Daily Update, December 12, 2023

    On Tuesday, after lunch, our priest came to visit Mom, and called me over to join them, which was nice. I didn't realize she'd arrived. We sang some songs, but it was mainly the priest and me; Mom only sang along a little. Then she gave Mom (and me) home communion. Not that I'd get it by myself when I go into church every Sunday. It's for people like Mom, who can't go into church. But anyone who's also around at the time may take it too. And Mom was happy to eat the communion. {Smile}

   Later, I headed out to my cardiologist's appointment. I called ahead because I accidentally started late, and Uber couldn't get there quite at the check-in time. they thanked me for calling ahead and checked me in normally. after a short wait they had me go to the exam room. then the doctor came and asked me several questions about how things are going. Then she told me a bit about the tests, particularly why one made her want to raise one medication. She also wants to put me on something for dizziness. I told her it might help, but it wasn't going to fix my vertigo, and agreed to try it. We'll see how it goes. Past attempts have been less than great, but I can always stop if it's not effective. Afterwards, I contacted Uber, and they took me home. {Smile}

   I ate dinner with Mom and read to her before that. She was sleepy, but opened her eyes for me, and kept them open for the pictures. she didn't really respond other than looking at me, though. I started with scripture and thoughts about it. Then I read more from this year's long family Christmas letter from her niece. Next, I started _1940's Memory Lane, showing her the pictures, and reading the text and captions. After that, I read more from _The Mother Goose Treasury_, reading some poems, and pointing out the pictures, relating them to the poems. Last, I finished with the 12th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Granny's Knitting." When Betty and Paul were invited to tea with their grandmother, each asked her to knit them something. Betty asked for a red jersey, while Paul asked for a pair of purple socks. Grandma laughed, and said she couldn't manage both by Christmas, but she might manage the socks. The next day, she invited two friends over for tea. She planned to knit the first sock while they talked. They thanked her for the tea as they left at the end of their visit. After they left, Grandma noticed the sock was at least three times longer than Paul's leg. Then she had an idea. When the kids came, they found a long purple sausage dog lying at the base of the door, keeping out drafts. {Smile}

   Still no exercise. My teeth are feeling better, and I fervently want them to continue to feel better, so I don't want to upset them by exercising this soon after the root canal. It was just yesterday. {Smile}

   I finished writing yesterday's daily update and shared it after breakfast. Then I cleaned myself up and read articles and played the cross-stitch game through lunch. That stopped when our priest came to visit Mom. After she left, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming and caught the early short, large group event. Then I talked with some friends in a semi-private conversation, since I knew I wouldn't have much more time before the cardiologist for getting into things. Somehow, I was still late to my cardiologist. After my cardiologist, I read comics, and played the cross-stich game, which frustratingly reset despite me saving along the way.  Then I hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming too late to join anything. However, I caught Pierogies, who admitted he'd also come in late. We couldn't get together for anything, but we had time to talk, and we sure did. {Smile}

   After dinner, I checked some comics. Then I tried to get into the late night short, large group event, but the zone was full. So, I started to write this up instead. I checked City of Heroes: Homecoming and found that Dr. Faustus was on. We got together while I finished up the bit of my daily update I did want to write then. He found a friend he wanted to help, and we finished a story arc they were working on. Then we ran another story arc that got us a badge. I also started talking with Nox on the chat server. After the story arc, Dr. Faustus's friend established contact with me and left for bed. Dr. Faustus apologized for leaving then, but he'd disconnected, and thought a break from the game would help that. He and I talked on the chat server, as Nox and I continued to for a while. Later, I concentrated on collecting badges on my second-best badge collector. Then I worked on writing this up and making notes but went far too late. I need to manage my time better. {rueful smile}

Daily Update, December 11, 2023

    Today, I had the root canal. I called Uber, and nice, chatty driver took me down. The endodontist was reassuringly cheerful. He fixed up the tooth, and said he packed it with so much medicine, I shouldn't get a temporary filling. Just come back middle of January, and we'll see if it needs more medicine, or if it can be closed up. So, I left after making the next appointment, and called Uber to take me home. The same driver took me back and was happy to hear the root canal went so well. {Smile}

