A tall fescue lawn in a northern California winter is going to look a bit bedraggled, and hardly grow much. The thinning of the grass is probably due to lack of sufficient irrigation suitable for best growth in the hotter months, in combination with insufficient top soil with organic content added before you sodded it, and not fertilizing often enough to encourage better health and growth of grass. How many inches of topsoil did you add before rototilling, and how often and which months do you fertilize, and what is the N-P-K ratio of the fertilizer you are using? As to whether 20 minutes of spray irrigation is sufficient for a lawn in northern California conditions, especially if applied 4 times a week on a flat site, if anything this is overwatering, even with heavy root competition from the redwoods and oaks across the fence. It looks to me that you need to build up soil fertility in both the lawn, and particularly for the citrus tree, which shows signs of nitrogen deficiency in particular, and is probably also not getting water in summer sufficient to get rooting deeper. Just adding a mulch with chicken manure in it, or mushroom compost or similar as a 4 inch mulch, ought to help the citrus tremendously. I'd also suggest adding some time release fertilizer such as osmocote and work into the soil in March, for longer term/slow release of nutrients, and check with a soil auger how deep your irrigation is penetrating with the irrigation you are giving it. The lawn can also be top dressed with a light screened mulch after having it aerated with a core type aerator, and the top dressing raked in to help fill the holes, but it might be better to simply use a sod cutter to skim it all off, add a healthy 6 inches of organic compost to the lawn area, and resod. Lawns here typically benefit from several fertilizing periods, at least once in mid spring and again in summer and early fall, or refer to the web site referred to previously for recommendations. You might also consider using a mulching lawn mower that chops up the grass blades so that they return to the soil, and preserve the nitrogen that is otherwise thrown away with each clipping. As to Ink's complaint about "cliche" eyebrow plantings around the edge of the lawn, I don't think you are really looking at other solutions if you mean to keep the existing lawn size and layout, but I do second Ink's opinion that the narrowness of the planting areas against the fence is rather dull and static. Planting of vines to cover the fence, and widening the borders to allow at least some layering of shrubs and herbaceous plantings is entirely possible if borders were widened to minimum 4 to 8 feet wide if you can give up some lawn space. The proximity of those large redwoods and oaks across your fence is definitely tapping into the irrigation you are supplying. The vigor of the trees, and even some of the plants in your own backyard indicates to me that yours isn't so much a soil fertility problem, as it is poorly timed fertilizing and no ongoing attempts to increase organic content of your clay soils via mulching with compost, as well as not checking to see if your irrigation schedule is adequately wetting the soil to sufficient depth to encourage better growth and plant health under drought/heat stress of summer. Having dealt with many California gardens under or adjacent to redwoods and live oaks, the soil ph is unlikely to be the problem, as I am willing to bet your soil is only mildly acidic or even close to neutral. We just don't have moist enough conditions year round to create acidic soils from dropped leaves in a suburban garden setting. The problem is the root competition of water, and any plantings you add will greatly benefit from adding tons of organic component, mulching with compost on a yearly basis, selecting plants that tolerate root competition with redwood tree roots, shade and constant debris, and closely monitoring your irrigation cycles to see that the plants are getting what they need. Beyond a soils test and a landscape design, you need some help from a good horticulturist who can advise you what you are doing wrong/right in your particular circumstances. I'd also make darn sure the natives you have on your plans are compatible with redwood tree competition, as well as potential overspray from the lawn irrigation. Fertilizing more frequently for plantings below/adjacent redwoods is extremely helpful, and if you prefer the organic route, stick with a good organic mulch that has some manure in it, and reapply a couple of inches every year.

Take it back. Do so with a self-confident "so sorry you have this problem with your product, but I must return it" attitude. I am so tired of purchasing products and feeling like I'm stuck with it after bringing it home and it doesn't work properly or is non-functional from the start. TAKE IT BACK AMERICA!! That's what I say. Even if you don't get your money back -- tell them that the internet is a powerful tool and you will tell the universe why you wanted to return the item and that you will tell the universe who you purchased the item from and that the rest of the universe should look elsewhere for someone with a more lenient return policy or someone who buys from more credible manufacturers. What difference does it make how soon after purchasing that you had to wash it! I wash almost everything as soon as I get it home! I don't need anymore odd-ball DNA on our clothing and sheets, etc.! I guess you can tell I'm sick and tired of being screwed in the marketplace! Take it back if it doesn't work!!

How big is the quilt that she likes at JCP? Check the measurements of the full-size quilt. Then measure from the floor on one side of her bed, up and over the bed, down to the floor on the other side. You might be able to use the full quilt; it would just be longer on the sides than a twin quilt. Might eliminate the need for a dust ruffle, and hide all the things kids stuff under their beds. I have a hard time with dust ruffles, so I've always just bought the next-larger size comforter/quilt. It hangs down longer on each side, but that's about the only difference.

I continue to sent cheese to my nephew....because he's a good guy....with an eccentric wife. I really don't get her at all...one example...when my mother in law went into a nursing home, her daughter, mother of the non thanking nephew, didn't know what to do with her huge set of silver plated flatware...no obne really wanted it...so I said I'd take it...maybe some day a kid would need some, and put it in a bottom drawer. Fast forward several years and sister in law asks for the silverware for her other son....she took it... Sister in law died and the eccentric nephew's wife went to help clean out her "stuff" and took lots of things> Fast forward another year and said nephew's wife messaged me that she was sending to me some family stuff as they were downsizing ( they are 50's no kids)....and sent me the silverware....very very tarnished and what had been service for 12 only had 3 knives left....and maybe 4 soup spoons....but 12 salad forks and teaspoons. I was going to give it to a grand son in his first apartment....but he sure needs more than 3 knives. What would happen to 9 dinner knives? I asked and she just shrugged and said she didn't know!