I am thrilled to announce that I have hired a new personal assistant – Miss J. Hortaway.

Miss Hortaway will help me organize the list of bulbs I just planted, so I can easily determine the names of the flowers when they bloom. Then she can assist with cataloging all the other plants in the garden.

She used to work for a banker in Beverly Hills, California, and for some reason keeps calling me “Chief”. She is also very much into bird watching and so I expect she’ll frequently remind me to fill my bird feeders throughout the winter.

I’ve got loads of other ideas for how Miss Hortaway can help me. Later this winter, I’ll tell her what seeds I want to plant in the spring, and she’ll make sure they get ordered in a timely manner. I may also dictate my blog posts to her and she can type them up. I hear the garden fairies may do the same.

She joins other personas characters staff, including my stylist, Gloriosa Vanderhort, who has said she forbids Miss Hortaway from suggesting even the shoes I should wear. She thinks Miss Hortaway is very efficient and all, but says she doesn’t know a whit about fashion and style.

Dr. Hortfreud says she is in favor of me getting some help around here, as she is encouraging me to start some new endeavors this winter that will keep me busier than usual.  Her opinion is that hiring a personal assistant can’t hurt, especially one as experienced as Miss Hortaway.

Others around are withholding judgment until they see how Miss Hortaway works out and if she sticks around or runs back to Beverly Hills.

I’ll keep everyone posted, or rather, I’ll ask Miss Hortaway to do so.