Tuesday, December 06, 2022

The Tooth Will Out

Got such a fast start this morning, I barely had time for breakfast! Dashed out the door at quarter of 10 and into a gloomy day. Good thing I wasn't going as far as work. I had a 10 AM dental appointment. It showered lightly as I dodged traffic and hurried down to Westmont.

The dental assistant took me the moment I walked in the door and checked in. To be honest, my teeth have bothered me for a couple of weeks now. They never did remove that broken wisdom tooth on the upper back left side, and I forgot to get a crown put on one of the lower ones. The lady told me I had a lot of plaque build-up that had to be removed, too. I guess I don't floss well enough, because I do brush, floss, and use mouthwash every day. They had to take an x-ray of the two back teeth, too. 

Stopped on my way out to make appointments. I'll be getting the wisdom tooth out on the 27th and the crown on January 17th. In fact, I ended up taking my last vacation the week between Christmas and New Year's. I already took the holidays off anyway, and it'll give me a chance to recover and really enjoy the holidays. 

The rain stopped long enough for me to head across the street and return the two Christmas novels I took out a week ago. Stopped at Target next. I needed multi-vitamins, apples, clementines, and Swifter dusters. Had lunch at Starbucks, despite a long line of teens picking up lattes. Enjoyed my Pumpkin Spice Frappuchino, snowman shortbread cookie, and spinach feta egg wrap. 

After lunch, went a few doors down to Dollar Tree. I left my rolls of Christmas wrapping paper in storage. Bought a new one depicting a snowman giving gifts to little animals in the forest, plus some mini-bags and ribbon. I even found a gift for someone.

The rain started picking up as I got on my bike. Hurried home, before it could get worse. I just made it. It picked up not 20 minutes after I got in and showered steadily for the rest of the day. 

Had counseling with Mrs. Stahl at 2...and a lot to report. I'm still waiting on PNC and Abilities Solutions. The latter contacted me later in the day and said my resume is ready and will be sent out to prospective employers, but I still haven't heard from the former. 

Even living in an attic, I'm doing ten times better than I was this time last year. I can decorate and shop for friends. I don't have to go anywhere until I'm ready. I still say everything that happened last fall and winter was a farce from beginning to end. It solved nothing. All that happened was I wasted three weeks off of work and a week's vacation time, spent four months being told I don't make enough money, and Rose and Jodie ended up angry at each other and me. 

And I haven't heard from Rose, either...and I'm starting to think that's for the best. I love her, but I'm disappointed, angry, and disgusted with her. This is not the behavior of an adult lawyer. It's the way her 5-year-old daughter is supposed to behave. I'm tired of being bullied and bossed around and told what's best for me. Mom and Rose have fought over what's best for me for years. What I really want is to figure that out for myself. 

Spent the next few hours putting up as many of the Christmas decorations as I could fit. I have all kinds of great stuff. Mom gave me the little rainbow-colored "Noel" sign, the wooden nutcracker, the printed stuffed elves, the holly-print bear, and the home-made calico star garland and calico stuffed gingerbread men from her own holiday stash. The tree and the big resin Santa statue were Christmas presents from her when I lived in Wildwood. Jodi gave me the sweet honey-colored bear in the sweater with the jingle bells and the twin white "Beanie Baby" bears from the late 90's last year, after she cleared out Dad's Christmas decorations. Most of my smaller Beanie Baby bears were yard sale discoveries, except for Wallace in his plaid scarf and Herald the Angel Bear, who were gifts from Jessa. 

I've had the mini-tree since college. Found the slightly larger feather-style tree at Dollar Tree about three or four years ago. It's decorated with yarn flowers I crocheted myself, a beaded necklace my grandma gave me that broke, and beautiful chenille candy canes I picked up from the Vermont Country Store on one of my visits with Lauren. Aunt Terri, Mom's younger sister, gave me the American Girl tin with the first seven historical dolls wearing their Christmas dresses on the front. Found the adorable Disney tin, with artwork that looks like their shorts from the 1960's, and the Winter Cinderella fashion doll in her elaborate gown at yard sales. The holographic Peanuts gift card depicting how they cared for their little tree was too cute to throw away after I spent it.

Watched Monte Carlo as I worked. I go further into this frothy 1930 romantic comedy featuring Jeanette MacDonald and British star Jack Buchanon on my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.


Went into writing after that. Debralee manages to swat away ugly mice with sharp teeth and razor claws with her pillow, but she knows it won't work forever. Just as she sees the mice gnaw the Nutcracker's arm, she hears the clock chiming...and sees Gene on top of it...

Broke for dinner at 7. Watched Match Game '79 as I ate. The first episode began with Lee Merriweather giving Gene a kiss and him teasing Don Galloway about his knitted sweater and ended with Gene and Bill Daily doing their own individual dances for the panel. The second one had Lee just about fainting when she helped the contestant with "__ Counselor."

Finished the night online after a shower with another Nutcracker On Ice. The 1994 version with then-world champ Oksana Bauil and her real-life friend and mentor Viktor Petrenko showed up on TV for the next few years. I remember seeing it as late as 1999 at my ex-boyfriend's house when I was over there one night. It starts pretty much the same, but Clara gets more solos later, the Nutcracker Prince barely appears, the dancing candy all perform in one number, and the Sugar Plum Fairy has more to do. 

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