Daily Update, January 2, 2024

    I started off Monday with a call to the endodontist. I didn't need to or try to talk to anyone - just listening to the message confirmed that they were open Tuesday through Friday this week. The endodontist reminded me to start chewing on the side he'd worked on this week, but I wanted to make sure he'd be open when I first tried, in case something went wrong. Not that anything has yet. I've eaten on it without incident so far. {Smile}

   I also searched for the key around Mom's desk. I did find a stash of keys, which I combined with my stash of keys, which also includes Dad's stash of key. The key I was looking for wasn't in it, but at least most of the keys are together. I'm not sure where that second key to my safe deposit box got to. {Smile}

   I ate dinner with Mom and read to her before that. She was awake and looked at the pictures, though she closed her eyes when there was nothing to look at. She even responded a few times. First, I began with scripture and thoughts about it. Next, I finished her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2019. Then I continued _Mele Kalikimaka: Christmas in Hawai'i_, not a whole chapter this time. I still read the introduction and the captions and showed her the pictures. After that, I read a story from _Disney 3-Minute Bedtime Stories_. I'm still making sure the papges don't stick together. I finished with the 2nd of January's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Pongo's Neighbor." Pongo was a boastful dog. he told Dick the neighbor's dog, that his kennel was as big and grand as a palace. Dick asked if he could see it, though he wasn't sure what a palace was. They went to the kennel which was certainly roomy and comfortable. Dick admired the grand home but wished for some way to get even with Pongo. Then he spotted a big, juicy bone in the corner. He got an idea, and told Pongo he'd heard the doorbell, insisting he'd heard it when Pongo said he didn't. Pongo went off to bark at whoever it was, because he prided himself on being a good watchdog. When he came back to tell Dick there was no one there, both Dick and the bone were gone. {Smile}

   Well, the exercise... I got my head exercises done. My shoulder was twinging even without any exercise, and it got late, and I felt just unsteady enough, salsa dance seemed like a really bad idea... and I remembered walking, Now I feel like a fool. 30 minutes of walking is a valid substitute for 20 minutes of salsa dancing, and a lot easier for me. I should have been doing that since a few days after the root canal. I can usually do that much. Anyway, I did ten minutes tonight - all I had time for around struggling with the game when a mission bugged and wouldn't let me in with the others. At least I can try now. {Smile}

   I read articles, comics, and played the cross-stitch game in the morning after the phone call, around the search for the key, and over and after lunch. I also talked with Kitten a bit. Then I cleaned myself up, and hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming too late for the early short, large-group event. I hoped to team up with kitten, since they'd recently checked on me. However, they were unresponsive in the game. Failing that, I hoped to get a couple of short, high-level task forces, but ended up getting another task force instead. I did catch the later short, large group event, and then talked with Pierogies, teaming briefly. {Smile}

   After dinner, I got in too late for the late-night short, large-group event. So, I started writing this up instead, and read a bit of web-fiction. I tried to get into that pair of high-level TFs again, but missed it, and another didn't appear when I waited. I ended up debating, and doing a lot of paperwork, since I found some on more characters than I remembered needing it. Then I joined a team that was running a story arc. I also chatted with both Radio and Nox on the chat server. Kitten came in near the end, and Dr. Faustus shortly after. We teamed up, and tried to run a mission for Kitten, but the game wouldn't let me in the door, a first in a few years of play. We ended up quitting, and were going to restart, but it was entirely too late for me.  I needed to squeeze in most of the walking I did mange after that, as well writing this up, and making notes for the next day. I also did a tiny bit more of the cross-stitch game. If it was productive - like I could produce pictures to sell this way - I'd love it, but I think I may have to let it go as too much of an alluring time-sink. {rueful smile}