I think it was mostly the roundup that killed them, plus maybe they weren't cleaned properly the past few years (getting the leaves out). Of course I will never call this "landscaper" again. This is the return e-mail from the folks at Roundup (Scotts) Thank you for your interest in Scotts and for the opportunity to help you with your lawn and garden endeavors. Roundup will damage or destroy any green, growing plant on which it was sprayed. Fortunately, the product breaks down quickly on the soil surface and does not prevent replanting. We would not expect any delay in the appearance of damage. You can only neutralize Roundup within the initial 30 minutes by flushing the area with water. You will be able to replant ornamental plants 1 day after using Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate Plus. If you are planting from seed, you will need to wait at least 3 days after using the Roundup Concentrate (red cap). The plants absorb the product which then works through the plants' own system. Any product that is not absorbed by the treated plants will break down on the soil's surface fairly quickly. The active ingredients will not move through or stay in the soil. Thus, the soil is safe for planting in as little as one day. However, this does not mean that the weeds will be completely dead in one day. If planting in the treated area entails disturbing the sprayed weeds, you should wait at least 7 days to ensure adequate weed control. I recommend that you take a sample from the affected junipers to a local professional for diagnosis. Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for your interest in Scotts. Please feel free to contact our company anytime we may be of assistance. Karen Rausch Consumer Response Representative The Scotts Company and Subsidiaries 14111 Scottslawn Road Marysville, OH 43041 888-768-6387

This pork chop recipe is absolutely fabulous! Only thing I change is I use less salt in th brine. 1/2 cup makes them too salty for my taste. Stuffed Pork Chops From Food Network-the NeelyÂs 1/2 cup kosher salt (I only use about 1/4-1/3 cup) 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 quarts water 4 (2-inch thick) pork chops, bone-in rib loin chops, split to bone 2 slices bacon, chopped 2 stalks celery, minced 1 small onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary leaves 1 tablespoon freshly chopped sage leaves 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves 2 1/2 cups crumbled cornbread 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup chicken broth Salt and freshly ground black pepper Whisk salt and sugars in 2-quarts of cold water. Add pork chops and cover. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove the pork chops from the brine and dry well. In a large heavy bottomed saute pan, begin to fry bacon. Add celery, onion and garlic to pan and allow to saute with the crispy bacon. Add rosemary, sage and parsley after bacon has cooked for 8 to 10 minutes. Saute until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl add cornbread, dried cranberries and chicken stock. Stir in the cooked vegetable mixture. Mix well. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. (I cook on medium heat) Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Stuff the chop with about 1/2 cup of stuffing. Use toothpicks to help seal the chops. Grill the chops for 5 to 7 minutes per side. Internal temperature should be 145 degrees F. Allow chop to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Linda

Joe: That's typically not legal unless there's a maintenance/repair issue that's brought up to the landlord and not addressed in a reasonable amount of time (and how long "reasonable" is depends on the type of request and how it affects habitability). States have very specific laws governing rent escrowing, and not following them could be a quick path to eviction. Jillian: I'd start with asking the landlord. They're not the ones that did the improper remodel, but they are responsible for fixing it. Could you explain more about the chips in the tub? Photos?

Here is what I would likely try (assuming I understand correctly -- that there are only a few that are this bad; that under all that built up paint and mildew there is metal, not wood; and that you want to have the finished pain surface look even and neat and stay looking nice. I would not worry about tape/adhesive marks and would put away the WD40. I would make the time and space to have everyone out of my way and to have a good exhaust ventilation and tarps/drop clothes and shop vac set up along with proper eye, ear, possibly respirator (definitely some airway protection and disposable as well as heavy duty neoprene gloves. i would spend the time and effort to remove all of the built up crud -- so removing tape marks is a non issue. If I understand your gunk problem, you'll be removing the years of old paint and sludge underlying the tape adhesive marks. I'd first try to chip, chisel, dremel, grind and sand off anything that I could without damaging the steel underneath. Vacuum that all up, wire brush and try to remove more. Vacuum again. Then, following the manufacturer's direction and with proper ventilation and tools and protection as discussed above, I would begin applying the "best" (most effective, lowest VOH paint stripper remover I could get. What you use would depend upon a few factors and the types of paints in that cracked sludgy stack. You'll want to protect yourself floors and adjacent areas. You can use layer of rosen paper atop a tarp and and the paper gets messy, swap out. Have some chip brushes, steel scrapers and gougy tools and some disposable paint pail liners to toss the scraped off partially disolved old paint into. (Dispos of properly as it will be flammable. Just keep working on dissolving the old paint, scraping it free, repeat...until you get almost all if not all of it off. It's work and messy. Then, after what you cannot get off has dried and 'cured' a bit, you can try to sand and scrape the rest free. You may be able to do some of this outdoors. You may want to hire someone to do this part for you. I have removed old alkyd paint this way, then, in the case of a large, pick wick bead board back bookcase, washed it with TSP (Tri-sodium phosphate --- there may be restrictions on its use or availability from state to state). Let that remain a while, then rinse off with clear water. Allow to dry thoroughly. If only working indoors, you can use terry rags, pails and poly plastic drop clothes with "towel / rag dams" to protect your flooring. Allow the project to dry well. Shop AC dry, towel dry, dry nooks with hair dryer. You don't want to create rust and you will want to treat / remove any existing rust. I would do all of this way before even considering priming and painting or addressing the opportunity for condensation. A faster and less messy way to address all the gunk might be to pay someone with a sand abrasion set up. It may be costly. Perhaps you can barter. Ask around at some auto body shops or vocational schools. Best of luck. It will look so much better when you get it cleaned up. One trick to help with condensation is to consider a dehumidifier or a small fan. Always went cooking kettles and dishwashers with a kitchen exhaust fan. Always run your bath and shower exhaust fans for 15 or 20 minutes after shower use. In the winter or fall, we sometimes crack a window and let some of the very dry winter air (New England) come in and exchange with moist air. If in the fall or early winter and you have a lot of moisture in your house from a humid fall or late summer, be careful about keeping your rooms too cool until a lot of that moisture wicks out of porous walls and floors. We've got a tight house, so have to mind the level of condensation growing on cold Windows (we don't have the best windows). If you have a house full of large dogs, you're apt to get a lot of condensation.