   I ate dinner with Mom and read to her before that. She was sort of awake and opened her eyes to look at pictures when prompted today. Responses were few, though. First, I began with scripture and thoughts about it. After that, I continued this year's long family Christmas letter from her niece. Next, I continued this year's long family Christmas letter from her niece. Then I started reading the Mother Goose Treasury, reading the introduction, showing all the pictures in the table on contacts, and reading the first three poems. I finished up with the 11th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Barnaby and the Wolf Cub." Barnaby lived on the edge of the north forest in Canada. One day, he set out in his sledge, pulled by two huskies. He had left eh sledge to look for a pine tree for Christmas. Instead, he heard plaintiff whimpering. A young wolf cub lay wounded by an oak tree, with its mother dead nearby. Barnaby stopped looking for a Christmas tree and picked up the wolf cub gently. He tucked it into the sledge and drove home quickly. His father removed a bullet from the wolf cub. He cared for the wolf cub, helping it recover, and they became great friends. When it was old enough, Barnaby encouraged the wolf cub to live in the forest. The cub did, but never forgot Barnaby and his kindness. {Smile}

   I didn't even try to exercise after the root canal. It's feeling surprisingly good, with barely any bruised feeling, even... and I don't dare do anything to make that flare up. {chuckles}

   I finished yesterday's daily update after breakfast. Then I cleaned myself up, trying to make sure to get as much done before the root canal as feasible, so I could just take it easy afterwards. I also played the cross-stitch game before the dentist, while at the dentist when waiting, and afterwards, at home. After I got back from the endodontist, I read articles, and comics, especially comics. Then I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming distinctly too late for either the short or long early large group events. I kind of wandered around, looking for stuff, but not even getting into the later short, large-group event in time. I might have teamed up with someone, or just done paperwork and badge collecting until it was time to read to Mom. 

   After dinner, I played with the cross-stitch game, then tried to get into the late night short, large-group event at the last minute. It was full, but then Pierogies said hi. He wanted to start another story arc on the little characters we've been playing together. He picked the story arc, and we did a few missions. The leader from last night - who says to call him Dr. Faustus, since that's his favorite character, and his player-name - joined us a couple missions before Pierogies left for bed. First, I switched story arcs, and did an arc Pierogies very definitely wasn't interested, but Dr. Faustus said he was fine with. he likes to do everything, I think. I like that, too, but he takes it further. Then I switched to my favorite character, after learning he'd been on the chat world that brought me City of Heroes: Homecoming, too. She was my first and favorite there, too. We did a few missions, chatting at times, especially about the chat world. I also chatted with Nox on the chat server.  I made the last mission tougher, because I was tired of it being too easy. Then Dr. Faustus and I talked some more as I started to write this up and make notes to finish writing it the next day. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 10, 2023

    Today was Sunday, so I contacted Uber, and a driver came and took me to church. I got there earlier than usual, which was nice. Auntie Barbara sat with me for most of the service, since they didn't have any kids for Sunday school. Well, the pastor brought her daughter, but she had a babysitter, and is young for Sunday school still. {Smile}

   After last Sunday being all desserts, this Sunday's lunch didn't have any desserts. There was lots of good food, though, and it was easier for me to eat well for my diabetes. {Smile}

   Auntie Barbara took me home by way of the natural food store, since it's the monthly customer appreciation day. I picked up 5 snacks I was running low on: dried fruit, seeds, and nuts. She did even more shopping. Then she took me home, and we sang with Mom, and I showed her the book of stories Mom's particularly enjoyed. {Smile}

   I ate dinner with Mom and read to her before that. She was awake and looking at pictures today but didn't respond often. I started with scripture and thoughts about it first. Then I read a card from her sister, and the beginning of this year's long family Christmas letter from her niece. Next, I showed her the last several pages of _The Calming Cat Book_. After that, I tried a picture book, _The Strange and Terrible Adventures of Popoki the Hawaiian Cat_. I should have read the full title earlier and picked something else... or stuck with the regular books. I stopped halfway through, when the cat had gotten lost, but it was too long for one sitting. I'm not sure if I'll continue tomorrow or not. Picture books are longer than the stories in _My Little Pony: five Minute Stories_, I guess. I finished up with the 10th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "The Snow Queen." Sally and Laura were making up stories. Sally said she'd be Queen of Snow when she grew up. She'd marry the King of Ice and live in a castle of crystals and diamonds. She'd wear a shining white dress and a fluffy cloak of snowflakes. She'd drive across her kingdom in a sledge covered in crystals and diamonds pulled by a white reindeer with golden bells and hang icicles in the trees. Laura said her nose would go red in that place. Sally said it wouldn't, and that she'd turn rude people into ice. Laura countered that she'd marry the Prince of Summer, and they'd come melt their snow and ice. The two girls burst out laughing. {Smile}

