Daily Update, June 22, 2023

    Today I stayed home and had my video counselling with my counselor. My insurance's system accepted us easily this week, I'm happy to say. If their system agrees to host us, they usually cover it completely, though you do have to watch; it has taken two tries to get that. The session went well. She helped me with a few things that I have been concerned with, especially a letter to a distant cousin who lives in town, trying to suggest we meet up because I'd like to stop being such a stranger. It's now in the mail. {Smile}

   I got a quick phone call from Auntie Barbara after dinner. We mainly arranged a quick visit tomorrow, though I did also tell her about finishing the letter, which she approved of when I brought it up before. {Smile}

   I had dinner with Mom and read to her before that. First, I read scripture and thoughts about it. After that, I read more from her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2021. Then I showed her several pictures in _The Calming Cat Book_. Again, I tried to describe each kitty: color, coat pattern, eye color, and maybe if it had long hair. After that, I read "100K Strong Korean Group Cheers for other Countries," from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. The group was showing up at the Olympics, paying for their own tickets, and even cheering in the athletes they were assigned to support host country's language. Then I read the June 21st story, "The Swallows," a story about a girl who watched some swallows return to their old nest, fix it up, and used it to hold their eggs in. It was from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom seemed to enjoy both listening to me read and looking at the pictures I shared. {Smile}

   I did my head exercises. It was near the end of playing for the night, but I did them before I concentrated on writing this update. {Smile}

   I read comics around lunch and hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming after that. I looked around and started working on paperwork, especially reporting the problem with the badge I didn't get. Then I spotted bowlofdro, and asked him how he's been, since it's been a while. We chatted a bit, and then teamed up. We ran into a stranger who seemed to want to come along. Since I was running the team, I invited him. We did a mission together, maybe two. After a while, Soothing Darkness came on, and I pointed out that bowlofdro was here, and confirmed she was the one who'd asked about him recently. She joined us too. We did another mission or two, and Perogies came on. He and I chatted, and he joined us as well. The five of us teamed until the new guy suddenly left, as did Perogies at the same time. Soothing Darkness, bowlofdro, and I ran one more mission before I left to read to Mom. I wrote up yesterday's daily update between reading to Mom and dinner and started sharing with friends and family. {Smile}

   I finished sharing it after dinner and hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I found Soothing Darkness roleplaying with a friend and tried to join them. I tried joining them, but kept losing them, and had to call out to get back together rather often. We weren't far into the roleplay when Phonso invited me to another run of the three trials he ran last night. I passed the invite on to Soothing Darkness and her friend. they both declined but told me to go ahead. I'm afraid I did, glad to get away from constantly losing them. Phonso was having trouble recruiting. I tried to help. Almost all the solo friends were busy, though Chili Bear joined us for the first run. I was busy enough, I started late, but caught up before the end. All three trials went well. After that, the team broke up, and I worked on paperwork, especially clearing storage space the three trials had filled up. I also started talking with Nox on the chat server. Soothing Darkness started a conversation, too. Eventually Nox left to go to bed, and Perogies went back to bed. Soothing darkness suggested teaming up, and we did so for a few missions before we parted, her to go to bed, and me to write this up and sneak in a little more paperwork. {Smile}

Daily Update, June 21, 2023

    Yesterday was physical therapy. I contacted Uber a little later than usual because after sharing yesterday's daily update in the place I didn't have time for last night, I started reading articles. However, I still got there with a little time to spare. {Smile}

   Physical therapy went well. I took two pairs of dancing shoes, but both hurt my feet too soon after I started standing in them. The bedroom slippers didn't do that, though they're slightly loose, he liked them. They do turn on the floor but not as easily as socks. So that's what I used when we got to the salsa dancing. He confirmed that I'm good with the half circle taps and the double turns int eh same direction to the slowest piece. {Smile}

   I contacted Uber, and a nice, chatty gal took me home afterwards. {Smile}

   I had a nice phone call from our former nurse late in the afternoon. I enjoyed catching up with him, and catching him up with my life, too. {Smile}

