If that's a Home Depot fig tree, I'd knock it out of the pot and inspect the roots and make sure they are not compacted to the point where water will not penetrate the solid mass of roots. If that's the case I would slice down the root ball-like you would cut a cake- and try to gently spread/pry that root-ball apart slightly...but not too much. I would plant that tree into the ground, or into a much larger container filled with a quick-draining, moisture-retentive mix. Home Depot sells 18 gallon storage tubs for about 8 bucks. Drill holes in the bottom of the tub, and plant the tree...or,.... sink the tub, tree and all, halfway into the ground. That tree will take off! Keep it watered and fed. I bet you'll get figs this season. Decide if the tree will stay in the ground, or, go into storage/garage for the cooler months. It's time to make a move. Frank DV

Take it from me what CR says about Thermador wall ovens is absolutely true. I have purchased two 30" C series Thermador ovens and am getting ready to replace the one that was existing in the home we purchased last year. Loved the way my Thermador's cooked, baked, and broiled but had to have them repaired. It seems there is insufficient insulation between the oven and the electric control panel and when you use the self clean, over time, it causes the control panel to fail. This is a minimum $1,000 repair. I live in Dallas and there is only ONE company in this area that will service Thermador ovens because Thermador service dept is so difficult to deal with. My regular service company which is efficient and costs are fair told me they stopped servicing Thermador ovens for that reason and three others I tried said the same thing. Both my Thermador ovens needed the control panel replaced within three years of purchasing and the one in our new home could not pass inspection and had to be repaired by the seller before we moved in - yep it was the panel and it cost them $1,200. They didn't cook and it was an older oven. The space we have for the wall oven is 27" and after looking and looking and doing research and reading here and other web sites with independent reviews by actual owners we have chosen the Miele Master Chef Classic Series which has the Novatronic controls which everyone seems to love. This choice was made in part because of the rotisserie feature which we do use quite a bit along with other features we liked and which were well reviewed. It was more expensive but we went with a straight Microwave which suites our needs and we chose the Electrolux Ei27MO45TS microwave which meets all our needs and was well reviewed. Went with the Miele warming drawer because of the match and the fact that it was the same price as most other warming drawers we were considering. We stack our ovens in an unusual way which we really like with the actual wall oven first, then the microwave, and then the warming drawer. It is logical to us because the heaviest items come out of the oven and having it at the top means no stooping and it's easier on the back. We usually only use the warming drawer when we entertain and to reheat leftovers which it does so much better than a microwave. Still trying to decide on which Fridge and Freezer columns to choose but that's another forum

There's something really odd going on. Could someone be staying at his mom's house with her/them? Is there an Ex wife or someone his mom likes that she would help cover for? Don't get confused by the phone bill or other stuff he shows you. He could have been using prepaid phones and accounts you are not even aware of. How were you able to rule out all the clients he was afraid you would call from the phone list? Were these clients even on the phone list? Anyway, why is he calling his mother so much? That's insane just by itself. And, why is there a fraud alert on his account? Please, just talk to a lawyer. Again, you don't have to do anything. But, the lawyer may really be able to help you and at least point you in the right direction. I'm sure they have all types of experience with this kind of stuff. And, like cindy mentioned quit asking him for stuff; he is only going to give you what he finds safe, may even be able to doctor stuff up. Plus, you are giving him the heads up so that he can hide stuff... by using other phones, new accounts, etc. Personally, I would ACT like he won and even "act" a little sorry (don't let him move back yet or anything just tell him you need time to think), but I'd hire a PI and talk to a lawyer today (but don't tell him) and just go from there. He's probably not going to be truthful to you at this point anyway. If you find out your concerns are unwarranted, fine, but with the way he's acting, you really need to find out from someone other than him. Good luck. Keep us updated.

