Fri Mar 01 2002 19:10: I had almost all my students in class today; very unusual for a Friday. I hope they all come when the Dean comes to visit on Monday!

I pulled more weeds and planted the rest of the flat of silver thyme. Now, Rachel and I are getting ready to go see "The Man Who Came to Dinner."

I talked some to Joan, who is marrying my brother-in-law Garry tomorrow. I told her that Helen always told me that she and I got the best of some great brothers. So true.

Sun Mar 03 2002 17:24: Leonard and Rachel came home for Garry's wedding. Leonard helped me weed and then we all went to a camellia society flower show. (A fairly strange experience.) None of the experts knew the name of our pink camellia, but we looked at all the displays and by majority vote decided to call it Camellia japonica 'Moonlight Bay'. There was a yard sale across the street. Leonard bought some jeans and I got a 7-ball for a dime. Rachel got three little, little Golden Books for a quarter. After that, we went to Rosemary's, where we were waited on by my student, Keighan Wagner. Then Leonard and I went to pay for the spa and dropped by Goodwill and it was time for Garry's wedding.

It was held in the Holy Trinity Chapel at Mercy Hospital-- I don't know why. Dave and Cindy Anson were there; it was good to see them. I had Susie's letter and pictures in my purse and they made a good hit with the extended family members. Dinner after the nuptial mass at Benji's French Basque restaurant. We left before cake.

I was up till nearly 2 a.m. doing the church newsletter, and forgot to set my alarm, so Rachel and I slept through church. I have "puttered" the rest of the day away.

Mon Mar 04 2002 19:40: The Dean came to observe me teaching my Eng. 50 class today. My whole lesson was grounded upon the concept that the reader can interpret a piece of literature any way the reader chooses, as long as that interpretation can be supported by a passage in the text. The Dean acted like she agreed. (I hope!) The homework I gave out was to write an obituary for the girl in the story we are reading. I made up a little obituary newspaper with Corel Ventura Publisher and put Alyson's senior picture in for the girl. I figured Alyson would be willing to model for a fake obituary for a literature class.

The computers in the lab today all had gremlins, the older WIN 95 ones, that is. I hate, hate, hate WIN 95.

Also today I began a project of installing chicken wire around strategic garden areas to keep the puppy from digging.

I bought a bright red camelia named 'Colonel Firey' at White Forest Nursery for $4.95. I THINK it's the same one that the neighbor on the corner of Bank and Spruce has-- pure, rich red. Lovely. At any rate, it's close enough to theirs. I put it in the back patio next to the Acer negundo 'Flamingo' because I'm sick and tired of such a dreary back yard and next year we'll have bright red flowers in the winter after the tree sheds its pink leaves.

To bed early, perhaps?

Wed Mar 06 2002 09:38: More weeds. More chicken wire. No Mike James. Voted for/against the idiots.

Wed Mar 06 2002 20:53: Young's had chicken hindquarters for 29 cents a pound so I am making dog food, cat food, and a big mess in the kitchen.

Thu Mar 07 2002 17:54: I have finally finished pulling the solid mat of weeds that was threatening to take over my mixed perennial border. On Saturday, after I attend Leeann Olson's basketball game, I will plant what I hope will become a solid mat of ajuga and thyme to replace it.

Taxes tomorrow, with Ken Filipski. Nothing more certain than death and.

I am reading a fascinating book called The Boilerplate Rhino, which belongs to Leonard.

Thu Mar 07 2002 17:56: Journal of Narcissus: March 1, 'Ice Follies'. March 5, 'Wild Carnival.' March 7, 'King Alfred'.

Fri Mar 08 2002 16:53: Today, March 8, the first Narcissus 'Bravourere' is getting ready to bloom. It should be open by tomorrow. I hope I like it, since there were so many of them in the assortment of bulbs I planted last fall.

Of course I'll like it. Daffodils are my favorite flower, as they were my father's favorite. I wish I had known this fact about him while he was still alive.

Forgot to put in the log, Narcissus 'Jetfire', a little bitty guy which is planted in a pot on the back patio with the dwarf crepe myrtle, has been blooming for about a week now. Also freesias in pots. I can't even remember where I put this year's freesia corms into the ground. Surprise me, Mother Nature!