   I had dinner with Mom and read to her before that. First, I read scripture and thoughts about it. Next, I read more from her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2021. Then I showed her the first several pictures in _The Calming Cat Book_. I tried to describe each kitty a little: color, coat pattern, eye color, and if it had long hair. After that, I read "Founded by Ukrainians, Grammarly Still Pays Staff Who Joined Ukraine's Army," from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. The company even helped with relocation when their workers needed to move to safer locations, even out of the country entirely, because of the fighting with Russia. Then I read the June 21st story, "Billy Know-It-All," a story about a boy who was so certain he knew how to do everything, he hitched up a cart and tried to take it to market. He hit a stone, and spilled the vegetables the cart was loaded with. It was from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom seemed to enjoy both listening to me read and looking at the pictures I shared. {Smile}

   No exercise beyond physical therapy today. That was enough. {Smile}

   I read comics over lunch and hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming after that. I said hi to Perogies, and we teamed up. Heat Transfer said hi and joined us. Perogies wanted to see if we could run a mission with him running three characters, like the fellow yesterday ran five in a farm at once. Perogies had been successful running three in a farm, but in a regular mission, it was too much. He cut back to one, and the three of us ran a few missions until it was getting late. They left when it was less than half an hour to time to read to Mom, so I did some paperwork until going to read to her. {Smile}

   I hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming after dinner. Soothing Darkness said hi, and swiftly suggested a high-level task force. I joined, not having anything better. Phonso came on during the first mission, said hi, and spoke of delaying his plans to run some trials tonight. I kind of pushed and begged him to run them, promising to try to recruit the team I was on, when he said they were hard to recruit. Six from our team stayed with us for Phonso's trials, counting me, so with Phonso, we only needed one more. We almost didn't get them before we left, but we did, so we ran the first with a full team. One left for the next trial, but all the others ran the third, too. I talked with Nox on the chat server, too. After the third trial, all left except Soothing Darkness, one stranger, and myself. We ran some of my missions. Soothing Darkness left, and the other ran a couple more with me. We established long-term connections as we said goodnight. {Smile}

Daily Update, June 20, 2023

    Today was the monthly picnic. I finished sharing yesterday's update and read a few articles while I waited for the van. It eventually showed up and took me to the most common park we meet at. I had a nice talk with the gal who drives it on the way down, too. {Smile}

   The picnic went very well. We caught up with folks, including one fellow who'd returned after an absence. The food was good too, but I really enjoy the company. This group is so inclusive, you don't have to be out unless you want to be out. the van driver always sits a bit apart, but one guy comes with his nurse, and more than one brings family members, and they're as included as they want to be. {Smile}

   The leader too me home, along with one fellow we dropped off first. That let me move to the front seat, since he got that first. We had a lovely chat all the way home. {Smile}

   I had dinner with Mom and read to her before that. I started with scripture and thoughts about it. Then I continued with more from her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2021. After that, I showed her the rest of the pictures in _The Picture Book of Vintage Vogue_. I continued telling the month and year of each cover when I could. they don't all have a date on them, but most do. I also tried to describe each picture a little. After that, I read "Florida man Pays Past Utility Bills for 114 Families," from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. He wanted to help more families through tough times in 2020. He was able to help so many because many of the unpaid bills were small - but still hard to pay. Then I read the June 20th story, "The Bee's Song," a poem about honeybees who just want to gather honey without being bothered, from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Then I finished by showing her the front cover of the next picture book I plan to start tomorrow: The Calming Cat Book. Mom enjoyed both reading and pictures. {Smile}

   I did my walking, arm swinging, and the standing arm resistance and arm weight training exercises after dinner. Then I did my head exercises, the sitting resistance exercises, and the sitting arm resistance exercise during lulls in City of Heroes later in the evening. I also did just about 6 1/2 minutes of salsa dance, but I was rather shaky... not exactly steady. So I decided to stop and talk to my therapist tomorrow before trying more. I think our head nurse was happy I stopped before I got hurt again when I told him my decision. I think I am, too. {Smile}

   I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming after some personal chores after getting home. There I found Perogies and Kitten on a full team. (No, you can't tell if it's the same team without asking, but I asked, and it was.) Only one of Perogies accounts was on it, since he now has two. On his not-teaming account, he told me Kitten was showing him a fellow who farms on five characters at once. About the time a slot opened on the team, Perogies offered to team with me, but I just had to see this fellow play five at once. So, I joined them, and we did a few missions together. The others all left at once, about half an hour before I normally read to Mom, so I took care of Val, and then worked on paperwork that had piled up in the farms. {Smile}

