Night has turned cold again, as is proper for the season, but the early flowering of the jasmine has filled the chill air with its scent, which I find disorienting. Jasmine is a fragrance I associate with the warm nights of late spring and early summer. It seems inappropriate now. I suppose that by the time the nights warm up, the flowers will be gone and the dark hours be bereft of their familiar perfume. It is strange that small things such as this unsettle me and make me irritable, but there it is.
Of course, that isn't the only thing making me irritable tonight. Knowing that I have a dental appointment in eleven hours is distressing as well. While I don't have the phobia of dentists I once had, getting my teeth prodded remains one of those experiences I'd rather not undergo. The prospect that some dismal discovery might lead to further appointments makes it all the worse. My hypochondria is stirred up, and I imagine massive amounts of equipment being stuffed into my mouth and a jackhammer penetrating my brain. This makes it difficult to sleep, and I usually arrive at the dentist's office tired and cranky. This time will probably be no exception. Some day they will discover a simple treatment that makes teeth permanently immune to decay, and I'll already be dead. Well, at least I arrived late enough in history for Novocaine.
It's been quiet tonight, the serenity disturbed only by the three cars in which newspapers are delivered -- and by that one cat fight. It might have been better had there been some excitement to distract me from my anticipation. It's one of the drawbacks of living in a generally peaceful place. The surrounding calm only serves to underscore any sort of inner distress. It would be easier if I still had a lap cat. They are remarkably distracting. I really miss that kitty.