Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Dentist or Denial?

I guess I could write that I'm in denial - except that I tried four different ways to spell "denial" before I gave up and let Spell Check help.  And I hate it when I have to do that - like a stubborn toddler who insists on pouring their own milk.  I know I can do it!!  That's what this is all about - what I am sure I can do that maybe I shouldn't.  A week ago, I was sure I could be enough help moving my kids from one apartment to two new ones, that I told my daughter not to worry and just drive up to Berkeley to start classes.  Her brother and I would get all the rest of her stuff moved out of the old apartment in Southern California, and in three weeks when her new place is ready, we'd load up a truck and drive her stuff up to her.  We got moved out of the old apartment by 8:30 am, with less than an hour remaining on the lease.  That was the 21st.  Yesterday was the first day I didn't wake up in the middle of the night needing another ibuprofen.  Yes, I'm officially out of pain.  When did I get so old and decrepit???  When did I need a week to get enough sleep to make up for staying awake all night just once???
So - have I learned my lesson?  Am I going to hire someone to load up that truck for me next week?  Probably not.  I'm not getting older - I'm getting better!
PS: I blame my spelling lapse on the Country song - I can't think of denial without thinking of Cleopatra, Queen of De Nile!


     Since I promised pictures, here's a beautiful flower by the sidewalk which I snapped while walking to a burger place called Five Guys.  And here is my burger.  And one of their Grilled Cheese sandwiches.  They just turn the bun inside out and grill it.  Very clever.  Tonight I'm in Seattle going to the Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz at the Lunchbox Laboratory - home of the best Hamburger in the world.  Seriously.  The Food Network will go as far as proclaiming it the best in Washington State - but my extensive independent survey confirms that there is no better burger on the planet.  Then in the morning, I go to my dentist - the real reason I'm visiting my old home city.  I can hardly wait!  Joseph Zimmer - eye candy and intellect - and the best dentist around.  Too bad about the needles and drills, but then no one is perfect.

8 comments:

  1. Ah Beryl, you make me smile. Too much hard work = very long recovery time. Me too! But I don't learn to accept it either. We have that flower growing here, but I have never known its name. Very useful for dull spots in the garden because it is very tough and needs no care at all. mmmmm cheeseburger :)))))

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  2. You are the only person I know who looks forward to going to the dentist! I'm glad to hear that you are not the only one with these phantom aches and pains that come over one, usually two days after the great effort. We'll be moving my mother in October...groan.

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  3. My, you have been a busy lady. No wonder I haven't been seeing posts from you. To me, moving is the most exhausting work! Lucky you only needed Ibuprofen to ease the aches. Good luck on the next leg of the move I think we all have one word or more we have difficulty spelling; mine is retriever, and I have one! You'd think I would remember that rule "I before except after c" but I invariable type it wrong. Yes, thank goodness for spellcheck except when it tries to read your mind!

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  4. Hi Patricia - Those flowers just grow all over Southern California, usually along with Bird of Paradise. Very cheery! And that Cheeseburger was as good as it looks.

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  5. Hi Terri - My dentist is pretty special, as evidenced by my flying back to Seattle to see him. Good luck getting your mother moved. That will be a furniture and all move too, won't it? Although I think it was actually all the boxes of books that was the problem. I wonder how available books in French would be, if I bought my daughter a Nook. It's her birthday next weekend. Last time we came back from France, our suitcases were packed with French classics - how much easier to just have the one electronic device.

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  6. Hi Sanda - I think I would have taken something stronger if I'd had it. I have always thought that the rule about "i before e" does more harm than good, since it has too many exceptions. Just memorizing or sounding out the words might work better. (Don't tell Kris and Valerie that you can't spell retriever.)

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  7. I, too, have aches and pains after physical work. I think it's just part of life after 50. I used to be a good speller, but somehow I find myself losing that facility and needing to look up words that ought to be pretty simple. I don't want to know what that means.... I wish I had a DDS I would travel out of state for. I'm beginning to consider France for dental work, but haven't figured out quite how to go about it.

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  8. The thing about my dentist is that he puts most of his profit back into his practice by having the absolute most up to date equipment and techniques to go with it. He gives his own shots because he he does it best, even though he has a dozen employees. You scarcely feel the needle. And he is so fast, you don't need to be sedated, since the procedure is done before you can work up any panic. Which, of course, makes your recovery quicker.

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