Well, the last couple of weeks have been eventful. Our office manager of nearly five years, Kathy Lovell, gave notice that she had accepted a job working on a pipeline with her husband. Since she's a newlywed, and her husband has been gone quite a bit, it made good sense. Kathy helped get Pond Boss to the next level.
So, we ran some ads, got almost 50 resumes and interviewed a dozen good candidates.
Actually, we decided to form two full time positions...a business administrator and an editorial assistant. The editorial assistant, Gayle Allston, brings many years of graphic design and marketing with her. She's been on the job for three days and is kicking butt and taking names. The second spot will be filled November 10, since the new business administrator had to give two weeks notice to her employer.
They are both solid professionals and we are poised to bring Pond Boss into the next level. Our next mission will be to add more subscribers to the Pond Boss family. It's time to grow.
So, much of my time has been spent interviewing folks and holding down the fort.
But, you know me...I can't stay in an office much longer than 30 minutes. Mike Otto and I spent some good time together last week. I also made the trek to Athens, Texas to visit Eagle's Nest Ranch and check progress there.
Seined one of my .10 acre pond with Ethan Lovelace and removed 1500 coppernose bluegill from 4-8" long to be stocked into a west Texas lake.
Today, though, I had a pretty cool trip. Left about 8 a.m. for a four hour trek due west of here, to Matador, Texas. Met up with Devin Ballard, a local boy who's thriving as a ranch manager. The ranch where he works wants to stock a few fish, so I headed that way. After a lunch at a local cafe in that small town, we headed to the ranch to take a look. Here's some photos of today's trip.



This was pretty cool. Traveling along this west Texas Farm to Market road, I saw a cowboy in the middle of the highway, waving his hat for me to stop. As I topped the hill, here's what I saw. They were driving several hundred head of cattle across the highway, to better pasture. Definitely a Texas thing.



As we got ready to head to the lake, Devin pulled over next to a gasoline powered air compressor. Every ranch needs one of these.



This coyote popped up next to us and raced for a hundred yards before disappearing as quickly as he appeared.



Beautiful section of this lake in the Caprock area of Texas.



Different part of the lake.



If this photo had a little more color, it might make a cover shot.

Fish on!

The last two weeks have been unique, a proverbial roller coaster, if you will. Debbie had vein surgery on both legs, the grandchildren have brightened six of the 14 days, Ashley came home from college not sure what her future holds and the fish guy has done some more cool things.
Debbie's surgery was to remove some diseased varicose veins in each leg. Outpatient stuff...she is fine. Headed to the doctor in about an hour for an early morning checkup.
Once he gives her the green light, I'll take the green light and head to east Texas to spend three days with Lee Roy Mitchell, accomplishing a variety of tasks.
I spent Halloween day with Lee Roy and Tandy, looking over the different projects to make sure all things are on schedule. I'll shoot some photos this week and post them. There are several things to see.
On Monday before Halloween, long time friend Mike Loewen called my bluff and we recorded a podcast...a "radio" broadcast, so to speak. Mike has been working with webmaster J P Greeson to get it on the Pond Boss website. So, look for a 20-ish minute long podcast talking about a variety of things on the "Mike and Bob Show." It was pretty fun, jockeying back and forth, trying to match wits and dispense some good information. As soon as it is on the site, I'll post a notice in the general forum.

