Takenoko-no-sato

From April 2008. "Bamboo-shoot country"(?) ... Sorry, I really can't remember much about this one. Usually it's chocolate coated, but this was a limited edition with red bean coating. The cookie part should be just right in both taste and texture. The red bean coating should be fine too...

Lucky or not

It's 911's 10th anniversary. It's been 10 years already? Yikes! I still remember that day. I was still working at M. I miss that job...

Got up at noon, got the knock, good. Washed my hair and had lunch, and it was after 2. Needed to go back to the cell phone store for 2 unfinished business. (1) Forgot to ask if the phone book on my old phone can be transferred to the new phone. (2) Forgot to spin the lucky wheel. It was just before 3 when I left.

Turns out my old phone was too old and not compatible with anything. Oh well! Luckily I can access phone numbers through my Google account, so I just have to update that. Then I tried my luck on the lucky wheel... and got "free blue tooth with activation". Yikes! That was supposed to be very lucky since it was only limited to 10 a day (as the lady said). However, she had already completed the registration and can't add that to my receipt, she couldn't give it to me. She even said she's already given me a car charger. (But hey, that was because I signed up for auto payment, a totally different deal! So it boiled down to "she couldn't give it to me". So what the heck was that? Was I lucky? Was I unlucky? I looked at it as something I was entitled to, missed the chance to pick up last night, and was then denied. It sent me high up and then squashed me to the bottom of the sea. Could I feel good about it? Could you? Of course not! I whined a bit and ended up getting a mug and shopping bag. Better than nothing, I guess. But I couldn't help but feeling my glass was half empty. Bad.

Then it was moon cake time. Tomorrow's moon festival. As usual, I went to the Taiwanese bakery for their $1 ice-skin moon cakes. Got 2 of 5 flavours = $10. Looks cheap but it adds up.

Got home around 4, and mom was impatient about going to the nursing home because she wanted to see how dad eat dinner (dinner time around 5). I was hungry so I washed some blueberry to eat. (Ended up with too much acid in my stomach.) Dad finished moving and he's got a single-occupancy room one floor down. Right off hand, none of his 2 walkers were there. I found one on his old floor, and the other one was taken to repair. He had taken it apart yet again. That's the 3rd time in a few day. Sigh... (T_T)

He got way too many complains from other residents about his spitting, so he's now set up to eat alone in his room. The moment I entered his room, I smelled crap. Pretty sure he crapped his diaper. He's also started wearing the overall mom made. So he can't access his diaper (to prevent him from tearing them up). The staff was busy with feeding other residents, so dad was left with dirty diaper while eating dinner. As usual, mom brought him extra food. She saw him until he almost finished, and we went to see aunt Y across the street.

Aunt Y has also moved to the 16th floor to line up for hospice. She looked worse probably from not being able to eat. No IV either. Dark circles under her eyes came back. She's already bed-ridden. It's only a matter of time before her energy level falls below consciousness.

The other lady in the room (double-occupancy room) kept calling me over and had me hand her drinks, every 2 minutes. She just wanted attention. I shut the curtain so she couldn't see me, but aunt Y insisted that I had it partially open so that she could see the clock. I said I would open it again when I leave, but she just wouldn't listen and started to get mad. Sigh... (T_T) F#@k! I haven't been feeling that well myself and I had no patience dealing with nonsense. I did give the bell to that other lady and she kept calling the nurse. The nurses came and it was the same thing. Handing her drinks, and putting the cup back, and switching to the other cup. It was nothing urgent. Nothing but wanting attention. What a waste of time and resources. Then I realized that someone must have intentionally put the bell out of her reach. Oh well! They can fix that later.

A called saying he's got corn for me. Coooool~ Thanks! By requested, I stopped by a supermarket for mom to pick up 2 pumpkins on our way to A's.

Came home and it was pass 7:30. Blood sugar level dangerously low. Ate yesterday's pastry buns for dinner. Mom later steamed 2 more ears of corn from A. She ate one right away, I ate half and felt full.

