On the go all day

It's been an interesting, if somewhat exhausting day! I started with a breakfast meeting at Kirstenbosch with an eminent chemistry professor for a discussion on genetic modification in general and food in particular (a subject dear to my heart) and then a most enjoyable bit of general chit-chat. We were at school together, so this was not a formal meeting, just in case you were wondering - it was good to be able to have a discussion with an expert in the field. I don't often come across people who are experts on what interests me, so if I meet up with a geologist or archeologist or chemical engineer (hi, Michael) or doctor (hi, Lynelle) or any other kind of expert, I like to ask questions and this always takes up time. So I was pleased that he found time in his schedule for answering my questions and I was also able to answer some of his.

After that, it was a drive back to Kommetjie to fetch K, who was having her impacted wisdom teeth taken out today - had to stop at the chemist on the way to get a tablet which apparently gives you amnesia so you don't resent the dentist after he has hacked your teeth out. That involved queuing  for 20 minutes. Then back to Claremont and a two-hour wait while she was in the dentist's chair. I hobbled around Cavendish Square in a pair of closed shoes that catch my toe most painfully, but I was instructed to go to Woolies and buy chicken noodle soup - only to find that, despite the rainy weather today, it is summer and they don't stock it. Then it was back in the car, K still numb from the local anaesthetic and so still fairly cheerful, but we had to stop again at the chemist to get the antibiotics and painkillers - another 20 minute wait, during which the feeling came back with a vengeance. Anyway, it is all under control and the patient will just have to wait it out. The main thing is that years of pain and associated infections will be a thing of the past.

I almost omitted a very exciting incident! While driving over Ou Kaapse Weg on the way to the dentist, a bee flew in the window and landed on the seat between my legs and got wedged under my thigh. When you see that kind of thing happen in the movies, they are not exaggerating the panic that ensues as you try to keep driving straight in heavy traffic while desperately swatting at a bee that you really don't want to be stung by! We managed to grab it in a tissue and stuff it into the glove compartment - it wouldn't do to have thrown the tissue and the bee out of the window - can you imagine all the hooting that would have gone on?!

So I've travelled about 100 kilometres today, spent hours waiting in various queues, and am ready to flop into bed, but I've been invited out for my favourite Kerula Prawn Curry (yes, that one!), so bed will have to wait a bit longer.