Wow, its been awhile since I had a chance for any updates. Where do I start? Just got back from Nashville and the AKCA annual Koi Seminars. What a great pond tour. Beautiful ponds, mega bucks! Got to visit with a few couples that we have met over the years, too. Attendance was a little down, but we still had a good time. We drove ourselves out and Harry reluctantly agreed to take the truck this time instead of the little car. The little car is great on gas mileage, but has no room to bring anything back, which Harry loves and I of course hate. I had figured it would only take an additional 100.00 or so for gas, but he knew with the things I bought to put in it, that it would be closer to 1000.00 by the time I got home. Well, I don't have that kind of free spending money, but I went with a "secret stash" just in case. The vendors at the trade show were all quite friendly and the talks were, well ...so soo...not sure I really learned anything new, but nice refresher courses anyway. For us, it's just getting to talk to old friends and driving around the area to see the sites. We spent a day at Pres. Jackson's Hermitage House and an afternoon at a nearby town called Franklin; site of one of the most deadliest civil war battles. So lots of history in that area. We ate downtown and bar hopped all the "Honky Tonks", as they are called there. One evening we went to the famous Opryland Radio Show which was held at the Ryman Auditorium, since the new building was flooded in the recent floods. We really didn't see much sign of their flooding damage, but then again didn't go into those areas of town. And, because of the floods we didn't get to see the Opry Land Mills Hotel and its botanical center and shops. Maybe next time. On Sunday, we took the pond tour associated with the seminars. Oh man, there certainly were some beauties. I did feel sorry for the pond owners, because most the ponds were covered with foam from spawning fish. Not the usual superior water quality, but real life happening in their ponds. Stuff most people don't get to see. I'm sure when they set the date for the seminar, spawning never entered their minds. Regardless the ponds were beautiful and the fish were, in general, huge.

My own fish spawned Tuesday night. What a mess. Millions of eggs everywhere. Harry did a huge water change. The fish seemed really tired this morning. They've been gorging on eggs in the pond. No feeding for at least a day or two. Saw lots of scales in the bottom of the pond, so know they have to be pretty beaten up. I'll be watching them closely to make sure I don't get an outbreak of ulcers. Harry keeps doing water changes, so feel like I'm wasting money by putting any water conditioners in there. The string algae is growing like crazy now that the water temps have finally warmed up . We're just pulling it out as best we can.

Still trying to catch up work, but will try to get back tomorrow with pics of my new fishies. Fun, fun...