   After dinner and the walking and standing exercises, I hopped back on City of Heroes: homecoming. Kitten wasn't there, or the others I most commonly team up with, so I started on paperwork while I considered whether to look for a Pick-Up Group, or what. Kitten came on, and we got together. They urged me to work on a badge I found rather daunting, saying one step at a time, and they're right. However, Phonso came on, and we joined him in three task forces in a row. Then as he was leaving, Kitten suggested we join another task force that had two slots left and was leaving soon. We did, and it turned out to be run by one of my newer friends, a fellow who streams on Twitch under the name of Mollymauk76. He followed that with a high-level story arc. Next he wanted to do a run of his favorite strike force. I bowed out to salsa dance. When I couldn't safely, I went back but they were well into it. I waited, and joined the next run, though Kitten bowed out for it. Somebody else on the team wanted to do a quick task force next, but I bowed out to write this and do a bit of paperwork before bed. {Smile}

Daily Update, June 19, 2023

    I called the cardiology clinic as I began breakfast. I told them about yesterday's phone call and not finding a record of an appointment. They checked my records. i had no appointment today. The next appointment for me that they found was late September, on the day and at the time I found in my calendar on my cell phone when I checked afterwards. So that was a relief to know. {Smile}

   I had dinner with Mom and read to her before that. I started by reading scripture and thoughts about it. Then I continued by reading more from her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2021. After that, I showed her several more pictures in _The Picture Book of Vintage Vogue_. I started telling the month and year of each cover... well, almost each cover. one didn't say, so I couldn't give any date for it. I also tried to describe each picture a little. After that, I read "Woman who can Smell Parkinson's Aids Scientists," from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. The scientists are coming up with a swab test for Parkinson's, inspired by this woman noticing a musty odor about her husband and other Parkinson's patients. Then I finished with the June 19th story, "Lucky Smokey," about a pony who used to give rides on a beach, until he got taken to a pasture where his favorite rider, a kind boy, was ready to ride him, from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom enjoyed both reading and pictures. {Smile}

   I did my walking, arm swinging, and the two standing arm weight training exercises, and the one standing arm resistance exercise right after dinner. Later, I did the single sitting arm resistance exercise, all four sitting arm weight training exercises, and all five of my head exercises, which are all sitting. {Smile}

   I revised the story a bit more over lunch and afterwards. Then I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I worked a bit on some paperwork, and checked who was in. Perogies was on so we teamed up. Kitten joined us when they came, too. We ran several missions together, and chatted at times, too. Then Perogies left, and Kitten and I rean a couple more before it was time to read to Mom. Kitten complained about it being hard to tell when I was in the game. I realized that the chat server was saying I was in if the launcher or the game were open. I tried closing it, and they happily reported it didn't claim I was in there. I will have to remember to close them when I'm away from the game for an extended time. {Smile}

   I did my walking and standing exercises after dinner, then hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming. Kitten noticed, and came in quickly, so we teamed up easily. I really have to remember to keep those closed when I'm at dinner, out, or otherwise away from the computer for an extended time. We ran a particular contact's missions to get a badge on our best badge collectors. I also started talking with Nox on the chat server. Then we tried a story arc for more badges for my character, but I set it in a way that made it particularly hard. I was ready to quit and restart, but Kitten thought we could do it, and we finally did. That did make me feel accomplished. I got two badges out of it - I was hoping for three, but I was wrong; one I was trying for didn't exist. We ran it again, and I got one more badge, when I hoped for two. It was definitely easier. Thinking I'd failed to set it up right, we ran it a third time, but the last badge - which is on the lists - still didn't appear. I guess i'll have to see if they can fix it when it isn't so late. {Smile}

Daily Update, June 18, 2023

    The knee I fell on settled into intermittent swelling. sometimes it's swollen, sometimes it's not so much. STill tends to be a bit painful. I'm monitoring it as I wonder what to do. {Smile}

   I got an automated call before breakfast from cardiology reminding me of an appointment tomorrow that I couldn't find on my schedule. I tried to check with them as directed, but since it was Sunday, I just got their afterhours service, which didn't have access to any of their records. I had to call the next morning, which I did at the beginning of breakfast. As I suspected, I don't have an appointment until late September. {Smile}

