So, from the last two posts, you may get the idea I'm digging a big hole in the yard... ;-)

Why hand dig? the benefits are 3-fold:

1. Its very precise - no overdig, nice smooth edges, etc, etc
2. Its keeping me from ballooning up to 250#, and keeps SOME muscle tone
3. Its cheap...if NOT too entertaining...

If I were in a hurry, I'd rent a mini-excavator and do it in a day or two - but speed's not the criteria here.

Here's the state of things as of January 2010: (ignore the camera's date - its off, and I got tired of correcting it after each battery change)