On Sunday, November 2, Ralph and Sheila Knox, with Jeremy Sides, arrived at LL,2 from Charlotte, NC. They are Purina's film crew. The mission? To shoot 5 or 6 video vignettes for Animal Makeover TV. We shot two of them at LL,2. Look for them on RFD-TV next spring. The ones we shot last spring are on now. If you get RFD-TV, tivo Animal Makeover. The first two videos are about "goals" and "water quality." Then, we loaded up, headed to Sulphur Fish Hatchery in Sulphur, Oklahoma to visit my friend, Wes Harden. We did two videos there, "How to Buy Fish to Stock a Pond" and "Is Your Feeding Program Working?" Next, we headed off to Billy D. Howell's Wildcat Springs Ranch south of Ada, Oklahoma to one of the most beautiful lakes in the area where we shot a video called "Supplemental Feeding." At the end of a completely full day, we headed home, freshened up, gathered Debbie and Taylor and went out to eat barbecue, Texas style, at Clark's BBQ in Tioga, Texas, where Gene Autry was born.
Tuesday morning, we were up before dawn (not that early now that we are back in CST) and shot one more video, called, "Feeding Fish to Produce Meat" about feeding catfish.
Shortly after that, I got Debbie into the car and headed to the doctor for the first procedure. We sat in the waiting room for three hours...the doctor was having trouble with an older gentleman's veins, poor fella. I had my trusty laptop. Debbie read and I worked on Jan-Feb Pond Boss in the waiting room.
But, Debbie was called in and it took about two hours for her first one. She is doing very well.
On Wednesday, Debbie and the two smallest grandpeeps wanted to venture near Denton, Texas with me to talk to a landowner referred by Purina Mills. This landowner has a 15-20 acre flood prevention lake that is near the end of its life. Shallow, silted heavily, no structure or cover. It needs lots of work, but we designed them a plan and presented it later that day.
That afternoon, I worked on the sawmill, serviced it, changed the blade and cut a log. Refreshing! I can't tell you how much fun that is. I was setting the stage to cut a cedar fireplace mantle for a local friend...which we did on Thursday. I can't believe I didn't think about shooting photos, but I didn't. Sorry. I'll fire the thing up again in a couple of weeks and get some photos for you.
Friday was another doctor day for Debbie. She has a grade II spondylolisthesis (L-4 sits half an inch over l-5 and there is no disk.) and we are looking at surgery for that, too.
Saturday was spent editing Jan-Feb PB, Sunday was family time and some editing. Monday...all day, working on PB. Tuesday, leg number two for Debbie. Instead of working on PB as per my intent, I ended up playing with grandkids until 4 pm as Debbie recuperated and slept a good part of the day.
Huge fun, jockeying and playing with a four year old and cuddling, holding and talking to a four month old. Folks, it's true....grandchildren are the best. Way more fun than raising my own kids. (Sorry my loving children, those of you who will read this.)
I worked on PB after the kids headed home.
Yesterday, met up with Al Boenker, from Fort Worth, at his Parker County, Texas, ranch to look over a project. Met him two hours from home at 8 a.m. and was gone in an hour and a half. Back home, two hours on Pond Boss and then to Argyle with the electrofishing boat behind the manly Dodge to shock Tim Halter's pond, a five year old, three acre scenic pond which Otto built and I helped stock.
Interesting story, which I will share later. Gotta go for now, headed to take Debbie for a check up on leg number two.
Full ten days ahead.
Debbie is headed with her daughter Ashley, my daughter Lindsay and one of Lindsay's friend girls to Women of Faith in Oklahoma City. It's a refreshing spiritual renewal and great for the girls.
I'm headed off to Athens, Texas and then North Carolina to meet up with Dr. Mark Griffin, wildlife biologist and writer Dan VanSchaik, my business manager Walter Bassano and the Morgan Company folks. I'll be there 7 days. Will catch up on this thread when I have time and more photos.
Fish on!

Sitting in the cabin of King Fisher Society's Richmond Mill Lake, after two days of working with Dr. Mark Griffin of Purina Mills, wildlife biologist Dan VanSchaik, my business manager Walter Bassano and Morgan Company's property manager Dave Buhler. We just finished a great meal of steak and potatoes and are talking politics and life. We're concerned about Barackonomics and our impending government. We're learning about Purina's history and have talked about everything from the Civil War and Sherman's march through here to the future of our children in a socialist environment. We want to take our country back, but we aren't quite sure how. In the meantime, we just decided to eat some ice cream.

I got to spend some time at Eagle Nest Ranch near Athens. We hired a ranch manager, an excited young man named Jarrod Baum, from Austin, Texas. He's ready to go and we are ready for him to come on board. As things come together here in North Carolina, there are lots of good things happening all over.

Just got confirmation that we will do our next RFD-TV show on January 26, live from Nashville, Tennessee. I'll see if we can post the advertisement...in the meantime, enjoy these photos.



This photo is a neat example how to use broken concrete from a slab to create a functional retaining wall. Pretty neat...looks like a classy rock wall.



Here's Jarrod Baum, new ranch manager of Eagle's Nest Ranch near Athens, Texas, with a bluegill pushing nearly a pound.



There's a story in the next Pond Boss about pondmeister Gregg Lafitte, a true Texan who has built a "perfect" lake.



Gregg's ranch foreman, Domingo, played an integral role in designing and building a fantastic lake project.



Dr. Mark Griffin, (right) is holding court right now, telling the story of Purina Mills, a fascinating story in its own right. That's Walter Bassano on the left and Dan VanSchaik, internationally famous wildlife biologist, in the middle.



Dr. Griffin, telling it like it is.



Dave Buhler, Morgan Co. property manager.

Just finished two days in marketing meetings with Morgan Company executives in Laurel Hill, NC. We are hiring two professional marketers, Rosalyn Thorneburg of Statesville, NC and Jack Miller, of Lake Oconee, GA. They run in key circles of influence to help market King Fisher Society. Not only have I had the honor and pleasure to help mold one of the best bass fishing lakes in the nation, but also to sit in on different meetings to help develop the business model.
Now, we are looking for people who entertain clients or companies who want to reward key employees with great guided bass fishing in a secure setting, combined with 5-Star food and live jazz music at the end of a day. It ain't cheap, but there's nothing else out there like it, either. Go to http://www.kingfishersociety.com to take a look.
Today, we are headed to Winston-Salem to watch Wake Forest play Boston College. It should be a fun day. Then, to Charlotte tonight where I'll fly home tomorrow.
Have a great weekend.
Fish on!

