#7

I lost 10 pounds!!

That is all.  :-)
Thank you wisdom teeth removal.

Pain...And Wisdom

I can't even remember when my last dentist appointment was...the day my mom paid for my wisdom teeth removal.  My first "surgery".  I have been told as long as I can remember, by the same dentist, that my wisdom teeth would have to come out.  We always blew him off because they hadn't ever busted the skin.  No big deal.  I was born without a permanent lower tooth, so I have a little extra room on the bottom anyways.  Sadly, towards the end of college, they all started breaking through.  The top teeth were no big deal.  They were just like other teeth...I honestly didn't even realize they were in all the way.  I dimly remember soreness for about a week, but that's it.  The bottom ones were an entirely different story.  They slowly poked through and got stuck...halfway.  You'd think they would have been able to come in since there was extra room on the bottom.  No such luck.

Well, October 13....eviction date for my wisdom teeth.  They were coming out.  I prepare by stressing, asking a lot of questions of friends, and worrying for days before hand.  I was told at the last dentist appointment, that daunting day, that I'd be consciously sedation.  Yeah...that turned out to be a big lie.  I took triazolam, which if you look it up, is used primarily for insomnia, but also anxiety.  Ain't no conscious sedation on this train!!  I slept great the night before, but I didn't feel any different walking in to the dentist, sitting down in the chair...and I told the dental assistant as much.  "No, I'm not anxious, I'm just freaking out a little."  She prodded me to take the last pill...I'd already followed instructions and taken 2 just an hour before.  One thing was for sure, I was drugged up.  Only I remember everything.  I will spare you the details, in case you still have your wisdom teeth.

The basics....
10 hrs after removal...

My mouth is hurting, but it's mostly a dull ache. 
The top two were a piece of cake because (I wasn't aware) they were completely in. 
The bottom two sucked. And still suck. And will suck in the morning I'm sure.  Hyrdocodone makes me puke.

 36 hours after removal....

OMG my mouth hurts SOOOOO bad. So bad.  

I'm pretty sure I lost a blod clot on one of my bottom sockets, which will mean dry socket...and it'll probably happen in full swing this weekend...when everything is closed.

...its all mashed potatoes and salt water. And pain. And my throat feels like I have strep. 

I prefer my broken foot to this crap... 

My mouth tastes like what I imagine sucking on a penny would taste like.  Blood tainted with copper. Can you imagine it?  My throat still feels like I have strep throat.  My jaw is swollen...I'll leave you with a picture.

haha...now I should start my 365 project and just take pictures of my jaw for the first week.  

67.  Have my wisdom teeth pulled.  Done.  Done.  and Done.  

Forever and ever, amen. 

Who wants chicken???

Since the very first step I took in 2006 towards becoming a homeowner, I knew one thing...a constant.

I wanted to own a grill, and I wanted to be able to use it.  Not only did I not own a grill in my previous home, I couldn't use something that was non-existent.  Even though it ended up pretty far down the list, owning a grill and learning how to use it is something I feel proud to know how to do.  It's not that hard...it's the art of knowing when the food is ready and to your liking that is what has to be mastered.  That time will come, with practice.  I have been preparing for this day for a few months...you can see my preparation if you wish.

I honestly couldn't think of anyone better to come over and help with the "learning how to use it" part of #70, than my brother John, who held "steak nights" around Houston at a few local bars for a few months last year.  

Using a grill is like something that should be ingrained in every homeowner's (apartment dweller's, condo owner's, house renter's) handbook.  You should just know how to do it. 

 I'm happy to join the club.  

--

Step 1:  Turn on the propane. 

Step 2:  Turn on the burner.

Step 3:  Press the ignitor button.

Step 4:  Repeat steps 2 and 3 for all burners.

Step 5:  Let the grill heat up for about 5 minutes to kill anything that has settled on the grill. 

Step 6:  Place meat...cook.

Step 7:  Eat food.

Chicken, Steak, and Veggie Kabobs

Note to self:  Pouring Italian Dressing directly on the grill will create large flames.  Beware of wooden beam next to grill when flames start jumping.  Try not to burn down the house.

Invite friends over.  Drink beer.

And finally....

Try and think back to the last time you told yourself "don't forget......<insert whatever it may be>"  Did you forget it?  Probably so, unless you wrote yourself a note or set an reminder in your phone.  Have you guys ever played Skip-bo?  It's a card game.  It almost incorporates Uno and Solitare in one...check it out.  But if you have the grill going when you go to play Skip-bo, and you think "I'll set an alarm for the reminder to get the chicken off 5 minutes after it was flipped," and you don't...

Expect the chicken to be a little more than char-grilled.  

--

I am happy to say that the first use of the grill was a success.  A success in the wonderful evening enjoyed by a few friends.  A success in not burning down the house.  And a success in not burning the food we planned to eat for our main course.  Lessons learned, propane wasted, and chicken burnt, but laughter, new games, new experiences, and a 4-person Rock Band group set the evening wonderfully with the chilly air and yummy food eaten by friends.  It was a good evening...a success.