I found Pond Boss about 10 years ago. I was welcomed like a very wealthy long-lost relative about to re-draw my last will and testament.

My wife Lynda and I have made many wonderful Pond Bosas friends, ranging from the Pond Boss himself, and his lovely bride, on down to hundreds more.

We have shared more happy times than we can possibly remember (age, Peroni, local law enforcement, etc. may have interfered with some of these memories). As we've aged, we've also shared some difficult momements, especially with the loss of some of our greatest Pond Boss friends.

About a year ago, Lynda and I decided that Catmandoo Estate and Mansion (hey, it's WV and the Mansion ain't on wheels), and Game Preserve (I still cant' catch some of those darn big catfish) is just too much for us to care for. Just since the first of the year I've probably spent 50 hours on my tractor maintaining the 1/2-mile driveway through snow plowing and dragging tons and tons of gravel back up the steep slopes from all the rain we've received.

We will miss this place tremedously.

Tonight we will enjoy fresh caught (from this morning) HSB filets. The filets will be fixed English style as Fish and Chips. The "chips" will be made from fresh dug potatoes from our garden.

We were awakened early this morning by 18 noisy wild turkeys outside the bedroom window. Many of you have enjoyed the venison treats I make from the deer we harvest.

A little over a year ago we purchased a home on Oak Island in very south eastern North Carolina. We have owned/rented/vactioned there for nearly 40 years. The single family detached 3-bedroom home, with garage, is actually a condominum. That means I don't have to do any outside maintenance if I don't want to. Our front yard is the ocean, but protected by a quarter mile of dunes and yaupon (live oak) trees. Our back yard includes about a 1/4 acre pond that is home to an ever-changing population of alligators ranging from about 3 to 8 feet in length. The back yard is actually a golf course. One big alligator (6-8 foot) can live peacefully with several 3-4 foot alligators. Igor, our homeless and rescued big Siberan Forest Cat, does have some issues about being a totally indoor cat while being at that house. He doesn't understand alligator's appetities.

Fishing is great down there. Having been a part-time resident there for almost 40 years, I've gotten to know the good fishing spots -- whether surf, brackish, etc.

There are dozens of public access points in our area for small boats. Our island is separated from the mainland by the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The island and waterway connects to many tidal creeks and watery estuaries filled with fish during the higher tides.

This winter I plan to buy a used jon boat with a small gas motor and an electric motor. Although I've kayaked and canoed these areas for decades, I plan to re-take a Coast Guard Auxilary course before I set out with a "power boat" (maybe a super-powerful 10-15 HP).

Several years ago, we also inherited a similar "condominium" detached home with garage near where we live now. It is in an over-55 community in the city of Winchester, VA, about 15 miles away from here. Lynda, and one of our two cats, has been living there during the snow season, for the past several snow seasons. We expect we will be spending the hot tourist seasons away from our beach home, at this house.

So, we don't know exactly what we will be doing. But, our country home in WV will be put up for sale next spring. I will no longer have ponds of my own to manage.

I'm extremely thankful for my Pond Boss family. We are extremely thankful for our good health as we approach 70 years on this earth.

You may have already noticed that I haven't been real active on the forum for the last several months. I will be slowly withdrawing even further over the next several months.

Thank you to everyone for such a wonderful 10 year run. I'll be around, but just not as much.

Ken (Catmandoo)

Ken,
You don't get to leave us just because you sell you pond. Knowledge and friendship is why this place feels like family. And now that you don't have a pond of your own, think about visiting the rest of us from time to time. Your inputs will be welcome and helpful.

And BTW, your jerky is top shelf!

Ken I can certainly empathize...our places are a labor of love, but still a lot of work.

People ask me "are you done?"....I say "NEVER!"....they look puzzled sometimes and I jokingly say "are you done with your house?...is there not one single thing that needs some work at your house or yard?"...lol

I hope to get to the point that weekends will be more relaxing and not putting out fires. I may follow in your footsteps if it doesn't change....but I honestly think it will change and I will get some fun relaxing years.

I agree with HighFlyer, your wisdom is needed here whether you own a pond or not.

I wish you the best in your new endeavors that sound very rewarding as well.

ps: would love to see a pic of your new beach place when you find the time.

Catmandoo,

First, may the Good Lord bless you and keep you wherever you go, whatever you do. I hope you make many more good friends and pleasing memories.

