The hole is dug and filled in with gravel. As I begin to lay the pavers, I have a feeling of expertise. With that comes trepidation: no matter how skilled I become, there will be challenges, and something may still go wrong.

My confidence grows as I lay more pavers. The only challenge is that they are heavy, and it’s hot!

Finally done. Cutting pavers with a wet saw was a huge challenge, and I can’t say I showed expertise. I had it rented for a day and cut for nine hours. At one point my thumb was cramping.

But it’s done. It has performed remarkably well in rain storms, draining just as I had hoped. Over Labor Day we had people over, and they were universally complementary of my work. Some pointed out the flaws with a grin on the face, but what project doesn’t have flaws? Just like with writing, sometimes you have to stop working on it, let go, and publish.