Then the rest of the night was spent dealing with the address book. It took a long time. I had phone numbers on my old phone, and e-mail addresses on my G-mail. They needed to be consolidated. It was hot and I was grumpy. Thinking a little web radio might help, I tried it on the "new" computer.... but of course it wouldn't go smoothly. First there was no plugin. Second, the firewall didn't allow any download. Third, the most stupid reason, the speaker wasn't plugged in. The "old" computer now gets the "old" monitor so it's got no speaker = no radio either. With the heat and my monster mode, I lost it. Nevertheless, needed help from A again. Gotta find out what that mystery USB coming out from the monitor was. It was almost midnight. I was short tempered. The online ratio didn't work, all the USB ports behind the machine was used up, a few things behind the monitor needed to be plugged in, which meant my messy desk needed to be cleared, and I need to craw under the desk which usually gives me a stomachache. Did I mention it was hot? Tried to text on my new phone and it kept switching the words I typed. (And I did not spell it wrong!) Extremely, extremely frustrated. And of course, A was unfortunate to be there when I exploded. I'm so sorry... (T_T)

Two new

Computer and cell phone. One each.

Ran out of battery again soon after I started shooting. A said he'd lend me his camera. Wow thanks!!! Which meant I needed an emergency cleanup. The floor was full of lint and thread thanks to mom's sewing projects (dad's overalls). So I yanked the vacuum cleaner from downstairs and tried to vacuum... but it didn't pick up any lint or thread! Why why why why why?!?!?!?!

Then mom came back. She said the vacuum cleaner cannot clean those, and it was written on the instructions. Huh?!?! But it's a vacuum cleaner?!?!?!!?

No choice but to pick up that stuff by hand. The reacher from XS Cargo came in handy. While I was doing that, A showed up. This was the first time ever that he came all the way to my place. Wow! It's gonna snow tomorrow!!!!!!

He sat with me through some simple camera operations. Then also help me set up the "new" computer. After a bit, it was decided that I need some sort of wireless card or something. So we went to pick one up at Aberdeen. After that, we stopped by the new cell phone place. They were having back-to-school sale. I couldn't resist. My old plan only gave me 50 minutes per month. This past labour day tricked me. Statuary holidays are not free, only weekends and nights are. All of a sudden I only had 8 minutes left for the rest of this month. I was fed up enough so I switched tonight. It wasn't easy as I didn't know my account number. A was helping me with his i-pad, trying to do some online maneuvers. After many failed attempts, the lady suggested that I go to the other provider's store nearby to retrieve my account number, which I did. In order to take full advantage of the deal, I made my smart phone debut. Yup, they got me.

Came back with A and we continued setting up my "new" machine. He noticed my wireless security was low and helped me change it. However, I screwed up while typing the long password, and ended up wasting a lot of time and effort. A ended up having to move the machine and monitor to my router to set things right. I'm so sorry, and a million thanks.

After dropping him off, I came back and tried to hook up my other tablet. It was... 4 or 5 years old? But brand new unopened. The driver wouldn't install! It was not compatible with Windows 7! Yikes! Luckily the online version worked. The 2 bundled drawing software had problem installing too. That was worrisome but not too difficult to fix. However, that, took up the rest of the night. Didn't have time to read the new phone's menu. Didn't transfer any files to the "new" computer. And I'm going to bed later and later. (T_T)

Photo shoot

Was gonna do it yesterday, but ended up doing it today. Long over due photo shoot of my craft fair stuff so that I can try selling them online. (There's one more chance this November.)

It wasn't as difficult as I imagine. Why did I procrastinate??? Hmm... However, soon after I started, my camera battery began to run out. Yup, it was my fault that I didn't charge it the night before, but I thought I still have plenty! It was 3pm, mom was waiting for me to take her to see dad. (I managed to persuade her to go later as dad is supposed to be move to another floor by today.)

Not sure how many more sunny days we'll have, I panicked and tried to buy a replacement battery. Luckily, I phoned the place up to check stock first, and found out they don't do walk-in retail. Only online sales that can be picked up in person. Today's online order deadline was already cut off. The soonest would be Monday. So much for the plan.