Second, stop into the forum, say hello, if and when you want to. We will always be happy to hear from you.

Cmm

Ken, I don't even know if you saw my recent post where I thanked you for your knowledge and help. I am truly thankful for your help when I started my pond and I wish you all the best.

Ken,
You probably don't remember, but I met you at the conference in'15. You and George graciously invited this Newby to your breakfast table to chat. Thank you, for welcoming me as a friend. I have enjoyed your posts. Best of life, in the next chapter of your life. Selling your place is no reason to leave the forum.
God Bless,
Charlie

Good luck Ken. Sounds like you are leaving a really nice place but you are also going to a really nice place. Most important, have fun.

Hope you enjoy North Carolina, Ken. Keep us posted from time to time!

By the way, what do you intend to fish for there? Reds & specks, like the marshes here in Louisiana? Redfish are not only great fighters, they are delicious when fresh & grilled on the half shell.

We've already discussed this, you know my sentiments. Stick around, we need you here.

Also, when are you sending me a key to my new beach house?

Ken, I am fairly new to this board, but wanted to say.....Welcome to NC! Plus wanted to just let you know if you get "homesick" for caring for a pond....come on up to Mount Olive and I will put your mind to work. LOL (MO is approximately 100 miles from Oak Island!)
May your move be blessed!

Ken, I think you will really enjoy living on the BIG pond in the east without having to worry about managing it. My folks made a similar move when they sold their pond in 2008 and moved to the northwest to live on the BIG pond out west, no regrets so far. Please stick around and keep posting, we enjoy your company.

RATS!

Ken, you don't have to move on. Even though you won't have the level of ponds that you do now, you still have the knowledge.

Besides, who will we ask about how to cook this or that?

We had George for fly fishing information, and you about cooking, in addition to many other things.

Hopefully you will stick around, even if it is in a more background sense.

I sure appreciate all the wonderful comments. They are what we all love about Pond Boss. I participate in several other internet forums, but none are like the Pond Boss forum. So, I'll still be lurking and checking in now and then.

This is the only on-line place where I've become very close personal friends through the Internet. The many wonderful international get-togethers we've had is incredible. Many who have posted in this thread have hosted, organized, and participated in the Pond Boss get-togethers all over the US.

We've fished together in Canada, where our Canadian Pond Boss friends couldn't keep the fish they caught in Canada! My wife and I have hosted several Pond Boss gatherings. Bob Lusk has been at two of them.

Yes, I'll still be lurking.

As many of you know, our doors are always open for guests -- yes TJ, you should know that you too are always more than welcome.

I'm sure I'll need a place to share my recipes. (We just got back from two weeks in the Scottish Highlands. I enjoyed lots of great haggis and lots of great fish. Come join me for some great haggis recipes.)

Gayle -- while we were on vacation, my banana peppers and cucumbers produced perfectly. Between last night and this afternoon I put up this season's fourth batch of pickled peppers and pickled cucumbers. Also, for many years, our last stop on our way to Oak Island has been for gas, for a snack, and for a rest stop in Mt. Olive. The "new" road is much quicker than the old road.

Lastly, besides my alligator pond, I realized I do have a pond that I manage at our beach home. Our community association has about a 1/10 acre pond with a colorful fountain. Unfortunately, the pond is ugly and awful. Even the alligators seem to avoid it. I started working on it last spring. This coming spring I will be adding tilapia and koi.

I'm in Burlington NC. I've been going to oak island since 1982. It's a wonderful place. You can't be going to a better place. If you ever get bored and want to fish in my pond, It's a little drive but you're more than welcome. Congratulations to you

Ken we are all looking forward to you remaining active !

You know you can check in here , but you can never leave ! !

Eric,

You make it sound like the Hotel California.



docg -- We spent four years regularly visiting the Burlington area. Loved it. Our older son got his undergraduate degree at Elon.

Ken,
It's been a pleasure to make your acquaintenace on this forum and in person at the PondCon... Good luck in NC!

Ken, I'm with TJ. A key would be very nice.

As you know, DD1 and I aren't afraid of a road trip. And now we know that if you see a sign that says Savanna GA next exit, you'd best turn around.

ewest I think you have a good point. PBF should be considered a little bit like the Hotel California. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!

Hotel California - Eagles

Hotel California

It's a small world

Ken, and Lynda, best of luck with the new changes.

