RAIN ... AND ... THE HOUSE OF PAIN

For now, the rain has stopped, although the radar on The Weather Channel web site still shows a lot of yellow & dark green. All indications of heavy rain in central Arkansas.

After all the nice weather we have had recently -- providing me with opportunities to get out & do much needed/wanted yard work -- this A.M. finds everything soggy, wet & dripping. Even "Lake Hilda" has returned in the front yard.

One good thing: the predicted thunderstorms seem not to have materialized ... yet. Rain is bad enough to spoil a day, without adding potential damages by "severe" weather.

Actually, it's an almost perfect day -- NOT -- for going to the Dentist, which is where I am going today. Oh, joy.

I've got a mouth that still holds all my teeth. Never had one pulled. I even have my four wisdom teeth. My Dentist said my mouth was big enough for the wisdom teeth to come in without problems.

Pause ... while the "Bill's Big Mouth" jokes rattle through readers brains.

This is my annual visit for teeth cleaning & a yearly check up. Some years -- like last -- all I have to get done is the cleaning. Other times, a cavity will need attending to. Sometimes it gets taken care of & filled while I am there. On other occasions, I have to make a return appointment.

This year will probably be a multi-visit year. While I don't believe I have any cavities in my mouth -- but I've been "surprised" before -- I do know I broke a tooth recently & experience makes me think the repair will involve a "Crown". [I never felt the tooth break. It was just ... broken. I don't know how, or why it broke. There is no pain or discomfort with it.]

I do look forward to getting my teeth cleaned. I'm a responsible brusher of my teeth & I try to floss as much as possible. Still, it still feels good to have a "professional" [Jennifer] get into all the nooks & crannies.

GOOD ORAL CARE IS ESSENTIAL

I have an "understanding" with everyone in the Dentist's office -- based on 30+ years of mutual experience dealing with them & me -- that while I will be there physically, I will not be there mentally.

I "require" plenty of Nitrous Oxide gas & all the Novocaine shots necessary to make any procedure a painless one. [Which is why I joke with everyone & call it "The House of Pain". It's not.] Included in my "instructions" is the use of the "Bite Block" ... which forces my mouth open & allows me not to worry about suddenly closing my mouth & removing a finger digit.

For my part, I am going to take off my shoes, relax, put on my head phones & get a bunch of Jimmy Buffett tunes going in my iPod. Give me a tap on the shoulder if you need me & I'll "return".

It's about time to get ready to travel. Checking the radar again, I see the rain appears to have moved out of the area for now. Maybe my trip will be rain-free on the way to The House of Pain.