A Dental Journey – Not to Whine, but (Hopefully) Entertain :)

Last autumn my dentist announced I needed a little surgery. The procedure went well and my two new, reshaped crowns fit together better with the matching molars on the left side. A win, right?

Courtesy of Adobe Stock Images

Wrong. That alleged improvement led to minor neck and mouth pain. It seems I tend to grind my teeth at night. So back to the dental office I went.

A technician took a three dimensional scan of my mouth and sent it to a lab where they make mouth guards. This turn of events did not surprise me and I felt optimistic.

But the guard didn’t resolve the discomfort. Because of this my husband, son and nephew of dentists, predicted I would need a root canal. Oh, joy.

He was wrong. Hurray! The specialist suggested I be patient. Okay. Cool.

The staff originally predicted that after a few weeks I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep without what they term a ‘splint’. They were wrong. I requested adjustments while seeing the specialist. Even ground down a bit, the molded plastic disrupts my sleep.

Silly dreams and canker sores on my tongue annoyed me to the point I quit wearing it. I chew with care and will call in January. I wonder what they will suggest.

Are you familiar with canker sores and their causes? Did you know that daily doses of the supplement L-lysine promote oral healing?

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My Newest Favorite YouTube Channel

About a week ago the YouTube algorithm showed me a channel featuring Hercules Candy. Like watching pet groomers, the videos make a great background distraction. I’m watching two team members make white chocolate/watermelon ribbon candy as I type.

I once applied at a local candy shop but alas, did not get the job.
Their employment turnover is very low.

Besides fascination with the various procedures, the equipment amazes me. Much is modern while some century old tools passed down through the generations.

The eldest generation of children know next to nothing about candy making (!) because their parents wanted them to have more prosperous careers. Their son Craig is a gifted photographer who turned his passion into documenting their endeavors.

In an ironic twist, sales have since exploded. After apologizing for their low available stock, the adorable matriarch teasingly blamed her son. The entire video is long but I enjoyed the opening.

Do you know the name Hercules has historically been common in Greece like John in the United States? On a different note, can some wise reader please tell my silly self how to find Blogger’s spam folder?

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???

I appreciate reading comments and put thought into each response. For some strange reason, my replies appear and then disappear off my blog. I planned a more interesting post but decided to share this head scratcher today.

Are you having this issue? Do you see my comments on your blog posts without issue?

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Fun with Food and Drink

Shopping at Jungle Jim’s International Grocery store, we obviously enjoy seeking unusual products. When I saw this interesting wine I had to try it. My husband kindly suggested I buy two, saving one for the novelty.

I did not enjoy the taste. Oh, well. I tried something new.

Visits to Aldi are sometimes adventurous, as well. While walking the snack aisle I saw something that didn’t belong there. It was a miniature waffle iron with a snowflake design.

I showed it to my husband, put it back, and decided to seek the product display. The low cost decided me to buy one. Rather than dig through the stacked boxes above my head, I went back for the misplaced merchandise.

Lucky for me, it was still there. I joined my husband at the self checkout with item in hand. He just hoped I would use it. And so I have, pleased how my favorite pancake mix turned out so perfectly. This took three minutes on the oiled and preheated appliance.

Merry Christmas, all!

What a fun and tasty new experience, right? Are you a fan of either waffles and/or pancakes? -

Forever Learning

I followed the lead of Ellen from FifteenandMeowing to investigate the word colloquy. As Andrew from The High Rise suggested, it’s an antonym for soliloquy. Colloquy means, simply, discourse between two or more people.

Outside the straightforward challenges, unrelated words are counted separately. Each round resets this list and simple words like ‘he’ or ‘she’ or ‘the’ alongside more complicated words all add to this tally. After discovering this, I challenged myself to reach 30,000 or more Words Found. Each completed level displays the latest figure. Imagine my surprise upon seeing the following…

Isn’t it amazing that I reached this precise number? Should I play the lottery?

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Word Games

I continue obsessing over Word Carnival on my Kindle. Some rounds are difficult and others super easy. The changing format and difficulty level keep me hooked.

One subject forced me to ask my husband for assistance. It involved American football. I would never have completed it without his patient help. Other times I just start poking around, picking tiles at random. The photo below displays one example: colloquy(lower upper right).

Are you familiar with the word colloquy?

Shoe Upgrade

It’s impossible to guess when I purchased some very comfortable sandals with adjustable Velcro straps. The soles were charred a few years ago when I carelessly stomped out some burning coals.

My sloppy insole repairs have not aged well...

They still serve a purpose as footwear during brief sojourns outside. I want to keep my cheap new Amazon purchase cleaner and intact.

Socks with Sandals; Classy, eh? Heh...

