Yes, the backyard is still there. It's been pretty cool and rainy lately, right up until last week when we were hit with a scorching heat wave of 85 or so. Needless to say, the weeds are doing fabulously. I just pulled my 5x5 sheet of black plastic off of the place it's been for the last 2 months (maybe more?) and, while most of the area looks pretty dead, there are a few baby weeds already poking their heads up. I plan to single-dig that area and cover it up again by the end of the week. I hate the thought of spending $90-ish dollars on a giant box of black plastic, but that may be the only answer to getting this garden going sooner rather than later.
I do have the glimmerings of a garden plan and if we stay in this house (which we plan to, but there's another story there) I know what is going to go where. Which is major progress. The problem is buying fence material, PVC pipe, greenhouse sheeting, rebar, stepping stones...the funds are really not there right now, so maybe doing this - and paying for it - one step at a time is a good idea in the long run.