Dental appointments for sons and myself this afternoon. No surprises or problems. She says I still need to get all incisors and canines capped.

Yeah, I know.

But we checked with the insurance coverage after the last appointment.

We'd rather have a new bed. For about the same out-of-pocket cost.

Somehow we got onto careers, and I asked, between spits, if they're set to retire any time soon (and no, they're not old enough... I just want to make sure they don't quit while I still need dental work).

Nope, the drop in the stock market shattered their dreams of an early retirement. And I'm glad, because I hate the thought of trying to break in another dentist and hygienist.

Yes, I know stock losses have a ripple effect on the economy, but I have no sympathy for folks who lost money in the market.

I had to listen to them boasting about becoming millionaires before they were 50 (no, not the dentist couple, but others), so I take quiet satisfaction in them learning what the word "risk" means in financial investments.

It means sometimes you lose.

Followed by semi-annual performance review with boss from out of town, in borrowed meeting room just a few doors down from the wife.

Not as good a review as it should be. Perfectly fair, if not a little generous.

The gist of it?

Gotta get the paperwork in on time.

The wife, however, had more fun during that hour. Heard the barks outside her closed third story window, and realized that the heeler sisters were parked just below.

So she whistled and waved from her office window, finally getting their attention.

And oohs and aahs from her co-workers about the cute doggies sticking their heads out the truck window.

Then dinner at our local (and only) restaurant. Regionally renowned Mexican food. Both bosses from different cities insisted on that for their dinner.

It was good.

Okay, it was great.

Except for the 2cm-long chicken bone I found in my stuffed sopapilla.

And, no, that won't dampen our enthusiasm for their cuisine.

Then the evening meeting. A presentation to the public about chronic wasting disease.

Had 32 attend, which is good for this community. Knew a lot of the folks there, some people who never come to our other meetings.

Pretty much the same presentation we've been through a couple times before. With the updates from this year's testing.

If I haven't mentioned it, CWD has now been documented in the deer herds immediately northeast, southeast and south of my herds.

It's only a matter of time.

One questioner asked, since CWD has such little risk to humans or livestock, and spreads so slowly, why are we expending so much effort on it, rather than more serious wildlife diseases, like EHD.

Good question.

As our veterinary expert explained, it's all because of the mad cow disease outbreak in Europe, and the subsequent media hype.

It is a media-generated issue.

Then he turned to the gal in the front, with her notepad.

"You're probably the media, right?"

Yes, she is.

"Well, you're probably the responsible type. It's the others that caused this."