Another beautiful February day...

[BBLoon]

I too appreciate the info about your ponds and the updates on your brown trout babies. 👍🐟

[Jig_Head]

Taxid, I do respect the hell outta you for taking care of them like that. I can't even imagine the time and effort you put into that

[taxid]

Taxid, I do respect the hell outta you for taking care of them like that. I can't even imagine the time and effort you put into that

Thank you.

[kfishdoctor]

I could start a topic about the dump I took this morning and you'd somehow bring up your ponds

This has to be one of the best posts of all time simply because its hilariously true.

[iceman260]

Taxid like hearing your reports and information on rearing fish. I find it very interesting, keep up the good work.

[rivereddy]

Count me in as one who enjoys reading the "pond reports" As a "down stater", they and the Michigan City
pier cam, give me a snapshot of fishing possibilities up north. Count this response also as an affirmation
 as to the labor of love required of one who must take care of aging parents.  Today marks the end of an
era for my family and the beginning of a new one.  In a couple of hours my wife's mom will move from her
"stand alone" cottage to the "big house". A broken wrist from a fall precipitated the need for the transition.
94 and fiercely independant, she is not happy with the situation and has been a model of passive resistance
ever since the surgeon said, "No driving".  For those who haven't had to deal with such a situation, let's say
the attention required is on the level of dealing with very young child.  Imagine dealing with a 4 yr old who
has a law degree and see what that does for your state of mind. Taxi here's wishing you world of patience and
strength as you continue to care for your parents.

fish on,

rivereddy

[abishop]

I feel your pain. My mother turns 99 next month. Still lives alone and dependent as all hell. (At least she thinks). Other than care coming in a couple times a week for a few hours a day. Thank God she finally gave up the car. Dad came to live with me for a few months. I couldn't handle it after a while. Caring for him was like having a newborn. We had no life. Finally, he had to go to a nursing home. Stayed 2 more years. Miss you, dad. My fishing buddy.

[Mac Attack]

I'm dealing with similar issues right now with one of my younger brothers.
He is one year younger than I but in bad health.
Drugs and alcohol took its toll on him.
His kidneys and liver are shot.
He fell a few weeks back and I took him to the ER and he got a cast on a broken left arm.
Came home and he fell again 2 weeks later, breaking his left leg and cracking 3 ribs.
He also developed sepsis.
So now he is in the hospital.
Actually, in the hospital, then rehab, and then back to ICU, and then into a different hospital.
They finally got the sepsis under control, but his ammonia levels spiked because they goofed up one of his kidney meds.
They finally moved him to Sarasota 3 days ago.
So now it's a 45 minute drive to see him one way.
His wife is working on securing a hospital bed for the house so she can get him home.
Not sure that's best for him, vs having him stay in rehab till the bones mend.
But it's her decision.
I'm trying to split visits with her to give her a break.
Even after(if) he mends, he can't get around easily.
He should be using a walker but will only use a cane - hence the fall.
I had a talk with him about this but unsure he will use the walker.
People don't want to give up their independence.
We all go thru it.
Sux.

[abishop]

Hang in there Mac. Prayers sent.

[taxid]

Thank you for all the kind words, and only those of us that are dealing with this kind of thing, or have dealt with it, really understand how stressful and overwhelming it is.

Hang in their Mac and to everyone else that is dealing with it or will be. 

Looking forward to posting a picture of the 3rd month anniversary of the brown trout that were hatched December 16th, 2022 on March 16th 2023. I should be able to release them from the baskets into the circular tank itself then. They should be at least 3 inches by then. At 4 or 5 inches they will go into the outside pond and hopefully up to 15 inches by November.

Going full bore on a higher powered solar powered electric fence before I put then in the pond to keep the herons, otters, and mink out. Shooting the herons is out after I peppered the neighbor's house with farther reaching goose loads. Whoops! Thank God insurance took care of it. I told my wife I can't hit the side of a barn but I can hit the neighbor's house. As God is my witness I thought their house was out or range!  I've been taking out Great Blue Herons with a federal permit for 10 years and never hit their house until last May.

And of course as usual will add overhead monofilament lines to keep the magnificent ospreys out which could even include Bald Eagles at some point. Everybody wants a free lunch! But I can't blame them and I don't enjoy killing anything. The herons, otters, and mink will get the message without getting hurt. And the ospreys are smart enough not to try and dive bomb with overhead lines.

[Teacherpreacher]

Life can be a challenge for sure!!! May God grant you all strength and patience taking care of your loved ones! My Mom passed several years ago. Was in an Assisted Living Facility for 10 years and sharp as a tack at age 94. Had a bad heart and finally qualified for Hospice. Went to facility in Valparaiso where they gave her 3-5 days to live. She was there for over 6 months!!! Never got out of that bed. I made the 9 mile drive twice a day. Can't say enough about the people that gave her such lovable care!
Stay strong!!!
Teach

[iceman260]

Mac sorry to hear what you are going through, prayers sent for your brother.

[Mac Attack]

Thanks guys.
To be honest, I was surprised he was still alive when we moved down here.
(He is too)
He has good days and bad ones.
He was moved again 2 days ago, but only to a different wing in the same hospital.
I might head up later today to see him.

[taxid]

My dad took a bad tumble last night putting my mom in bed, and is with the wife in the ER right now getting X-rays. They were both on the floor went I got over there (they are in an apartment that connects to my house via a deck.) Needless to say I spent another night over there. She has to get up during the night to use the portable stool at least 3 times sometimes 5 X, and can't do by herself. And he's no longer in any shape to help her. Can't wipe by herself either due to the right side of her body pretty much nonfunctional due to a stroke. She also has a heart attack a couple of years ago, and has a "Parkinson's like" disease going on. There are times when I think it would better for both of them if she passed as she's miserable and makes life rough for all of us. Her physical issues are not so bad if she would just be grateful. And she's a big Whiner.

 

[wallyworld]

Prayers for all of you dealing with ailing family, never an easy job. God Bless