What's that saying? ......"You can take the redneck out of West Virginia, but you can't cook a possum unless it's been dead on the road for 24 hours.." .....or something like that???

You broke all the rules!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you, Mabro!!

Sunil

Just saw this. Best of luck Ken & Lynda. I'll miss my "twin brother"...

Wow. I don't quite know how to process this one, Ken. I'm happy for you guys that you are moving into what sounds to be a wonderful situation for the next phase of your lives, but it breaks my heart to know you are selling the home place. I have so many wonderful memories of visiting with you guys there, of being part of fun get togethers with other PB friends and the Boss himself, and enjoying the land side by side with you. I've always taken a bit of comfort knowing you were just a short trip away and I could drop in and be welcomed nearly any time. I'll miss that a lot.

As for the forum, you darn well better not think this change of circumstances is a pass to leave. Once you've been brought into la famiglia, you don't get to just walk away!

So, is the real reason you are headed to Oak Island the fact that you are going to try to cash in on that TV show? I've never seen it, but now that you may become a regular, I need to start watching for your cameo appearances!

I wish you and Lynda all the best and sure hope to continue to see you here and, from time to time, in person. You are one of the great resources here and a part of what makes this place what it is.

My current home sounds a lot like yours. 2 acre pond, 5 acre yard, 1/2 mile gravel driveway, pasture, cattle, and fences....

If something happened to me, I don't think there is any way the wife could handle what we have for very long. I understand exactly what you are doing, and may need to do it someday myself, after I retire.

You still have a lot of advise to offer, and can only read the AARP junk mail so long, so log back in to PB and laugh at all us still trying to keep up with the weeds, FA, otters, GBH, no rain, too much rain..........

Cat,

I never really got to know you to well, but I wish you the best, my Dad is now 74 and I slowly see him starting to slip a little in all he can do. And we don't have near the land / ponds you do. Enjoy it my friend and keep us posted as to what your doing... Long live the CAT and Mrs. CAT!!!!

RC

Thanks for the recent and very kind comments from all. This is a kind of like a mid-life crisis, except we'd have to live to 140 for it to be mid-life.

Since I started this thread, I can't even begin to estimate how many times I've filled my 6'x 10' cargo trailer, my 4'x 8' utility trailer, and/or my pickup truck with things to take to our local auction house. I've literally given away tons of stuff to friends and family, and sold other stuff - like all but one of my canoes, my paddle boat, and my jon boat. Lots of tools and guns have gone. I have no idea how many things with 2-cycle and small 4-cycle engines have gone. I still walk around and get tears in my eyes when I see what I still need to get rid of.

I think that Todd once posted that he thought I had every tractor implement known to man. That isn't quite true. And, I've gotten rid of a few -- including the pallet forks mentioned in another recent thread.

This is the second time my wife and I have done this in our 42 year marriage. The last time was about 20 years ago with a beloved place much like this, but in Virginia. It took well over a year of getting rid of "toys" and stuff. At that time, our 20 rural acres had become surrounded by 250,000 new homes, and it often took me 45 minutes to make the 7 mile trip to work in the morning. Our taxes were more than our mortgage. We had become a Washington DC suburb, even though we were at least 50 miles out.

Our present area is growing, but that is not why we need to make changes this time. We aren't getting any younger. Thankfully, we are still in good health.



I guess that might be the safest course of action on my part, since I probably know a lot of "la famiglia" secrets. Like about the lost hotel van at the first PB conference, with a bullet hole in the windshield, guided by Sunil, who was told by Govnr D to "follow us". Or, the time ...

As for Oak Island -- a totally different Oak Island than the one in the TV series. We've been vacationing there there since about 1978, and have owned a number of vacation homes there since about the early 1980s. Our home on Oak Island is near the mouth of the Cape Fear River in very southeastern NC, near the little town of Southport, NC. Our backyard pond has a regularly rotating group of alligators. We don't let the cats out to become possible snacks.

I did get a jon boat last winter. It is back up here in WV now. It is a wide and stable 14 footer, with a 9.9 HP gasoline engine and a fairly decent size electric motor. I haven't yet used the gasoline motor. If I'm the only one in the boat, it will plane in calm water with the electric motor. I've got a big RV/Marine battery for it, and the battery will outlast my butt time in the seats.