   I got done with breakfast unusually late. I had less than 10 minutes to get to church, and the car got to me when it nominally begins. He got me there surprisingly early under the circumstances: I only missed most of the announcements and most of the entrance hymn. I sat with Auntie Barbara both during church and for lunch, which let us have a nice long talk. Auntie Barbara took me home, where she visited with Mom, who sang a few songs with us, even remembering all the words. {Smile}

   I had dinner with Mom and read to her before that. I read scripture and thoughts about it first. Then I read more from her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2021. Then I showed her the first several pictures in _The Picture Book of Vintage Vogue_. It's a collection of Vogue Magazine covers from the early 20th century. I tried to describe each picture a little. After that, I read "Iranian Champ Auctions Olympic Gold to Help Earthquake Victims, " from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. Then I finished with the June 18th story, "The Starfish," about a starfish who almost got caught despite her mother's warnings, from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom enjoyed both reading and pictures. {Smile}

   I did all my head exercises, the only ones I'm supposed to do the day after physical therapy. I did them very late, but they're done now. {Smile}

   I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming after some personal chores after Auntie Barbara left. I started with paperwork, then looked around for someone to team with. Not spotting anyone, I started working on some badges. I spotted Soothing Darkness on a team I was able to join. I think we ran a mission or two. The team mostly broke up around the time Perogies came in, Perogies, Soothing Darkness, a friend of hers, and I teamed up, recruited a few more, and ran the next of the series of story arcs we started yesterday. the team broke up again. Since it was time for me to read to Mom, I was one of the ones who left. I think Perogies left for bed about that time, too. {Smile}

   After dinner, I read some comics, and hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming. Soothing Darkness was on a full team. I said hi, and learned her friend we'd teamed with earlier was leading it. She promised me a place when a spot cleared, but that took longer than either of us expected. I did paperwork, then started working on badges until a spot finally opened up. I joined, we ran a mission, and the team broke up. We recruited more, and ran one more, then it broke up again. Then we switched to running my missions to finish up a story arc I'd started. I added a couple of friends, then lost some again. We ended up with four: Soothing Darkness, the new friend I made last night, Owl Girl and myself. Soothing Darkness complained of a problem that can be helped though rarely fixed completely with a badge I know very well, because I get it on all of mine. I started to take them around to get what they needed for it. Owl girl left part way through. Soothing Darkness got the badge, and our new friend got much closer. They know what they need to finish if we don't get together again before they do. {Smile}

Daily Update, June 17, 2023

 Yesterday I had a slow text conversation with the cousin who visited the day before. That was nice. {Smile}

It was also physical therapy, so I called Uber. I got a nice, chatty gal as driver on the way over. {Smile}

Physical therapy went mostly okay. I did a good bit on the machine and the other just-exercises, and the first piece of salsa dancing. However, as I was getting into the second piece, My foot slid out from under me, and down I went, right knee and hands first. The hands were bright pink until lunch, and the knee had a bright pick swollen spot, as well as a little skinned red spot. The swelling and pink were gone by after lunch. {Smile}

I took Uber back, and got a less chatty fellow for my driver, though I'm not sure that wasn't partly not thinking of as much to say with my knee definitely sore. {smile}

I had a nice phone call with Auntie Barbara after dinner. That was nice, though she wasn't too happy to hear about my fall. {Smile}

I had breakfast and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. First, I read scripture and thoughts about it. Next, I continued with the start of her niece's long family Christmas letter from 2021. Then I showed her the last several pictures and read the rest of the captions in _Memories 1940s_. I made a point to read all the posters again. I think she likes that. After that, I read "SN.J. Teacher Leaves $1 Millon in an Will for Special-Ed Students, " from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. Then I finished with the June 17th story, "The Stowaways," about a girl heading out to visit her grandfather, who's doll and teddy stow away in her suitcase when she tells them her mother said they couldn't come along, from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom enjoyed both reading and pictures. {Smile}

No exercise today beyond physical therapy. That was enough, fall and all. {Smile}

I wrote yesterday's update after lunch, then hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. There, I found noticed a trial being advertised, and found that my top two badge collectors had done it, but the third hadn't. The third ran it and got two badges. I checked, and both the better badge collectors already had both badges. While I was started, I started chatting with Perogies. We teamed up afterward, on mid-level characters, and teamed right up to time to read to Mom. {Smile}

