Ten year old goes back Wednesday, five year old has an evaluation on Friday, and starts up next week.

I played my first full scenario of Panzer Grenadier: Airborne yesterday, it was a bit boring, as the paratrooper Yanks and the Krauts just shot at each other, some got scared, and a few got hurt.

Back in the days wargames were much bloodier, typical results of an attack were nothing, or complete destruction of the unit. But around 1977, Squad Leader came out and included the morale concept, the most likely result of a unit being attacked was that they would break under fire and run away, possibly recovering on their own, or with the help of a leader. 

Most contemporary tactical wargames use this approach, for Panzer Grenadier, a unit has three morale values, good, disrupted and demoralized, with disrupted and demoralized units being far less capable in abilities, and more likely to run away.

The first scenario was mostly a learning scenario with few counters, in it 2 1/2 platoons of Yank paratroopers (probably 101st) tried to take a bridge defended by 2 platoons of Krauts, a heavy machine gun team, a mortar battery and a strongpoint. The paratroopers skulked through the swamp and hedgerows to get right up to the strongpoint, and fired point blank, and was fired upon point blank, for a few hours, with no significant results.

The next scenario looks more interesting, and was pretty much pulled from Band of Brothers, with the paratroopers trying to get a German gun battery on d-day. It will probably take an hour or two, maybe on the weekend.

Next weekend will most likely be rough. We won't have the kids, but we will most likely have Mrs. Ha's mom. We're hoping to get by with only 2 days of the long weekend, and I have a list of improvements to make and things to buy (shower/tub handrail, handheld showerhead, narrow showerchair) to help care for her. It was obvious going to her place just doesn't work, and the less we deal with the sister living there, the better. It's off to Lowe's and Wallyworld for me.

In other inlaw news, Mrs. Has sister should be visiting tomorrow, and may even make it here by tonight. This is the one that doesn't live with Mrs. Ha's mother, and is somewhat healthy emotionally.

I also placed an order for bike parts from bikebandit, Mrs. Ha knows I need a break from the caretaking, and a few hours with my hands all greasy and oily is just what the therapist ordered. I even paid a lot more for express shipping, in hopes I can get the parts before the long weekend.

In other bike news, we have a Ninja outside our door, at the end of our driveway. We think the owner is living with the girls next door, he does have trouble starting it ( I even helped him with carb cleaner one day), I suspect fuel problems. It hasn't moved in a few days, I'm surprised it hasn't gotten any tickets yet. The thing needs work.

I had a massage Friday, Mrs. Ha bought me one for my birthday half a year ago. She got it from one of the school moms who's daughter is in ten year old's class ( indeed, ten year old is celebrating her daughters birthday at the local amusement park this afternoon). She's a massage therapist who does a lot of work with my population, ie the ankylosing spondilities sort. It was great, in addition to the relaxing massage, she had some tips for my arthritis pain.

Right now, for my swollen sore achilles tendon on my left foot, I'm trying hydrotherapy. This is a nice word for a bucket of ice water, a bucket of very hot water, and alternating your foot between the too. I'm finding five minutes of each, repeated for an hour, is doable at night time. I think it's helping, but it's only been three nights.

If it works, I have to try it on my right foot, some of my toes are still sore and swollen.

In other tedious health news, I have to keep working my right knee, doing all the exercises I learned in PT. It still hurts like the dickens, and I still need handrails to go up and down stairs, and I still can't kick start the bike reliably.