Got home Sunday morning around 11:00. Debbie and son Taylor, 17, picked me up. They had an idea...why don't we shoot a couple miles north, to BassPro Shops, and have lunch at Uncle Buck's Restaurant.
Great idea...why didn't I think of that, wink, wink?
So, that's what we did. Great food there. If you get the chance to eat at Uncle Buck's, take it. The Queen (formerly known as the princess) Debbie and I split a buffalo ribeye. Delicious!
We also took some time to go through the store (imagine that) and take a look at the marketing brilliance BassPro has pulled off for this Christmas season. They have brought in an area where kids can have their photo taken with Santa, all kinds of kid events such as shooting ranges with electronic guns, dart guns, trains, remote controlled cars and stuff that little kids absolutely love. Go to BassPro, take the kids and the grandkids and have a ball.
We got home just in time for a short Bible Study and then we rested for a day. On Tuesday, I caught up with some of the written word I needed to do.
Wednesday we prepared for Thursday and spent Thanksgiving and Friday with family.


Here's all my girls, preparing our Thanksgiving feast. Daughter in law Katherine, Debbie in the back, daughter Ashley and daughter Lindsay with grandson Ethan.


Debbie was in her element.


Great to be with family on this special day


And the group at the end of the day. I still don't know why Debbie wanted me to wear red while all other had on black and white. Hmmm...I think it was a trick.

On Saturday after Thanksgiving, I drove Debbie, Ashley and Lindsay to Canton, Texas, home of First Monday Trade Days. We wandered aimlessly over 90 acres of first rate flea market stuff (is there such a thing?) but I couldn't (wouldn't) keep the same pace as those girls. I headed off on my own. Bunch of weird stuff out there. I saw one guy selling nothing but marbles. Another was selling bins of old tools. Pretty cool stuff and the weather was great.

Monday and Tuesday were spent writing and taking care of kids and doing research on Debbies impending back surgery. She goes Wednesday to have major back surgery, fusion of L4 to L5, bone grafts, rods and screws and the whole bit. It's a big deal and we are preparing for it. Please pray for Debbie.

Yesterday, wildlife biologist Dan VanSchaik tagged along with me to Eagle's Nest Ranch near Athens to gain an overview of what the landowner wishes to do with his ranch. Should he high fence it? Maybe change the hay fields and plant some wildlife food plots? Dan will work up a game plan and we'll see.



Went to Athens yesterday. The wind was whipping strong out of the south.

Tomorrow, Debbie and I head to Frisco, to the hospital for her pre-op exams and such. Will keep you posted.

In the meantime,
Fish on!

To all of you...thanks for the prayers for Debbie. We are about to embark on her adventure. Please think about her in the morning. She'll check in at 6:00 a.m. and the surgery starts about 7:30 and is supposed to last 4 to 5 hours. I'll post in the morning and let you know her progress.

Debbie is in surgery. The surgical nurse called my cell phone. All is going well.
Went to the cafeteria here at Baylor-Frisco...lo and behold in walks Eddie Pyeatt, aka LUSKFAN on the website. He's an anesthesiologist and this hospital is his home base.
Will keep you all posted as surgery progresses. The nurse promised to call again after an hour and a half. That's in about 30 minutes.

Just heard from the surgical nurse in the operating room. It took longer than they expected, but the front surgery is finished and they are turning her over, stabilizing her spine, and working on the back of her spine. All is going well right now.

Prayers still comin'.

Just met with the neurosurgeon, Dr. John Peloza. He had a big smile on his face and was extremely pleased with the outcome. He told us the team was able to move her displaced vertebrae back almost to normal...much further than what they expected. She's in recovery now. We'll see her in an hour. I'm headed to the Pond Boss section to post there. Thanks so much for all your prayers. They are being answered. More info down in the Pond Boss section.

Well, they just brought Debbie into her room. She looks great! Groggy, but looks good. Still peaceful. Excited about what the surgeons did and excited about the future. When she lets me, I'll shoot some photos of her and post them. She says it might be in poor taste to take photos of her with tubes in her arm and nose and stuff. Go figure.
It's a good day here.

Debbie was pretty groggy this morning, but in good spirits. She didn't get much rest last night...after all she is in a hospital. She is in pain, but is learning how to manage it. She is smiling and told me to tell everyone she loves you all and thanks for the prayers. No doubt she made the right decision and her life just improved. She just has to go through this tedious healing process and she'll be back up and roaring.