After dinner, I read some comics, and hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I did a little paperwork and had the phone call, and then I saw Jag was online, and we chatted a bit. Then I found them in the game, in a role-play that I couldn't figure out how to enter, since I wasn't sure my character knew either of theirs, though I know Jag well, and they were talking to Soothing Darkness and another player I also know somewhat. Chili Bear invited me to join him in a "farm" he was running (repetitive play for the experience, money, or similar rewards), but that's when I got drawn into the role playing, so I apologized to Chili Bear. I also chatted with Nox on the chat server. The roleplaying and other chatting went on until Phonso invited me to a trial. I told the told the folks I was roleplaying with out-of-character. They were interested but one wasn't sure how to leave the role-play, especially as one other joined in. So, I had my character get a phone call, and invite them to the trial "in character." That worked. We ran the trial twice. Then most of the folks left. Soothing Darkness and I found a character offering a "signature story arc," which was pay-only when this game was supported by the company, but everything like that is open to everyone now. We figured out which signature story arc is first and found the very first signature story arc contact. Soothing Darkness invited Azurette, and strangers besides. We restarted twice when someone asked to join as we were starting. We ran that arc, and most players left, because it really was late. Soothing Darkness, one stranger, and I ran the second signature story arc in the first series. I established contact information with the stranger before we headed our separate ways. I started writing this update. Then I snuck back and met another character of Soothing Darkness's character, admiring the costumes before finishing this in notes to write up the next day. {Smile}

Daily Update, August 16, 2023

    Our housekeeper came bright and early yesterday because she won't be available for a while and wanted to squeeze us in before she left. {Smile}

   I started to share yesterday's daily update on the chat server. My cousin and her husband came in the middle, so I dropped that. We visited in the living room, which the housekeeper had just finished cleaning. Then we went out to lunch at Kosmic Cones because it's on land our fathers lived on for a few years while growing up. My cousin and her husband really loved the food there. I did too, but after eating what I could of their typically huge helping, I insisted on sending my leftovers home with them. I figured I can get more so much more easily than they can, living in another state. 

   They brought me back home afterwards. There, I finished sharing yesterday's daily update on the chat server. (So that's why there was a large gap, to anyone who noticed.) {Smile}

   Today, I had breakfast and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. I started with scripture and thoughts about it and continued with a Christmas card from her niece, and another from Auntie Barbara. Then I showed her more pictures and read the captions in _Memories 1940s_. I made a point to read all the posters again. I think she likes that. Then, I read "Stolen Charles Darwin Notebooks Returned 22 Years after Last Seen, " from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. Then I read the June 16th story, "Ian Goes Fishing," about a boy and his cat who went fishing at the end of the garden, from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom enjoyed both reading and pictures. {Smile}

   I did my walking, arm swinging, and the arm weight training and resistance exercises I do standing up. Then I did the three sitting arm weight training exercises during lulls. That means I didn't do one arm weight training exercise, and I also didn't do any of the head exercises. I need to work hard at this. {rueful look}

   I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming after finishing sharing yesterday's daily update. There, I teamed up with Perogies. I also started chatting with Soothing Darkness. I ended up inviting Soothing Darkness to join us. We three did several missions together. Then Perogies left. I switched characters, and soothing Darkness and I teamed up until it was time to read to Mom. I also read comics between reading to Mom and dinner. {Smile}

   I exercised and talked with the relief nurse after dinner. Then I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I didn't find anyone to team with, so I tried soloing. I also tried chatting with Chili Bear. They got me to try a voice channel on the chat server where folks were talking there while playing on one of two teams in the game. It reminded me of the People Who Talk, who I used to play with until they kicked me out. They mixed voice and play in a similar fashion, and some even sounded similar. I'm afraid I froze. I tried to answer a question, got no response, and couldn't bring myself to talk until I tried to excuse myself. Then I got to answer the question for the gal who'd asked it but hadn't heard my answer. After that, I left. I teamed up with Owl Girl next, until they left. After that, we talked on the chat server about the freezing up thing. I was so much more comfortable teaming with them. It turns out they consider voice more problematical... and that might be because neither of us has good hearing. Yeah, with my serious hearing loss, voice without lips to read... works a lot better with subtitles, which the voice channel didn't have. {rueful smile}

