I got an accidental day off today because I had to go to the dentist for the final leg of dental work in a “project”. I’d lost a filling about five years ago and a mix of utter cowardice (because an over-zealous dentist had told me years ago the tooth needed to come out and a crown fitted) and lack of money meant I’ve been putting off and putting off some more having it sorted. The matter reached a new height of urgency and importance over Christmas when I managed to lose my only other filling. I’ve got to the ripe old age of 53 with only two but I’d lost both of them.

I tried and tried to find an NHS dentist but to no avail – the best offer was a two year wait at our local practice so I bit the bullet and chose a private practice near to Uni so I could get the work done without having to travel anywhere. Over the following weeks, I had a basic check-up which confirmed my belief that I’d lost both fillings but was less worrying in as much as this dentist didn’t say I needed a tooth out, simply a repair. Phew. Then the first filling, then the hygienist, then back to the dentist today for the last filling. It’s been a bit of a mission and a lot of a drain on my meagre finances but it’s all now finished.

Today they said they didn’t want to see me any more – ever! The dentist said I’d ruined his reputation as a causer of pain and misery because in my traumatised, fearful state I’d been unable to stop myself from giggling and giggling like a fool throughout the half-hour treatment session. I was giggling so loudly that the receptionist in the next room could hear me! I think he was joking about never coming back…

Anyway, while in Plymouth for said torture, DM and I had a wander along the Hoe and I took this pic of the Tinside Lido, an art deco pool, first opened in 1935. It spent most of the nineties and early naughties closed because of disrepair but reopened in 2005. The recent storms that cut us off from the rest of the country took their toll on the pool, which should be reopening for the summer in the coming weeks but looking at the sight of the broken paving and fittings that were lifted and smashed about the place in the big storms, it seems highly unlikely that it’ll open this year. Even in its sorry state, it’s a beautiful place that must be wonderful when open for swimming.