Feeling really smug last night, because for the first time in ages (possibly months) I was in bed by 11pm.

Then my mobile phone started buzzing at 11.25 – work colleague looking for some work I had sent her at 8 (apparently her email was on the fritz). Briefly considered playing the sleep card, but got up and IM’d with her, transferring the file while we did.

Of course, part of the reason I was in bed so early was that I had been to the dentist.

I have this image of myself as a competent, professional person who can deal with anything.

Well, almost anything.

Going to the dentist never fails to reduce me to a quivering ball of quiver. And yesterday I had to have a filling in a molar, which was not fun. Competent, professional me was lying in the chair clutching my iPod listening to an old episode of The Metagamers, desperately trying not to bawl like a baby. (She used the adrenaline-free anaesthetic, so I could still operate the iPod).

Clearly this dentist knows me. At the end, when the distress was all over, she said “You did very well!” in a surprised voice.

Fortunately Fraser had come to pick me up, because I only made it to the front desk before gasping, “You handle this please” and running to the car to shake and sob 😦 (Husbands are very useful sometimes). Then I wandered around the supermarket for a while, looking shellshocked, while he picked up the kids. I think there were some rather strange purchases in there.

Teeth are a necessary evil, and dentists are their minions.