Daily Update, January 18, 2024

   Thursday, I stayed home. I had my video counselling appointment online in the morning. that went pretty well. I think I'm calmer as I get stuff that had piled up done, like the bank yesterday. {Smile}

   The housekeeper came after lunch. She took down the Christmas tree and other decorations in the living room with a little help from me. the rest of the house is better for her attentions, too. {Smile}

   I ate lunch and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. She was resting when I went in, and slow to look at pictures, but she did look. I began with scripture and thoughts about it first. Then I continued her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2022. Next, I started "Memories 1940s." After that, I read the next story in _5 Minute Disney Junior Stories_, "Toy Hospital." Last, I ended with the 18th of January's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Nino Has Toothache." Nino, a little elf, woke up with a toothache. A rose bush asked him what was wrong. Nino said he had a toothache but was too scared to go to the dentist. Then he told rosebush that it was lucky not to have teeth. Teh rosebush told how its roots get uncomfortably dry, making its leaves droop. The gardener waters it, and it feels better. Also, the gardener trims off his dead flowers to help new buds grow. Nino was impressed. He hoped the dentist could help his teeth like that. he hurried off to get his tooth seen to. {Smile}

   I did my head exercises, walking exercises, and my arm resistance exercises while waiting for Freaky's taskforce to start. Then I did my salsa dancing warmup when I was done teaming for the evening. Then I did another piece od salsa dancing later. Between them, I did 14 3/4ers minutes of salsa dancing. After that I got too tired to do more, though I was hoping I would. Still, I'm so relieved I was able to do that much! I was kind of scared by how tired I was after all the times I went out recently. I didn't think that was taking that much out of me. Maybe it was, after all. {Relieved smile}

   I read articles before my counselling appointment, and comics afterwards. I also finished my daily update after my counselling appointment. I undecorated the Christmas tree a little them cleaned myself up after lunch/ then I read a little more before hopping into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I found Sapien, and we started working on the character I'm fixing up for his game. I also found Pierogies and Kitten and teamed up with them. fortunately, they were doing some badge collecting that didn't conflict as badly as most missions do in City of Heroes, though Kitten and Pierogies noticed enough to comment. Sapien and I tied up just in time for me to lead Pierogies in getting a badge. well, until the housekeeper needed to be paid. I broke for that, and she gave me a present, too. I opened it after she left and showed our nurse and mom the tale runner. Then I put it away and came back to find Pierogies gone. Kitten and I talked somewhat before I left to read to Mom. {Smile}

   After dinner, I fund Kitten still active, and we teamed up. We started doing missions and ran into a mutual friend they see more than I do. They joined our team, and the three of us ran some missions, testing my character, who'd gotten some recent improvements. We were just starting a mission with harder settings when Phonso came and invited us to a taskforce. We took so long to finish, Phonso offered to help us. He was surprised how high the settings were, but the four of us got it done. Then we picked a taskforce, and Phonso recruited four more, which is where I had so much time for exercise. After that, the taskforce group broke up. Even Phonso left, saying he needed to go eat. Kitten and our mutual friend stayed and helped me with a mission on yet another character who needed testing. It was hard and long, but we got it done. Then I did my salsa dancing. Next, I did some paperwork, and wrote up more of this than usual, but I still made some notes to write from the next day. I also ran into Pierogies in City of Heroes: Homecoming while working on paperwork there. He asked why I'd left before dinner and was very happy to hear it was something as joyful as a present that took me away. I think he's right. I need to just enjoy the good moments like that when they happen. {SMILE}