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!
