I’m back in the saddle so to speak. Yesterday, I finished the repairs to a fence I started several weeks ago. I got the old sections securely tied to the new poles, and now we’re right as rain. We could use a new fence, and one of these days, I’ll get around to replacing everything, slats and all, maybe after the first of the year. But we’re good for now, and an access point for the deer to nibble my plants is once again closed. And the old fence is behind the workroom, so it’s of out of sight.

Of course, knowing that part of your work is a little sloppy is like having shoes just a little too tight. You can live with them, but in your heart, you know it’s not right, and it needs to be fixed. And even though I can’t see the work from the house, I know it’s there. I suppose that’s why my new shed for the well still bothers me. It’s sturdy, it will do the job, but there are just bits slightly out of whack and things that could have been done better. It’s utilitarian, and it will do the job, but that’s all it’s got going for it.

The work in the yard and around the house, however, is what keeps me going, regardless of how it turns out. It’s the doing that counts, the effort and maybe as I go, I’ll get better. But it’s not really a contest, and I’m the only judge that counts and I’m my harshest critic. Besides I’m at an age where things are sagging, and I’m creaky and wobbly so maybe having sagging and creaking and wobbly things around me isn’t that bad a deal. It’s just part of the picture I’m painting as I move through this funky life.