Daily Update, June 15, 2023

    Last night, at bedtime, I found a text a cousin had sent in late afternoon saying she and her husband would be visiting Hilo, where I live, for a couple of days, and they hoped we might get together. I texted back assuring her that I'm free, and telling her I could go meet them, or they could come up, and gave her driving directions. {Smile}

   This morning, we arranged to meet tomorrow morning (Friday), when they would come up to the house. I'm looking forward to this, and even getting a bit excited. I haven't met her in person, though we've been Facebook friends for years. {Smile}

   Today, I had lunch and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. I started with scripture and thoughts about it and continued with a particularly detailed card from her sister's friend. Then I showed her the covers and read the first few pages of, _Memories 1940s_. I made a point to read all the posters, which sometimes i haven't done as thoroughly. Then, I read "955 Gold miners All Safe After a 30-Hour Ordeal, " from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. Then I read the June 15th story, "Tit for Tat," about a boy who found a crab at the beach, which pinched him when he tried to put in his bucket to take home, from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom enjoyed both reading and pictures. {Smile}

   I did my head exercises after dinner. They're the only exercises my therapist wants me to do the day after physical therapy; we don't work my head, so it shouldn't be too tired unless my whole body is tried from physical therapy. {Smile}

   I read comics after lunch and hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming after that. I found Perogies and Kitten ready to team up, and particularly ready to do the early long, large-group event, so we did that first. Then we picked a story arc my best badge-collector hadn't done and ran part of it. Perogies left when he was tired and reminded us to keep going; he wasn't worried about missing the end. So, Kitten and I did continue, right up to time to read to Mom. {Smile}

   After dinner and my exercises, I hopped back into City of Heroes: homecoming. With a little work, I got Kitten's attention, and they came back to finish the story arc we'd worked on earlier. Then they left to help a friend, and I looked around. Seeing Soothing Darkness, I got her attention, and we chatted then teamed up. teamed up. Then Kitten came back, bringing a friend with them who found a giant monster group just before we started a mission. We fought the giant monster, then ran the mission, and a second mission. Phonso appeared and invited us to a task force while we were in the second mission. Kitten's friend dropped out partway through because it was a work night, and they didn't want to be too tired at work tomorrow. The three of us struggled particularly after that, so I invited Phonso. He came, and we finished with his help, then waited for Phonso to recruit the team. Owl Girl joined us at my invitation. Then somehow Soothing Darkness got bumped when they tried to switch to a character high enough for the task force. Owl Girl insisted on offering their spot, but Soothing Darkness responded slowly enough, we took off with Owl Girl instead. the task force went well, and broke up afterwards, so I invited Sotthing Darkness back. She offered to show us the storage in her new base. i was surprised how long we talked about that and looked at that. Then Soothing Darkness did two too-old missions to get them out of the way, and we finished on a mission of mine that was recent enough to be more rewarding. Then I finished writing this up before bed, though I won't have time to share it everywhere until tomorrow. {Smile}

Daily Update, June 14, 2023

    Today was physical therapy, so i called Uber a while after breakfast. 

   Physical therapy went pretty well. I did the most on the machine I start on before tiring yet. Then I tried faster half-circle taps and double turns, after telling how I had a little more trouble with them in faster pieces. I actually did fairly okay until I tired. The faster piece I chose, while shorter than many I use, is almost twice as long as the piece I usually practice to at physical therapy, as well as a little faster. I didn't realize how much more vigorous the half circle taps and double turns are than most of my salsa moves. 

   After therapy, I called Uber to take me home. {Smile}

   A while after dinner, I got a phone call from Auntie Barbara. We had a nice talk, I thought. {Smile}

   Today, I had dinner with Mom and read to her before that. First, I read scripture and thoughts about it then I continued with a card from her sister, then one from her niece, then one from me. Then I showed her the rest of the pictures in _A Picture Book of Cute Kittens Vol. 1_. I described each cat in the pictures, color and pattern, sometimes eye color and what they're doing as well. Next, I showed her the covers of the next book I picked, _Memories 1940s_, describing the pictures and reading the blurb on the back cover. Then, I read "Betty White Turns 99, and Can Stay Up as Late as She Wants, " from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. Then I read the June 14th story, "Hungry Hedgehog," about a hedgehog's encounter with a barking dog whose owner called it off because the hedgehog was eating garden pests, from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom enjoyed both reading and pictures. {Smile}