I was planning on taking it to a local lake this afternoon where I know the RES are on the spawning beds. But, I need to get new lights on the trailer after my last trip out.

I'm headed out to get a catfish from the put-and-take upper pond. We plan to "plank" it on cedar for dinner this evening. After I get the catfish filleted, I plan to get new lights on the boat trailer.

Tomorrow I'm picking up a load of fish for the two ponds. Tilapia and CC for both ponds, and more HBG for the put-and-take pond. It has gotten too warm for the dealers to transport HSB. I'm still managing the ponds like I'll be here forever.

Isn't it ironic how we strive to get all this stuff only to have to slowly let it go once again. One of my saddest memories is of my grand parents.... They had is all. Big 3 story home, 40 acre farm with a pond hugh garden a cabin on a small lake. We spent many of summers and Christmases at the farm in Wisconsin... And one day we went to visit them in Arizona and all they had was a 1 bedroom apartment house with not much more than a TV and a couple chairs and small dining room....

All of it was gone.... everything they worked for gone... of course their kids got money from it all but to me it was a memory etched in my mind that hit me like a ton of bricks.... I now see my Dad doing the same thing, down sizing getting rid of stuff... have no reason for it anymore... ugh I suppose I will be next...how time flys on this earth...

RC

Ken, I hope you are well. My mother-in-law lives in Ocean Isle Beach, not far from your beach home. It's a lovely area! Sure beats the insanity of northern Virginia. Take care...

I started this thread a little over a year ago as Lynda and I began serious work and planning for our next adventure as we continue to get more senior.

Having been here for a long time, I believe a number of others will face such "moving on". Some of our wonderful Pond Boss friends didn't get to plan what would happen to the dreams they built. Others, like George Glazener kept us learning about ponds, fish, fishing and living life to the fullest through through end-of-life challenges as he approached his next journey.

This is a little more about our next step of slowly moving on.

We recently bought a home in the city of Winchester, VA. It is less than 15 miles from our WV home/ponds -- what I jokingly refer to as Catmandoo Estates and Ponds. I'll miss it tremendously, but ...

Although the new home in VA is close by, it is about 500 feet lower in elevation than our WV home. Thus, it doesn't get anywhere near as much snow, and is usually about 10 degrees warmer in the winter. The home is on just 0.2 acres, so there will be minimal yard work. It adjoins several acres of conservation "out lot" and a state-owned right-of-way. So, I can feel like I'm still in the country, and I'll still be able to pee in the back yard. We'll still be close to long-time friends and family.

With this home, we can now determine what we need to keep, and what more we can get rid of. The new city home is making planning a lot easier.

A few years ago as part of this journey, we bought the home I'm at tonight. It is on Oak Island, in very south eastern NC. where we've vacationed and owned homes since about 1980. I arrived here just before high tide yesterday afternoon. I quickly loaded my fishing cart onto our golf cart, and headed to the ocean surf. Fishing was crazy good. I just finished a meal of some of fish I caught in the front yard yesterday evening. I've got enough fillets for two or three more meals.

Although our beach home is a single family house with a garage, it is designated as a condominium. We have about a 1/4 acre yard. We've even got a nice 1/8 acre alligator pond outside the back sunroom and deck on common property. But, being listed as a condominium, an association is responsible for everything external to the interior of the house and garage. So, no mowing, roof maintenance, outdoor painting, landscape maintenance, etc., yet I can have a garden and do my own landscaping if I so desire.

So, our next goal is to finish getting our WV home ready for sale, and to get it sold.

I got a very happy surprise when I checked-in a deer early last week. I mentioned to the DNR people that it was probably the last WV deer I would harvest. I was concerned that my WV "lifetime resident" hunting/fishing was not going to be valid when I moved back across the border into VA. They said it was truly a lifetime license -- no matter where I lived. I called the head DNR office where they verified that I will be able to continue to hunt and fish with this license until I die.

I figure we are well into the next phase of out life journey.

Life is good.

Catmandoo,

My wife and I were fortunate to sit with you Lynda a couple mornings for breakfast when the conference was at Big Cedar. I had showed her this post originally when you put it up, we both wish you the best in the next steps of slowly moving on. Thanks for the update.

Bryan

Great to hear things are working out for you Catmandoo.

Next adventure.....alligator jerky. Had a friend that used ta poach em off golf course ponds at night with a baseball bat.

That is awesome Ken! Sounds like you have a great plan!