Day Off, Drilling In More Than One Way

This morning I was due to see the dentist for a cleaning and another checkup of a tooth that's been a little bothersome for the entire summer. The way I had made the appointment I was only supposed to get the cleaning and then have the dentist look at my tooth, expecting to have to come back in a couple of weeks for any fixing that needed doing. Instead, after the cleaning the dentist said he could fix me up right away - take out an old filling and put in a new one. Great... An hour later half my face was uber frozen (having to get two injections because the drilling was excruciating after only one), and then a major headache set in from some nerve that was hit as part of the drilling process. In all, this was still perhaps the best experience I've ever had at a dentist's office for a variety or reasons, but having to call in sick for the day was not fun.

After a couple of Tylenol and a few hours of rest the frozen face was no more and I was feeling a little better. Not wanting to waste the entire day I decided to venture out for a haircut. I hate getting my haircut almost as much as visiting the dentist, so you can imagine that it was time to go. Also, if I'm to start swimming then having shorter hair will be a must.

Anyway, I arrived at the hair place and was informed that it would be an hour and a half before my turn, so I sat there thinking what to do with myself. Go back and watch Jankovic vs. Dementieva? ie. sit on my ass again? um... No! Instead, I was off to get a coffee and the Home Depot to get going on the calf stretching machine. A piece of plywood, some screws, four hinges, and some non slip tape and I was out of there. Wow, in a Home Depot for less than four hours! A record for me.

So, after the haircut (nothing interesting to tell) I dug out the jigsaw and drill and went to work in the garage. Although the Home Depot did not have 3/4" ply in a small enough piece (I hate waste), I decided to get the 1/2" and make do. In the end I had to double up on the part where one has to stand so that the thing wouldn't bend under my weight. Here's the result:

I can't claim the patent on this thing or anything since I got the idea from a similar contraption at the physios, but she wouldn't sell me the thing even if I'd asked since she only has the one and it was built for her by some guy by special request. (Hmmm, perhaps other physios could use these things? Do I have the entrepreneurial spirit??? Hmmmmmm...)

Anyway, I set it up to go up on four different angles so it should be good to go for a while. I am supposed to stand on this thing for at least ten minutes every night. Having already done so to test the thing I can report that it definitely works! Soon I'll be as flexible in the lower extremities as a synchro swimmer... NOT!

Tomorrow morning I'll be off for an 8km run to test the knee again. Tonight, it's more ass exercises for me and prickly boobs.

Peace!