h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I just can't believe it. I broke a tooth - a right molar - in Rome and have just got the bill for the dental repair work (over 400 Euros).

Last night, after our concert, I was eating a pretzel (the soft, bready German type, not the hard ones) and I broke another tooth - on the left side this time. There must have been a tiny bit of sand or something really really hard on it.

Today I used the car to get to work as I needed to get somewhere afterwards quickly. I heard a funny noise on the way home and when I got out of the car I heard a distinct shhhhhhhhh. Something had got into the tyre and made quite a big hole - it was flat in a couple of minutes! So I missed my appointment. I managed to organise a repair service, even though it was after work hours. They've taken the car away on a transporter and I hope to get it back pretty early tomorrow. I was going to the dentist at 8 o'clock. Will probably have to go by bike now. The weather is so incalculable - it keeps raining. Real drenching summer rain.

I'll have to leave work early because it's my sister-in-law's birthday and we need to get over to where she is celebrating tomorrow evening. And because I didn't have the car this evening, I haven't got her birthday present yet.

But the most worrying thing is that these things always come in threes. I hope the third one isn't too serious.

I count the tooth in Rome as the first of three, so you've had your three already.

I agree with Gnomon the two teeth are separate events so you've had your three...
hopefully

What Gnomon and Anthea said.

I'm really sorry you had such bad luck.

Please refer to answers previously given

with car.

Websailor

Things don't come in threes. They just come more or less constantly.

Oh great. Thanks, Recumbentman. I don't think I'll bother getting up tomorrow!

Anyway - car is sorted (over 200 Euros). I still have over 400 Euros to pay for the first tooth job, and this one will be in four figures because we discovered this morning that the tooth itself is broken in half and will have to be removed completely.

I hope I can pass some of the costs for the dentistry on to a private secondary insurance I have.

Holiday in Ireland is still going ahead though. S*d the finances. Wouldn't want to be run over by a bus with money still in the bank. Debt - even better!

Well, I had my tooth out this morning. The operation itself was actually very quick, but the anaesthetic is wearing off. I think I'll go to bed and spit blood for a while. At least I feel pretty clear in the head which is nice considering I now have 2 days off work. I'm not allowed to eat until the numbness has completely gone, and coffee, fizzy brown drinks, alcohol and milk are not allowed. Only soft foods. I can't think of many soft foods which I like and which I have the wherewithal in the house for that don't involve milk.

I suppose I could make a vegetable soup with potatoes and puree it thoroughly.

You could live on that! Happy recovery

I took some Iboprofen as the pain came back and went to sleep for about four hours. There have been some horrific thunderstorms this morning and there's another one coming up by the looks of it.

I had some scrambled egg - peeling potatoes was too much bother - and some toast softened with lots of butter.

It's still puzzling me why I can't have milk - it's not as though I've been given antibiotics. Could it be something to do with infections, though? Is there a in the house?

The dentist phoned me personally just now to check I was OK. That was comforting. Usually he gives the impression that he has no idea who you are. He is often seen at local events and never acknowledges you (mind you, he must know nearly everyone there as a patient). And in the practice he never refers to anything you might have mentioned perviously to show that he realises you are the same person in whose mouth he had his hands two weeks before.