glowing_dragon: (Cherry Cheesecake or Pie)
The Romanovs: The Real History of the Russian Dynasty, Part 1

The Romanovs: The Real History of the Russian Dynasty, Part 2


I left at 4:30 to meet Paulo and Darryl at the Cascade Room (2616 Main Street, near Main and Broadway-ish, more like Main and 10th) for Paulo's belated birthday hangout at 6. I wanted to be early just in case there were stroller / wheelchair delays or elevator shenanigans - surprisingly for once, there were none of those AND I just managed to get a 3 bus which had ten people total in it, but they couldn't find my reservation when I got there at 5:30! I was seated at a high table pretty quickly, though they said they'd move me to a booth once some people left who had been there at 4. Paulo texted me and Darryl said on Discord that he was getting an Uber. We waited to see if Steve would show up (Estefan is in Whistler at the moment), and I finally messaged him. He replied pretty quickly to say he was having a bad day, so no. I showed them both the phone notification, and they joked about guilting him into it since we HAD to find a place that took reservations JUST FOR HIM! Seriously, dude - we could have stayed with the Brassneck Brewery plan!

We were on our phones a lot, which actually is pretty good for me. Talked about Jimbo's opinion on our Superfriends server and how I know I can't change his mind on it (and wouldn't want to - why bother?), the secret chat, all the drama, Holly's opinion on Jimbo not telling us much about his work, the 12 Kings meetup being last year on March 12 already, Brian being sued by some people, and Holly nuking the original server unexpectedly. I showed them some funny toilet paper-related memes, while we tried various food and drink: gin and tonic, Amber something, mushroom poutine, sausage rolls with barbecue sauce (which I spilled on my DRAGON HOODIE - necessitating MORE LAUNDRY when I got home!), white wine, schnitzel, steak, desserts, and more! The Cascade Room was advertising Jameson ginger and lime Slurpees for St. Patrick's Day 2020. Good luck with that!

Darryl said that his buddies might join us, and wondered if we'd mind. I said no, but deferred to Paulo since it was his belated birthday celebration - HE didn't mind, either. Harmony texted me at 7:15 to say not to worry about coming over next Tuesday as they're limiting everything non-essential including public transit trips. They've even cancelled their Harrison Hot Springs vacation next week for Spring Break, which makes sense! If I were a different kind of person, I'd ask if they don't trust me! This is best for everyone's health and safety, though.

Eric M. also texted me: "FYI, VCEFC has been cancelled because of COVID-19 concerns" - that's what I thought would happen when I heard the daily BC health guidelines the other day. MORE FREE TIME FOR HIM! We left the Cascade Room at 8 and walked a block or so to the Colony Bar across the street from Save-On Foods. I'd have gone in earlier to see if they had hand sanitizer, but they probably don't. I told them that my brother lives around there, but that it was probably bedtime for the kids. They joked about invading their place anyway even if the nephews were there, but I knew it was a drunken joke and didn't take it seriously. Paulo offered Darryl a hit of his vape since he'd tried smoking, but he declined due to the pandemic - smart!

We were at the Colony Bar for about 70 minutes or so, with Darryl unexpectedly buying us a round because it was Paulo's birthday. I got a Parallel 49 Jerk Face 9000 beer - I had to order it because of the name! No, I wasn't surprised that Paulo barely touched his beer - they'd already had a lot at the Cascade Room. We discussed alcohol tolerance, Paulo totally forgetting about work once on HOLIDAY PAY, the coronavirus, and whether Darryl's buddies would actually show up. I gave up on them at 9, about five minutes before they DID come in. The guy put his hand out to shake hands - what?! I instinctively shook hands, and then went to wash my hands immediately afterwards since I had to pee anyway. My hand sanitizer was way down in the bottom of my Doge bag, then I had to look for my phone when I got back to the table, which was also in my Doge bag! Habit to look in my coat pocket... not sure what I'll do once it's summer!

Paulo declared that he would call an Uber since he said it was too cold to wait around for the bus for too long. I decided to just wait for the bus since it was more wallet-friendly. The East Indian 3 driver waited THREE TIMES for no reason, holding everybody up on his bus! What schedule is there to make up at 9:30 PM?! You have your breaks now, so that's not a good reason! Of course that made me late for the Brighouse train - it was pretty chilly outside, so I took the opportunity to send Mike a picture of my current footwear at Marine Drive station after fighting with the wifi.

