I didn't sleep in as planned this morning. Last night David called and asked if he and Eric could come by between eight and nine today. They wanted to borrow my two VCRs and dubbing cables to make a tape for their mom.

The tape was of their first time skydiving. Part of their present was not telling Suzanne about it until after it was over. They're presenting her with the tape to prove that they survived the experience.

And they had a blast doing it. I can see how jumping out of an airplane (with an instructor strapped to your back) would be an exhilarating experience. My nephews are 19 and 25, in good shape and fearless. David had a huge grin on his face through it all. Eric looked a bit more tense at first, but he obviously enjoyed it just as much.

It helps that nothing went wrong. It helped me, anyway, to see how smoothly it all went, from walking onto the plane to landing on their feet, right on target. And they're ready to go up again.

After they left, I lit out for the territories. No, not really. I strapped on the gloves and went after the rest of the blackberries in my garden. I have a new respect for these plants, after the hard work I needed to get them out. The roots are strong, and they grow for long distances underground. I guess that explains how they seem to pop up out of nowhere, yards away from where they started.

I still have plenty of blackberries, but the ones I left are at the far corners of the acreage, where they aren't choking off the plum tree or the irises. And getting them out of the garden area made it easier to pull up some of the weeds that look so out of place amid the grasses and flowers.

It's a long journey from the overgrown yard I started with (and still have) to the more livable conditions I'm aiming for. I don't know whether I'll ever get there, because I don't know if I have the time and energy ahead of me to stay with it. But as much as I can, I'll keep working, and it'll get a little better every week.

Some of the movies available off the satellite today:

• Angela's Ashes
• Terms of Endearment
• Mommie Dearest
• Big Momma's House
• The Deep End of the Ocean
• Men Don't Leave
• Ed and His Dead Mother
• Throw Momma from the Train