The Big DumpTruck

Well, I made the first of ? purchases at a garden shop today. I got my 2004 clematis (I allow myself one a year, I’m up to three) which is a Josephine Evijohill. I include this information because it turns out two friends of mine are “collectors” and they actually do want to know information like that. They refer to them by name, as in “My Josephine bloomed early this year.” I will forget what ones I have within minutes of misplacing this little plant tag. But I like that these are so pretty and come up every year. I have a new appreciation for perennials, especially because all the ones I planted last year came back up and gave me no-effort flowers! I mean, sure, you pay more, but if they come up every year, well, what a bargain!

I’m not a green thumb, and I moved some plants last fall that either weren’t perennials, didn’t survive my moving them, and/or got eaten by something. When I finally pulled up the dead stuff, the bulb roots were mushy and rotten and full of little worms. Ick.

Anyway, it’s yucky and wet out, and I guess will be for the next few days, so I may just go out in disposable clothing and get the new stuff planted.

Picked up a new [new to me, hadn’t seen them before today] cool toy for the GameBoy.

Holy cow, they have actual episodes of Nick tv shows on GB cartridges. Full color, quality is great, considering. The sound is a bit shaky – I’d compare it with listening to an AM radio, but hot damn, for $20 I got 4 episodes of the Fairly Oddparents on one cartridge that we can use if we ever need a quick source of entertainment for The Boy while we’re out somewhere.

Also have Dora, Spongebob, All Growed Up and Jimmy Neutron, with Sonic X, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coming out this summer. And I’m sure others.

I am SO psyched…this is SO much better than those damned little personal video machines with the black and white proprietary DVD thingies. These play in color on a machine I already have!

Here’s What Yahoo’s Weather is telling me right now:

More Current Conditions

Feels Like: 45 °

I could have told you that. Man, it’s positively wintery out there! I wanted to go look for some flowers to plant this weekend, but I have to tell you, it’s drizzling and about 47 degrees. YOU go stand around looking at plants. I’ll be here with my sweatshirt and a cup of coffee, thanks.

p.s. Saw Shrek 2 this evening. God, was it fantastic. No spoilers, just go see it. You know you want to.

In our league they call off the tee ball games if it’s raining. I’m wondering if that means misting, or a heavy rain. And f there are thunderstorms in the area but not actual rain, do I want my kid standing in a field with an aluminum bat?

[Update: Okay, so now I didn’t get the item when I was expecting it (this morning) and when I called DHL they basically told me they don’t know exactly where the package is, so I should expect in Monday. Uh, HEY! I PAID EXTRA FOR OVERNIGHT YOU BIG DUMP APES! So now I have to call the company I ordered from when the item arrives so I can get a refund on my shipping. GRR.]

Not that the customer service call yesterday was bad, it was just annoying, mostly because the people on the phone really had no information at their fingertips. Maybe management doesn’t want them to say anything that would imply a commitment to a specific schedule. If I’d been in a crotchety mood, I could have asked to speak to someone higher up, but as it is, the item shipped yesterday.

This morning I called DHL (who now owns Airborn Express, apparently) to ask what their window is for delivery, given that I’m trying to organize someone to be there to sign. The perfectly lovely woman on the phone had all kinds of info at her fingertips, told me that for my zip code they deliver up until 5pm, but that I could leave a note saying I authorize him to leave it, sign the note, and the driver would take that as proof of signature. Oh my goodness, how freeing! If you have to leave the house for 30 minutes, you can! If you can’t be home, well, as long as it isn’t raining, you’re set!

I love good customer service first thing in the morning.