Mike said something about "where's the glim-glam?" so I texted that 1 degree was too cold for bare feet and toeless sandals! (I waited till I was up on the platform since I heard the YVR train announcement from the statue) The train was sparsely populated, too - I got my own little row of accessible seats since an Asian lady moved far away from me instead once I said I needed her seat. I got home at 10:35, thanks to that stupid 3 bus driver - I could have been home half an hour before! Doing laundry seems to have worked for my dragon hoodie, but I can't seem to say the thing for my four towels since I used them to wipe up a flood of water from when I was showering a few days ago. Guess I'll go tomorrow to London Drugs and buy up on-sale zinc citrate, four towels, and maybe a pair of Secret socks!


Knorr Cheesy Spinach Dip for lunch!




Zinc, bar food, and a special Pi Day 2020 Reddit award! )
glowing_dragon: (Happy Birthday!)
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!

glowing_dragon: (Crazy-Eyed Bear)
After COFFEE TIME, I went out at 11:10 on a 414 to see Sue, the housing manager at CHIMO. I saw a guy clapping his hands like a seal and slapping his knees on the shuttle bus, but he wasn't wearing any headphones that I could see. What the heck?! Since I was going to the building anyway, I also took along the Lays chips and roasted seaweed for Rachel - Numb and Spicy Hot Pot, Wasabi, Kimchi, Deep-Ridged BBQ Pork, and Deep-Ridged Spicy Chicken! Sue seemed pretty understanding and encouraged me to advocate for myself, dropping Dave McDonald's name, so perhaps I'll do that. Squeaky wheel and all of that, I suppose. When the appointment ended an hour later (she thinks I'm animated and have skills and humor?!), it turned out that Daisy was out to lunch at just past 12-ish.

I figured I'd kill time by taking the 410 to Yaohan so I could find some curry cuttlefish at Curry House to horrify Mike with a food photo, haha. Turns out that they only had curry beef balls and the like, and Osaka Supermarket didn't seem to have fresh cuttlefish either! I eventually went to Golden Rice Bowl and ordered broccoli and fried cuttlefish with fried noodles at 12:40 despite the fact that I'd eaten breakfast at 10, but finished the whole thing in one sitting after taking the requisite photo for Mike. That later turned out to be a bad idea since it's been feeling like a rock all evening, but there was nothing I could do other than take two Pepto. Good thing it hasn't made me feel overly BLERGH!

When I was trying to make my way out from Brighouse Station, an older man who slightly smelled like pee caused a delay in the elevator by trying to tell me to go back in the elevator, and THEN held everyone up by moving at a snail-like and glacial pace out the door. Why does it take you 30 seconds to take two steps and then be outside the elevator?! (I described this to Mike later, and he says I have a way with words! HAHAHA!) Time for a cane or walker, old man! I told him to hurry up, and he just gave me a dirty look! I'm not normally an impatient person, but others have PLACES TO GO AND CONNECTIONS TO MAKE!

Good thing this idiot didn't cost me the time I needed to make it across the street to the 406 by Kam Do Bakery! I went back to the CHIMO building, and luckily, the door was open to Rachel's work. So I asked Daisy to do me a favor and give a bag of stuff to Rachel next time she was in, thanks! She thanked me in turn, saying she'd put it in her room. That was nice and brief, and I finally got home at 2:35 WITHOUT encountering any more problems or delays. I'll eventually shower for tomorrow's Dublin Crossing pub hangout once I feel less full...


Lunchtime at Yaohan: fried noodles, broccoli, woodear mushrooms, carrots, and fried cuttlefish. I ate off some of the tempura just so you could see the cuttlefish better.




Vinay Pimplé?! Pronounced Pim-PLAY?!




From Youtube: Gable Tostee and Warriena Wright?! Like ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, cheese toasties, and a female version of Warren?!

glowing_dragon: (Cherry Cheesecake or Pie)
I was up far too early (6 AM?!) for a smoke detector inspection at 12:45. At least yesterday's snow has melted! Chinese Eric emailed me to wonder where I was because he tried calling me on the 17th (oops), but says that our next hangout could be in late March or early April because there are some INTERESTING games coming up if the Canucks are in playoff contention. Well, I guess we shall see about this!


From Julie: MEEK?! Do people just not look things up in a dictionary before naming their kids?!




From Julie: Juan is good, but Tyliece?!




Some really bad names! )


A Richmond 2018 election candidate is named Sunny Ho?!

glowing_dragon: (Bert and Ernie)
Vanessa just offered me a slow cooker - sure, why not if she can?


From Julie: This black girl is named Shanda?! I knew a white girl named Shanda Bowie at Ferris elementary school once...