Karen Nations and I went to dinner at La Mina and then to see The Count of Monte Cristo at Pacific Valley Plaza. Karen had wanted to see A Beautiful Mind, but Wanda Bradford opined that it's too heavy and intense for a Friday night, so I talked Karen into the Count instead. We loved it, especially the rat skull necklace the Count made in prison.

There were a lot of things we could have picked apart and analyzed, but we were tired and just out for a relaxing good time. Plus we analyzed and picked apart Karen's job over dinner.

Isn't it just wonderful how the French people in these movies speak English?

Sat Mar 09 2002 19:36: Today I went to watch Leeann Olson play basketball ("We" won!) and then I worked in the yard all day. Planted bronze ajuga on the west side berms and spread cocoa mulch there, after yanking out multiple tiny weed sprouts. Then I planted sedum and thyme as ground cover on the other side. Jeannette came by and I made her help me. I planted the "razzleberry" loropetalum and worked out my drip scheme for the camellias.

The paper wasn't sure whether or not it would rain tomorrow, so I watered, just to make sure that it would.

Mike James worked some more in the Unjapanese Garden. I have high hopes that sometime next week the sprinkler system will be plumbed.

Sat Mar 09 2002 20:11: 'Colonel Firey' bloomed, and the flowers are much larger than the neighbor's, albeit the same wonderful true red. I don't know if it just likes my house, or if the neighbor has a different variety altogether.

Sun Mar 10 2002 22:53: 'Bravouaure' is white with a long pointy yellow trumpet.

Mon Mar 11 2002 14:03: Mike James is working his little heart out. I hope he finishes the plumbing tomorrow. He had to leave just now to go on an emergency call.

I wish I could take a nap,but lo and behold, I have to go to the dentist instead. Then, there are plenty of papers to grade and a job application to complete.

Mon Mar 11 2002 17:31: Continuing journal of Narcissus: Today, Monday, March 11, daffodils blooming: ‘Limbo' and ‘Golden Bells.' Waiting in the wings: ‘Avelon'.

Going to the dentist was an interesting experience. Instead of an x-ray machine, they had a device that put my x-rays right onto the computer, which in turn was connected to a large overhead television. I could watch the whole procedure, as ghostly tooth after ghostly tooth appeared. Then, another machine called a "Vipercam"– much like a mini ultrasound wand, which took a physical picture of each tooth and put it up on the screen also. I was reasonably embarrassed by the enhanced vision of plaque deposits that I have missed.

One filling needs replacing, so I have an appointment for April 17.

Wed Mar 13 2002 20:07: Work. Work. Work. But I left at 4 p.m. to go pick up my new glasses. Gretel got up at 4:30 a.m. this morning and peed on the oriental rug. Bad doggie. I'll be glad when this week is over.

I can't believe my baby is nineteen years old.

Thu Mar 14 2002 19:37: I spent most of the day on the PowerPoint presentation, which appears to have become a live beast out of control. Odella today threatened to take me with her to present it to the bigwigs. "Me?" I told her. "I'm nobody." I'll be glad when it is finished.

Our spa comes tomorrow afternoon, hooray, hooray!

This morning it hailed. Oh, my poor tomatoes, squash, and eggplant! Still on deck: Narcissus ‘Avelon'. It's been pretty cold.

Fri Mar 15 2002 19:01: 'Avelon' is a beautiful buttery yellow, medium sized. My favorite so far. Parks sent their Advance Bulb Sale for Fall 2002 catalog today--I want some of each!

Mike James finished plumbing the sprinkler system (I need to fill the trenches back in) and the spa was delivered. I started cleaning out the fishpond, and talked to Quasi for the first time in a month. He is a big huge sharkie now.

More powerpoint disasters all day. O. has added another couple of hours worth of work for me-- at LEAST. There are now 62 slides in the presentation. Boooooorrrrrriiiinnnnggggg! That said, I would rather have Odella be happy with it than feel sorry for everyone else who has to watch the thing.