   Still no exercise. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be skipping because I just had a root canal and need to heal up, but we shall see. I did have one tooth that couldn't be fixed; it had to be pulled. {small smile}

   I cleaned myself up after Auntie Barbara left, then hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. It was technically early enough to join the short, large-group event, but the zone was full, so I couldn't get in. It starts early when that happens anyway. Next, I looked around. Kitten and Pierogies were on, but when I talked to Kitten, they were busy running a story arc with a team. They suggested that I join, since there was space, but there was only one space, and Pierogies wanted to team with me. So Pierogies and I teamed up on our little ones and worked on finishing the last story arc. Kitten joined us during the last real mission, which is quite long. They helped us finish quickly when it got close to time to read to Mom. We finished the whole arc, which goes a little beyond the long mission. Pierogies suggested we park in their farm while we went AFK. {Smile}

   After dinner, I tried to join the late night short, large-group event, but it was almost time, and again, the zone was full. Instead, I started writing this, then worked on paperwork that had piled up on my character. Then I discovered the character I'd parked in the farm was still there, and went back in. I played with doing some things in the farm and chatted with Nox on the chat server. When I got bored with the farm, I looked around and saw a fellow asking publicly for a team fairly recently. I switched to a villain because that's what he wanted, and found he'd teamed with someone else. They were happy to add me, so we teamed up and played together. Then the leader noticed I could do the arc and started me at the introduction to the whole series of story arcs. About then, Kitten came alive, and decided to quit the farm and join us. We started my arc, and I disconnected. I've been doing this every once in a while. I reconnected and got back with them. One other had joined us. The new left, then the one who I talked to first left, inviting me to stay in touch, as did the leader at that time. Then the leader, Kitten, and I finished that first arc before we quit the game. I wrote some more of this and made notes to write from the next day. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 9, 2023

 Today was a quiet day at home. That was nice, and about what I'm up to with the tooth... but I'll be up to church tomorrow, in part because I had a quiet day at home today. {Smile}

I ate breakfast and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. She was awake and looking at pictures today, but only responded once or twice. First, I started with scripture and thoughts about it. Next, I read two cards: one from her cousin, and one from her sister, followed by a story about how spiders wanted to see the Christ child when he visited on Christmas Eve, and covered the Christmas tree in webs. The Christ child, loving the spiders, but knowing the mother of the family wouldn't like the webs, turned them into silver and gold tinsel, which we decorate Christmas trees with to this day. Next, I showed her the next several pages of _The Calming Cat Book_. After that, I read the last story in _My Little Pony: 5 Minute Stories_. "The Magic of Friendship." I finished up with the 9th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "So many Toys!" Joy went to the toy department of a big store with her aunt. She wanted to play with the lovely toys, so when her aunt turned her back, she jumped into a packing crate and hid. Soon the store closed, and she jumped out of the box, and started playing with all he toys, undressing the dolls to give them a bath before putting their fancy clothes on for tea with teddies. Two hours later, the night watchman found her fast asleep in a toy house, hugging 8 dolls and ten teddy bears. {Smile}

Still no exercises. I think I want to try, then the tooth feels less normal, and... maybe I should wait until I've recovered from the root canal. I know the same day and next day will not be great. {resigned smile}

