Because it's cold and I'm running late for school.

I swear everytime I write that, I feel like I'm back in high school.

But it IS cold.

And I AM running late for school.

I'm just teaching, not attending it.

Anyway.

YAY FOR HANA WHO POSTED MY 300th COMMENT!
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Nothing like sudden pain to bring about that much needed (and avoided) trip to the dentist.

I've had a strangely uncomfortable feeling in my mouth for a few days now. Not a hurting pain, just something that didn't feel quite right.

Today, that weird feeling turned into an ouchy. A big ouchy. An ouchy so big that I feel pain when I walk. An ouchy in one of my top back teeth, one of those ones you can't see properly, even if you hold your head back, open up your mouth and peer into the mirror until your nose gets smooshed.

I think Mr Filling(s) will be paying me a visit. A nasty, expensive visit.

I don't have great teeth; I've had a LOT of fillings and cavities in my years. So many in fact, that I now have a markedly big fear of dentists. And drills. And people wearing face masks. And drills. And of those spit sucking devices they shove in your mouth. And drills. And also needles. In your mouth.

Oh man, I've just freaked myself out again.

I've managed to avoid going to the dentist for about two years. The last time I visited saw a hole so big, that (no joke) half of my top back molar was drilled away and replaced with a filling. So instead of sharp tooth, it's like a shiny smooth plastic. I haven't been back since that episode. And the drilling. Ack. The drilling!

I should also mention (and this has little bearing on anything else other than my irrational fear of dentists) that I have dragged my mother along to every single dentist visit, up to the time I turned 20. And yes. I asked if my mother would come along with me this next time, because I'm still terrified. She told me no. I am now even more terrified. She used to be there to translate for me, as our dentists were Chinese and wore face masks, which was a very scary thing for a child - I used to just smile and nod and could have been allowing them to yank every tooth out of my mouth without anaesthetic for all I knew. Then it was just a moral support thing. I want moral support now! NOW!

I am all booked in for this Saturday. I am terrified of going and being yelled at. I can see it now. ("Plaque! Look at that plaque! You can SEE the plaque!") ("Why the heck haven't you been to a dentist in two years. Your teeth are so yellow and disgusting!") ("Good news? Only 12 fillings on the top set of teeth. 14 on the bottom.") ("Okay, we're going to need to book some visits in for you over 2 weeks; we can only give you numbing anaesthetic for one part of your mouth at a time.") ("Anaesthetic? Sorry, we just ran out.")

I know this is so trivial in the scheme of things, but please spare me some wishes this Saturday at 10.30am. And for the rest of this week, with my achy-breaky teeth.