Hump Day – May 4, 2022

Isn’t it amazing how the strangest things become a “thing?”

Take the phrases in the title for today. Hump Day. I suppose it started as praise for the workweek being half over. It no longer means that for us. When you’re retired you have six Saturdays and a Sunday.

And today’s date – May the 4th be with you. Yes, it’s because of the Star Wars franchise. My kids were big into the original movies back in the 70s. My daughter was a toddler when her brother Frankie received a Darth Vader figure. It was a big one, probably 24 – 30 inches tall. Becky called it “Baby Vader.” We still laugh about it.

Every time I hear the Star Wars music, I can’t help but remember Bill Murray on SNL singing along to it. His character was a lounge singer, a smarmy dude who thought he was God’s gift to not only women, but to music as well. I wonder what Baby Vader thought of this?

Once I divorced and started dating, I can tell you many guys were like Murray’s character, thinking they were God’s gift to women. What an experience. I imagine there are still some out there today. I hope I never have to find out. If something happens to the Babe, I’m going to the nunnery for sure. Seriously, I have more than enough to keep me very busy for a couple of lifetimes. And after having the great love of my life, nothing else could compare. I’m good. For eternity.

We are planning a Memorial Day Program for our VFW Post. What I’m investigating now is the different programs for Veterans families when there is a death while deployed, be it accidental, in combat, or otherwise. One area we do not seem to acknowledge in society is death by suicide. It happens. It’s part of the terrain for military families and their friends. Our society must accept this without judgment, gossip, speculation, or shunning. Truth be told, many of us may live with a Veteran who injured. It doesn’t show like a lost limb. It has a lasting effect, to be sure. More on this topic as the month progresses.

I need to get ready for Mom’s doctor visit today. Hope you all have a beautiful day. Make your own sunshine. We all have that power. Let’s use it for good. See you tomorrow.

Monday, Monday

When I was about in eighth grade, the Mamas and Papas came out with a song named “Monday, Monday.” They had a lot of splendid music, but there has been some question about the morality of some members, John Phillips specifically. There are horrid accusations from his teenaged daughter, but I’ll just let God judge that. His job, not mine.

The day started extra early. When you don’t sleep well, the time to get up always comes too early. I had an early appointment to look at my Cervical MRI, (Nothing terrible). Lots of arthritis causing pain, nothing they can/should do now. Wait and see. A good strategy during COVID flare-ups.

Then I had a dentist appointment. They have you phone from your car. They come out to give you paperwork, and your tech comes out to get you. Just a cleaning today. Do you remember anything like this?

Similar to my childhood dentist’s office. It was frightening. The drill was so loud!

This is like the dentist we had as kids. We had to walk up the longest flight of stairs in the entire world. We walked to our right, then went through an old-fashioned door with a large frosted glass window. There was a hall with similar frosted glass doors, and they lettered one with the name and credentials of the dentist. You entered the waiting room, and it was fairly full of patients. I always headed towards the Highlights magazines. The dentist nodded to my dad, and he would sit down too. The door to this room of torture was always open. You could see the patient, hear the dentist and his noisy drill, while you waited your turn. The rubbing alcohol smell was terrible, too.

He was an amiable man, and he knew my dad’s family since he was a young man. My dad always insisted on paying him the day of service, even though Dr. Kraft always told him, “If you need to wait, Tommy, that’s all right.” Dad paid for services rendered once Dr. Kraft performed them. One thing I could not bear after a while was the drilling. Without Novocaine. He did not use it until much later in his practice. It was torture. He did not x-ray, I supposed to keep the cost down, and relied on the visual sighting of cavities before he could fix the teeth. It was that way until I got married at eighteen years of age, in 1970.

After having my first child in 1971, I went to a different dentist. He x-rayed your teeth. I had a lot of cavities and embarrassment. He said not to be, because they were tiny. He always fixed them as soon as he discovered them. That was a great way, and he always used Novocaine, too. Modern dentistry. I love it. My kids didn’t grow up afraid of going to the dentist. When I was a little kid, I remember not opening my mouth, then refusing to go for a couple exams. It just hurt so badly.

I went one time, and we made friends. He always squeezed my cheeks and called me Mary. I always wondered if he was fixing my cavities or Mary’s. I never found out.

As I thank the Lord one more time for modern, painless dentistry, I thank you for reading today. I hope you have a beautiful day, it’s sunny and a little chilly, so bundle up. Be careful out there and be safe. See you back again tomorrow.