Daily Update, January 25, 2024

   Thursday was my birthday. I decided to celebrate with a day off. All the catching up and trying to get stuff done and set up can just wait until another day. {Smile}

   I ate lunch and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. She was awake when I went in but got sleepy as we went on. She still answered a couple of questions. I started with scripture and thoughts about it first. After that, I finished her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2022. Then I continued "The Picture Book of Vintage Vogue," describing the pictures and reading the dates and titles. Then I read the last story in _5 Minute Disney Junior Stories_, "Minnie's Vacation Home." I finished off with the 25th of January's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "The Crash." Lucy and Arthur decided to take their toboggan to the top of the hill and ride down, since there was snow though it was thin and icy. Their father warned them that snow hid lots of rocks, and suggested waiting until the snow was deeper. They didn't want to wait, so they went up the hill, and Arthur pushed off with Lucy in front of him. They went faster and faster until a stone appeared right in their way. They tried to slow down by digging in their heels, but they crashed into it and went flying. They wished they had waited! {Smile}

   I'm afraid I went easy on the exercise, too. I did get my salsa dancing done, both warmup and two pieces of less structured dancing, but that's all I did. I will get back to more when it isn't my birthday. {Smile}

   I watched videos and read comics in the morning and after lunch. Then I finished yesterday's daily update and cleaned myself up. That done, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I said hi to Pierogies and Kitten, but they didn't respond immediately. So, I started working on a character, making some changes which added up to a bit of complicated paperwork. I started testing the character by pitting her against some monsters that are easier with a group, but not impossible for a good character solo. One was not much of a problem solo for her. Two to three was quite a challenge, but doable with difficulty. Pierogies said hi not long after, and we chatted a while. Then he came to join me, and we got several of those monsters together. They are definitely easier with help. I think Kitten said hi next, and we teamed up. We all wanted to do some "stuff and things," meaning more than just fighting monsters with no story, so I looked at my missions. I realized one contact was in our zone, so I started her story arc. We did a couple of missions. Dr. Faustus joined us right near the end. he helped us finish up a mission that seemed to be mostly talk. I really wanted to do something more active for them, but it was too close to time to read to Mom, so we stopped there. I promised to be back after dinner. {Smile}

   After dinner, I hopped on, and said hi to Dr. Faustus, Pierogies, and Kitten. Only Dr. Faustus responded quickly. He was with a someone, so I joined them. We ran a few missions that the person he was with had. Then someone else he knew joined us. When the first person he was helping left, we started helping his other friend. I got my highest villain, because she seemed close to the right level, and fit with the group. We ran several story arcs with the friend leading. I talked with Nox and Owl Girl on the chat server, too. Kitten joined us, then then Dr. Faustus left. We did a few more missions, then we broke up. I did some paperwork, and Kitten joined my conversation with Owl Girl on the chat server, making it quite lively for a while. I did my salsa, talked a lot with kitten and Owl Girl, and wrote some this up, and ran too late getting the notes done to write the rest the next day. I really need to work on getting done earlier. {Smile}