Visit to my Dentist, Browsing in Connecticut Thrift Stores

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Westport, Connecticut

Visit to my Dentist, Browsing in Connecticut Thrift Stores

Still jetlagged and unable to bring my body clock back to North American timing, I am waking very early in the mornings—the better to get down to some blogging and finishing my book, The Covenant of Water. Then a quick breakfast of muesli with yogurt, milk and hot coffee, quick brushing and flossing of my teeth and I was off for my 9.00 am routine dental six-monthly cleaning visit with my hygienist. I felt hugely privileged to have this appointment as I was squeezed into a cancellation. I drove the car there (Fairfield Circle) by myself (a matter of such pride and a sense of accomplishment for me, but also a reiteration of the fact that I am now comfortable taking Leslie’s car wherever I need to drive).

My hygienist was someone new (I usually get Tanya); this time I had Jody. She was as meticulous as are all the other practitioners at this practice (Fairfield Dental Arts) which is why I have been seeing them for at least twenty years. She told me it is miraculous how marvelously I look after my teeth and how quickly it shows (if one is a professional and knows instantly how to assess gum health and routine oral hygiene). I told her I brush twice daily with an electric toothbrush and floss three times a day (after every meal). She was amazed! Well, I naturally got a clean bill of oral health. No concerns, no worries. I received my next dental appointment in September of next year (as that is when I told them I next anticipate coming). Dr. Forella then came and assessed the state of my teeth and told me all was well too. I was simply elated as living in Bombay does not allow me to go to a good hygienist every six months (as I had done in the US). Oral hygiene standards are very low in India and although I did try to schedule a 6-monthly dental cleaning in Bombay, my dentist took one look at my teeth and said everything was perfect and sent me packing! No attempts were made to scrape off plaque or tartar that inevitably accumulate every six month. That’s when I realized that if you need to do major orthodontal work such as fillings, crowns, root canals, etc. you should get them done in India (where it is SO much cheaper), but for routine cleaning (which is the very base root of thorough dental hygiene and teeth maintenance) you need to get it done in the USA.

Browsing in Favorite Stores:

Dental visit done (the first of the many medical visits I will do while I am in the US), I drove along the Post Road and decided to stop at Dairy Queen for my beloved Chocolate-Cherry Blizzard. There, I discovered that they open only at 11.00am (it was about 10.45am) and that my beloved Beth-Ann (who has custom-made my Blizzards for 20 years!) has been transferred to Monroe, Connecticut! I simply could not believe it! That was a huge disappointment for me. Later, in the day, when I tried to call her, I was told that she had come in early and left already for the day. I will now have to keep calling, make sure I get her when she is actually on duty and have my favorite sundae fixed by her magical fingers.

Next, I drove to Goodwill to browse around the thrift shop (as I usually do) looking for vintage jewelry. There was none to be found but I did enjoy taking a look at the wares on display.

Back at Leslie’s, it was almost time for her to leave for work—she needed the car to get there--and time for me to have lunch. I created a make-shift meal with leftovers in the fridge (salad, pizza) and then went into my room for a nap. Needless to say, I slept for a solid three hours (most unlike me, but my body clock is still adjusting) and when I awoke, it was almost time for Leslie to get back from work. I made myself a cup of tea with lemon and munched on a few almond cookies before she got home and made a big batch of popcorn. We sat chatting for a while and then started to think about dinner.

Dinner at Home with Leslie:

Dinner at home with Leslie was Hoisin Chicken that she made following a very easy recipe. It was basically sauteed onion and red pepper (which I found in the fridge and added), ground chicken and a sauce made hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey. It was surprisingly delicious served over a bed of greens with roasted Brussels sprouts which she threw into the oven with salt, pepper and olive oil. I dressed them with some vinegar. It was a delicious dinner and as we ate, we watched the third (and final) season of Ted Lasso on Apple which we both love.

Dinner done, we cleared and washed up and I went into the bathroom for a shower, followed by bed.

It was a more relaxing day and my knee is getting the rest is craves. No wonder then that it is starting to feel much better.

Until tomorrow…cheerio!