i am going to tell a little story, some of you have heard before, but something that is worth writing down, and sharing for history/remembrance...

When I went into the waiting room, meeting TP there for a Dr. appointment on Thursday afternoon, I saw someone I had met at Publix. She is an older woman, in her mid-eighties at least, so not surprisingly, having some health problems. Both her daughters were there, sitting with her to meet with the doctor for her appointment. That always makes me feel good - to seethe younger generation of  family members interested, concerned, involved in health care of aging parents/relatives. I actually s her, and one of the daughters in the same building on Monday, when I was wandering, semi-lost, confused, trying to get to my appointment on time in a new building with inadequate signage.

One of the daughters commented on my earrings: two in each ear. And I said I generally wear two, and had had two holes in each ear lobe for years. For so long, that when I first got holes put in my ears, it was so uncommon for people to have ears pierced, that I had to go to the local veterinarian to get it done. He used the tool they use to punched holes for tagging livestock. I just had to find someone who would loan me  the little gold studs with sharp posts that would punch through my ears  not something you could find/buy in stores (and many years before 'let's just google it up').

So I went to the local vet, and he seemed willing enough to punch the holes in, cautioned me about keeping the ear lobes clean/sanitized, and sent me on my way. Several years later, I though I wanted another set of holes, to be able to wear two pairs of earrings. So I found the 'loaner' studs with the sharp points (pretty uncomfortable to sleep in) and went back to the vet. He did not seem all that happy with my request, but agreed to do it again.. When he was finished with both ears, he waved his pointer finger in front of my face, and said: I don't want to see you back in here again. He was big, and spoke with much authority, and I was very intimidated. So I don't think I ever went into his office again. He is still around town,  the last time I saw him, he was teaching Sunday School at the UMC, long since retired from practicing.

The really interesting part: since he was only licensed to practice on animals, he could not charge me anything to punch holes in  my ears. Which is probably part of the reason he lost patience with me the second time I went in his office to ask him to pierce my ears for the second set of holes.