I was hoping someone would answer your post cause it is kind of interesting. Perhaps it is because you have laid a lot of requirements on simple grass. I'm not sure there is one type that meets all of your desires. You may want to research the hybrid bluegrasses though some say the newer elite varieties of KBG are just as heat tolerant. Mixed with tall fescue appears to be popular with sod producers in the more southern parts of the transition zone. Overseeding bermuda with rye is a traditional southern golf course technique for green winter cover, but is expensive and can be hard on the bermuda. What level of maintenance, cost, and effort are you willing to go to to achieve your desires? The shepherds will wear out the grass if left in a small space. There is no grass that can tolerate that kind of wear without intensive maintenance. You may want to find out what grass is used on football and soccer fields in your area. Chances are that will be the most wear resistant. How do you intend to maintain the turf?

If it's lost so many leaves and branches are dying, I'd bet there is some root rot. Re-pot as soon as you can, removing as much of the old soil as possible, and use a good, well-draining potting mix. Make sure to layer some small stones or pebbles in the bottom of the new pot before adding soil, to help drainage and to make sure that the roots aren't sitting in water collected in the saucer (I'm assuming you have one so that the office floor isn't ruined.) Remove any fruit and flower buds so that the plant's energy isn't put into them, but instead into recovering. I'm wondering if your office really is bright enough for a citrus? That might have led to the initial leaf drop, perhaps? I have a fairly bright window in my office, but I know it won't sustain a citrus. I grow several types of citrus in containers in NJ, including a calamondin. They are outside getting 8 hours of direct sun during spring and summer, and I overwinter them in a cool sunroom. They thrive and have masses of fruit each year. The calamondin is the least tempermental one I have and I let the soil dry between waterings almost to the point of wilt (and sometimes it has when I'm negligent). They like humidity, but not wet soil--I give them a misting when conditions are dry. There are many florists that know how to arrange flowers and plants, but know nothing about actually growing and caring for them. I've been in the position you are and that's why I don't trust anyone anymore -- I find it's best to find authoritative sites on the web when I get a plant I'm unfamiliar with. Not every florist or Home Depot clerk is clueless, but chances are...and the employees at my local Smith & Hawken are even less knowledgeable about the plants they sell (don't get me started...) I guess it's too late to ask for a replacement, but it's a shame since she supplied you with misinformation, so it wasn't your fault, really. I wish you the best of luck--please give an update on how things turn out.

Awwww, Klick, I am soooo glad you liked your box of pampering goodies! That file sponge is the kind that is for calluses on the feet. I picked one up for me and started using it and it works wonders! I have nearly gotten rid of all my rough patches from barefootin' this summer! LOL! Should have gotten one ages ago. My feet don't ache so much now! I may have worn it out already! I knew those cookies wouldn't last long! LOL! Whew! Glad I figured out how to pamper! Happy Bathing! I know how bad you want to take a good soaker! Had surgery on my wrist a few years ago and couldn't do the full shower thing for a while! That first one was a good long one after all the sponge washing! Phfltbtt! Back at you bunny! I seriously worried that I would blow it! I never do any of this stuff for me and haven't the faintest clue as how to go about it except for taking a break and talking to you guys! April, I am so sorry that she has Mono. I had it when I was 15. No, not from boys! Sharing drinks in highschool is what did it to me. All girl's highschool. My throat was totally miserable. I couldn't eat or drink anything. The doctor recommended Chloraseptic spray and it numbed my throat really well. I was finally able to have smoothies and slimfast after that. Becki, I meant to take my camera with me today! I keep forgetting to do that. I still have some desserts left so maybe I will put a little plate together tomorrow and snap a shot of it. The raspberry marble cheesecake was so yummy! The ginger cookies were a huge hit! The fruit platter looked really nice. The other stuff was pretty basic: brownies, chocolate chip cookies and plain cheesecake. We did 2 non-alcoholic punches, coffee and tea. The table looked really nice and the group was very happy with everything. All in all a good day. Got another booking yesterday for December 21st. This will be a company holiday luncheon. So things are going well. I am glad to hear that Lilly is feeling better! I think you are right about it being a virus. Fevers don't usually accompany bad food and the vomiting usually happens within 45 minutes or so of ingesting bad food. Trust me, I gave Ted bad turkey for lunch when he was 7. Within an hour of lunch he was hurling his brains out. Poor buddy!

"It is reasonable to only own one small dog in a crowded urban area." I merely suggested that those who live in crowded urban areas should choose a dog that would fit in with that lifesyle - such as a small lap dog. A larger dog that needs lots of exercise or any dog that is hyper and active would probably not be suited for city living - especially if the owner were unwilling or unable to walk the dog (on a leash of course). I believe people should look at their lifestyles when deciding whether to have a dog and deciding which dog to select. There are websites set up for this purpose - where you can put your wants and lifestyle in and they will come up with a percentage match of which dog breed might be best for your situation. A dog is a living creature and deserves consideration. It is not wise to buy a dog at the spur of the moment like you would a pack of gum or a soda pop. Such choices often create misery for the dog, owner, and community. "One owner has a limited amount of time, energy, and money to take care of pets - it is reasonable to restrict the amount of pets per household and to restrict who can own dogs and cats." I believe the above is clear and simple but apparently not. I have heard of collectors who believe that they can house and care for an unlimited number of dogs or cats - but this is a form of mental illness. Most sane people would agree that one person or one family can only care for a limited amount of dogs or cats. At some point it gets unreasonable and you are labeled mentally ill collectors. Now should the authorities allow animals and the community to suffer so they can access each situation to see if this person can own 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, 25, 40, 66, 138, etc dogs or cats or should they set some sort of limit or limits based on zoning and space available? Do animal owners pay for animal control to assess each animal owning household or even assess those households with complaints? The answer in most communities is no. Animal control is usually underfunded and undermanned and animals and their owners are out of control. Animal owners whine and whine about regulations and complain about animal cruelty etc. Animal cruelty will probably never end but the one thing that could put a real dent in animal cruelty is strict regulations and strict enforcement. All of us have to conform to regulations and laws because they were deemed to be in the best interest of the community. For instance we must drive our cars under a certain speed. Many of us can drive faster and still be safe. However, many people will push their limits and drive at a speed where they are unable to control their vehicle. So a speed limit had to be established for everybody. Same with traffic lights. Many of us could function without a light telling us when to go and when to stop. However, some of us would not yield to other drivers without that red light and the possibility of a traffic ticket. The examples go on and on. Basically societies have to have rules and regulations to function properly and the larger and more dense the society the more rules and regulations you need. What you would suffer from only owning one or two dogs or owning no dogs if you couldn't handle the responsibilities and costs of dog ownership pales in comparision to those who are drivin out of their homes and made physically ill due to the constant irritation of a barking dog or dogs. Remember by endorsing the status quo you are condoning the abuse and neglect of animals and sacrificing the health and safety of humans in your community. Also you think nothing of those who have had to move out of their homes (often losing the value of their home) due to living near a nuisance barking or a vicious dog and its unstable owners. Nor are you considering people and other animals who have been attacked or attacked and killed due to irresponsible dog owners who create vicious dogs. Your unwillingness to have rules, regulations, and enforcement strikes me as suspicious and selfish. You should welcome rules and regulations to protect all of these abused and neglected dogs and cats. If you are doing the right thing then you shouldn't have much to worry about. If you own a small pack of dogs then giving up a few or moving to a rural more spacious area should not be too much to ask to protect the rights and lives of the community and dogs.