Friday, after sharing yesterday's daily update, I started getting condolences for losing Valentine, my cat. {bite lips} I'm responding as I can, but it's not always easy. So, if I didn't thank you personally, thank you now. It does help. {smile}
I got two calls from our former nurse. Both were short and mentioned Val among other things. I got a nice video call from a friend from graduate school, too. I even got a short visit from the secretary from our nursing company to check on me. These helped, too. {smile}
Our housekeeper came in. She got visibly upset when I told her Valentine had died. He usually hid when she was here, and seemed to think she messed up his space by cleaning, but she's still fond of him. It's comforting somehow to know I'm not the only one who misses him.
On Friday I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. I read scripture and thoughts about it first. Then I continued with some more from a long family Christmas letter from her niece from 2022. After that, I read the next few pages of _Memories 1950's_. Next, I read her a poem and two short stories from _365 Bedtime Stories and Rhymes_. Last, I finished with Cyril's Tail," the 20th of October's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Cyril was a very conceited gray squirrel, proud of his fine, silky fur, and his tail, which was probably the longest and fluffiest in the wood. One day he decided his tail was long enough to hang from. But when he wrapped it around a branch and let go, he fell into a pile of leaves. He took a whole hour cleaning himself up! {Smile}
I did my walking exercises after teaming for the evening, but I got so upset thinking about how Val wasn't around while I did, I had to find a better way to distract myself. Then I did my warmup salsa dancing set. After another break, I did the less structured set of my salsa dancing. Then, after yet a break , I did my head exercises. I know it's the least strenuous of my exercises, but it's the first time since my illness that I have been able to do any of my exercises. I was just too tired. That's why I haven't been getting more done: I have to do them all before, and that's not happening in time. {rueful look} But I got my head exercises done... maybe I can come back more fully. {Smile}
I finished writing up and sharing yesterday's daily update this morning after breakfast. I also read some articles. Then, after lunch, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I found Perogies and Meroa, and we teamed up on the character I'm trying to run out his contacts at this level and let him go to 50. That's the one I've been working on the most recently when I'm not working on the warshade. Qworty joined us after a few missions. We continued teaming until Perogies left, saying he was tired. Well, almost. I'd selected a hunt and the three of us who were left did it, finishing out that contact just about when it was time to read to Mom. {smile}
I read some comics, started writing this, and hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming after dinner. There, I found qworty, Azurette, Meroa, and Ulty on, and invited them to team with me. Azurette was busy right up to when she wanted to leave, but the others came as they reached good stopping places in what they were doing. I also messaged Owl Girl and Paradox on the chat server. They came in a joined us, too. Then we started, and then I remembered to invite Mysty, too. The last space on the team was filled by a friend of Owl Girl's We teamed for much of the evening, with folks leaving as they got tired, or busy elsewhere. The last mission before I left to exercise was just Meroa and me. I also chatted with folks on the chat world, especially Nox and Meroa, and especially when my walking exercises reminded me that Val wasn't in the living room and wouldn't be coming back. {bite lips} Between the salsa dancing sets I kept busy with paperwork in City of Heroes: Homecoming. Afterwards, some more paperwork, but even more I read reading several chapters of one of the web novels and finished writing this. I'll have to post it in the morning, though. {Smile}
