I can see the wood top of my computer desk. Looks pretty good!

Sounds like you got lucky with that neighbor, Penny! A gardener, and a cooperative one! That sounds ideal! And I love the idea of reshaping the space and making raised beds. I always use the local rocks, bricks, etc, when I work on a place. I have tons of bricks and limestone that the previous owners dumped in the far back end of the yard after a structure was taken off of the front of the house. I've gradually rearranged those rocks and bricks, and this year will be the year I build a low wall in the front yard next to the berm I've been building for a while (to keep traffic from leaving the street and hitting the house, should someone run the sign at the intersection out front).

SRS