No rest for the weary - gotta get the garden ship shape!  During the Easter holiday my father and I decided that we'd take out the dreaded Lilac on Tuesday...just days after my sore start to the outdoor gardening season.  The bush was pushed right up to my back fence, which would make this an additionally tough task.  Luckily my father brought in his tools from the burbs (a couple of axes and some other fine tools that came in handy)...and my garden neighbor Arthur let us borrow his loppers and tree saw....and so our adventure began.  My almost 77 year-old father showed that he is still in solid shape - he hacked away at the roots like a 50 year-old...I played assistant and still got in a decent workout.  All in all it was a 2-hour wrestling match, which thankfully we won in the end.  Now I have room for my peas and beans...and perhaps I'll plant some morning glories along the now naked fencing.  Here's to a much easier gardening road ahead!