I'll take the unexpected dinner invite since God worked by giving you a sore throat!

Got a surprise this afternoon, as Henry was driving his sister's car. He had to take his nieces to Awana, so there was a good reason, haha. Gwyneth and Evelyn asked why I walked funny: I wish I could walk normally, but I can't! Their uncle and I turned it around on them by asking whether they'd like it if we asked them why they weren't (for example) six feet tall already, haha. Eventually, the girls fell asleep despite saying they wouldn't, so I told Henry about Resonate and Dragon Ball. He figures that the "best" means that there are untapped frontiers in town.. hey, go tell my brother about that since HE's the one who says that their pearls are the best around here! Then again, he was also tired since he had to work early this morning... what can you do about those coffee shops that just HAVE to open early? Heh.

At Awana, I said hi to Hunter in the kitchen while I was getting some water to drink. Later, Auntie Vivian gave me a copy of an email she'd sent Andrew / Golden / Amos / Jason earlier in the week about their secretarial duties. Eh, I guess it's all part of the team thing even though I'm never there by 4 these days! Andrew told me that he was going to exchange his eight quarters for a toonie later from the dues - it didn't matter to me what he did as long as he kept the money amount straight! His two cousins Betty and Rita were newcomers today, and they were pretty shy even if they didn't really understand English! (I see the resemblance between their mom and his mom - sisters!) Melia, Andrew, and I spent ten minutes trying to convince them to color OR go to the Awana Store to see the stuff in there... no go, so we let them alone. (he doesn't interact with them much, so isn't sure how they'd do in school if they don't speak English) They jumped on the spot, but nothing else. Andrew decided to draw a Hello Kitty based on Rita's vest on a coloring sheet, then folded it and put it in her pocket. (he likes folding things) He says he's used to Rita's glare at home, and that it's chaotic at their place since they're playing tag and such! It's okay: time and patience are needed in a new environment. At the store, Amos asked if I'd seen Andrew turn into a moose before... nope! Then he broke the string on the moose mask since his head was too big for it: those are made for KIDS, man!

Later, Amos said that his leg hurt because he forgot to stretch after he went running: that'll do it! Then he almost forgot to come back out to help me with the handbook points - that wouldn't have been very good, heh. Our small group met after Awana, but I had to leave early since Henry was done with his small group. Teresa had shown up in the basement, so it was a crowded car of five people! I was surprised when she invited me out to dinner with them, but took it in stride. You'd think I'd handle these things BETTER with time, and not worse. :P

I had no idea what to choose - no hot and sour soup, and no real preference. Henry just wanted chocolate since he could have it as an adult for dinner if he so chose... that or the Thai House, but that was out for various reasons. (so was Applebee's since it wasn't in Richmond) Teresa couldn't have pizza and other things since she was also sick. The girls quickly made some decisions: Earl's! Pizza Hut! Ikea! Food court! Stuff outside Richmond when we'd already gone across the bridge and weren't going back across it! But the three adults all suffered from some decision-making block, haha. Tsim Chai, perhaps... but I'd gone there very recently. Maybe Indian food or Kelsey's, but that wouldn't be good about now. Finally, we settled on some Hong Kong-style café called E-Canteen near Paterson Restaurant and the Alleluia Café - I think it used to be Topgun restaurant, but am not sure. First, Henry had to go embarrass himself at the local Rogers Video because his uncle returned a BLOCKBUSTER thing there: how do you do that when there's a big logo right on the box?!

Gwyneth was complaining because her tummy hurt: she did have some snacks at Awana (not at home), but she was fine after she ate something. Henry marveled at the size of my piece of salmon on my sizzling plate - I ordered a sizzling plate because I wanted to try one, and he did too. We figured that "medium-rare" wasn't quite as advertised since the sizzle cooked our steaks and such even more! Evelyn learned about loss (she'll survive) when her Cubbie patches were taken away with the menu... no, her sister shouldn't remind her about it! Talked about an in-joke involving minced meat and fried rice: yes, my sibs and I have lots of inside jokes, so I understand! Apparently, their sister Janet has Henry's car - interesting! Discussed books, reading, Henry playing his PSP at the table (future generations will never talk while at dinner!), my parents, church life (yeah, my parents were two of the founders), Julie and Elaine's mom Auntie Cynthia being sick with cancer again, unsanitary cloths at coffee shops, going out for hot and sour soup when we were both better, the Mad Greek and the karaoke place, Janet having NEVER seen FORREST GUMP (huh?!), Henry getting a sore throat tonight (God works! haha), the kids, etc. Of course I thanked her for the meal even if she did owe me dinner from last year! (she assured Gwyneth that I'd be over for dinner one time - it's funny whenever she asks me why Henry drives me home on Saturdays instead of to their place, haha)

You know it's not a good time to do laundry when you hear someone cursing rather vociferously at the appliances in the room before you even open the door! o_O