I finished writing and hared yesterday's daily update after breakfast. Then I read articles and worked on the cross-stitch game - Cross-Stitch World, if you're curious - in the morning. then after lunch I cleaned myself up before hopping into City of Heroes: Homecoming. It was late for the short and long large-group events again, so I checked who was online, and started checking my characters. I spotted Pierogies, but not Kitten. He was finishing up the early long, large-group event. When he did, we teamed up on the little characters again. We caught a low-level trial, for which I turned my experience off. Then we ran the last mission from our current contact. I remembered to turn on the experience towards the end of that mission, so I was still a level low when we got done. We hunted enemies in the wild until I made level. Then we started the next contact, doing two hunts and a regular mission before it was time to read to Mom. {Smile}

After dinner, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming hoping to join the late night short, large-group event, but the zone was full, so I couldn't get in. That can happen if you're close to time, and I was. So, I started writing this up and read a few comics. Then I started checking my characters. After a while, I noticed Kitten had come on, and said hi. We teamed up, and I picked a mid-level character, and a story arc we'd started early this past week. We ran right through my normal exercise time and finished the arc. Part way through, I started talking to Nox, and Haiden joined us for a while. I also talked with Owl Girl, Paradox and Kitten in our group conversation there. After Kitten and I finished teaming we talked on the chat server. I also read articles and played a bit of the cross-stich game before quickly writing this up. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 8, 2023

    Friday, the housekeeper came after lunch and finished setting up the tree, as well as getting some other stuff done. She bought the lights, and said she had to try a few stores to find one with red, yellow, green, blue, and pink, but that's what matches the ones wrapped on the tree. The house is definitely better for her attentions, both cleaner and more decorated. {Smile}

   The tooth is hanging in there, feeling odd, occasional small pains, nothing unbearable. Still, I will be so happy to get that root canal! {Smile}

   I ate Breakfast, lunch and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. She was tired, but opened her eyes to look at things, sometimes when reminded. I started with scripture and thoughts about it. Then I continued with three cards: one from her cousin, one from her sister, and another from her cousin. Next, I showed her the first several pages of _The Calming Cat Book_. After that, I read the next story in _My Little Pony: 5 Minute Stories_. "The Crystalling." I finished up with the 8th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "the Reindeer." Grandfather told Kipi, a little boy from Lapland, stories about a great, white, magical reindeer. One day, Kipi decided to go hunting for it. If he saw it and killed it, he'd know his grandfather wasn't just making up stories. So, he dressed warmly, put on his skis, and took his bow and arrow. When he'd gone some distance, he saw a giant white reindeer silhouetted against the sky, with sparkling horns and flashing eyes. The reindeer told Kipi not to kill it, and he would have good luck all his life. Kipi went home as fast as he could to tell Grandfather.  {Smile}

   I read articles and played an online cross stitch game. It's simple, but somehow absorbing; the nurse came in to point out lunch was unusually late... I'd lost track of the time. After lunch I cleaned myself up. Then I welcomed the housekeeper who'd arrived while I was busy. Next, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. It was too late for the early large-group events again, so I worked on some paperwork. Then I noticed it was time for the later short, large group event. I joined it, and as always, they ran two. The first went fine, but the second produced three times the usual enemies. We started to clear it, but folks attacked one with the wrong weapons, which just makes things worse, and it was quite bad enough already. Then enough folks left, the whole group broke up. I was actually relieved, since it was time to read to Mom already, but I didn't want to abandon them if they kept going. {Smile}

After dinner, I got back in time for the late-night short, large group event, and found a big group gathered, looking at the mess we'd left when the last event broke up. We got to work and cleared it. One even was sorry we'd gotten three enemies earlier. We'd get that much less experience and stuff. {chuckles} We cleared it with modest difficulty, considering the size of the mess, and ran the usual second run without incident. The character I played for both - the one I'd been trying to get to level 50 - finally made it, so I had a whole bunch of paperwork after that. I also talked with Owl Girl on the chat server. Well, and after I started writing this update. I guess I finished just as Kitten came in. We talked a while, then teamed up. Nox and I started talking on the chat server, too. Kitten and I ran a special mission only available during the winter event to test the newly improved character She is indeed improved. After one mission, Soothing Darkness said hi, and asked to join us. I added her happily, and we ran two more winter missions. Then Kitten left to start a new character they thought of. Soothing Darkness asked if I could add a friend of hers. I did, and we ran one more winter mission. It was tough, especially since her friend was lower level, but they insisted they were fine.  The game adjusts, but not entirely. We made it through it, and I said goodnight. I wrote a little of this and made notes for the rest. I finished this the next morning after breakfast. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 7, 2023

