Daily Update, June 23, 2023

    Auntie Barbara came over later than expected, because her appointment was after eleven rather than at 9. So, she came here before that. First, she came in, and went back to visit Mom. She met our relief nurse again. The relief nurse remembered meeting her before. We sang several songs with Mom, and Mom sang all the words of each one. This impressed auntie Barbara enough, she said she hoped Mom would get a phone call with her sister today. I said I'd see if Mom was still good later. {Smile}

   After visiting with Mom, we sat outside in the carport. Auntie Barbara told me about Michelle, who's gotten busy on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. That's why she's not coming to church, and why she didn't come today, either. We also talked about a variety of other things, including the letter I sent off yesterday. Then she left for her appointment. {Smile}

   I worked on my story after Auntie Barbara left, reading through the parts I'd already edited. I realized I'd not just worked in Hawai'i's May Day customs, but also mentioned a couple of times that the cousins are part Menehune. I haven't worked in that Menehune, being Hawaiian magical people, have brown skin, but one way or another, ill fit it in. If nothing else, I need a glossary for the loan words like Menehune; I can say it there if not elsewhere. {Smile}

   I did call Aunt Valerie after lunch, since Mom was more awake and alert than sometimes. Aunt Valerie was busy in a restaurant - a noisy one, it turned out - so she asked to call back when she was in better surroundings. She did call back, and we started with her talking to Mom. That went well, since Aunt Valerie knew this time not to expect detailed answers with new information in them. Mom doesn't do that much these days. Then Aunt Valerie and I talked a bit, especially about some of the new stuff I've been trying, like contacting the distant cousin. {Smile}

   I had breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. I started with scripture and thoughts about it. then, I continued with more from her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2021. Then I showed her the last several pictures in _The Calming Cat Book_. Again, I tried to describe each kitty: color, coat pattern, eye color, and maybe oat length. Next. I showed her the front and back covers and read the blurb from _Memories 1960's_. After that, I read "Nurse Learns Baby She Treated 28 Years Ago Is a New Colleague," from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. She worked in a neonatal unit, and he was one of the preemies she'd cared for. Then I read the June 23rd story, "A Fairy Story," about a bluebird who only wanted to eat blue food, and a fairy who turned some mushrooms blue for him. It was from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom seemed to enjoy both listening to me read and looking at the pictures I shared. {Smile}

   I did my walking, arm resistance (both sitting and standing), arm swinging, and the standing arm weight training exercises right after dinner. I did my head exercises and the sitting weight training exercises while we were waiting to start one or another of Phonso's three trials. {Smile}

   I read comics around lunchtime. Then I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I started with paperwork. Then bowlofdro said hi, inviting me to join him and Soothing Darkness. We talked for a fair while, then eventually fit in a story arc for four characters, getting one stranger to join us for it, right before I read to Mom. I did get to say hi to Perogies just before leaving, but not much more. {Smile}

   After dinner and my exercises, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming, and again started with paperwork. Then I did some roleplaying and some missions with Soothing Darkness and the same friend she was with yesterday. I left one mission before the friend planned to leave because Phonso wanted to run a set of three trials again, I wanted to do them. Soothing Darkness and her friend again declined, but told me to go ahead, so I did. The trials were fun and let me play with both Phonso and Owl Girl. After they were done, I joined Soothing Darkness and Azurette for a low-level task force. We only found one stranger willing to join us, but for a half-strength task force, it went surprisingly well. After that, I worked on both paperwork and writing up the first part of this update, while making notes about the rest. {Smile}