Hi Saintpfla Since you probably heard all the possible answers on your citrus problems, I am going to tell you what I know and saw at Echo last time that I was there in the tour for the fruit trees and people asked the same questions like you did. The expert planted the tree for demonstration in a mound, he said so the rains don't flood the tree. Made a hole without amending and put the tree in, situated so it looked the best and then added compost only on the sides. The older citrus trees had a big mulch on the sides but without touching the trunk (important) a lot of people asked about this and he said is okay. After that he went on to the bugs that affect the citrus like thrips and he said this year with the cold they had not much problem but otherwise they spray some sort of oil, somebody asked neem? and he said no, he did not give the name because I don't think is available for us. Now I have my private story to tell you, just remember I am no expert. I had wonderful citrus in Arizona, never had a problem or bugs or disease, did not even look at them and they had a crop that I had to give it away. They had small rocks underneath because I xeriscape in my yard. Now when I came to this house I bought some citrus, few of the same varieties like my neighbor, I only found that out when I went to visit her place because she asked for help with the citrus. I went again recently and 2 of her trees are dead and the same 2 of mine are still alive. I went over what they do and what I do, and this is what we did differently, she fertilize with some sort of spikes, I use the Sunniland brand for citrus. When we got hit with the winter, I cover just the trunks of the trees, she only covered the tops. Sometimes when I spray the tomatoes, I will use the leftover spray on the citrus, she does not use anything because she said some expert told her the damage of thrips is only cosmetic. If you try to foliar feed when is not hot just early morning or evening there is a chelated citrus nutritional spray by Southern Ag that you can get I think at HD. I hope that you get your citrus back to health and producing for you. Silvia

She will get over it. She will adapt to the new routine at the boarding place, and then she will re-adapt to the new home (which will be new and different even if some of her old familiar furnishings are in the new home). I should add that I have, in the past, on two occasions, cared for cats in my home, two belonging to a friend and another to a relative, while both were going through several weeks long moving processes. These cats were a bit spazzed out at first but made themselves at home within a week. When they went back with their owners to their new digs, they adapted to their new homes with the same relative ease and went on to live long lives. My two old cats were aged 18 and 19 when I last boarded them (for two weeks), and they were unfazed by the change in their routine. They slept most of the time, as they did at home, both before and after their time at the kennel. Older cats are less likely to be stressed by a change in surroundings, provided the surroundings are comfortable. The op will be moving and things will change for her cat regardless. A quiet well managed boarding facility is a less stressful option for her cat than to stay with her owner (if this is even possible) in an interim housing arrangement during the upheavals and confusion that accompany overseeing installation of a new home. Cats indeed like routine and everything in the same place and this is more likely to be the case at the boarding place than with her owner.

Thanks all for the insight. NOt really sure what it is. Can't figure it out yet.. I will say he gets alot of attention here at home from his dad, but not in an "entertaining" kind of way. My husband is a handy man and also has to take care of things w/the hosue and his business alot on weekends. so a lot of times his son tags along, helps out, watches or if not he's here just watching tv or hanging outside, pounding on wood etc.. Yes this weekend was an exception where we played games, had a bbq, and yes his friend was here. NOT saying that doesn't happen but it's not like we are social every single weekend at our house and the day he wanted to stay we already told him before he went to his moms (as it was her day) that we had things to do, DAD was going to be fixing stuff and in the attic and he was like that is fine I will stay w/ dad and do stuff w/ him. The child always is w/ his dad more than mY SD, my SD is soo easy going and ok w/ NOT having all the attention that she never really complains that her brother gets more of dad time. She sometimes will get needy and want her dad at night etc.. Now, moms house is more of a "royal" mess.. the room he had to clean was not a room that was a mess that day and then to clean as at our house, it's you make a mess you clean it up that day.. Not 3 weeks later when there is more of a mess.. they don't have tons of chores at 6 and 8, but they are to be respectful, take baths, eat dinner, then they get a treat, if they act out there are no rewards, but consequences such as time outs etc.. both kids have actually been listening and behaving exceptionally well except my SS has a lot of control issues and feels he is nOT in control alot at OUR house.. He said that to us one day that he gets more his way at his moms.. that is why I feel it maybe more a form of manipulation or just that he was having a good time at our house wanted to be w/ us vs. her, and not saying he doesn't like it there, but [perhaps that is just how he was feeling that day? but to have such a meltdown over it, I am baffled, yes he is usually an emotional child when things don't go his way, he is to take a minute calm down and come and talk. so yes he had a meltdown not sure why, maybe cuz he didn't get his way wanted to be w/ his dad and couldn't so made a scene.. maybe he didn't have a enough time w/ his dad and being he enjoys being w/ his father maybe he did just want to be hre.. again just baffled at the behavior.. it would seem to me besides the fact he had to clean his room, that he'd want to be w/ her because he says he gets more his way there.. but again his dad isn't there, who he gets along w/ outside in the garage etc, but again sometimes he is just here in the house doing his own thing.. perhaps he just wanted to be here.. i do know the mom lets them choose more meals, etc , pizza, fast food etc. in that way also they have more "controL'> here is more often than not that we sit down and eat together and have a full healthy meal. and usually it's not an issue but an enjoyment.. it took a while to get that way at first the kids would fight it as they didn't have consistency from mom's to dad but now it's been 2 years they understand this is just the way it is here, we do go out for fun stuff meals, but not every night, especially school/work nights..

First, bless you for being willing to try, but, second, don't take it to heart if this doesn't work. SS has spent his entire life in a very cushy environment with few if any rules, & although he may be sincere about wanting a different experience, he doesn't have any idea just how different real life is. 'My husband...feels we should ease in to (the rules) and not throw all these changes at him all at once.' If a new member of the household is permitted to, say, stay up all night on the computer on day one, when do you think you should take that away from him? What reason do you think you could come up with to explain the change? How would you convince him that rules mean anything? Consistency & structure are the very things that make your environment different from his mother's & grandfather's, & that consistency & structure need to be present, predictable, & stable from the very first. I wish you the best.