Still more

I spent some considerable time writing a post last week, saving it so Icould proof read it the next day before publishing it, and somewhere between save and publish, the whole thing has disappeared into the ether...... not impressed.

The epic continues: Last week was another hectic week. I worked two night shifts at the residential home - 10.30pm to 7am, getting back here to crash on the couch to try and sleep enough to get through the next round. I managed a ph call on the Saturday 24th July to NZ to Mum for her birthday and the following day to Clive for his between shifts. On the Sunday night, I had my last shift at the ff place for awhile and am more than happy about that. Monday it was back at school but had nothing that afternoon - felt like I had a get out of jail free card woohoo. I decided to sieze the moment and went to the optometrist to get my new pair of glasses underway. I do not think the woman working there was very impressed with me - she told me to browse the frames and I said I didnt need to, I just wanted a very basic, no 1 CHEAP pair. She directed me towards some name brands regardless and I had to repeat myself and she still did not seem to get it. In the end with lips like she had sucked a lemon, she managed to come up with a couple of frames and though I liked one pair more than the other, I picked the cheaper pair, telling her I wanted to see, and was not overly concerned what they looked like. As it happens they are pretty much like what I already have so no drama. It would seem I should have two pair of glasses ideally - one for reading and such like and one for all else. I said I had hard enough time of keeping one pair organised and two would be a recipie for disaster - hence me getting graduated lenses in the first place. Arrrrrgh. The good news was however, when she zip zapped my hbf card ( health ins) I received $160 off the price of the glasses which I was very impressed with. Am starting to like this health ins business.

I had thought I might do a quick bit of shopping but as I drove past the university medical practice, I drove round the block and pulled in to see if I could sign up for a Dr as I was in personal warrent of fitness mode. I need to get a medical certificate to update the F endorsement (just try saying that in a hurry, lol) on my licence which will enable me to drive the school mini van. It would seem I was in luck as they have two new Drs taking on patients, so have an apt for tomorrow to start the ball rolling there. The receptionist told me I had the choice of an English or South African Dr, I replied I didn't care as long as they knew their stuff. I have been given to the South African guy so will see how it all goes.

While I was on a roll, I then drove to a dentist I had been recommended. Took a deep breath and entered the building, and met with a very nice receptionist. Filled out paper work and then was told I could have an apt in half an hour as they had just had a cancellation. Immediate panic. More deep breaths and I decided, what the heck, would only be putting off the evil hour so may as well take the apt. I did mention I was not good at dentists, but the receptionist kind of brushed that off with a laugh. Ok. Half a magazine later, a young thing came out to get me, seated me in the chair and then the dentist came in. I said I needed a check up to find out what needed doing, showed him the gap from my lost tooth and then closed my eyes and lay back in the chair after warning him to I was not so good with dentists. So of course, the first part is to open your mouth while the dentist tacker tacks round your teeth with one of those probe things, apart from the sound of a drill, that's that part that I hate most. (Oh, this looks like it needs a filling, gouge, gouge, pain, pain). I am always jumpy in anticipation that as they are tapping, scraping and hooking, they will strike a nerve or what ever. This dentist did not take kindly to my nervous apprehension, and told me he wanted me to open my eyes as he did not like people being jumpy - hmmmmm like I am going to be more relaxed seeing it coming. Too late, my body had started shaking, tears streaming out of my eyes - total involuntary reaction, so shallow breathing like labour lol, tried to get under control, while he stopped and decided to take xrays instead. Xrays I can cope with. Xrays taken, he then asked what I wanted done - it would seem I have to have another tooth out, next to the gap in the bottom front, and then on the right bottom lot, I have to have a stainless steel pin put in where a tooth has fallen half away, cos he can rebuild, and something else to the tooth next door. I was too stressed to take it all in. He has given me a quote for $1500 for the lot that will include a plate to replace the missing teeth. He asked whether I wanted a metal or plastic plate, like I had any idea. I have chosen to go with a plastic one as a metal one would mean a trip to Perth, and a plastic one can be altered should I lose any more teeth. The next decision was whether to wait for gum shrinkage or to put plate in immediately after tooth extraction. It will be put in immediately - I told him I could cope for any amount of time with one tooth missing but two was a step too far as he suggested six months was the time it would take for the gums to shrink properly. He also gave me a script to get some sedatives from the Dr before the next apt. Am not sure when the next step will be taken as I told him it will be finance driven. I can still eat, lol. Still not entirely sure I will not look for another dentist, as if he insists on me being in the chair with my eyes open while he is doing work, it isn't going to happen. Got the apt paid for by hbf though I had to pay $79 for the xrays so I now have had more benefits than what I have paid to date.

