After rain this week to soften the soil I decided today was the day to dig up the large almond verbena at Sara's house. I rooted around the base with a Korean digging tool and realized it had some thick roots (up to 1.5" diameter) extending out in all directions. I worked around the plant pruning them off a couple of feet out from the center (maybe 8 of them) and when I was ready I put the shovel down the side of the plant and tipped it and the whole thing came up beautifully. For a shrub planted 10 years ago this was amazing, maybe 20 minutes of work. And it wasn't all work because the dogs were there wanting kisses and attention. And apparently Sara was watching and came out, totally impressed that I'd gotten this out of the garden so quickly. What a fluke. Now it's sitting beside my potting bench on a big bucket of soil and I'll decide where to plant it later this evening. I'd put this off for ages, figuring it was going to be really difficult. Silly me.

How are you feeling, Charmion? How is the water line work, Patty, and did your patio cover get finished and look the way you wanted? Keb, where are you in the moving process now that the junk guys hauled off all of the big stuff from the apartment?