The dentist visit on Thursday was not as rosy as the visits of my youth.   Since my mouth and the associated gums are now past the half century mark, new issues are emerging. My gums are not as fit as they once were.  My enamel may still be the hardest substance in my body, but there is less of it now then when I began my adult journey.  As the dentist fixed the necessary issues to hopefully stretch me out until 6 months hence, he gave me the lecture on sweetened drinks.  So, while I thought I had done myself a favor by doing an 80/20 sweetened black mango tea mix, it now appears I need to go full 100% non-sweet…..

The local Quik Trips (QT) come in two styles.  The low end style had the 6 tea options – regular, black mango, and pineapple/papaya with sweet and non-sweet version of each.  The higher end locations have these flavors plus raspberry, passion fruit and maybe one other–all with sweet and non-sweet options.  As a long time fan of the black mango tea with a new found need to try and  eliminate any sweetener, I first attempted to get a cup of black mango tea on a recent high-end QT visit.  With my taste buds and brain anticipating the flavor from previous tea purchases, I was virtually assured of being disappointed.  And, of course, I was.  The goal now was to find the best tasting non-sweetened tea.

I am not gifted enough to make this taste testing exciting enough to fill multiple paragraphs.  I did end up trying the passion fruit non-sweetened.  After a quick sip, I was intrigued enough to buy a full cup.  As the drink followed me to my daughter’s softball game, my wife also had a chance to be pleased when she sampled the new flavor.  Until it is not the winner, non-sweetened passion fruit tea will be my high-end QT drink of choice.

While I use this post to note my change in tea, it really is how I choose to manage my aging body.  If an expert has an interest in keeping me the best me I can be and if he/she gives me advice, I would be foolish to not heed there recommendations.  If an expert told me to give up a food I really liked, I would be dancing with the devil (or allowing him to pick out some music) if I did not modify my behavior based on their guidance.  All during our lives, we have the ability to alter behavior based on the instructions of those who have wisdom in a specific area.  Whether the advice is free or paid for, life is a series of choices.  Educated choices will get you ahead more often than emotional ones.  When my body practically turns to dust while I look at it in the mirror, I will error on the side of less dust….

When you are perceived as being patriotic does it make your house sell better?  The “Coming Soon” realtor sign continues to be in our neighbor’s yard.  I have no recollection prior to them listing their house of EVER seeing a flag in their yard.  Assuming their realtor is worth anything at all, I can see no reason why they would start doing something new when all of their actions could be interpreted in a negative way by any possible buyers.  So, using this logic, it only seems logical being patriotic is good.  And, by extension, does that mean the political party that seems more proud of the flag is a better bet than the party that is not know for waving the flag?  I suppose part of the question will be answered in November, and the other question will be answered in the coming days. (Assuming they realtor and the flag theory are accurate.)

My daughter has been trying to “work” with the family to make us healthier.  While, in my opinion, we, as a family, have not done badly.  We don’t eat out often.  We attempt to have sit down meals more nights per week than not.  And, rarely do we neglect vegetables and/or fruit with our meals.  We have tried to work with her to make this a reality for our family meals.

I thought my breakfast was immune to the healthier options – toast with peanut butter and 2 cups of coffee.  On my own, I have attempted to only toast “healthy” non-white bread.  Little did I know chia seeds were a necessary part of my healthier options.  Beginning last summer, I began sprinkling a couple of pinches of chia seeds on each of my slices of bread.  (Occasionally a bagel)  If I chose to neglect the chia seeds one day and my daughter noticed, she would volunteer to “help” me out.  In almost all cases since then, toast w/peanut butter is accompanied by chia seeds.

Last fall, a visit to the dentist didn’t go well.  After letting me know I had a few cavities or near cavities, he kindly lectured me on my need to limit my drinking of sweet tea and eating of sweet items.  I accepted his assessment.  I didn’t give up sweet tea, but I did dilute it more.  I didn’t give up sweets entirely, but the yummy gummy bears and other sweets that like to adhere to teeth were eliminated.  I flossed with more commitment (I made sure the floss fully circulated in all of the areas between my teeth).  I brushed with more attention to the areas where the decay seemed to be the most consistently showing up.