On top of this, the saga with the cars has continued. After the new battery in Phil's car, all was good for nearly a week, then went to go to work at school one morning, and the flipping new battery was flat. I have diagnosed that the alternator has packed it in but have yet to get the car to a garage to find out. As my car was still being fixed, the WM picked me up that morning on the bus run for the kids and leant me their car to get to work for the next few days. Got my car back on the Friday afternoon so all was good again. After the traumatic experience at the dentist, I went to the WM's for a restorative cup of coffee, and ended up playing a hand of canaster with the WMH. I noticed the clutch on the car went straight to the floor boards but thought I was just getting used to changing cars again. Tuesday not only was the clutch to the floor but also on the way home from school, it was quite hard to change gear. I rang the garage when I got home and asked did the clutch have clutch fluid and would it cause the gears to stick if it had run out. The answer was yes and yes. I remembered when I had left work at the ff place on the Sunday evening, there was a damp patch beside the car - in CSI mode, I had picked up some gravel to smell to see if petrol had been leaking or oil but there was no particular smell so had thought no more about it buy now wondered if maybe it had been clutch fluid?. I arranged to drop it back to the garage the next morning, the WM picked me up again, and that afternoon I borrowed the work ute as I had picked up a shift at the home that night. It transpired that the the slave and master cylanders on the car had packed it in and the mechanic also replaced a gaskit and spark plugs, so another $344 later, and now am good to go.

On Thursday last week, we had the Principal of the learning centre (school) come over from Queensland where he is based. Two other staff came with him, so Thursday was at school from 9am - 6pm as we had a long meeting after school- then we all got taken out to dinner which made a very nice change indeed. I ended up having the first weekend off work in weeks last weekend which came not a moment too soon. Slept a good amount, did housework, washing, floors etc and started weeding the front garden. I had another round of changing light bulbs - I dragged up a ladder from the back shed as I could not reach the lounge lights with the step ladder. Changed the first bulb, switched it on and nothing. Ok, maybe the two of them have to be replaced at once. Went to put the second bulb in only to find that the bakerlight holder had broken away at some stage so had nothing to screw it into. Made sense why there was no bulb in there already. Not ready to give up yet - there was one more large enclosed down light to go, I clambered up the ladder and unscrewed the light only to find it was in a sealed unit and I could not get into it without possibly breaking it. Then, could not manage to hold the light and rescrew it in so after a few well chosen words, have left the sealed unit resting on the edge of the hole it came from, until I can find someone taller than me or with more strength in their arms than I have to put it back. Fortunately, the new bulbs I bought both fitted into the hall sconces, so I now have two that go there and that is all the light I have in the lounge as the hall is open into the room.

In the midst of this I ended up by having Janet and Jude visit at different times which broke up the afternoon and on the Sunday, Janet and I drove down to Dongara to have lunch with Jude. It was great to see wheat growing on the way down, and the canola has burst into flower so there are swathes of dark green with the wheat and bright yellow with the canola. Shrubs are starting to flower so the wild flower season is not far away. It made me realise how much I miss living out at Tardun, as being in town and working so much, I have been oblivious to the changes in the seasons.

Need to get some shut eye so will close for now.