My uncle was a dentist. When I had to go see him he had a look at the problem, which usually was a hole, he worked at it right away and fixed it. Some times I had to go a second time to get a 2 hole fixed. It was easy and straight forward. Other dentists I saw in later years did the same.
Not so today.
10 days ago I chewed a piece of bread and there was something hard in it. It broke a tooth. I called the dentist's office in town and explained that I had a broken tooth which needed fixing. I had no pain but explained that the tooth needed fixing or what ever could be done right away. I am planning a trip to Houston to pick up my van and the thought of having a broken tooth along the way, is not pleasing me.
Today, I drove to town. It's 54 miles through the U.S.
The receptionist handed me a set of papers to fill out. I cannot remember that we ever had to do that in Europe. No we didn't. But - OK with my home- (office-) work done I sat down and waited 30 minutes. Finally, a young woman ushered me into the "chair". She said she was the "Hygienist" and would start working at me, also taking an X-Ray. I politely asked to see the doc first to get his opinion on my dilemma. Me thinking I wouldn't be able to travel with a half-done work. Where upon the lady expressed her doubts that the tooth would be fixed in this session and that I wasn't "scheduled" for that work. I told the story that I had especially asked for an appointment to get the tooth fixed. But that had obviously gone by the wayside. Well, she must have briefed the doctor and he came in - a bit grumpy as he appeared. He did have a look at my bad tooth, shook his head and said he would not be able to fix it today. "Badly broken" was his diagnosis. I thanked him for his opinion and rose from the chair. It would remain the first and also the last ever visit to his practice.
What are receptionists doing when they set up appointments with clients? Are they awake?
The experience I had today is not the first time this has happened to me. 2 years ago I had a real emergency and did not get help despite me informing the office beforehand that the tooth in question needed to be removed. I ended up in the ER later that day. All they wanted to do was "teeth cleaning" and take an X-Ray.
It appears that dentists are making good money on having you there twice pressing all kind of extra services on you. Services you haven't asked for, while the real problem has to wait for a sunnier day. I am sick and tired to see dentists acting like that. Their foul practices of milking dollars out of your pocket is nothing but criminal.
Luckily, there are exceptions. There is a nice female dentist right across the border and she has always tended directly to the problem without any unasked extra performances. Unfortunately, she is on vacation these days. But when I returned to the island I dropped by her office and talked nice to the older receptionist. So, I might get a call tomorrow.
After weeks with warmer than normal weather, winter has finally turned up his power, bringing us frigid temps (yesterday 3F and a windchill way below that) and 8" of snow throughout Sunday. So yes, this morning started with a lot of exercise on our driveway before breakfast. It was still snowing for hours after that, but I took Dixie out for a walk up the road. Not only was snow in the air but also plenty wind out of the North-West. The rest of the morning was spent on the couch. Around noon the snow subsided and it was time for a longer Dixie-walk in the woods. Walking through 8" of snow is kind of exhausting so I was pumped when getting back to the van.
Roosevelt Cottage
Of course, the forest is pretty with all that snow, but I do prefer to see trees in their natural green rather than white and black. But that's me. If YOU love winter, you can come up here and take over. You'd get a world-class work-out here and it'll be all free of charge.
After the strenuous walk, more exciting stuff was waiting for us. Welshpool Wharf had to be cleaned of snow. That's 360ft length of floats 6 - 8ft wide. Gotta love it!
Finally back home, I warmed the last peace of my peach cake, slapped a heap of whipped cream on it and enjoyed it with a steamin' hot cup of coffee.
Holtville Hot Springs Pond
I keep getting pictures from friends being at the Holtville LTVA spending days at the Hot Springs and in lawn chairs. Makes me look forward to next winter. But first I have to fly to Houston to pick up our new van, then stop by a Michigan RV-dealer to pick up our new trailer.
If you think you have seen this before you are right. We had the same trailer from 2012 - 2014. It's a Flagstaff Super Lite 27RLWS.
The big BUT is to get that done without getting stuck in a winter storm. Made a deal with both places to wait until February or later for the pickup.
That's all for now, folks.
WE JUST RECEIVED NEWS ABOUT GEORGE'S PASSING AWAY
We are devastated to learn that our fellow RVer and friend George Yates has passed away. We think of his wife Suzie and his family. We met George and Suzie in Holtville and got to know them as wonderful friendly people. George always wore his straw cowboy hat. His legendary smile will continue to stand in our memory for ever. RIP George. We love you.
Here we are in the new year of 2020 and it didn't start the way I would have like it. Had an appointment on January 2 at our car repair mechanic. On the agenda was a routine inspection of our 1t. Chevy van. Well, what can I say, the trusty vehicle has obviously come to the end of it's life. Rust has eaten up a lot of the under carriage and costwise it is not viable to repair. The van is a 2006 and has just 220.000km on the clock. Runs perfect, but that doesn't help if other parts are not up to par.
I dived onto the internet searching for available replacements and I am not even looking on my home turf, because what ever might be available is already rusty. So I'm looking in southern parts of the U.S.
A possible replacement
This did not come up at a convenient time as we just closed the deal on a new trailer. The trailer cannot be towed with our smaller half ton van, which by the way, is older than its bigger brother. Difference is that the half ton is from Florida and without a speck of rust. Also, we need the bigger 1t. for our passenger transport and sightseeing business as it has capacity for 14 passengers, and this year we have 4 cruise ships, plus a tall ship arriving.
2020 will also be the year I will start receiving my pension from Norway where I spent 25 years of my life. Being a pensioner does not mean retirement for me. I am having too many irons in the fire to abandon my usual life.
Starting to push the 70s means also that my head is spinning with memories popping up at times. A funny memory I had yesterday was about a time when I was just 14yrs. old.
My parents had a travel trailer they had placed in a campground during summer. Of course, they became good friends with their neighbours. So one weekend they were planning to BBQ a whole piglet which I assume is a very German thing to do. The neighbour got the piglet, while my Dad constructed the grill. This was long before propane grills became common. We used charcoal and Dad had found an old oil pan from a car to be the ideal container for the coal. He made a spit rod with a handle resting on two steel pipes. When the fun started Dad sat down starting to turn the spit with the animal. Yes, no motor there, it was all manual work. Hours were passing by and Dad was still sitting there turning the piglet. So, no wonder he was getting thirsty. For that purpose there was a bottle with clear Brandy at hand. As was the custom, a little shot glass was filled now and then. Once his assistant (not sure who had the honour) grabbed the wrong bottle with the petroleum he had used to start the fire. It had the same clear appearance as the Brandy. Dad didn't notice the different smell until it was too late.
I have never before nor ever after seen my Dad so mad.
Of course, we laughed so hard which made Dad even madder.
However, the roast turned out nice and the evening was filled with a lot of fun. Next morning Mom was feeling ill. She blamed all the crusty skin she had eaten, but I think it rather was the combination of the meat and the availability of plenty good drinks. Haha....
This story is now 54 years old, more than half of a century has passed and I am getting more and more aware of it.
Good times we had and good times we shall have for the remaining years.
Thanks for stopping by!
