Dirk and I are starting to grow things in containers. In keeping with Dirk's fixation with all things mind-altering, he's growing morning glories in a long rectangular planter next to the rail so they can climb. Dirk's worrying over his morning glories like a mother hen: he worries that he didn't plant them right, or that they don't have enough water. It's really apparent that he never grew anything before now.
Right now I'm growing chervil, chamomile, and basil. I don't know why chervil, as I've never cooked with it before, but I suppose I'll find out. I've always liked the smell and look of chamomile -- it smells like apples and pineapples mixed, and it looks like tiny daisies. Basil is a no-brainer. I need it for cooking. I hope this works out, because I'm really starting to miss my herb garden back home (which was more of an ‘herb wilderness', really). My reference guide to planting herbs for the past couple years has been Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. It's great for the beginner who's interested in growing herbs, and it gives some great tips for cultivation, harvesting, and using herbs around the house (in soothing baths, herb vinegars, dyes, and cosmetics). I'm glad they're finally offering it in the paperback form, because the hardback version (which is identical) is a little too bulky for me.
Growing herbs makes me feel permanent, somehow. I've been growing them since I was in high school (which resulted in lemon balm, catnip, field mint, and garlic chives running wild all over my parents' back yard now). I do wish that we lived somewhere with a yard I could plant. I do prefer gardens to pots, mainly because I usually manage to kill anything living in a pot.
I finally took the plunge and ordered the Last Unicorn Soundtrack from amazon.com. I adored this movie when I was a child, and I spent years looking for a soundtrack. Little did I know that they never released one in the US, but they did in Germany. The day it came was the happiest day of my life. There I sat, maniacally grinning at the stereo while all the songs I loved from the movie irritated the shit out of Dirk. He was a little less happy about my triumph.
I think the next thing I'll buy will be the book. I know I'm an obsessed nutcase.
The other day at work, I had some old nutjob call up to ask questions about his benefits. I put him on speaker phone for everyone to hear, because he was that fucked-up. First, he claimed that he'd been to our office on several occasions, but we (or the non-existent guards, he wasn't clear on that point) would turn him away. Then he told us that he had worked in the same company for 40 years, in the ‘screwing department'. He lives in Michigan, but wanted to drive to DC to come talk to us, just as soon as he rented a car. Whenever he goes to ask for his pension (either at his union or his company or ‘here') the guards ask him his name, and as soon as he tells them, they inform him that he has no benefits coming to him. Nutjob cannot even get past the guards to see another person (possibly because they have him on the list of nutjobs they're supposed to keep away). He then accused us of turning him away, and refused to tell us over the phone what proof he had that there was a pension in his name. There were many ominous references to "I'd prefer to show this all to you in person. I think you'll see my side if you see this in person."
I felt bad, because the man was very obviously senile at the very least, and probably suffering from some form of dementia. But we couldn't stop laughing (silently) every time he repeated that he worked in the ‘screwing department'. We're going to hell when we die.
I need a nap. I just noticed that the clock facing me ticks loud enough to be an irritant. We're going to Katie's birthday party on Saturday. I have no idea what to get her -- maybe we'll bring her cookies.