    The tooth is still mostly almost normal... but kind of considered flaring during one meal, before settling down again. Later, I tried chewing on the other side. It's awkward because the other side is pretty short, so not as easy to chew much on. I'll try some more and think about talking with my dentist about possibilities. {Smile}

   I got a call from the podiatrist's office today. They were happy to reschedule the recheck of the toenail that separated from my big toe for early January. I think the receptionist agreed that the root canal was more urgent. That's so much better than making a root canal wait until mid-January! Untreated root canals can turn nasty! I have much higher hopes for it getting seen next Monday than January 15th! {Smile}

   Our housekeeper came today, and the house is better for her attentions. She even put up the tree, but the middle lights don't light. She's going to come back to finish up and add strings of lights. She said she'll get my bed at the same time. {Smile}

   I got Mom's Christmas ornaments up. It was relatively easy, since I'd never gotten around to undecorating the trees; I just stashed the m on the porch. So, I just took them back and made room for them and a creche, and a tree music box. {Smile}

   I'm still thinking about series to write... I'm wondering what sorts of stories everyone is fondest of, if I might ask? {Smile}

   I ate lunch and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. She opened her eyes to look at things, sometimes when reminded, but she did look. She responded a couple of times. I began with scripture and thoughts about it. Next, I continued with two cards: one from each of her sisters. After that, I showed her the last few pages of _1940s Fashion in Pictures_. Then I read the next story in _My Little Pony: 5 Minute Stories_. "Equestria." All about the ponies' land and the communities in it. I finished with the 7th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Making Presents." Jane wrote DO NOT DISTURB in big letters on a piece of paper and hung it on her bedroom door. Then she got out a big box with colored paper, cardboard, beads, shells from last summer, and glue. She was going to make presents. She decided to make a frame for Mummy, with yellow shells around the edge of some blue cardboard, and a cut out collage for Daddy. Then the door opened. Jane tried to cover everything, but it was only Tigger, the cat, who couldn't read. He jumped up on the table scattering everything in his curiosity.  Jane said he didn't deserve a present. {Smile}

   Still no exercise. The tooth isn't quite normal, and I don't want to upset it like exercise seemed to Monday. {Smile}

   I read articles in the morning, and wrote yesterday's daily update, too. Then I hopped into City of Heroes around lunch time. Soothing Darkness was on and invited me to join her for a story arc that introduces high level content. I started to accept, switching characters, then realized I hadn't cleaned myself up. So, I took a break to do that, missing the beginning. She invited me when I got back and shared it with me and another friend who left for a while about the time that I came in. I think non-computer stuff called them away, as it will. They came back, we finished that arc, did a follow up that's all story, and started a regular story arc that follows that. Later, Pierogies said hi, and we started chatting. I asked Soothing Darkness to invite him. She handed me the team, but we kept doing her missions. We didn't quite finish that story arc by the time I wanted to read to Mom. The others might have left then, too; I'm not sure. {Smile}

   After dinner, I joined the late-night short, large group event. That character is now almost to 50, the level where you can start accessing a different style of play and especially tough content. She also got really close to a badge. Hopefully she'll get both the badge and the level the next time she runs the short, large group event. Then I started writing this up. Next, I spotted that pair of high-level task forces that are individually short enough, folks like to run them back-to-back. I got out the character who's working on those, and she got a couple of badges, and that much closer to getting a particular series completed. Then I worked on paperwork and chatted with Nox and Owl Girl on the chat server. Kitten and Paradox joined me and Owl Girl for a while. I also hunted badges some, and did some research into web fiction, and especially ways to supplement income from that. 

