How much fun can a woman have?

Yesterday I spent an hour and a half in my dentist's chair; he was getting me ready to get my new partial.  He, the lady at the front desk, and one dental assistant were the only people in the building with me.  I figured I'd just be in and out in a short time; I've had a partial before, and it didn't take long for that dentist to get the impressions made.  But this guy said he had to do some things so the partial would have the best possible fit.  

If you could see his office from the outside, you would think he must be a terrible dentist.  His office is an older, one-story house modified on the inside, but looking a bit sad on the outside; there is no sign at all to let you know there's a dentist inside; it just looks like an old house that nobody loves.  He's been in that same place since 1990, but back then there was a sign.

My husband, who has been around a lot of dentists, swears this guy is as good a dentist as he's ever had, and better than most.  I only wish I'd gone to him years ago.  

In two weeks I'll have my teeth, and believe me, I'm excited!  It's been a long journey, because all my appointments were about two months apart.  At first he looked at my teeth and told me we could use the denture I already had, and just add what was needed after one tooth was pulled.  Unfortunately, he found out another back tooth had to go, and one near the front.  So I'd need a whole new partial denture.  He pulled the teeth himself.  I've often wondered why so many people want to be put out to get teeth pulled.  The only real pain is just at that moment the needle goes in the gum, and that's so brief it doesn't matter.

After those teeth were gone I've been chewing mostly with my front teeth the best I can, and have swallowed a lot of my food half chewed.  Hallelujah, I will be able to chew my food thoroughly again!  My Medicare Advantage took care of it all.  I don't have to pay a penny.  I surely do hope Medicare Advantage plans continue to be an option, because some doctors and hospitals have stopped using them.

I'm still getting more stuff from the garden that I can use.  So many tomatoes!  I've made ratatouille two or three times a week since July.  At least we haven't gotten tired of that; I have to buy a couple of zucchinis to make it, but the tomatoes, eggplants, onions, and peppers have been from my garden all the way.  Smothered okra and macaroni-and-tomatoes help to use up these late fall tomatoes, too.  Of course "chili weather" is on the way, but I have frozen tomatoes aplenty for chili.  

I have about half a bushel of green beans picked and in the fridge that I'm not sure I want; I didn't think I'd ever get tired of green beans, but I think I've had enough.  Maybe I'll cook some of them in a couple days, and throw the rest out.  I picked those beans day before yesterday, and now look at them this morning.  

The only thing I'm watering now is the peas, because I've never had peas in the fall before.  They are sort of hit-and-miss, but there may be enough of them to be useful.  I have several cabbages around in the garden, but I'm out of Sevin dust, and Diatomaceous Earth doesn't even seem to slow those white butterflies down.  Some of my cabbage leaves look like green lace, they have so many holes in the leaves.

The drought we are in is quite worrisome to me, this being the second year of it in our area.  Will we wind up with another dust bowl story like Oklahoma had in the 1930's?

Sing it, Woody.