Today I was relaxing on the chaise, cool in the shade of an umbrella, with a good book (The Mists of Avalon, recommended by Pam). My mom was trimming the hedge. She was taking it down by a couple of feet and it was tedious work in the hot sun. I decided to help, because my comfortable lounge in the cool shade accompanied by my good book was not as relaxing when watching my mother toil at the hedge.

Thus began my first post-second-surgery yard work. Basically, I chopped up the branches that she had already trimmed so that they would fit into one of those big brown leaf bags. I barely filled half a bag and there’s a ton left to do, but it felt good to do something of use even if it was punctuated by frequent water and then bathroom breaks. Baby steps.