How ridiculous was it for me to think those rubber soles wouldn’t melt? Letting fire burn out of control is worse, though, isn’t it?

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Marble Soda

Marble soda is something I discovered on a gourmet restaurant menu somewhere (?) after playing around on Apple Maps. This was a few weeks ago and I’ve been meaning to share my Amazon purchase of it.

Tasting a Classic Japanese Summer Treat

Unfortunately, I didn’t film myself releasing the marble. There’s a minor trick to it but nothing too difficult. The flavors underwhelmed me. I think the original tasted most refreshing and least synthetic.

Isn’t it amazing how many sodas, created generations ago, were marketed as health tonics? Are you familiar with the related insulting term ‘snake oil salesman’?

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Unintended Consequences

When my very old Kindle Fire finally died I figured we could do without. E-books are accessible on my phone, after all. My guy had other ideas. We often play Scrabble on it while dining out and he didn’t want to give up that tradition.

He found a decent deal and I discovered a new addiction. Love of language and word play led me to the game Word Carnival. I refuse to either spend money on this or watch their obnoxious advertisements.

Instead I simply take my Kindle offline. At least, that is, until I’m utterly stumped. Watching an ad or two grants me ‘gems’, fifty of which give useful hints. Then I log off again to resume play.

Why I still can't upload video stumps me. Oh, well.

It’s a first world problem, isnt’ it? Does it surprise anyone that moving graphics sometimes enchant Dandelion?

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Driven

Joking around with my husband is one of my favorite things. Not all my quips land, but the other day he laughed until he started coughing.

He’d been asking me to drive him somewhere local (grocery store, maybe?). Preferring to stay home, I decided to remind him of my previous day’s favor driving him to our primary care physician’s new location.

Christ Hospital is a bit further but an easy twenty minute drive south and directly off the freeway. I thought about what to say before approaching him and my mischievous mind took over. Standing beside his desk chair, I let that impish side speak.

“You know,” I said, “just yesterday I drove you to Christ.”

At least I haven’t driven him to drink or go crazy. Yet… He wants to co-write a book called, “The $h!t My Wife Says”.

Isn’t laughter one of the best medicines? Should I start on that manuscript?

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The Water Bear

I adore tardigrades (aka water bears and/or moss pigs). The extreme tiny survivor endlessly fascinates me. This newly discovered article taught me lots I didn’t know. If you’re interested and have time, it’s an informative and often entertaining read.

I named my plush friend Snuffles...

Do you know how many types and levels of hibernation exist? Don’t you wish you could extend your life by sleeping through hard times or inclement conditions?

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Change of Blogging Plans – A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush

I’ve been having technical issues uploading videos these days. Planning to share my experience tasting a Japanese drink known as marble soda, instead I have an old video of a bird in my yard.

I no longer spend money on commercial bird seed because my perennial garden keeps many species fed while entertaining me. Purple coneflower provides a popular feast.

Have you ever fed local birds? Are you familiar with safflower seed and its many useful properties?

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Polly the Punk

For several minutes Dandelion and Polly peacefully shared a tabletop the other day. Then I turned and found this little hooligan alone.

I like how this closeup makes the harmless
fluff ball look menacing...

Isn’t it nice that Dandelion didn’t let this stop her getting a drink? Do you think she will ever join in our younger twins’ play fights?

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This Made My Day

I spied this at the YMCA on Friday and could not agree more. A few years ago I painted a giant sign stating this sentiment.

My sign lacked these adorable graphics…

On a far different take, do you enjoy eating mushrooms? And did you know there is a culture of mushroom hunters in Ohio?

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My Little Baker

Terra definitely enjoys being the center of attention. My husband enjoys urging her to knead my flesh before I get out of bed. Waiting until my guy left the room a few mornings ago, she accepted his invitation.

Doesn’t she look pleased? Are you at all surprised that most of my smart phone usage involves recording our pets?

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Sweet Dreams

It’s always an endearing compliment when a pet goes into REM sleep. Dandelion went there the other evening. 

What do you think she dreamed? Have you seen the following video?

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Seriously?

When my husband showed me an image of a cat shaped gravy boat I assumed it was fake. But it’s available on Amazon.com here if you want to take a peek. I also found a YouTube video, which I advise skipping if you have a weak stomach.

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Final chance to look away.....

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Who do you think would buy this? Who would even dream up such a thing?

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Texture is a Matter of Taste

As it happens, my first lemon dump cake proved superior. My fastidious placement of the butter pats on top made for a more even and tender crust. The dessert won’t be tossed out, though I have chucked a few tough bits of topping.

As requested by dear Strayer, I took a photo. This does taste better than it looks. lol I’m amazed how many factors affect food’s appeal.

I guess you could call this a crumble cake...

