The rock garden saga continues in my front yard. It turned out I was mistaken in thinking my neighbors had dug up their side of the front yard and were waiting to see what I was going to plant. My landlord had hired a gardener to do the whole thing without telling me. So I planted a mess of stuff, and then the gardener dug it up and planted more. I didn't like what the gardener had done, so I dug up his stuff and put it in the back yard and replanted the front. So now both of us are complaining to the landlord, and the outcome seems uncertain. I always thought gardening was supposed to be relaxing.

I've been seeing a new man who, so far, doesn't appear to be a list maker. Seemed a little suspiciously too good to be true at first. Handsome, smart, interesting and liked me. Something had to be wrong. And that turned out to be his party behavior.

His most memorable line (to a woman with large earrings): "What ARE those THINGS on your EARS?!" There were only five other party guests who showed up, and we all left at once. At the door on our way out, my friend was saying goodbye to a couple of them and I heard him say "Suzanne warned me this guy gives horrible parties and this one was bound to be a dud, but I just want you to know I had a great time talking with you."

He's a very nice person outside of a party. I think he was trying too hard to be funny. I don't know what it is, but I've had other problems with men and their party behavior before, and I don't think that's something that's easily changeable. But it bothers me because I'm going to have my own party next weekend, and he's going to be at it. So I don't know what's going to happen, but I suppose if it's horrible enough I can always write about it.

I guess I must like him, though. I've agreed to go camping in the snow with him, which isn't like me at all.