So many weird names, so little time... )
glowing_dragon: (Happy Birthday!)
After COFFEE TIME, Eric picked me up for church in the morning. We talked about DARK SOULS, my eye surgery and insurance, how it was somewhat his fault for the sewer updates and construction zone around my place because his company was involved, drivers and turn signals, Elysse thinking my dad was dead because I now have his old phone, and sleeping in last week. We sat together in church service, I returned Deb's Ziploc tub to her / returned Mom's jars to her, and said hi to Frances M. / Sophie / Auntie Cathy / Ayler / Hiero / Andrew L.

I got a lunch and ride offer from Deb if I was fine with going to Canadian Tire beforehand (sure, why not?), and had to chat briefly with Uncle Reuben as he saw me. He asked about Dad and - speak of the devil (which I DID say out loud in church, hahaha) - Dad did pass by in purple choir robes a minute later! Ivan did joke that I should make it three weeks in a row for church attendance next week, but I think I'm good to go for now. Dylan, Deb, Declan, Elysse, and I bumped into Mom in the church elevator, where she thanked them for "looking after" me. *rolleyes* Like I can't do that myself?! Sheesh!

After looking at ALL the games / windshield wiper fluid / shovels / lawn mowers at Canadian Tire (and saying hi to Joe T. who was also there), it was time for a Pho lunch at Basil Garden (where I attempted to pay for my own meal - we talked about Farrah Fawcett / SMALL SACRIFICES and Diane Downs / SALVATION / Extreme's MORE THAN WORDS / whining / iPad time / tendon / brisket / steak / tripe / Pho noodles / rice) and Hiero's glow-in-the-dark bowling party at Grandview Lanes! While I was at the bowling alley, I successfully signed up for Shaw Open wi-fi because I'd written down my stuff at home when I could more easily access it via desktop. I also met a kid named Louie's mom (Hiero's classmate), saw kids named SPARKLE and KALAN in another group, and tried to stay out of the way, but it was pretty cramped.

Ayler asked me whether my body was cold because of the Dairy Queen ice cream cake (not yet), and added that the cake was the yummiest cake that he's ever had - NICE! Said hi to baby Beckett when he was awake, admired the glow-in-the-dark effect, watched Elysse when she looked at the frosted window, and told Hiero that I could read to him the next time I came over because my eye surgery was done for now. He seemed to like that idea, as well as the hot dogs and Lays chips and veggie platter. I got a sane ride home with Deb and Dylan, thank goodness. We talked about tonight's lunar eclipse, Jawbreaker candy, and I SPY before they dropped me off at 4:50. The Canucks played Detroit at 1 today, and won 3-2.


Random stuff from Mom and Dad: Liberté Canada strawberry Greek yogurt x4 which expires on January 22 (so I'll eat it all tomorrow night after it's chilled in the fridge), Excel Hotel Tokyu coffee powder x1, random Chinese green tea x8, Daiwa Royal Hotels green tea x1, Nikko Hotels International Roasted Japanese Tea x2, Nikko Hotels International green tea x2, random Chinese tea x4, Kantafe Creamy Powder x1, Kantafe sugar packet x2, Kantafe Instant Coffee x1, random Chinese roasted tea x1, Ronnefeldt 隆納菲 Lemon Sky flavored fruit infusion tea, Sencha green tea x1, and random Chinese coffee powder x1.


Speed limit 69! Just kidding... 35! What a road sign, hehehe!

glowing_dragon: (Poop)
From Julie: Courtney is fine, but Dorinda?!




From Julie: Jacquay?!




From Julie: Kennedi?!




From Julie: Shaquila?! Is that Shaquille O'Neal and tequila mixed together?!




From Julie: Jayveont'e?!




From Julie: Joyce is fine, but Eashmon?!

glowing_dragon: (LJ Drama)
Mom called me at 8 to see if I was feeling better and if I was going tomorrow to Pizzeria Barbarella. Not really, and NO! She mentioned her email that she'd sent earlier in the week. Yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to REPLY... sheesh! Also cancelled on Jon, who says Harma is also coughing a lot. Monday - maybe 5 to 6. Should work!


From Reddit: There's a country musician who is actually named Stonewall Jackson?! SWEET!




From Reddit: Engelbert Humperdinck?! This is badass!




From Reddit on May 25, 2017: "I recently learned that using GIRLFRIENDS to refer to platonic friends is offensive." What?! Are people just LOOKING for things to be offended by these days? It may be confusing, but certainly not OFFENSIVE... *rolleyes*

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