Jumping Jack Flash--it's a gas gas gas!

I called the dentist this morning to schedule
the little "repair" that they've been wanting to do
--they discovered it when I was pregnant with Baby J
and didn't want to do it then.
And now that he's ten months old
I finally remembered that I'm supposed to get that done.
So when I called, I had out my calendar
and my little pen and had a few dates in mind.
Nothing immediate.
I certainly wasn't calling to ask if they could do it today.
But that's what the receptionist suggested. They had a
cancellation or something... so if my dear mother could
come and watch my babes, I could have this little matter
out of the way this afternoon.
Well, my mom was able to come to my aid
(as she often is)
and I trotted off to the dentist.

I find myself thinking about
all kinds of things in the dentist chair.
Today I was thinking about my old dentist,
the one I went to most of my life. He was an old man
when I started going to him at three years of age,
but he did not retire until some time after Lloyd Dobbler
and I were married.
Here's what I was thinking about him:
why didn't he use gas?
Is it called nitrous oxide?
I actually asked myself those very questions
and do you know what answer I gave myself
---I said I didn't know and I didn't care.
Why? Because it (the gas) was being taken
into my system. That's why I didn't care.
I am telling you what, that is good stuff.
I literally almost napped while they were doing
all kinds of stuff in my mouth.
It was their pesky "Open your mouth" or "rinse" directives
to me that kept me from lulling off.
And I don't know if it has that big of an effect on
everyone else, but it does wonders for me. I have always
been told that I am a "light weight" when it comes to drugs.
I always assumed before that it was because I was so little.
Well, I'm not little anymore
and I'm still affected by the smallest doses of whatever.
That must just be the way I am, big or little.

I was also thinking...while breathing in
that magical stuff...about my dentist being older
and how I hoped he wouldn't have some big
dramatic "senior moment" while he was wielding
dangerous tools around in my mouth.
I was also thinking about
how old Barbara Walters is.
And I was thinking about
milkshakes and coffee.
And Pippi Longstockings.

I was so hungry this afternoon, after the dentist adventure.
Lloyd Dobbler was trying to tell me that I couldn't eat.
The dentist just said I couldn't eat on that side of my mouth.
But I was going to eat.
Buddy, I was hungry.
Inexplicably hungry.
We had an "easily chewed" supper anyway.
I had been cooking a pot of pinto beans all day and I fried
a bunch of potatoes to go with them and make some corn
muffins. My parents were
"out and about" in town at supper time
so they came by and ate with us. I like people coming in
like that. Seems like we used to have people doing that
all the time, but not so much any more.
I like to have people in my home.
I like them to feel comfortable and to just drop in.
In my mind I want it to be like a sitcom
where the funny supporting characters just
pop in and out throughout the program.

Tomorrow is "crazy day" at our home school co-op.
I'm thinking that, for my family, every Friday
is "crazy day." Do we really have to emphasize it?
I'm tired already just thinking about it.
Oh well. The kids will enjoy it.
Lovely K is wearing her nightgown and slippers
(don't worry, it's decent).
Big E and Sweet T are wearing something
out of the dress up clothes.
And me?
Well, I could at any point in time be mistaken
for someone who wanted to dress crazily.
So I'll just consider it "come as you are" day.