   Today I had physical therapy, so no exercise beyond that. {Smile}

   I finished posting yesterday's daily update between breakfast and physical therapy. Then I read comics over lunch. After that, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I started with some paperwork as I tried to talk to some friends. Azurette answered, and Kitten came in. Azurette was on a team with two spaces, so we joined them. They finished one mission just as I got in, then did one more mission before breaking up. Azurette left, too. Then Perogies came in at just that moment, and Kitten and I teamed up with them. We ran most of a story arc before it was time to read to Mom. Perogies insisted we shouldn't wait for him to finish it. {Smile}

   I hopped back on City of Heroes: Homecoming after dinner. As I was getting started, Auntie Barbara called. it was nice to get it before we were busy. Afterwards, as per Perogies's instructions, we finished the story arc from before dinner. Then we each ran a short solo mission. Kitten got two badges at the end, and I got three badges. Kitten ran another short solo mission, and got two more badges, including the one I got that they hadn't after the first solo mission. Then I said hi to Soothing Darkness, who invited us to the taskforce she'd answered the recruitment call for. We ran the task force with less trouble than I honestly expected. After it, everyone except Soothing Darkness, Kitten and I left. Soothing Darkness invited us to run a particular story arc with her, so we did. That took us to where I had enough time to write up notes on my day before bed, then write my update from them. {Smile}

Daily Update, June 13, 2023

    Today I stayed home. I did do a bit more work on the story I'm revising. I did more than yesterday, but I hope to work up to more writing daily. {Smile}

   I had a very long talk with our main nurse, about what he feels I'll need as far as care in the future, especially after Mom dies. It's going to be a rough time. Planning won't make it easy, but it might keep from making things even worse. {odd smile}

   Today, I had dinner with Mom and read to her before that. I started with scripture and thoughts about it and continued with a card from a friend of one of her sisters. Then I showed her more pictures in _A Picture Book of Cute Kittens Vol. 1_. I described each cat in the pictures, color and pattern, sometimes eye color and what they're doing as well. Then I read "Student Walks 20 Miles for His First Day of Work, So Boss Gives him His Car, " from _100 Uplifting Short Stories for Seniors_. Then I read the June 13th story, "Floppit's Picnic," about a picnic a girl and her pet bunny had, from _366 Stories for Bedtime: A Tale for Every Day of the Year_. Mom enjoyed both reading and pictures. {Smile}

   I did my walking, arm swinging, arm resistance, and some of my arm weight training exercises right after dinner. I did the rest of the arm weight training and all the head exercises while waiting for something to get going in City of Heroes Homecoming after that. Then I did salsa dancing warmup. {Smile}

   I finished writing yesterday's daily update after breakfast and some reading. Then I read comics over lunch and hopped into City of Heroes: homecoming a while after lunch. I started with paperwork, meaning to team up with Perogies when I was done, but they left just as I was getting to that. So, I did more paperwork as I thought about what I wanted to do. I also chatted a bit with me role playing partner. Eventually I realized it was getting towards time for the early short, large group event, taking my third best badge collector, because much of the paperwork I'd done should have improved her, though I kind of think one number is slightly lower. Anyway, I took her to the short, large-group event early, then to the long, large-group event, and she seemed pretty good now. I did make a new connection with a regular at the event, which was pretty neat.  I noticed during the later long, large group event that Perogies had said hi before the event, while I was feeding Val, so I hadn't noticed at the time. However, he was busy with the event, and didn't respond until I tried again afterwards. We had a nice chat then, until it was time to read to Mom. {Smile}

   After dinner, the exercises I did after dinner, and a lot of talking with our main nurse, I hopped into City of Heroes unusually late for me. I ended up doing more paperwork as I looked for something to do. I tried to find someone to talk to. Owl girl did respond, and we did chat, but they were busy in a task force, which you can never join after it's started. Then Phonso came in and invited me to do a task force. I jumped at that. It went pretty nicely until the end; enough so, I started chatting with Nox in the brief lulls. Then we got to the big battle at the end, and that took well over half an hour. That is a very long battle. We had a terrible time with the main villain. He kept healing so fast it took us a very long time to defeat him. by the time it was over, it was not a good time to start something new, so I worked on the paperwork that task force produced around the salsa dancing and a couple more chats with our main nurse. {Smile}