Just a few months following this visit (not the 6 months typically seen between visits), my teeth (one tooth actually) decided they needed some additional dental TLC.  At first glance, I seemed to be imagining the pain.  An x-ray confirmed I would be the proud parent of another filling.  This cavity, as many of the others from a few months ago, was right in the area between my teeth – it was not on the top or sides.

With the most recent visit less than two months in the past and my 6 month checkup only a few weeks in the future, I was finding my teeth beginning to rebel again.  Yesterday, a “filling” (really a covering for the exposed lower tooth due to my receding gums) came loose and was nearly swallowed.  As I sought to see the partially naked tooth this morning in the mirror, I realized how the gaps between my teeth (not all , but 5 or 6) were still the “proud” owners of there very own chia seed wrapped in a bit of mostly chewed bread with a little peanut butter on the side.  It is then I recalled a comment I made to my daughter earlier this week, “The great thing about eating chia seeds is you get to taste them throughout the day.”

As I played detective and assembled the evidence and the comments of my dentist, “I don’t know if I have ever seen decay this rapid.”, I can’t help but blame the chia seeds.  Since I do have some gum recession, the chia seeds have a nice snug place to hide for a few hours until my tongue finds them every day.  While they hide in the comfort of my teeth and the bread, every drink of semi-sweet tea and every other sweet thing that enters my mouth is easily absorbed by the bread.  The chia seed keeps its “family” tucked tightly into my teeth gaps until my tongue sets it free.  But, while there, it is giving everything sweet that enters my mouth and is absorbed by the bread a license to damage my teeth in any way possible.

I know the chia seeds visit my various teeth randomly.  I know they are not being vindictive–just a little ornery.  I cannot judge all chia seeds in everyone’s mouth, but as for me and my mouth, chia seeds are not their friend.

When it gets right down to it, I like every time of the year for one reason or another.  I like certain seasons over others because of the weather.  I hate the Texas summer heat, but I like it because I don’t have to play taxi getting my girls back and forth to school.  I like the winter because I have fewer outdoor projects and can read more.  And, the winter seems to be the time for one of my favorite fruits, clementines.

(I am now retracing my personal memories of clementines.  I am really not interested if it is the actual truth.  It is my truth, and it is good enough for me.)

Growing up, I don’t remember clementines.  The only time citrus seemed to enter our house was when we bought fruit from the FFA(Future Farmers of America).  [We did have an older couple who also sent us a box from Florida nearly every summer.]  In my youth, I don’t remember eating many oranges. (We did almost always take vitamins)  I know my parents had grapefruit cut in sections for breakfast, so I believe the box was heavier on grapefruit then on anything else.  Other than that, my memory of clementines, the little gems of vitamin C, only begins 15 or so years ago.

When the relationship first started, I believe their appearances were twice a year – once before Christmas and then another time about 6 months later.  (Not sure if this is accurate, but it is what I am thinking was “real”.)  When they first arrived in the produce section those years ago, they seemed to only be available for a few weeks.  (The beginning of the relationship started in Ohio, so maybe my perception is tainted by being a Midwesterner.)  I purchased them by the bag, and I sucked them up!  I was often found with clementine peel under my left thumb nail–it was my primary tool in getting the peeling process going.  In most, but not all cases, the peel comes off in one piece.  Rarely can I eat just one, and often three of more are slain before my snack is completed.

This season, I am pretty sure the season is being stretched out.  I realize the fruit only ripens at a certain time.  I am fully aware the later clementines are being preserved to allow my purchases to continue.  While most of the bags of later clementines (writing this in mid-April would make the present season nearly 5 months or longer) are mostly as enjoyable as the early season gems, the later bags seem to have a few clementines that are short on juice and heavy on pulp.  Sometimes, even the good clementines have more seeds than I prefer.  I tolerate these exceptions–it is the power of the sweet juice that feeds my addiction.

