Maybe I let the garden situation go on too long before attacking the weeds. If I'd been a little more pre-emptive, I'd probably be seeing the end of the campaign by now, instead of just trying to inch my way to a beginning. It would help if I had a little more to give it, in both time and energy. I think the more I do, the better at it I'll become. That's my ray of hope.

At the rate I'm getting the weeds cleared, it's going to be too late for planting by the time I've made any room for it. I'm sure there are plants that can get started any time, and since I don't have any really strong ideas about how I want the place to look after I'm done, I'll probably just go with whatever the nursery recommends. I've always relied on the kindness of experts.

That's down the road a bit, though. I worked at it in two separate sorties this afternoon, and the results are mixed. The yard waste container is getting filled at about the right rate. But the garden just looks as if it has a bald spot. That's not a very attractive look, especially when the weeds are so lush all around it.

In light of my lack of a clue, I've pretty much decided just to do what I can do. I don't have any physical help with this, but I'm getting some advice here and there, and that's probably more important.

Also, I've put myself on a better eating regimen, to try to get the pounds off. I think getting myself in shape is the only way I'll be able to do everything it's going to take to get the garden in shape. It's not a diet, though, and don't tell me it is. I eat at designated times, and certain foods are forbidden. Other than that, anything goes.

The exercise part of the struggle will take care of itself, because the more I can bend over, the more I can pull weeds. Now that the days are longer, finding time to work outside is less of a problem. And now that the weather is better I'm walking to the post office every day again.

For some unaccountable reason, I have hope that all will be well. I haven't really thought things through the way I should, I suppose, but I'm choosing the best-case scenario and aiming my sights in that direction. If something gets in my way, I'll— well, I'll make excuses, is probably what I'll do. I'll give up, is probably what I'll do. So let's hope nothing goes wrong.

Even if I fail, nobody gets hurt. It's my own time and effort I'm putting on the line here, and the worst that could happen is that I get a little exercise and have a really ugly garden. Frankly, there isn't much at stake here, and that's the way I like it. I suppose I could have tried to learn what I was doing before I plunged right in, but where's the fun in that? I'm in charge; get outta my way.