Filling Avoid

I woke initially just after 5am but vacillated between sleep and wake until 545am when I finally pulled myself from bed to begin my day. I felt alright but my mouth was ridiculously dry. Couldn't wait to get my teeth brushed. Downstairs I promptly kicked exercises into gear. Soon calisthenics were behind me and coffee on the horizon. Like most work days, I took Mindy some before enjoying any for myself.

She asked for a hug and that I crank up the heat, it's a mantra she repeats most mornings. Of course I obliged her requests. After all, a happy life is a happy ... husband. :) I carried on with the rest of my pre-run routine - stretching & meditating. Actually out the door for my run by 640am. It was cold, I believe close to 15 degrees. Saw that more subzero temps coming the following week - March!

Ran 4.1 miles. No problems. Despite feeling as though a cold might be coming on, I felt pretty good. But then again, running has a way of masking what ails ya during and then immediately after. As was the case on this occasion, it's an hour or so after the run when reality kicks in.

I realized during the run that it was daylight from the outset, albeit just barely at the outset. Still, the days are getting longer indeed. Reminded me that I need to research when daylight savings time kicks in. At the time I couldn't remember if it was early March or April. Mindy had the Pilot warming in the driveway at my return. She and Bella were swarming in the kitchen. I leashed up the pug them headed out the door, but not before giving Mindy a kiss and hug before she left for school.

Life without a snowpack is a dream for Eiknarf. She promptly took care of business without any trouble. Back at the house, Bella already had the dogs food bowl filled with chow and scrambled eggs. My cheesy scrambled eggs were waiting in the microwave. Finished my breakfast by 740am. I asked Bella if she felt comfortable seeing herself out of the house and onto the bus with me in the shower. Yep. She was a go. And since she's been waiting inside the house until the bus pulls up for the last month or so, I viewed it as low risk.

I heard the bus whiz by and Bella dash out while I was mid-shave. In turn, I was showered, dressed, and pretty much ready to leave for work by 810am. However, Instead of rushing off, I opted to enjoy another cup of coffee as well as little internet. Warmed the car and left the house at 830am.

Still getting used to the open work environment. But still, something about being at the office early morning and around peers is far more intrinsically rewarding than working from home, though without question, there are pros and cons to both. Spent the first hour of my day collaborating with a peer on a technical issue for my main customer. Felt good with our results. Was much looking forward to wrapping it up with the customer.

I had a dental appointment set up for noon to have the December root canal permanently filled (standard procedure). Was looking forward to getting that whole thing behind me. So not to have to brush my teeth at the office, I abstained from eating my packed banana and almonds. I wasn't really hungry anyway. I left for the dental appointment at 1140am.

I called Dr March's office once in route. I saw that I missed two calls from their office the day before, most likely wanting to confirm the appointment. Colleen answered. Let her know that I was on my way. Easy drive. Showed up 5 minutes early. Lora soon came out to get me. As we often do, Lora and I chatted about life, family and kids. She's a neat young woman. I get the impression that she married up (into money) with her second marriage, which seems to be working out swimmingly. I shared a little about our most recent ski trip. I am amazed with how many parents share that they can't go anywhere for extended vacations due to their kids traveling sports leagues, be it baseball, soccer, or hockey. That just isn't healthy, and to my ears, the tail wagging the dog. Flippantly, I told her that they should simply pull the kids out of the sport for the week. Call me selfish, but in the end I think it's a win-win.

Anyway, Dr March soon joined us. And like he does most visits, we chatted about the Buckeyes (he's a loyal alum). Before getting started, I congratulated him for being correct with his assessment of which tooth was my pain culprit. All along, he thought it was my left face incisor, but was quick to share that he might be wrong, which is why it took so long to bare out. He looked back in documented records showing that I first complained of the pain in April '13. Wow!

Didn't take him long to remove the temporary plug and medicated cotton and fill the canal permanently. For the last two months my tongue has been swimming around the backside of that tooth catching the sharp edge of the drilled tunnel. Felt great to have it smoothly filled. On my way back to the office by 1230pm. Made no additional stops. Back in my cube by 1245pm.

Near 1pm I went to the adjoining kitchen area and fetched my salad, cheese and fruit from the fancy new fridge. Enjoyed my lunch from my desk. Spent the afternoon taking care of several proactive tasks. Wrapped up my work day in the office near 510pm. By then there weren't too many others still behind. I spent 10-15 minutes talking to a former direct report of mine about ski trips. Good talk.

Called Mindy in route to home. She shared that Bella wouldn't be going to gymnastics after all. Apparently there was a local power outage in that area so they didn't have heat. I didn't imagine Bella would be too upset. Leftovers were on the dinner menu. Mindy asked what my preference was, chicken & noodle casserole or shredded barbeque chicken sandwich. I chose casserole. She was microwaving our plates when I arrived home.

Felt good to sit down at the dinner table with the family to a relaxing dinner. Shortly after dinner and during my clean-up Mindy & Jacob bolted for Dick's. Jacob had $50 worth of Dick's gift cards burning a hole in his pocket. Said she was stopping at Target on her way home too, to pick-up a few culinary staples like bananas.

The two of them were gone for about an hour. While they were away, Bella played in her room and then made herself a plate of cheesy nachos. While she did that I played on my computer and then did some reading via my Kindle. I'm guessing it was near 8pm when Mindy & Jacob got back. They all settled in the family room to watch the first American Idol elimination night. After waking from a reading nap I quietly slipped upstairs for an early bedtime though I turned on the bedroom TV and tuned into CBS's Thursday night comedy line-up. By then, The Miller's was on, but near the tail end.

Mindy joined me as soon as Idol was over, which was 9pm. Got a bit of second wind while laying in bed. Funny how that works. 15 minutes prior I barely had then energy to pull myself from the recliner and to walk up the stairs. Watched Robin Williams new sitcom, The Crazy One's too, and then 2.5 Men afterwards. Both were quite funny.

I think it was near 1030pm when Mindy finally rolled over and fell asleep. I was still wide awake, so I slipped out of bed and headed back downstairs. I read and sent a couple emails and then read for another hour while eating some plain Cheerios as a snack. Sleep just wasn't in the cards, at least for the time being. I think it was near midnight when I finally started to dose while reading. I quietly put down my Kindle, turned off the downstairs lights, and head up to bed.