Phuthu Stay Phut, Don't go!

Have you ever fallen asleep at the dentist? Neither have I. Well, except for yesterday – that’s the only time I promise.  I went to get my amalgam fillings replaced so it was quite a long appointment but besides that, the dentist had a TV in the roof of the theatre which I thought was pretty darn impressive. Somehow the peripheral view of  drills and spit-sucker-uppers protruding from my mouth made watching TV somewhat testing.  National Geographic also knew that I was going to be sitting in a dentist’s chair that afternoon and so they kindly scheduled a 2 hour documentary on Great White Sharks! Yip, just for me because they know how much I like sharks.

And just as a great white flung it jaws open and sunk its teeth into an unsuspecting duck floating on the water, the dentist asked,  ”Are you all right there Louise?”

“Uh uh uh huh” I mumbled, still reeling in shock that the poor birdie was a birdie no more.

And that’s when I just closed my eyes and drifted off, unable to deal with any further trauma. Can you blame me?

Little did I know that the anaesthetic would only wear off at about 9.30 that evening – a secondary trauma in itself! Do you know how mortifying it was when I looked in the mirror and realised that I could not, despite Olympian effort, flare my right nostril? It really messed with my sense of symmetry. But at 9.30pm, I could finally drink a cup of tea with a 100% retention rate, I could smile without looking like Elvis and lastly, I could flare both nostrils to the same circumference. Man, that made me happy!

Why are my trips to dentists always so eventful?

If you feel like catching up with friends over a cup of mocha coffee and a few mouth-watering fairy cakes, or a cup of cinnamon tea with quiche and salad, pop into Vanille Cafe in Kloof’s Bellevue Road.

This eclectic and arty coffee shop is warm and welcoming – always boasting deliciously fresh and homemade food as well as a lovely ambience. There’s a cosy indoor area and an outdoor teagarden, where in between trees you’ll find mismatched tables, chairs, comfy vintage couches and old-fashioned crockery. The chandeliers made from knives and forks are also pretty special. And the kitchen is open plan, which means you can watch your food being prepared should you want to.

Last time I was there the resident chickens were wandering around in the courtyard looking for crumbs and other leftovers, while my friends and I shared a few pieces of utterly decadent cakes and gossiped about everything and nothing – enjoying the sun peeking through the treetops and the buzz of happy, satisfied people.

There’s also a small décor and accessories shop worth browsing through, as well as Lucy’s Cake Shop – where you can choose a piece and bring it to your table, or take it home for your hardworking husband…

Tel 031 717 2780 for more info

I think a lot and I think I’m quite good at thinking. I think about random stuff, intellectual stuff, deep stuff, mushy stuff, spiritual stuff and silly stuff but never have I thought about batteries messing up the environment. Perhaps it’s due to a lack of education?

Batteries contain various acids and heavy metals that can leak out over time and contaminate the water supply near landfills. Perhaps it doesn’t sound like a major problem to you, but if every household throws out about 10+ batteries a year it adds up and becomes a serious source of pollution over time.

Uniross provides boxes outside most Pick ‘n Pay’s into which you can drop your used batteries; just pop them in the same packet as your used CFL bulbs.

Awareness brings responsibility – now that you know you have no excuse not to do the right thing!

Reference: Going Green – 365 Ways To Change Our World by Simon Gear