Briandl, Please consider that different contributors have different styles. Just as some of them may be hard pressed to understand your initial post in light of what you eventually presented, you may not really understand their intentions or writing style. Many of the regulars in this forum have a style that those unfamiliar with daily life in this forum may not fully appreciate at first. Sometimes it's easy to think you got your point across, even when you didn't, because you knew what you meant. Keep in mind that others don't start out knowing what you have in mind, and their understanding may be different than yours. Believe me, I have fallen into this trap many many many times. When I saw the pictures of your tree, I went back and reread the initial post and just kind of chuckled. The initial description was just not sufficient to start to describe the entire situation. Also, some of the things you suggested in your first post (like filling the holes with concrete) are so "old-school" that many of us almost assume that people know better these days. We might shouldn't assume that, but often do anyway. Sometimes, a knowledge gap makes communications more difficult than one might expect. All this boils down to...please know that sometimes people that seem to have a "sorry ... attitude" are really just trying to help in their own way and may not understand your point any more than you understand theirs. ______________________________________ Now, my 2 cents on your tree. I understand your desire to hold on to the trees you have left, but if it were me, I'd scrap this tree in a heartbeat and put in something new. The tree is in decline. It may be unsafe and has pretty much no chance of any real improvement. If it were me, I'd cut my losses and invest my efforts on something that will amount to something in the future (just think of the wonderful opportunities!)

I would try un-du first. It'a an adhesive remover, in some ways similar to goo gone. I've had alot of luck with this product. You should be able to use this product to break the chemical bonds causing the stickiness (at least that's how they say it works) Be sure to get all of the sticky stuff up, because if you havn't removed it from your carpet, when the un-do evaporates the glue gets sticky again. This stuff smells kind of like skunk, but it all evaporates, the smell goes away, and there is no need to rinse. I've had problems getting rid of odor & residue with goo gone. Un-do seems to be available at craft places, scrapbooking storea, and I first bought it from QVC years ago.

Well....I caved and opened a jar....I think it's too sweet for apple pie jam....I wish it had a little more of the tart apple taste but then it wouldn't keep because it wouldn't have enough sugar. I wouldn't add the maple syrup again....just took it over the sweet evge for me and in that amount of stuff the maple isn't that evident....but I didn't add a whole cup. Also you may want more of a spice flavor, I was going for the apple taste....like pie. I would call it Apple jam...

We have been making this recipe for years...got the original recipe right here on this forum...we ended up re naming it "Five Hour Chicken". My kids would come home from school and smell the aroma and say "Yipee Five Hour Chicken!" They now have moved into places of their own and make it themselves....we all triple the rub recipe and keep a jar on hand at all times...the rub works great on my BBQ Pork rib recipe as well!! Both are family favourites!!