I knew someone who slipped on ice, knocking her head on the concrete driveway so hard she completely lost her senses of smell and taste. Still, she remained upbeat.

But isn’t it sad that she couldn’t lose the weight she wanted to drop? Can you guess that texture explained her tendency to continue unhealthy snacking?

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My Little Helper

I was in the kitchen making a grocery list and moved away to check my spice cupboard. After taking inventory, I turned around and saw this…

Remember to get treats, Mom...

Do you think Terra really is trying to tell me something? Or is her (most likely) motive a plea for attention?

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Curled Up for a Long Winter’s Nap (Caution: this post includes images of a creepy crawler, however adorable to me…)

My husband helped me take down my heavy deck umbrella for the winter and it seems there was a little creature snuggled up inside. I found it lying on the deck floor, fully exposed to weather. Since we had another chore on the back patio, I carried the critter down with me to tuck in amongst some leaf debris.

Lady, put me down. This is actually my defense pose.

I’ve known these particular caterpillars as ‘wooly bears’ my entire life. Folklore states that if the central brown band takes up more than a third of its body length, we’re in for a mild winter. Scientists have determined that the segment colors tell about the creature’s past, such as weather conditions like humidity and the animal’s age.

A Better Photo: Credit to American Gardener

The larva (Pyrrharctia isabella) will emerge in spring as the Isabella moth. Our gorgeous and sweet blogger friend Katie Isabella should be flattered by sharing a lovely name with a beautiful flyer.

Does your region have similar weather related folklore? Are you aware of the flannel moth larvae?

Spoiler alert: The flannel moth caterpillar’s pretty off-white coat hides highly venomous hairs that cause excruciating pain. Yet the equally adorable fluffy adult is harmless to touch.

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A Memorable Mistake

My first attempt blackening a chicken breast on the stovetop went without supervision. Overworked assembling other ingredients, I failed to notice smoke accumulating along the ceiling. At last I looked up and saw.

It was too late. The smoke alarm sounded before I could react. Our home security service reached out and I assured them that we needed no assistance. However, a fire truck already approached our street. I dreaded what the bill might be.

Meeting a surprising number of emergency responders outside, I mentioned understanding that my carelessness could be costly. As luck would have it, the very tall fireman led a training session and assured me there would be no cost to us.

He politely asked if they could come inside. I readily agreed. Acting respectful and kind, they all seemed amused by the situation, entertained by my goofy commentary, and happy to let me follow their little tour around our home. This memorable experience also proved our elderly cat’s deafness.

Somehow oblivious to all the goings on, Jezebel never left her spot on the couch. She did notice the emergency responders entering the room. That sweet face tilted up, and up, and up until her eyes met the fireman’s. It must have been even more surreal for her. We miss you, sweet Jezzy.

I adored that notch in her ear and always wonder if
she earned it winning some cat fight while
still a kitten out on the mean streets...

Should I somehow add Jezebel’s name to this? And since I originally intended including this tale with yesterday’s post I want to ask, do you prefer shorter or longer reads?

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Teamwork in the Kitchen

One of the cooking YouTube channels my husband and I both enjoy is Sam the Cooking Guy. While teaching us useful culinary tips and recipes, he doesn’t shy away from sharing mistakes and even little accidents like burning his tongue. His sons and one of their young friends add to Sam’s humorous, down-to-earth delivery.

His impish expression says it all, I think...

My man wanted to revisit his blackened chicken over udon noodles. I sort of balked at the idea; my appetite is reduced these days for whatever reason and rich foods are even less appealing. So he said he’d do the cooking. I couldn’t argue.

In fact, while he ran an errand today I did some prep work. With the noodles boiling away I chopped vegetables. He arrived home and expressed his gratitude. I continued doing little things like pulling heavy cream, Korean gochujang chili past, and a few other items from the refrigerator. And call me silly; I thought the noodles dancing in the water looked quite beautiful.

Blackening the thinly pounded and seasoned chicken breast, he graciously accepted my offer to pass ingredients as needed. He was over the moon with the results. Like a lot of recent meals, he’ll probably be the one to devour the majority. That’s fine with me. I enjoy feeding him because food is one of his great lifelong pleasures.

Are you familiar with Korean cuisine? Would you like to read a humorous tale of my first experience making the dish?

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Tales from the Kitchen

I found a new use for my ginger infused cranberry chutney. Blending it with about an equal amount of yogurt and a splash of orange blossom water makes for a tart, still a bit spicy, yet mellowed smoothie. I should mix one up for tomorrow’s breakfast.

My husband also found an easy dessert called a dump cake. Despite the name and description, I strove for perfection the first time, spending way too much time spreading out each ingredient. I mean, come on, it’s called dump cake for a reason.