Cocoa Congrats on your land purchase & the about to commence custom home. I have tried to follow the thread - I think right now it is difficult for you & yours to visualize how your family will evolve and the house suit the needs of a growing family. I would imagine that right now you are feeling the excitement of ground breaking and watching your dream home plans to fruition. I would also imagine that you are under pressure from builder & architect, family members, decorators & the likes & all have a "deadline" in mind. That said, for most their homes are the largest investment they will make in their lifetimes. A custom home provides the blank slate to the owners along with the daunting full time task of taking an inspiration to a dream. Hoping that it will reap the return on investment by way of function and resale value. As a veteran mom (7 children, 2 grandchildren) and a renovator type, appreciation of fine homes/architecture and business woman that understands investment. I'll offer my paltry advice for what it is worth to you. - My experience tells me that too frequently in building, renovations people get caught up in a sort of frenzy and have diminished capacities to "see" "the forest for the trees". Many cooks in the kitchen may cloud the issues. Same holds true here on GW. - Personally I like form and function to go hand in hand. I understand choices that drive decisions but there should be long/short term types. For example if in my last renovation I took the children's ages & made decisions based on that, now that they have grown, my choices would be obsolete. - False deadlines - I see this as a real deal breaker. Too often people are sucked into the belief that if they don't sign off on plans by x date they will not be able to build/renovate. Sometimes saying No, is a good thing, a cooling off period - time to focus elsewhere & then come back to the table with a new and refreshed mindset. In this economy if a builder/architect/designer pushes a false deadline there are very competent, sometimes better "games in town" - so I say, let them walk. First I think if you put a separate posting with a different subject you may get more interest - i.e. "Need input on Kitchen layout pics included" will usually generate more. At the risk of offense - albeit none intended - They way I look at it, you are in the design phase & requesting opinions - Far less $$$$$ now to change (as stated above) then to do the change orders or have completion and say "why didn't we do xyz". I am a visual person and I'm trying to get a sense of the external of the home first. I am assuming the garage/courtyard is the front & pool/ac unit is back. That it is one level home on slab? - I still am trying to visualize the style & look of exterior - can you post? Sippimom has brought to light some of the very points I pondered in the overall layout. My thoughts went to babies/toddlers - the difficulty in the current layout, MBR and distance to the bedrooms & having to go through maze almost to get to the baby is not conducive - As they get older, they will want to be close to mommy & daddy - right now it appears their rooms are 50' away - to me that is like being next door. I can't figure out what bathroom I would utilize when I am in the kitchen - to utilize a john seems like a daunting quest - Same holds true for all the main areas of the home with regard to using the "public" john - Living, Dinning, Kitchen, patio Coming in with the kids & groceries - I'll echo what sippi said - I'm guessing I have to go nearly 50' from the car to put the milk away & it is not direct - take into account that jr - has a poopy diaper & his sister is sleeping in her car seat adds several dimension that seem more complicated than need be. My "wish list" - A bigger mud area (I have a tiny one but it is functional) - with this much square footage, a mud area is one of the most utilized rooms in the house & needs to be a work horse - thinks Soccer, hockey, rackets, gloves, balls, backpacks, parkas, keys, cell phone chargers, shoes, jackets - you get the idea - This may start out stark - but as children grow so does their "stuff". In said mud area I would like a public powder room - again, the most utilized bath in the home. "go pee pee before we get in the car and when you come in the door" Hallways or a better flow - not going through one room to get to another. While you may believe this is a non issue - in 20 yrs when you put the 4 sale sign up - you don't want this to bite you. Most people do not want traffic to go through rooms - especially in a high end custom home. Play room/family room - this can be multi functional - Homework, crafts, TV/games - so that the main living area can be clear of "kiddidom" - as children age they will want to be away from the adults & want their own hang out area. If the home is single level - no basement or attic? where are the lawn tools, mower, etc, christmas decorations, patio furnishings, - skis, sleds, bikes, wagons, ride on toys going to be stored. Inside storage - linens, down comforters (don't know what part of country you are in),out of season clothing, baby cribs, high chairs, car seats, pack n play, Ok whew! - Again, I am visual & most interested in seeing the overall function of the home - with the amount of square footage you have here, I think you can tweak the plan to increase the efficiency & function of the home. All the best to you & yours