Daily Update, December 6, 2023

    I called Uber after breakfast and went down to my dentist. The driver was nicely chatty. {Smile}

   The dentist is sending me to the endodontist he shares an office with. The first opening to see him is next Monday, ten minutes after I'm supposed to see the podiatrist to follow up on the toenail that separated from my toe. The second available spot to see the endodontist is January 15th. I tried to call the podiatrist, and got a message that they're on vacation until the day I'm to go in. So, I'll call to reschedule on Monday, because a root canal that has been tender to the touch and hasn't felt quite normal since is nothing that I want to go through Christmas with untreated. {Sigh}

   I did have another chatty driver on the way home, which was nice. {Smile}

   Before I went to the dentist, my financial adviser called me back from yesterday. We had a good talk. She agrees with what I recently figured out about my health insurance, so that is settled. We also discussed my future. I'm stuck waiting for now, to see how things go. It depends on when Mom goes, and how much we have left over for me. {small smile}

   I ate breakfast and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. Her eyes were open the whole time, but she responded rarely. First, I started with scripture and thoughts about it. Then I continued with some cards: one from her sister, one from her cousin's granddaughter, and one from me. After that, I showed her several pages of _1940s Fashion in Pictures_. Then I read the next story in _My Little Pony: 5 Minute Stories_. "Nightmare Night." That's the My Little pony series' version of Halloween. I finished with the 6th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Saint Nicholas." Dinah asked her Mummy about Saint Nicholas after the r friend Kirsten said it was Saint Nicholas Day in her country. Mummy said he was a Bishop who lived in Anatolia long ago. He brought three dead children back to life, so he became the patron saint of children. He rides through the countries of the north on a donkey, giving out sweets and toys. Dinah wished he came to their country, so they could get presents, but Mummy laughed and said he was Santa Claus. He'd bring presents. Just wait a while, because he had a long way to go. {Smile}

   Still no exercise; not with the tooth that probably needs a repeat root canal not being sure if it's going to hurt or not. I don't want to make it decide it will hurt again, like I did that first night. {small smile}

   I read a few articles and comics before the phone call and going to the dentist, and more after I came home, including over lunch. Then I cleaned myself up before hopping into City of Heroes: Homecoming too late to join the early short or long, large group events. Instead, I worked on setting up one of the characters I'd worked on yesterday. I also started chatting with Pierogies. I asked about teaming up, but he felt he needed a break. I realized that one power didn't do what I thought it or wanted it to do, so I had to redo that change. Thankfully I was nowhere near that character's current maximum for that change. Pierogies came back not long before I was done, feeling much more myself. We teamed up on the little characters we've been working on and ran a few hunts and regular missions. That ran us close to time to read to Mom, but I wanted to fix him up, and that ran a bit late, but not too bad. I was often that late when I fed Val first. {Smile}

   After dinner, I caught the late night short, large-group event. Then I started checking in my characters, because today the Winter Event started, and they have a new badge for just checking in. I did a little other badge collecting and took a break to finish setting that character up... well, as much as I can while waiting for more supplies. I chatted with Nox and Owl Girl on the chat server when they responded. I also took a break after a while to run a task force that I noticed being advertised. Then I went back to checking in characters, and actually got all 62 checked in. I even slipped in a little more badge collecting before closing down for the night. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 5, 2023

   My jaw isn't bothering me much today, but it hasn't been quite normal, either. This is firming up my plans to see the dentist. 

   Our relief nurse came again, since she missed a day last week due to rain. She couldn't even go a few miles, and we live a few times as far away as she couldn't manage. {smile}

   I called my financial adviser, but she was in a meeting. She is supposed to call me back. I suspect I might have to call her tomorrow. {Smile}

   I ate lunch and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. Her eyes were open the whole time, and she responded a few times, too. It was a good day. I started with scripture and thoughts about it. Next, I read some cards: one from her cousin, one from a friend, and one from her sister. After that, I showed her the next few pages of _1940s Fashion in Pictures_. Then I read the next story in _My Little Pony: 5 Minute Stories_. "Hearth's Warming Eve." That's the My Little pony series' winter holiday. I finished with the 5th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "The Party." It's actually a poem telling how a fiddle, a drum, a trumpet, and a lady Guitar had a party with dancing until the conductor came. {Smile}

   I considered the way my jaw hurt yesterday as I salsa danced, and how it's not quite normal today. I decided a break from exercise today wouldn't hurt. I'll see the dentist tomorrow, and I can see what they can do for me.  It may take a few days, since they never want to do major work when they find something unless it's a real emergency. I hope it's not that bad. I'll see what happens. {smile}