Couldn't do anything but to wait for my old battery to charge. Meanwhile I kept searching online for another replacement battery store. 1.5 hours later, I resumed photographing. The sun was setting and lighting condition changed. The pictures would not be the same. (T_T)

Mom had been impatient. The 10-grain congee was not fully ready. Nonetheless I ate some while mom ate turkey and greens. She wanted me to stop and continue eating after we come back. Sigh... So I only ate half portion. (T_T)

We went to see dad first. He was moved form the 3rd floor to the 2nd floor because a single occupancy room had opened up. He's not fit to share a room with anyone anymore. However, while he's alone in his room, he'd dismantle stuff! The move was not 100% complete. Both of his walkers were not there. I went upstairs and got his 2-wheel one. Turns out he had taken apart the stroller again! (T_T) It's sent for repair.

The new room has a bigger washroom for wheelchair access. Mom seems to like that. There are 2 lamps. I fear that dad may destroy them like he did on the 3rd floor. It's only a matter of time.

Of course he kept spitting. (T_T) We dropped off the new overalls to a staff for labeling and then went across the street to see aunt Y. She was sleeping. Mom woke her up, and she complained that no one help feed her. She just couldn't reach the table so we helped her sit up and position the food better. She was able to feed herself. However, she was still unable to swallow properly, and gave up after only a few spoonful of thickened soup. Mom gave her a fig from our backyard and she ate half. Last time she was able to eat the whole fig.

Stopped by Pricesmart to use the blueberry raincheque. Came home, ate the other half of our dinner. Kept dosing off at the desk again.

Estimate

The building company I picked up at PNE promised to come by for a drainage system estimate at 3. I waited until 4:30 before calling the guy (M) up. He said he was running behind, and should be able to come at 5:30. Meanwhile A seemed like meeting me. He said I should ditch M for being late for 1.5 hours. However, I really need this estimate. Did he not understand that? Right off hand I felt that he was selfish to have said that. That I should slack off on real business so that I can go meet him. Why couldn't he come to meet me if he really want to see me? Which makes this whole thing sounds like he just want a ride home. (T_T)

M called around 6 and postponed to 8:30. Sigh... If only he would set this up in the first place, I could have met with A. (T_T) I managed to go for a walk nearby before he showed up.

Turns out he's a contractor and would need to send real drainage people to look at my house. (Don't want any delay but do I have a choice? Grrr...) At least I got some info on building a new house. Very expensive. We're not likely to go that. (T_T)

Kitkat Hokkaido Red Bean

From April 2008... Yikes~!!! Made with red beans grown in Hokkaido. According to memory, it did taste like red bean and was quite nice. However, it was not milk chocolate, but white chocolate on the outside. So, milk was dominant. Not exactly my cup of tea.

Hospital (5)

Brother wanted to visit dad since he didn't have a chance this past Sunday. He also wanted to see aunt Y. So he came to pick us up after dropping off his girls.

We dropped by aunt Y first. Cousin O return had gone to lunch with cousin D. She return to Toronto today so we wanted to have lunch with her. Oh well. We waited for half-an-hour for her, and decided it would work better to go see dad across the street first.

Dad's stroller had gone missing again. The staff were busy with lunch, so I didn't ask about the stroller. Chances are, dad had taken it apart again. Sigh... And, surprisingly, dad didn't wan to eat the food! Hmm... it must taste bad or something. It was mah po tofu and rice. A nurse was going around feeding the residents. Dad got fed too. Although he pushed the dish away to the far corner, he'd still eat if someone feeds him.

Then we return to aunt Y across the street. Cousin O was back. After chatting for a bit, it was time to go. She insisted to take transit so brother dropped her off at Langara station. Dad's nursing home called, reporting about the stroller (which we knew already) and checked our progress on dad's overall. I told her we've been busy with aunt Y so it would take a little longer.

Then the 3 of us ate lunch near our place. Brother had to pick up the girls at 3 so we didn't have much time. I had chiropractor too. It was 2:40 when we got home, and I had to leave immediately. I was only 5 minutes late at the chiropractor which was rare. (I'm usually 15 - 30 minutes late.) They were also running on time which was rare too. So I had time to check out DeSerres' moving sale. Now the price looked better. I got a bunch of scrapbook paper.

Worked on L's logo but kept dosing off at the desk... (T_T)