed inside to use the far ATM. Even if I knew anyone who had been outside of Canada lately, it's not like I'm seeing them!

Then I went to Price Smart, where there was also a lineup to get inside. Bought NEW No Joke / Solar Flare / Blueberry Plague / Momento de Muerte hot sauces x4 from Pepper North Artisan Foods, GOOD TASTE dumplings x5 (pork and celery / pork and chive / beef and vegetable / cabbage and chicken / cabbage and pork), on-sale Western Family regular soy sauce (carefully opening it in the store first), Maggi Kari Letup noodles, NEW Ottogi Jin Ramen Odong Tong Myon noodles in Spicy Seafood Udon flavor, Doll shrimp wonton ramen noodles, NEW Miss Vickie's Signatures Black Truffle and Parmesan chips, original Western Family chili, and Allen's Malt Vinegar x2. Plastic bags are temporarily free, while you can't bring your reusable bag inside because they're trying to stop the spread of coronavirus. After that, I left because my shopping cart was getting too heavy. I paid my Shaw bill online after getting home at 4 on a 407 and wiping things down, then went out to Price Smart again at 6:30 on a 401 whose bus driver AGAIN didn't see my cart because of the sunlight.

The lineup wasn't too bad and it moved faster at 6:40, which is fine by me. I bought NEW AG Blue Label concentrated household bleach (3.6 litres!), Puritan Irish Stew for St. Patrick's Day 2021, on-sale NEW Goldfish Grahams x2 (Chocolate Brownie / Vanilla Cupcake), on-sale NEW Western Family HOT salsa x2 (which the jar opener DID work on!), NEW Oikos Hint of Banana lactose-free yogurt, Western Family prune nectar / prune juice, on-sale Charmin triple toilet paper, and NEW zinc Jamieson Vitamins x2. Of course I took advantage of the hand sanitizer at a checkout when I left the store, nodding at the masked security guard at the exit. Finally got home at 7:45 thanks to a slightly late 407, and now Paulo wants to get some of that hot sauce!


From Julie: KINDERGARTEN COP 1990 - Boys have a penis and girls have a vagina. KINDERGARTEN COP 2018 - I've got no fucking clue.




( Hot sauce galore, Smokey Mountain Spaghetti and Meatballs, AND MORE! )

Hester's husband Ni interrupted me at 1:20 today to investigate my lamp fixture / light bulb cover note. "No safety concern" and "that's the one that came with the building?" and "I have to think"! AIYA! I also had to be an adult (again) since Auntie Vonnie texted me a couple days ago to say the building insurance had expired, so I let Dad know instead. After a bunch of texts, I finally had to go to TXL in person (at least I know where it is?) today and sign a form, telling Sheryl to just bill my dad's credit card instead since they have the number for that. I left at 2:10 on a 414.

Went to Kwong Chow for some Chinese mushroom / bok choy noodle soup afterwards since I'd only had a strawberry chiffon doughnut at Tim Horton's beforehand, figuring I had just enough time between 3 buses to do so. Then some literal children and their knapsacks blocked my view of the intersection so I couldn't see which bus was coming - I only JUST managed to get the Marine Drive station bus! FINALLY made plans with Frances via text for next Monday, the 17th, at the Oakridge White Spot. "I can pick exactly 6!" she said... dude, you're actively making plans with another person?!

At the station, I went to T&T and got Samyang noodles x3 (regular fire noodles / 2X Spicy noodles / black bean noodles), then went to London Drugs on a 401 since I'd just missed the 407. I got a NEW white Evercare delicates laundry bag WITH A ZIPPER (I opened another package in the store to see if it had a zipper) from Aisle 4, then almost lost it because some lady stepped on it in the lineup for the cash register. The Asian lady in front of me thought the cashier was also Asian (so did I), so spoke Cantonese to her as she bought 15 bottles of on-sale Sunkist Vitamin C and three Arm and Hammer toothpaste tubes.

Turns out the cashier is actually Indonesian and doesn't even know any Cantonese, although she attempted Mandarin. The lady gave me a thumbs-up after I told her that the clerk didn't know any Chinese! The lady BEHIND ME wanted to go ahead of me, but NO - I was AHEAD of her! Then she thought I was stealing from the store because I had a huge reusable bag - I told her off! I finally got home at 6:15 on a 407! ENOUGH OF BEING AN ADULT! I also used Paulo as a reminder service, and complained about things to Mike.


This poop emoji is useful if you're in love with the shit.




Strawberry Chiffon doughnut at Tim Horton's!




Chinese mushroom and vegetable noodle soup at Kwong Chow!




They have pork BLOOD congee here at Kwong Chow...




Evercare delicates laundry bag with a zipper for things that shouldn't go in the dryer, found in Aisle 4 of my nearest London Drugs! Much better for my slipper socks!

I discovered that Andre had unfriended / blocked me on Facebook - WHAT THE HECK?! Eric picked me up at 8:50 AM so I could use church as a vehicle to get to the Osborne Gym at UBC for Hiero's 6th birthday party. It helps that his hockey is all the way out at UBC, too... and it turned out that his hockey building is practically right next to the Robert Osborne building! He said that the LUFIA music sounded like something crazy was going on at my place - HAHAHA! I packed the Creature Chumpers toy (but forgot the birthday card), a bottled water, my Doge bag, and the other Starbucks Cold Brew before putting my boots on just in case of slush. Made my bag heavier, but it was okay. Eric and I listened to the radio for a bit until some guy came on who just monologues at you all the time - not his thing, and not mine either!

