Did You Survive?

Tax Day that is?

I'm glad all that is behind us for another year but this year is moving by so fast that it will be tax time again before we know it. We got our state refund and took it right to the bank before it bounced or they asked for it back but we are still waiting on the federal refund. REFUND! I'm still shocked that we didn't have to pay this year like we do every year, but being broke all year does have its perks I suppose!

Keith's teeth must have known we were getting a refund. He went to the dentist yesterday for the first time in a long time and had one tiny cavity that they filled right then and there, but has two teeth that are cracking and need crowns. He made the appointment for Monday and it will cost $900.00 and some odd dollars. I still haven't made the appointment for my crown which will be another $495.00 or so. So there goes a big chunk of our refund.

He is taking Monday and Tuesday off for vacation days and he was supposed to put our kitchen floor in, not go get crowns put on his teeth, but since he's already got the time off he figured he'd get the teeth out of the way and not have to leave work early or ask for another day off or whatever. He'd still better get that damn floor put down though! I have a feeling I will be nagging him a lot this weekend. A lot.

But, hopefully by next week we will have a floor! Finally! We've had the boxes of wood flooring sitting in the garage for a few years now, all bought and paid for. We'll see...

The Marquis de Sade School of Dentistry

Yup, I'm positive that the dentist I went to today graduated with honors from that particular school. I really think she totally enjoyed watching me wince at each jab and scrape.
I have to go in every three months for a periodontal cleaning since I am having periodontal issues. The last time I went in I had my teeth cleaned by the hygienist and it was relatively pain free.
Not this time.
The hygienist is out on some kind of medical leave-stress related maybe?-so the regular dentist had to clean my teeth. I had never seen this woman before, the dental office we go to seems to change dentists about as often as I change my underwear, and I don't think she was too happy at having to do hygienist work today. She used that supersonic water jet thing and when you have sensitive teeth and gums anyway, that is like having little tiny needles jabbed into your gums. And then after she was done with that, she scraped the heck out of some of my teeth, jabbed my gums some more, and then told me to come back in three months for some more torture. Can't wait.
Remember the Dustin Hoffman movie 'Marathon Man', where he is being tortured by having holes drilled in his teeth while being asked 'is it safe'? That was me today, I kept wanting to yell out 'it's safe, it's safe!'

Tomorrow Bear goes to the vet to get her teeth cleaned. They use general anesthesia. So, next time I think I will just go to the vet to get my teeth cleaned. It sounds much more humane.

So Sad and Be Sure To Floss!

It was so sad yesterday. I went outside in the early afternoon and noticed a big grey tabby cat doing what I thought was sunning in my neighbor's front yard. I said 'hi, kitty' and went on about my business. A few hours later Keith and I were getting ready to go out to eat, it being payday and me being chronically too lazy to cook. The little girl next door was out front with her friend getting real close to this cat. She was saying that there was something wrong with his paw, and sure enough as we got close to the cat he was kind of limping and crawling along. He looked up at our fence like he was going to jump up and make a run for it and then laid back down. We told the girls that there was something wrong with the cat and not to touch it. Keith called animal control and after a lengthy conversation with having to give them the neighbor's name and phone number since we weren't going to be home, they said they would come out as soon as possible. We went to dinner and got back home and checked with the neighbor, and animal control had come and taken the cat away. We think it may have been hit by a car or something and just crawled up onto the lawn. I was glad we weren't home to see the cat being taken away to be put down since we both have such big soft spots for kitties.

Now, on a different note, everyone, be sure to floss your teeth! I am a very lazy flosser but I do brush after every meal. At my last dental visit, no cavities, but 'deep pockets' in my gums, so was advised to see a periodontist. Well, I had my appointment yesterday and now will be having gum surgery to clean out those deep pockets in my gums and also have synthetic bone replacement inserted to replace lost bone. The periodontist explained it really well what happens and why the surgery is necessary, so I'm okay with that. What I'm not so okay with is that even with dental insurance it will cost over $3000.00. Eeeek!

So, this holiday season will be a very lean one, we are going to limit gifts to 25.00 each and that's it. Like my husband says, my gift will be my dental bill getting paid.