Today I heated the bottommost layer of canned pie filling, gave the sticky mess a quick smoothing swirl, and piled on the rest as directed. I’m sure the results will be no lest tasty. This one’s lemon once again but options are endless.

I should learn how to better photograph food...
LOL

Have you heard of dump cakes? Should I try strawberry components next?

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Distopia in Hong Kong’s Tai Po District (Feel free to skip this post if you prefer a lighter read)

My husband was scrolling through YouTube videos when I saw a thumbnail regarding a horrific hi-rise fire in Hong Kong. Planning to share an image, I changed my mind and won’t delve much into this appalling tragedy beyond examining why much of the devastation could have been avoided.

Instead, here is a double rainbow seen through my front window days ago, a hopeful tribute to all blameless victims around the world...

So, back to the horror... For one thing, bamboo scaffolding surrounded exterior renovations. WTF?!? I cannot imagine any city planner deeming this a good idea. Well, I can; construction bosses were encouraged to save money.

These apartment complexes housed (notice the past tense) many elderly residents, often suffering mobility issues. These folks received next to no warning, sometimes only when neighbors began shouting.

The towering structures stood so close that a blazing spark quickly became an inferno. Firefighters were forced to retreat multiple times while fiery debris rained down upon streets far below. I’m happy that many got out alive, though the death count continues rising, including one known rescue worker daring the flames. 

Do you think China will reform its building codes? How long do you imagine cleanup and rebuilding might take?

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Change of Plans

Upon firing up my sedan yesterday morning my center stack screen showed a weather warning about dangerously high winds. They are expected to start early Wednesday and last all day. Okay, I thought, at least my husband and I don’t need go anywhere tomorrow.

Three more such notifications appeared when I started the engine to return home. Each warned of driving hazards throughout most central and southwest Ohio counties here in the United States.

Then I remembered my 8:45 Wednesday dental appointment. As my title suggests, the clinic was very accommodating and I will return on December 8th.

To be clear, I’m an intrepid driver who’s braved many blizzards and more hours’ long torrential rainstorms than I care to recall. And the funny thing is that the weather has not been all that bad. Oh, well.

As Seen from my Back Deck on a Very Different Day

Better safe than sorry, right? Are weather forecasters generally wrong where you live?

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This One’s for Dog Lovers

There’s something satisfying about watching pet grooming on YouTube. One professional, Vanessa, closed her public salon to focus on charity work. So her channels ‘Girl with the Dogs’ and ‘Girl with the Dogs 2’ hold a special place in my heart. The satisfying results, soothing white noise of her equipment, and Vanessa’s gentle sense of humor keep me coming back.

In exchange for charitable donations, she takes on extreme cases. Some of these animals have been turned away by other salons. My most recent watch features a Newfoundland dog named Abby. Abby doesn’t like standing or getting onto tables, so for-profit salons find the time commitment impractical.

Her pancake pose is adorable...

Vanessa’s title says it all: The Funniest Newfoundland Dog Groom You’ll Ever See. She reported that Abby’s humans received a price estimate of $400 (USD).

Can you imagine trying to move a 180 pound ragdoll of a dog? As for soothing sounds, are you familiar with the term ASMR?

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You Win Some; You Lose Some

My husband enjoys food so much that he watches Youtube channels devoted to cooking, often with me and sometimes without. And we’ve gotten some excellent ideas.

A recent video from Guga on Chinese style orange chicken was one my guy insisted I make. Guga's experiment regarded the sauce. He replaced orange juice concentrate with orange flavored Tang drink mix. It took forever to make, yet remained thin and runny even after I added two tablespoons of cornstarch, and had an unpleasant brownish hue.

I found the flavor profile almost synthetic, totally unlike the delicious chicken dish from our favorite Chinese-American restaurant, China Cottage. Fortunately my husband liked what I’d made; I ate two chunks of the fried chicken fresh and he finished the rest over a few days.

Are you familiar with Guga and his various Youtube channels? Isn’t it funny that advertisers used to tout the stuff as what astronauts drank in space?

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A Culinary Win

I’m happy to report that my ginger infused cranberry chutney is delicious. After a few days in the refrigerator, however, the ginger sharpness intensified a bit too much. I’m planning to add jellied cranberry sauce from a can. I expect this will mellow the flavor profile and smooth out the overly chunky texture. About half will go into the deep freezer a bit later.

Do you freeze leftovers? In your opinion, what differentiates chutney from sauce?

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Making Me Both Sad and Amused

Unfortunately, I received email notification of a housecat having been lost. The location is miles away, so I’m unlikely to be of assistance in returning him. But I just had to share because of his name, D.B. Pooper.

I bet he’d develop a crush on our sweet kitty friend Katie Isabella…

Are you familiar with D.B. Cooper’s legendary 1971 hijacking? Isn’t this D.B. handsome?

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