Soup For The Teeth!

Today has been a great day even though I was a nervous wreck this morning and now somewhat exhausted, but relieved by today's events, so I plan to go to bed early tonight, so I can do the Harley Show at 7:45 in the morning. I have been keeping a secret from you and now I plan to reveal it.

It all started twenty days ago when Tony drove me up to Johnson City for my appointment to see my friend Dr. Mary "Sam" Hagemeier—the best dentist in Texas. As everyone knows I have needed some serious dental work for a long time and I have been embarrassed to smile, so when I got to her office Sam and I made a plan—then she pulled two upper jaw teeth on each side and then sent me home to recover nicely.

I spent the next two weeks drinking smoothies and sipping soups and that is why my friends Sandy and Jon Wolfmueller gave me a super soup cookbook for my birthday, because they were two of the insiders who knew about my secret dental work. Thank you, Sandy and Jon! I love the cookbook and the recipes are so easy and delicious.

Last night I didn't post a blog, because I was nervous about seeing Sam today and I didn't sleep well either. When Tony woke me up this morning at five-thirty, because I had asked him to—I was tired and feeling anxious about seeing Sam today, so I walked eight miles with Leslie to help relieve my stress.

While I was finishing up the last mile I decided to call my friend Maribeth Couch in Utopia, to see if she would come over and babysit the rescue ranch while Tone and I were gone and she said, "Yes. I would love to." But that didn't happen.

At nine-thirty, ten minutes before Maribeth arrived, I called Kinky to tell him that Maribeth was going to babysit the ranch for us and he said, "That's great, Nance. Hang in there and don't be afraid..." While I'm thinking, "Yeah, right, Kinky. Easier said than done, my friend. You want to walk in my moccasins today?"

After Kinky's kind words of encouragement Maribeth and Tony walked inside the trailer wearing big smiles on their faces. While T. showed her his latest, beautiful photos I went into Outer Space and watered my thirsty plants that I had forgotten to water yesterday. Then there was a change in plans.

At ten o'clock Maribeth and I climbed into Buttermilk and then T. bid us farewell, because he had a lot of work to do and it would give me a chance to catch up with Maribeth's latest news. She and I talked non-stop all the way to Johnson City and that helped to calm me down.

Sam and her sister Sandy were standing outside in her parking lot waiting for us when we arrived, because we were going to go eat lunch with them before Sam got down to business in my mouth. After Sam introduced us to Sandy, I introduced them to Maribeth and then we followed the sisters to El Charro, a Mexican food restaurant on Highway 281.

We laughed a lot and the conversation flowed as we ate our delicious lunch. Sam and Sandy told us some fascinating and hair-raising stories about their travel adventures to Israel and Rome to name a few and Maribeth told us a hilarious story about her daughter's goat and missing dog, while I cleaned my plate, since I knew that I was about to go on another soup diet in a few hours.

A few hours later after a fun lunch—I turned into Gumby in Sam's dental office after she had pulled all of the rest of my upper teeth, but leaving two. Yes! I finally did it and I love it! Before Sam put the partial into my mouth I half-hollered for Maribeth to come into the room so she could see the final results. "OMG, Nancy!" Maribeth exclaimed, as I smiled into the hand held mirror. "Your teeth look beautiful! I can't believe it!" And neither could I. I was smiling ear to ear as I admired my new smile that Sam had created for me. I finally, after all of these years, had a pretty smile and I thanked Sam over and over again for giving me a new smile. Thank you, Sam!

When we arrived back at the rescue ranch I saw Lisa's car parked by the barn. Before going up to the trailer, Maribeth and I went into the Space Ship, so I could show her my latest improvements and she loved it! "Let's see them, Nance," Tony said, as we exited my new and improved Space Ship. I looked at him and grinned. "They look beautiful, Nance. I am so proud of you." Then he gave me a big bear hug.

As we walked up to the trailer I couldn't quit smiling, as he and Maribeth talked and agreed that my new teeth looked like natural teeth and not like dentures. When we walked inside Nellybelle Lisa and Mark from Mississippi hugged me and complimented me on my new teeth and then we started visiting. "Nance, you need to give Kinky a call," Tony said. "He has been calling all day and can't wait to talk to you and sixteen people have called wanting us to take their dogs. And..."

After a fun visit with Lisa & Mark, Maribeth and Tony inside the trailer, I thanked them for their beautiful flower arrangement that they had brought to me and the glazed donuts, which were soft and I knew that I could eat. Then they told us that they needed to get back to Kerrville and left and I was sorry they had to leave. Then I called Kinky.

"Hi, Kinky!" I said. "I did it and I love my new teeth!" I bragged. Kinky laughed.

"That's great, Nance! I am so proud of you for..."

"You want to see them?" I asked. Five minutes later Maribeth parked her red truck and Tone parked Buttermilk in front of the Lodge and Kinky walked outside the kitchen door as we climbed out of our vehicles. "What do you think?" I said, as I walked up to Kink, wearing a big, pretty grin on my face. Kinky smiled, as he looked at my new teeth.

"Nance, your teeth look beautiful!" He said. "It's..."

"A miracle, Kinky." I said, interrupting him. "Can you believe it? I love my new teeth." Then Maribeth and Kinky hugged each other and the four of us had a fun visit outside the Lodge, as we talked about our teeth, while we petted The Friedmans—Brownie, Chumley and Miss Sophie.

"Please tell Sam that it is a miracle and that she did an incredible job with your teeth," Kinky said. "I can't believe how pretty your smile is, Nance. They look like real teeth and..." Then Frank walked up. "Frank, come take a look at Nancy's new teeth. You're not going to believe this." Frank walked up and hugged me and complimented me on my teeth and then I introduced him to Maribeth and we had a really fun visit.

Tonight I want to thank Sam Hagemeier for her generosity and giving me a smile that I am so proud of and would have never believed could be mine. And to my dear friend Maribeth for being my dear friend. I love you both!

Y'all have a great evening!  : )