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            On Friday morning I memorized the two verses of “Amour année zéro” (Love In The Year Zero) by Serge Gainsbourg. All that's left to learn is the chorus. 

            I weighed 86.3 kilos before breakfast. 

            In the late morning, I went for my last dental appointment at the Parkdale Community Health Centre. In the fall Dr. Lake had done the fillings that were needed for my upper teeth and this time she did four in the lower set. It's always hard dealing with the liquid that accumulates in the back of the throat when one's mouth is open during a dental procedure. Sherry the assistant got most of it with suction but I still had to find moments to quickly swallow sometimes. The dentist also fixed the bite on the left where my upper left tooth had been grinding against its opposite below. She ground away some of the filling on the lower tooth and that may have corrected the problem. It's hard to tell right away because the problem has not been constant as if the position of my mouth shifts sometimes to where the grinding occurs. So far it's okay but I'll know better when I sing tomorrow. 

            I asked about a checkup date but Dr. Lake said they aren't doing checkups during the pandemic, so she said to call next year. I am in the line-up for an appointment with a hygienist and that would have probably happened in March but because of omicron, the hygienists have all been deployed to help with vaccinations. 

            I weighed 85.9 kilos before lunch.

            In the afternoon, perhaps because of the freezing of my lower mouth, I slept more than half an hour longer than usual. 

            It was very cold and so I put on several layers before going for my bike ride. I was actually fairly warm in the minus eleven air, except that the cold did nip at my ears under my hood like baby weasels pulling on their mother's teats. As I was unlocking the building my upstairs neighbour David came up. He announced that today is his birthday and asked if I would do something for him. He had a spanakopita the size of a medium pizza that he wanted me to cook for him because his stove is broken. I said I would do it but at first, I wasn't sure about the cardboard tray. I wondered if I should switch it to something metal but I looked it up online and cardboard is okay for baking things. One can even bake a cake in a shoebox. 

            I weighed 85.3 kilos after starting the pie. I baked it for 45 minutes but sometimes turned the heat down so it didn't get burnt on top. David said I could have half so I took three slices and froze them. I knocked on his door for a long time before he answered so I think he must have dozed off. Since it was his birthday I gave him a mug that I found with a woman in prayer on the handle. He wanted to give me a harmonica but I'm not a fan of the instrument except for the chromatic kind. He insisted on giving me $20. 

            Then David asked me to do him a favour. He will be going back to Ethiopia for a month because his father is very sick and he wants me to take care of his snakes. Their food is apparently just bread soaked in blood and he would of course provide it. He said he'll give me detailed instructions later but assured me that they are hibernating and won't be any trouble. I think he said they are just loose in the apartment and one of them is probably living under the stove. I agreed because he's a nice guy and though it will be strange for me it's not unreasonable. 

            I got an email from Professor Morgenstern telling me she'd read my essay, changed the mark, and offered detailed comments. She changed my mark from 70% to 77% which is only a B+ but it's up from a B- and I feel less devalued now. The overall course mark goes up to 83% but that still makes it an A-. 

            It was 20:00 by the time I got caught up on my journal. 

            I read a few pages of the last chapter of Heart of Darkness before dinner. Deep in the jungle at Kurtz's camp Marlow encounters a young Russian dressed like a harlequin who has for the last few years been a devoted servant to Kurtz. Kurtz has lorded it over the natives who worship him like a god but Kurtz has been obsessed with acquiring ivory and would kill for it. Around Kurtz's hut are the heads of his enemies mounted on poles. Kurtz is now sick and dying and the natives that attacked Marlow's boat did so because they don't want Kurtz to leave. 

            I had a potato with gravy and a slice of roast pork while watching an episode of The Addams Family. The bite on my tooth seems to be worse since Dr. Lake fixed it and it bothers me especially when I'm eating. I think I bit my tongue once or twice on the edge. My jaw feels sore as well so maybe that's from holding my mouth open for the dentist. Maybe it will all settle down later. 

            The story begins with Morticia and Gomez engaging in recreational dentistry. She's drilling his tooth and he doesn't want her to stop because she is really hitting a nerve. 

            In the main story, Pugsley is heartsick because he's in love with his teacher Miss Isobel Dunbar. When Morticia sees a love letter Pugsley is writing that says, “the way you squint your beady eyes is real keen” she tells him that's no way to write a love letter. She begins to show him the letters Gomez wrote to her but they are too hot and she changes her mind. But when she takes the letters away one of them drops and then Pugsley picks it up and copies it. When Miss Dunbar, who wears thick glasses and is weak and insecure, reads the letter she takes it to the principal Mr Jennings who she is obviously hot for. But he treats her with contempt and tells her to deal with the problem herself. Miss Dunbar goes to the Addams house and reads the letter to Gomez. He tells her he wrote it and she thinks he wrote it to her. She is suddenly all over Gomez when Morticia walks in. Gomez explains the situation to Morticia and she tells him he has to pretend to make love to Isobel to build up her confidence but when she says “stop” he should stop. Later Fester is alarmed when he catches Gomez with Isobel in his arms and he tells Morticia. She says for him to tell Gomez “Don't. Stop.” But Fester tells Gomez, “Morticia says don't stop.” When Morticia later threatens Gomez with leaving him he thinks she's acting according to their plan. But finally Morticia speaks french and he drops Isobel on the floor where her glasses fall off. Principal Jennings shows up, sees Miss Dunbar without glasses, and falls for her. 

            Isobel was played by Jill Andre, who had guest supporting roles on many TV series.

            Mr Jennings was played by Thomas Browne Henry, who was a successful stage actor and director. In movies and on TV he tended to play authority figures, especially in science fiction films.