Well, kids, 3 cheers for heavy downpours! As I was driving home from work, we had a mini-monsoon, and when I got home, everything was drenched, including that area! So I figured, what the heck, I'll give it a try. I got in there, grabbed ahold of the suckers, gave a firm, slow yank, and out they came, with very little effort! Some of the tap-roots were about 18" long. The one that I had lobbed off the night before I shovel-dug, and it, too, came right out. Easier than I thought! I'm sure I spilled many-a-seed while clipping the blooms off first (it's like a mini hay-field in that section right now- so overgrown), but those I'll just pull out if they germinate next season. I also took out a 7-foot thistle (OUCH!) which I hemmed & hawed about because the BFs & HBs love it, but it was a terrible eyesore. There's another one on another side of the garden that I'll leave for them. I'm sure some bird must have 'donated' them to my garden at some point, cuz I didn't have any thistle seed in the cottage mix that created the QAL mess. A fresh palate awaits me very soon!!!

Zackey, I am so sorry, because I understand that pain. The ultrasound treatment was originally done at the physical therapy center. After a lengthy stent (about three months) undergoing therapy for the shoulder without improvement, I told the therapist I was about to give us and have the surgery. That day I had the first ultrasound and had some improvement in the pain level. I had three treatments a week for about 2/1/2 weeks and felt enough relief to just come for a "touch up" if the pain started back. According to what I have been able to learn, ultrasound treatments do not help everyone, but are extremely effective for some people. The theory is the scar tissue formed from our tears or cuts is what is causing the degree of pain we feel. Backs are not done...it is not done directly over a bone, and it can cause a small degree of discomfort when the applicator goes over the affected area. I now have only slight discomfort where it was debilitating and it kept me from almost all gardening. It is surely worth a try for you. My husband actually bought me a real medical device because it was so much help...Not financially sound since it cost $900, and a treatment is only $25 here if the insurance didn't cover it (mine did) but it is nice to have on hand. Good luck to you, I hope you find relief, and I will be praying for you to do so. kay

Funny this was resurrected -- in the 4 years since i posted this, my vision issues prevent me from doing my nails myself (or doing them nicely LOL). I have major depth perception issues as well as intermittent double vision -- not good for trying to stay "between the lines". Still, I stick with using Vinylux Longwear Polish when I can (Vinylux also has a gel product-- i do not use it). I opted to stick with this because 1. I generally get 3 week wear when my nail technician does it (only her-- when others in the same salon have done my nails, they do not wear as long). I haven't had my nails done in ages-- and during covid/quarantine, she has had a second child. I am hoping she returns to work!! Here's what worked for me: Vinylux polish Vinylux top coat-- 2 layers 1-2 days after a manicure, I top nails again with Chanel Le Gel.. and then again 3-4 days later. I am VERY tough on my nails. I am at the computer for ridiculous hrs and i am a "hard typist" .. i wear labels off keys in no time. Again, they tend to last me about 3 weeks-- so of course, there is some lifting of the color line at the bottom as my nails grow, but the polish generally stays fully in tact, no chips or lifting. I will not use gels or dips or anything that ruins the health of my nails.

"... or do I really need to hire a landscape designer?" "Design" is the thinking through portion of making a landscape. A landscape designer/landscape architect is the generalist that has the ability to visualize possibilities and lay the groundwork for making them happen. A "landscaper/excavator" would have the muscle to do the work ... but it would be absolutely "hit or miss," (depending on the skills that they've acquired outside of the typical) that they could create work that takes into account all the other aspects of a finished space. They may have not an iota of design skill more than yourself, Caitlan. In general, I find that subcontractors tend to focus strictly on their particular aspect of the job and ignore most, if not all other things. If such a person is "in charge of" design (when they really don't have the training or experience for it), they can make a complete disaster of a finished space. It is not much of a savings to to save a small percentage of the total job cost only to end up with a project one has a lot of misgivings about. Determine your true budget right up front. It will determine how far you can go and what you can do. If the budget is not adequate for professional assistance, your options are to DIY or cut aspects of the project. You can even DIY design but it requires legwork, learning and sifting through advice in order to separate out what is useful from what is not.