No More Gaps

Hi readers

Again, more apologies at the long pause between blogs but I've been so tired each day that I can't get finger to keyboard.  This week has been all about fangs - vampiric or otherwise.  Last night was Halloween around here and we sat on the front verandah listening to the sounds of squealing, screaming, laughing kids dressed as ghouls, witches, pirates and one spectacular murdered bride (complete with knife through her head) as they Trick-or-Treated through the neighbourhood.  I had to do a last minute raid to Woolies for lollies after I realised my only offerings were a very paltry collection of muesli bars and dried apricots.  However, on arrival in Aisle 5, the pickings were slim.  The only thing left really were the imported copies of Mars bars and Bounties, which were stacked on the shelves, untouched, despite their "2 for $5" tags.  Obviously the kids in this neighbourhood (or their parents) are elitist about their confectionery! 

This week saw me finally kiss goodbye to my gap, after 13 years of denture wearing, two failed implants, two failed bone grafts, about 23 injections into the gums, several drills in the mouth and a lot of angst.  Here is the Very Last Photo of me that will EVER be seen.  I am posting it for posterity.  It's actually quite fitting, don't you think, to be included in my Halloween blog with all that other scary stuff.

I now have a three-tooth bridge which took three hours to install and which, whilst originally thrilled about, am now having second thoughts on - only because the reality of having to brush my front teeth after a meal, instead of being able to pop my tooth out & clean it, is setting in!  I am going to have to carry a toothbrush and small mirror with me everywhere.  I only have a temporary at the moment while my very expensive porcelain one is being constructed in Japan, so hopefully this is just a temporary side effect of plastic teeth.  Anyway, I was so excited when I saw my new tooth that I almost burst into tears!  I feel like a NORMAL person now.  Spud says it makes me look younger!  Hooray - that has to be good, doesn't it?  

 This is the bike my friend lent me to ride to see how I enjoy it before going out and buying my own.  Today Spud and I went for a tootle along the bike path near our place and it was Grrrreat! I broke the bell before I'd even gotten onto it to ride so have lashed out on a flash air horn-style "hooter", but of course was too embarassed today to press it.  I had to stop several times to adjust my seat and I threw myself into completely the wrong gear on a couple of occasions, but I'm sure I will have the hang of it in no time and who knows?  Maybe this time next year I too, will be doing the Noosa Tri, with my running buddies who have all hit the cycles very hard this year, leaving me in their wake.

Our veggie garden is coming along extremely well, thanks to constant loving attention from Spud.  We've been eating lettuce, capsicums (bell peppers), cherry tomatoes and herbs from it and now we have tiny, tiny green beans bursting forth, although I did spot a grasshopper sitting close by which will need to be eradicated (organically). 

Tonight is homemade pizza with cherry tomatoes and salad from the garden and last week, we made this delicious frittata, though unfortunately did not grow the ingredients in our garden. I just liked the photo so much that I thought I'd post it.  It's just about something out of "Delicious"!  I think it was potato, spinach and chorizo.  Have any of you heard of Jessica Watson, a 16 year-old girl from the Sunshine Coast, aiming to be the youngest person to ever sail single-handedly around the world?  Well, I've been pretty scornful and dismissive of her and her half-baked attempt because, like so many others, I just have no time for those seeking fame and notoriety at great risk to themselves and potentially, others just to satisfy their selfish goals.  However, I've relented and decided to start following her blog.  Despite all my cantankerous griping, I DO want her to succeed safely (of course) so I've gone with the old adage, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" and now I am reading about her adventure each day.  She sounds like a very mature girl but I still can't believe that she can have the maturity, experience and mental fortitude to take on gale force winds, de-masting, a rollover, Cape Horn in a Force 8 storm etc.  I guess however that she is following her dream and that's more than most of us have ever done, or will do.  Crumbs, what will her NEXT dream be? This is a photo she's taken that I retrieved from her blog.  Check it out when you get a chance.  Reading her story will humble you.  She can use a sextant for crying out loud!!   Cheerio then - until next time!