   I read articles and comics in the morning and hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming after personal chores after lunch. It was too late for the early short or long, large group events, so I worked on paperwork a bit. Then Pierogies came on, and we teamed up. We hoped kitten would join us, but they disappeared without answering. We ran the mission that finished the story arc we'd been doing on our low characters. That is often the first really long mission for characters. It certainly was long at the easy pace we did it, but we got it done in time to read to Mom. {Smile}

   After dinner, I caught the late-night short, large-group event. Then, not seeing many around, I did a major rework of a character. I got the main stuff done not long after Kitten started talking to me, but there's a lot more before she's playable again, and more yet before she's as good as I'm hoping to make her for now. I left the rest for later so I could team up with Kitten. I also talked with Nox on the chat server, and with Kitten and Owl Girl on the chat server, too. Michiel joined Kitten and me for teeming, then left about when I'd normally stop for my salsa dancing if I haven't already. but as I said, I was concerned it would upset my jaw, so I teamed with kitten for one more mission, with a time out for a long talk in the middle. I did need that talk. I actually finished writing this up after that, but I'll have to share it the next day. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 4, 2023

    Monday, I started out with a couple of phone calls. I got my doctor's office, and they recommended some painkillers and keeping an eye on the shoulder for now. {Smile}

   I also called church, and ordered three memorial poinsettias, for Dad, his brother, and Mom's sister. {Smile}

   Then this afternoon, my ear started having trouble popping. Then my jaw developed a very tender spot on the right side, which felt like not-quite-pain radiating out to my teeth. After a fair bit of debate and an aborted call to my doctor's office that got the answering machine, I called my dentist when it settled into more by the teeth, less by the ear. I now have an appointment Wednesday at 10:50 am. I'm hoping they can fix it, but if they decide it's more ear, I can go to my doctor after that. {smile}

   I ate dinner with Mom and read to her before that. Her eyes were closed when I got there, but she opened them briefly to say hi, and they stayed open when there was stuff to look at. She responded a few times, too. It was a reasonably good day. I read scripture and thoughts about it first. Then I read some cards: one from her cousin's granddaughter, a (different) cousin, her sister. Next, I showed her the first few pages of _1940s Fashion in Pictures_. After that, I read the next story in _My Little Pony: 5 Minute Stories_. "Saving the Crystal Empire." I finished with the 4th of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Roller Skates." Simon had saved up his pocket money and bought a pair of roller skates. Now his father thought he spent every moment of his free time outside, roller skating. Ho complained that the boy should read or play football, but Simon's mother thought it was just a phase. She thought he wanted to be the best skater at school. One day, Simon's father telephoned from the train station on his way to work. He'd left his wallet at home, and the train left in ten minutes. Simon took it on his roller skates and got there just in time. His father was very impressed, saying he should get a pair. Then they both laughed. {Smile}

   Teaming with Kitten ran right up to time to start my salsa dancing. So, I started my salsa dancing warmup, and grabbed for a chair to steady myself after the second piece. I also noticed my tooth getting less comfortable with the exercise. So I stopped that for the evening, and just took it easy. {small smile}

   I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming soon enough after lunch to join the early short, large group event. After that, I found Pierogies, and we joined the early long, large group event. Then we teamed up, and tried to team with Kitten, but Kitten had to leave for personal chores. So Pierogies and I teamed up on the low-level characters. I asked to run a story arc, and we did. Then we did one mission in the story arc we worked on earlier. After that, we tried to get into the later short, large group event next, but the zone was full. We saw Kitten, and tried to join them, but they turned out to be quiet. (Kitten later complained about falling asleep.) I had gotten a character who needed to work on something that folks often work on in the zone where Kitten was, so we did work on that, making significant progress on that until it was time to read to Mom. {Smile}

