function _kill_all_navs() {
    //obvious really...
    $('ul.subnav').css('display', 'none').css('opacity', 1);
    $('li.nav').removeClass('nav-on');
}

function _kill_nav(nav) {
    //$(nav).find('ul').animate({opacity: 0});  <--- this nearly works!!!!!
    $(nav).find('ul').css({ opacity: 0 });
    //$(nav).find('ul').css('display', 'none').css('opacity', 1);
    $(nav).removeClass('nav-on');
}

var navitem; //global var for timer bug issue
var nav_delay = 1200; //delay timing in milliseconds (1200 = 1.2 seconds)

$(document).ready(function() {

    //on hover/off hover for main nav item
    $('li.nav').hover(
        function() {

            //reset();
            //remove(false);
            _kill_all_navs(this);
            $('li.nav a.main').css('background', '#ffffff').css('color', '#4C5C66');
            $(this).find('a:first').css('background', '#4C5C66').css('color', '#ffffff');
            $(this).find('ul').css('display', 'block');
            $(this).addClass('nav-on');

        },
        function() {

           // remove(true)
            navitem = this;
            _kill_nav(navitem)
            $(this).find('a:first').css('background', '#ffffff').css('color', '#4C5C66');
            //var delayclose = function() { _kill_nav(navitem); }; //trigger delayed remove
            //setTimeout(delayclose, nav_delay);

        }
    );
    
    
    


});