Va bene!

I've had an almost ridiculously-busy last-half-of-the week, but mostly in a good way. My Dad came into town for work on Thursday afternoon, so I took the day off work to go pick him up from the airport and have a visit.

(TMI ALERT) Since I already had the day off, I decided to multi-task and go to the doctor for my annual Uncomfortably Invasive Procedure. Back story: this particular doc is helping with a focal study on HPV with the BC Cancer Society, and had sent most of her patients a request to participate by allowing her to take an extra sample & send it on to the study group. No problemo, I thought...though this was the only reason I went back to her. It's notoriously difficult to find a GP in Vancouver (as in many other places, I know!) who's accepting new patients. So when I was overdue for a physical last year, I was happy to find a doctor who 1) was taking new patients; 2) was a woman; and 3) had an office that was in a reasonably convenient location. She was on vacation when I went in last year. Her replacement was awesome, but the receptionist gave me the willies.

What I didn't know about this particular doctor at the time is that her primary practice is in esthetics. Yes, she's a licensed family practioner, but my patient history form included questions about whether I was interested in Botox, collagen injections, face-lifts, etc. I indicated that I am not. I wasn't going to go back, but then this focal study came up, so I decided I could suck it up this time.

I'm not sure whether she disliked me because I'm not into the medical esthetics thing (I'm sure she gets a lot more money from that, rather than the provincially-covered family medicine!) or if she was just not capable of making any facial expressions at all, due to all the fracking botulism injected into her face.

Am I being catty? Maybe. But I have to say, it's just plain creepy to talk to a person with a totally inexpressive face. Makes one realize just how much we rely on body language and facial expression when we communicate. Anyway, I do think she just didn't like me, coz she was way stabbier than you would expect a female doctor to be with that kind of procedure!

Anyway, that's over for awhile now! And I'll be looking for another doctor in the meantime.
(END TMI ALERT)

Having survived that ordeal, I picked up the rental car & got to the airport just in time to meet Dad. We had a nice afternoon visit, and then I left him with Mr.Q while I went to my first Italian class....SO much fun! Though the instructor spoke Italian about 60-70% of the class, giving me a whole new perspective on what my students go through!

Last night, we had a fambly dinner with Dad, my sister, our cousin, and a couple of friends. It was rather crowded in our teeny place, but I think everybody had a good time. We don't often host people for dinner - the layout of our apartment just isn't conducive to groups larger than about 3 - but hey, we were all more or less family, and what's a little cozying-up between family?

This morning, Mr.Q and I both had dental appointments on Commercial Drive....good times! He returned the rental car while I got a couple of fillings (I don't mind the actual filling part, it's the freezing needle I hate...though I'm happy to report that it was much less horrible than I was anticipating. Also, there was a TV in the ceiling, so I got to watch Saturday morning cartoons.) And then he went in for a cleaning, while I took my Italian homework to a cafe. Being that the Drive is also known as "Little Italy" and I ended up in Cafe Calabria - full of Roman statues and photos of Italian celebrities...it was perfetto! I think I'll have to do it again next week.

(The homework in a cafe...and the dentist....eep!)