When we got to church, there was still plenty of parking across the street. As I thought, the car door went CLONK into a slush accumulation. Luckily, Eric could pull forward a bit so I could go into the nearby parking lot and then cross the street after getting on the clear sidewalk. I waited around outside the sanctuary, saying hey to Joe. When we were allowed to go inside, I said hi to Geoffrey and Sheena, and was respectful of the service. Hiero was there with Jon (who was preaching today), so I asked him if he wanted his birthday gift now or later... of course he chose now, before the Children's Sunday School.

I realized I'd forgotten the birthday card, but I can always give it to him later. He seemed out of it for some reason, but I wouldn't find out why till much later. Then he was trying to get Jon's attention, but he was busy talking to Pastor Dan. When I got back from the handicapped restroom (seeing empty water jugs inside and hoping a grandma didn't have to use it), Hiero had gotten Jon's attention, who told him to say thank you. I said that he already had (when I prompted him), so of course he didn't have to say it again! I did see Uncle Eric and Auntie Brenda at different times, and an uncle said hi to me as well.

Jon had an engaging sermon on Mark and seeds, at least. Even Julie S. agreed with me later on! I said hi to Sam, Auntie Cathy, Auntie Catherine (hug), Auntie Esther (hug), Cordia's mom, Helen C., Joe T., Ivan, Lesley, Dylan / Deb / Declan / Elysse (who thinks it's crazy that Hiero will be her age by next week AND who was eating sugar cubes), Cordia / Amasiah / Julie S. / Denise (who sent a photo of me to Steph) / Julie M., Auntie Susan x2 (Karen Grace's mom and Vivian's mom), Darren L., Martin T., Acer, and others. I could hear Acer swearing in the fellowship hall while talking about DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS, but whatever.

Soon enough, it was just a little group of me, Eric, Cordia, Amasiah, their friend Jeremy, and Acer since everyone else was staying for the Larry and Bella Mori missionary lunch before Missions Fest later in the month. Once we were shushed by Auntie Ada (Benedict's mom) since the Cantonese service was going on, we moved to the stairs, where I noticed a few minutes later that we were blocking the way, so we stood around a little outside the sanctuary in the "hall" until the bench cleared up. We still had to watch our volume, though!

Jeremy insisted he wasn't a weeb just because he went to Japan with some guys - including Acer's cousin - and had to translate for the group, Cordia said she's accepted who she is, and said that Amasiah was morbid like me - SWEET! We talked about the Japan trip, Japanese people KNOWING when you're "foreign" to them even if you're Asian and fluent in the language, Sharon's health woes in the Osoyoos (being literally stuck at home), 80 cents for a medium bottle of milk tea in Japan, the Mori kids Timothy and Tiffany, Molly, people following others on Instagram, pressuring Amasiah to buy some Pokemon figurine on Amazon since she didn't in Hong Kong, my trip, the snow and slush, anime / manga, otaku people, Discord, and lunch plans. Eric and I went upstairs to see if we could get some extra $2 sandwiches (Benedict had five pink tickets from his mom!), but he decided not to bother or distract anyone in the rooms, which I noticed are now labelled. They even upgraded the water cooler from a huge jug to a black self-cleaning one!

A few minutes later at 1:25, Eric asked if I was cool with going to Broadway / Cambie instead. Sure, why not? We could get fast food burgers, so we went to A and W where he kindly paid for my Mama Burger and we shared his fries before going to Pacific Spirit Park and a parking garage on UBC campus. He pressed the crosswalk button for me in the rainy weather, and showed me which building to go into. I went into the Robert Osborne building, connected to the Wi-Fi, and looked for a specific gym on the Evite to no avail, so I had to text Harmony about it. "No, gym" is not really a great answer to "should I meet you on the second floor?" when there are at least three gyms and lots of lockers in the entire place... as I told Steph, I wonder how many "where is this place specifically?" calls and texts they got before the birthday party.

Jon and Harmony were actually early with the kids, probably because they had to sign a waiver and were nominally hosting 15 kids and their parents. I showed Beckett the balls that he had dropped in my bag, but he seemed too out of it even for just waking up. He did look at them with widened eyes, but said nothing. After I met Hiero's friends Emmett and Huxley (what a name!), I heard that Hiero had puked on the gymnastics equipment when Harmony was explaining what had happened in Chinese to her parents! IRRESPONSIBLE AND GROSS! WHY WOULD YOU SUBJECT KIDS TO THAT?! Even Ayler was complaining of feeling sick at the end of everything later! While I was there, Chinese Eric replied to my text about the All-Star Game, saying he'd get back to me later. Why don't you figure it out first, man? I'm not like my ex Mike who wants an almost-instant response! Uncle Joe and Auntie Wing ended up driving me home after the refreshments since Costco closes early on Sundays, so I got home at 6:25. AWESOME!


Random stuff from Mom and Dad, who definitely wanted the tiny tote bag back if Mom dug through my bag for it: Cao Is Starvingbase Chongqing instant noodles, Paldo Jjajangmen Chajang instant noodles, Country Life pure soap, a random floral soap circle, Princess Cruises Lotus Spa shower gel x2, a shoe brush, a Bath Aquatics h2O+ bath bar, and Ontrue roasted seaweed x2 in green tea flavor! It's MINE after I put it in my bag - come on now, WAIT FOR ME TO GET BACK FROM THE WASHROOM AND THEN ASK PERMISSION! Even Beckett has more respect than that! When he dropped his balls in my bag, he just stood by the bag and didn't go through it... I'm sure he doesn't have the words to ask about the balls, but that doesn't matter!


The Tiger Tiger Sukiyaki noodles did come with a lot of packets in the bowl with the handy lid, all crammed inside!




( Gummies, water jugs, hot water advisories, and party food! )