Day 2064

I never thought I'd say this, but I actually like my dentist. I got my permanent crown today and I was impressed by the meticulous care the dentist took to make sure that it looked and felt exactly like the rest of my natural teeth. They took really good impressions a month ago and the new crown fits perfectly. The most surprising thing about today's visit, other than the fact that the chair I sat in was giving me a back massage, was the small Japanese woman who came in with a set of miniature brushes and painted the tooth with a special porcelain enamel so it would be an exact match with the adjacent teeth on either side. When she got the color blended just right they removed the crown and fired it in an oven for thirty minutes to fuse the enamel and make the color permanent. Dentistry has come a long way since the last time I had a crown put in. That was twenty years ago. I doubt that I'll wait twenty years between dental visits now. I probably don't have twenty years left.

It took a lot longer to fit and attach the crown than I had anticipated. I thought that they would just remove the temporary tooth, glue in the new crown and I'd be good to go in fifteen minutes. I was actually at the dentist's office almost two hours, but I have no complaints. I appreciate attention to detail and I was very impressed with everything they did. Now, all I have to do is have my teeth cleaned later this week and my dental journey is over for a while.

It used to take forever to get my monthly invoices posted and in the mail. It doesn't take long anymore, since my client roster has shrunk quite a bit. I got my August invoices in the mail today and the whole process, including a trip to the post office, took me less time than I spent at the dentist office. It's kind of sad that my once thriving business had come to this, but it's not easy to be an old man in a very young industry. The millennials that are in charge of ad agency creative departments now just aren't all that excited about hiring their grandfather. Most of them weren't even born yet in the heady Mad Men era where I learned my trade.

The temperatures continue to creep a little higher with each passing day. We've had a full week of unrelenting triple digit weather and it's been almost a month since we've seen any rain. The dogs don't like this at all. The mornings are bearable, but the thermometer seldom dips below eighty degrees anymore, even in the middle of the night. The possums and armadillos in the neighborhood must be hungry, because they are really tearing up the yard at night. Every morning, I have to replant some liriope that critters have dug up during the night.The Asian jasmine at the back of the yard is being covered by a thick layer of spider webs. I don't know what this is all about, but it happens every August. August is not kind to the yard.

Dash gets tested tomorrow to see whether his new blood pressure medicine is working. Hopefully, these new meds will keep his blood pressure under control. I definitely don't want him to have a stroke while he is barking at me for more bananas at breakfast. When I get Dash's blood pressure straightened out, I need to do something about my own. I switched from Benicar back to Zestril a few months ago because I became alarmed at all the 1-800-BAD-DRUG commercials I was seeing on TV directed at Benicar users. I may have to go back to Benicar though. The nagging cough I had while taking Zestril fifteen years ago has returned. It's really irritating. Bad drug or not, I prefer taking the Benicar.

We'll see if tomorrow brings any surprises. The only surprise I'd like at this point is a little rain.

J-Lo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day