Sat Mar 16 2002 19:16: 'Avelon' opened completely to reveal an orange trumpet. The daffodil that is labled 'Limbo' looks not a bit like the one in the bulb catalog. It looks like 'Bravoauere' (Gosh, I've GOTTA learn how to spell that! However, it is very near another B--whatever it is, and there is another daff poking its head up in the same spot. My theory: A two-headed Bravo, Limbo coming up later. Also today, 'Single Jonquil' blooming.

I cleaned out the fishpond (sorta) and got the new pump and the turtle spitter operational. Andy Smith didn't show up to connect said spitter and the spa and the sprinkler system. Rachel is home, but running around with her friends. Gretel was very glad to see her.

Sun Mar 17 2002 14:52: I think I was wrong about 'Avelon' having an orange trumpet. Only two of them do, and the rest are that lovely buttery color-- almost lemon meringue. I looked everyone up in my daffodil book. I believe the orange trumpet one is 'Caruso', which was probably mislabeled in the grab bag, but what can a girl expect for $19.99? Also blooming today, Sunday, March 17, is 'St. Keverne.'

While Rachel and I were at church, the Knothead dug up one of my rosebushes. Again. I have now reinforced my chicken wire with concrete block.

Mon Mar 18 2002 20:06: Narcissus for today, Monday, March 18: 'IceWings.'

Rachel had her wisdom teeth out and seems to be more miserable than Leonard and Susie were. She is swelling more than they did. Bleah. She wouldn't let me go in with her to surgery, so I sat out in the waiting room ripping up sheets to make lots and lots of tablecloths.

I believe the rosebush is a goner. When I got home from work today it was not only dug up, it was chewed. I wonder why she digs up some things and not others?

Sun Mar 31 2002 20:00: Here is the update written while Crummy was offline: Journal of Narcissus, today, Wednesday, March 20: ‘Pistachio', ‘Fortissimo' ‘ Dolly Mollinger' (nice ruffled trumpet) and ‘Easter Bonnet'.

Also, a red tulip from the Economy Landscape Mix I planted.

Narcissus today, Thursday, March 21: ‘Karalia', ‘Delnashaugh', and ‘Stradivarius'. Also a pink and white bicolored tulip. It's really too bad that tulips don't come back in this zone. The magazine says Michigan is the ideal climate for them. Michigan!

Today, Friday, March 22. I went to BC and graded placement essays all morning; then I taught my class. This afternoon I see Dr. Amin and there is sooooo much to do around here it's not funny. Had a good conversation with Emily Hurlburt.

Narcissus today: ‘Easter Moon'. A purple tulip. A pink tulip. An orange Rembrandt-style tulip.

Susan McQuerrey got a call that her father is not doing well and left in the middle of the placement grading. We had planned lunch for tomorrow, but I guess Saigon will have to wait. Maybe Anne will want to go eat there when she comes.

I think I'm going to have to put a chicken wire "lid" on the back flower bed to keep Gretel out. Now the bratface has dug up my ‘Guienevere' rosebush.

Narcissus today Saturday, March 23, ‘Mother C. Gruelmans' and ‘Flower Record.'

Andy Smith FINALLY came and hooked up the spa and it's heating now. Hooray!

Later: I've been boiling big pots of water trying to get the spa to heat up faster so I can soak in it. The question is, do I have a swimsuit anymore?

Narcissus today, Sunday, March 24, ‘Limbo.' I was right about ‘Limbo'.

Sun Mar 31 2002 20:04: It was a busy week. Anne came and we ran around. Not much got done, although Rachel and I did manage to spring clean the house before she got here. On Thursday, Rachel went to Magic Mountain with friends and Anne and I got the Pathfinder out of hock and went to visit Gayla in Los Angeles. We both got sick, me sicker, and I spent most of the Gaylavisit barfing in the bathroom. Kept on while Anne drove to Uncle Justin's. I collapsed in Linda's bed while Anne and Justin chewed the fat. Still felt rotten the next day, and indeed the day after that, after dropping Anne off in San Diego and spending seven hours in traffic trying to get home.

I spent most of yesterday and all of today in bed and feel better now, but empty.