Three Beautiful Things 06/29/10: Relaxing at the Dentist, Finished Weston's Book, Kellogg Ponderings at Appleby's with Amber Ale

1. I made my last visit to the spa dentist’s office today. In the comfort of Dr. Stephenson's chair, I laid back while he replaced a couple of small fillings and put a new crown on a molar. Overhead, the television broadcast, without sound, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and so I played along inside my head while the drill screeched and Anna sprayed water and vacuumed it out of my mouth. Near the end of the procedure, All My Children came on and I was treated to daytime drama as silent movie. It looked like Erica was in a crisis.

2. I finished Julie Whitesel Weston's book The Good Times Are All Gone Now. Its impact on me increased as Julie's story examined the 1960 strike, her relationship with Doc Whitesel, and her days working for Bob Robson. I'll be working on a series of blog entries inspired by her book. It'll live with me for quite a while and I'll read it repeatedly.

3. After I finished The Good Times Are All Gone Now, I wanted to go to Sam's or the Silverspoon or the Mission Inn or the Hilltop Cafe or the Sprag Pole Inn, somewhere in Kellogg or Kingston or Cataldo or up the river for a Silver Valley hamburger and a cold beer. Nowhere in Eugene even begins to approximate one of these favorite places of mine to eat. So, I went to Appleby's because when Mom and I go to Coeur d'Alene for one thing or another, we often go to Appleby's. I don't drink much at all these days. Shouldn't really. But after spending most of the day in Julie Whitesel Weston's Kellogg, I needed a couple of beers to relax my mind and to go into a state of reverie beer takes me to. So I had a burger and fries and a couple of beers and I stared and pondered and shed a tear or two (when my too helpful waiter wasn't checking on me) and thought about home.