I am not sure if all of the grocers buy their clementines from the same place.  I would also be surprised if Halo’s, Cuties, and Darlings come from widely different sources/groves.  (Oranges come from groves, so clementines must as well….?  City dwellers may be surprised things are grown and delivered to stores.  Stores actually rely on supplies to get their produce.  Cereal, on the other hand, comes to the store as a “sludge”.  It is put into a machine in the back of the store.  The machine has lots of buttons that allow the sludge to be turned into what every cereal corresponds to the button pushed..  This applies to both name brand AND generic brands.  Do not let people tell you otherwise.)  Somewhere in this supply chain, some “ugly” gems of below-expectations juiciness sneak through.  When the ratio of ugly to good becomes to heavily skewed, I will have to “wait” for the new season to begin….or I will just need a “fix” really badly!!

Today was a good day for a walk.  It was a little windy.  It was either too humid or too hot–I am not sure which.  My socks wouldn’t stay up, so I just let them fall to my ankles.  I still did enjoy my walk…

As my walk winds past a gas well, a couple pastures with some horses, cattle and donkey, and a couple of neighborhoods, I typically keep a pretty constant speed.  (I did find a turtle on the path today.  Not sure if it was lost from the pond or a pet turtle who was rejected.  I felt inclined to remove him from the  sidewalk to protect him from psychopathic cyclist.) The only exception is when I need to cross a more heavily trafficked road.  Usually I come up on the road and have to wait for a couple of cars before I “froggered” my way across.  Today, before I came up on the road, I watched an older gentlemen making some effort to jog.  As I admired his “cool” sweatband, I noticed I would have to wait for three cars to clear the westbound lane before I could cross.  As I decelerated into “crawl” speed, the lead driver came to a stop at the crosswalk.  While this is not unheard of, such generosity is not something that often comes my way.  As he smiled, I waved my hand and upshifted to “jog” for 20 yards.  I got another wave in before I resumed my normal pace.  It feels good to have someone imply you are valuable and worth stopping for!

As I reached the long stretch wear I walk along the train tracks, I noticed a gentlemen hauling out many wooden post from his backyard.  He had just built a new fence of at least 8 feet tall.  Since his backyard opened up to the bike/pedestrian path, I am guessing he was going to drive his pickup onto the path to avoid the more complicated movement of his old fence into his front yard. The neighbors on both sides of him had fence with entirely weather-beaten panels.  After a brief discussion, he did confirm he was going to get his fence stained.  I let him know where I got my fence stain, and I gave him a last bit of encouragement.  It makes me feel good when I can help someone.  Even if I didn’t help him, I appreciated him graciously accepting  my attempt at help.

Lastly, I had a “road kill” experience I hadn’t had before.  A pair of vultures (Based on a Google search, I am pretty confident these were black vultures.)  As I prepared to pass the very deceased squirrel who had recently been evacuated to the special heaven reserved for nut lovers (maybe some politicians also greeted him), one of the pair of vultures seemed to fear the oncoming traffic.  This vulture seemed to prefer the yard to my left.  The vulture on my right was quite content to allow cars to back up as he dined.  With the squirrel being in the middle of the northbound lane and the vulture being unwilling to move, the northbound drivers had few choices when there was a southbound car.  As I walked past the vulture, he was making a noise that sounded something like a bark.  It was definitely a very guttural noise. (If vultures have gizzards, that it would be gizzardal.)  It was either him trying to trash talk his/her partner, maybe it was him working on his ventriloquist act for his dog puppet or he/she was trying to use the noise as a way to scare me and the drivers.  Whatever I heard, it was the first time I had heard a bird make that noise.  Since he was such an ugly bird, I likely would have been equally disturbed to hear him sing a pleasant, cheery song as the squirrel was being dismembered.

Yes, I definitely think it was a good walk!!