   After dinner, I caught the late-night short, large-group event. Then I got together with Kitten. Except I took time out to start writing this before we really teamed up. They were working on the thing Pierogies and I were working on before, so I got the same character, and we both got what we needed. Next, they noticed fewer friends were around, so we watched a My Little Pony longer story that I'd asked about recently. I asked about a sequel I could see should follow that story, but I really wanted to run a particular story arc so I could follow what Pierogies is doing without having to stop for this story arc. We got it done just in time to do my salsa dancing, except that didn't go so well. I also chatted with Nox on the chat server, and I wrote a bit more of this after the salsa dancing. Then Paradox chatted with Kitten and I briefly in our joint conversation, but soon went quiet. Then Kitten and I watched My Little Pony story that that I'd asked about earlier. Yes, I'd seen a direct sequel to the first one that actually did happen too. After that, I wrote a little for Nox and Kitten about something I'm hoping they can help me sort out with my writing. I also made notes for the parts of this that I hadn't written earlier. I had to write it up the next day. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 3, 2023

    Today was Sunday, so I called Uber after breakfast, and they came and took me down to church. I'd gotten to bed particularly early last night, so I got to church particularly early, too. It gave me more time to look around as well as talk with people, which was nice. {Smile}

   It was a nice service, our first service of Advent. Our priest pointed out that's only three weeks long this year. The fourth Sunday of Advent is Christmas Eve, so we go right into the Christmas season after that. {Smile}

   Lunch was almost all dessert because two folks tried to cook their stuff at the same time and blew a circuit. Auntie Barbara wanted to leave before it was ready. I didn't sit with her, but we talked as she took me home. She came inside, and visited with Mom, who sang several songs with us before Auntie Barbara left again. {Smile}

   I ate dinner with Mom and read to her before that. her eyes were open when I got there, though she closed them a few times, but opened them when there was something to look at. She responded several times, too. It was another good day. First, I read scripture and thoughts about it. Then I read some cards: one from her cousin, a friend, church, her nephew, and lastly me. Most were short today, except for mine; I'd written a bit of a note. After that, I showed her the last several pages of _Movie Stars: Memory Lane_. Then I read the next story in _My Little Pony: 5 Minute Stories_. "Cutie Mark Magic." It was about the marks ont he flanks of most of the My Little Pony ponies. I finished with the 3rd of December's story from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "Marbles." Fiona and Gordon felt it was a long time since they'd played marbles. They found five red, two yellow, and two green in the odds and ends box. They wanted five each of one color for a good game. They asked Mummy for money to buy more, but she made them look elsewhere first. Fiona found another yellow marble under her bed. Mummy said she could buy two more yellow ones, but they asked for money to buy three greens as well, so three people could play, and Mummy gave in. {Smile}

   I did my head exercises and arm swinging exercises while I was waiting for Uber to pick me up. There were some twinges during the arm swinging, but I didn't think it was too bad until I had a bunch more twinges while using the mouse to play City of Heroes this evening. I still did my walking exercises - no problem there - followed by my warmup salsa dancing set, a break, and my less structured salsa dancing set. After another break I did my arm resistance exercises, my leg exercises, and some of the arm resistance exercise I've been doing. I think I need to take another break from the arm resistance, arm eight training, and first three leg exercises, but the walking and other leg exercises seemed fine. I also think I need to contact my doctor about this, since it came back. {resigned look} 

   I hopped into City of Heroes homecoming after cleaning myself up in the early afternoon. I got there in time for the early short, large-group event, which I joined. Then I went to the early long, large-group event. After that, I did some paperwork and badge-collecting until Pierogies said hi. We teamed up on low level character and ran a mission. Then he wanted to join the later long, large group event, but that runs when I'm reading to Mom and eating dinner, but we just had time to join the later short, large-group event, so we did. The first run was fine, but the second run turned nasty. We were trying to push through, so we wouldn't have to fight as many enemies, but three bunches spawned, and started attacking us. We did manage to finish, but it was tough. It does feel good to succeed after that. {SMILE}

   After dinner, I hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming and caught the late night short, large group event. Then I started writing this up and read some comics. After that, I hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming, did some paperwork, and looked around. Michiel and Azurette were on, so I said hi. Azurette didn't respond, but Michiel did, and I joined him. I said hi to Nox, who was slow to respond, but we still got to chat. I also let Kitten, Paradox, and Owl Girl know I was playing. Paradox came in and joined us. Then Azurette said hi, explaining that she just finished a task force. She joined us too, and we did a mission or two then all three of them left, and I soloed until I started my exercises. I watched videos and did some online shopping between and after the salsa dancing, too. {Smile}