To put you in the picture we need to go back to the two thousand and seven, and to a parcel that I sent to Japan containing one of my second year seedlings called My Neddy, in case you don't already know, that was the name my dear mother called my dad when she was referring to him to others, so imagine my surprise when I opened the 2008 catalogue he'd sent, and there as bold as brass was this red ball dahlia of the same name gracing the page. Yusaku had asked if he could include it in his collection, but I hadn't realised it would be added so soon. I was tickled pink, fancy that, a nobody such as I, with one of my home grown dahlias gracing the page of one the top breeders in Japan's catalogue. I must apologise for the picture quality, but with such a small magazine type picture I was lucky to get it as good as that, especially with my equipment. I'm sure you can just make out what my friend  Yusaku says about the naming of My Betty after his daughter's cat, and although I asked if the dahlia I named My Neddy influence him so far I haven't had an answer. I'm hoping that Yusaku will tell me what the English equivalent is of the names of the dahlias he's sent.

It is so inconsiderate of his religion not to allow him to use the Internet, because I constantly have the urge to ask him one more question, and it would be so easy to ask him in an email because emails are so direct. Now I don't know if this is going to work, but all I can do is to try and copy the photographs in his catalogue.

	Kanbi.		My Betty.		Serio		Higan-Bare.

Not bad for a rank amateur. You can now see why I got so excited when I realised what he'd sent me. The uncanny thing was the dahlia called Higan-Bare was seen growing in my garden as a seedling last year, or that's what it seemed like.

Wanna see it?

May 2nd:

Before  I comment on my good fortune of obtaining these beautiful varieties could I say "It's good to be back" because the past month has been like being in prison and sowing mail bags, not that I've ever been in prison, or had the pleasure of sowing mail bags, but hardship has come in the unpleasant way of completing orders. Never let it be said that the commercial dahlia grower has a easy life, strewth I've only tried it once, and decided once is quite enough. The wonderful achievement of producing the cuttings is nothing, but trying to co-ordinate the various orders is a nightmare. Just the sorting of all the varieties I have was bad enough. My youngest daughter Larraine came round to help, and suggested to have them in alphabetical order wouldn't be a bad thing, poppycock, it doesn't matter how you have them, the sorting part is headache making stuff. Now what about those varieties, bet you can't wait to try them? After me sunshine, and I promise to let you know just how good they are.

This is my plan for 2009, with Irene needing help more than ever I've decided rather than to give up I'll attack instead of surrendering. I will therefore still sell dahlias, but they will be of the tuberous kind either from a pot, or an American kind (chicken leg) and they will be my new varieties, and any new America or Japanese varieties I can acquire. Now you're wondering how much all this will cost, well first of all I must consult the people who bred them because obviously they must have the first say, after all you only get the one chance to cover your expenses and that's in that very important first year, after that you've lost any control you had.

For my part I'll go along with my friend Jack Gott suggested price of £4 for a pot tuber which could yield up to at least four cuttings and possibly many more. True you've got to root them, but at a cost of £1 a time who could complain? As for the Japanese and American new stuff I shall have to find out what they expect, but as they will get every penny in that first year that I receive, except for postage I should think they'll try to be lenient, after all half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.

The last of my orders, bar one went out yesterday, and was I relieved.  It wasn't so much the work of taking the cuttings, but the time it takes to get individual orders ready. As our eldest was busy over the Bank Holiday week-end, Pam told her mum that her and Mike would take us out on the Tuesday, cos this pleased Irene know end, and who was I to spoil the fun. The only thing was, I'd told my customers they'd get their orders on the Wednesday so by the time we got back and made a cuppa, and I'd started to pack the biggest order, which was for a young man called Martin Boyle who was starting out on this wonderful adventure of growing dahlias for the very first time, the clock in the conservatory read seven thirty, and not one order packed. By twelve o'clock I was completely knackered, but the orders were completed. I still had enough energy, although in a seemingly drunken state to tidying up, and although I'd promised Irene a cuppa when I'd finished (she'd gone to bed at ten, her back was playing up) it was all I could do to have a wash and clean my teeth, and eventually roll into bed.

As soon as the clock radio came on at seven I was up, washed and shaved and preparing breakfast. We didn't have much milk so I'd decided we'd have a bowl of grapefruit, and toast. Little did I know that in it's own juice it would be to tart for Irene even with a little sugar added. Still she managed at least half the toast. I left the bed unmade in my haste to get round the post office when they opened, but had at least managed to prepare our evening vegetables before I left. Seven wine boxes came out of the boot with the precious cargo in and on to the pavement. I asked a nice lady at the bus stop if she'd mine watching the four I'd left unguarded. Rushing back I grabbed the other four, and performed a miraculous trick by balancing all four on top of one another without a clue were I was going. Stumbling into the other three in the Post Office the task was almost complete, and with the price at just over twenty three pounds I'd made a few pence on the postage. On the way back from Sainsbury's I felt relieved  that for this year customers were hopefully satisfied.

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