The Makings of an STD

Before you go thinking the worse, by "STD" I mean Serial Test Driver.

As many of you know, I'm a bit of an automobile junkie.  I like fast ones.  Expensive ones.  Sexy ones.  I love to drive and the sportier the car the bigger the rush!

I prefer to drive a stick.  I've heard all the ravings from those of you who have driven them about the paddle shifters.  I am aware that race cars (and Ferrari's) have gone almost entirely to paddle shifters.  I have test driven BMW's with 7-speed dual clutch paddle shifters and they are wonderful.  But I love to play with the clutch and feel like I'm DRIVING when I'm synchronizing the clutch with the gas.  I refer to paddle shifters as training wheels.

My late husband, Cecil, "forbid" me from having a manual shift.  His excuse was that I didn't have enough hands to drive a stick.  He said I would have my phone in one hand and a Coke Zero in the other while trying to steer with my elbows.  His theory had holes because that meant I couldn't even drive an automatic with only two hands.  The truth was that he was afraid that I'd wrap my car around a tree on one of my weekly trips through the mountains to see my mother in Dalton.  Dutifully, I put my stick shift dreams on the back burner and drove the little BMW Z4 with an automatic transmission that he bought me one Valentine's Day and, even though he made me promise I wouldn't speed around those hairpin turns on Hwy 52, I just had to test the car's handling.  I drove like a bat out of hell and had a blast each and every trip.  Yes.  I didn't keep my promise of no speeding but I did return home safe and sound without a speeding ticket each time.

I was on the road to becoming an STD when Tom and I test drove the new Z4 sDrive35i.  I was dating Tom when the old Z4 started giving me problems and knew that I needed to upgrade before it gave me real problems. Although the one we test drove had the paddles and not a clutch I was thrilled with it's quickness and handling.  It had twin turbos and could get up to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds!  (I know - I've done it!)  Tom is about the same as I am when it comes to cars.  He had jumped into a Porche Carrara while I was test driving the Z4.  Surprisingly, he got a bigger kick out of the Z than the Porche but that was because the Porche was not a Turbo.  I ended up going out of town to buy the Z4 sDrive35i that I have now because there were only two 6-speed manual transmission Z4s in the U.S. available at that time.  It was a choice between going to Florida or to New York so Tom and I were off to Florida to trade in the Z!

After that, Tom and I found excuses to go test drive vehicles.  If his daughter's friend's mother's uncle was looking for a new car we would make it our mission to find that perfect vehicle.  Instead of going to the movies or a nice restaurant like most sane couples do on their dates we go test driving.  While on these adventures we have run across car dealers who are quite the characters.  While looking for a new car for Tom we found a fellow who informed us that a convertible top that needed a push to get started was a feature called "manual assist" and the check engine light that came on when you cranked the car was telling us that there was something wrong with the seat.  In case you are wondering, no, we weren't taken in.

Then there was the salesman who sat in the back of the Mini Cooper holding onto his ball cap for dear life.  I didn't think I would care for a Mini Cooper but changed my mind when we test drove it.  Tom told me he had a surprise for me and, when we drove up to the Chevy dealer, I thought it was going to be a test drive in a Corvette.  Nope.  It was a dark green Mini Cooper 6-speed convertible.  I almost laughed it off.  We took off down 400 with Tom driving, me in the passenger seat and our salesman in the back seat.  He drove very nicely within the limit mostly.  He pulled over onto a side street and asked me if I wanted to drive.  The salesman must have thought I would drive like a granny and seemed almost bored until I spun it around in a half-donut and took off back north on 400 woo-hooing the whole way.  It was a fun little car!  I was up to 95 miles an hour when I noticed the salesman in the rear view wide-eyed and white-faced.  I thought he'd kiss the ground when we came to a stop.  Ironically, I ended up with a Mini Cooper of my own but, once I got my motorcycle license, traded it in on a Harley.

We've been kicked out of a few places, too.  There was the dealer who, when we asked if the price on a car was negotiable, told us we were in the wrong place.  We promptly bid him farewell.  I swear I think our pictures are posted on bulletin boards in the employee lounge at the dealerships with a caption:  "Don't waste your time with these two!"  The guys at a BMW dealership wouldn't let me test drive a GTR.  Allowed only to sit in the driver's seat with the engine cranked, it has become my mission to actually drive one.  And I think I have the place to do it!

We recently achieved STD super star status.  We found a place (I won't reveal where) that allowed us to test drive an Astin Martin Vantage and a Ferrari Californian.  I once said that I'd marry the guy who bought me an Astin Martin and, consequently, backed out when it was seriously offered.  Good thing too because now I'm throwing rocks at the Astin Martin.  One would think the Astin Martin would be luxurious.  On the outside it has a classy style.  Although it ran like a scalded dog, was a beloved 6-speed manual transmission and sounded like a monster when I revved the engine, it handled rough, it definitely had a masculine ride!  It was minus several niceties that I've grown to love as a BMW owner.  It didn't have driver assist (keeps manual transmissions from rolling back when you take off on a hill), automatic windshield wipers and memory seat positions among other features. I felt like I was taking a step back in value.

The Ferrari, on the other hand, is my new lover.  Sorry, Tom.  Although I'll stop short of marrying the first man who offers a Ferrari as a wedding present I will keep the option open.  It has it all with only one exception.  It doesn't come in a manual transmission.  It was a hard top convertible (something you couldn't get in an Astin Martin for any amount of money) and sports all the little bells and whistles I have on my Z4 and more.  The best part was the ride!!  It handled like a loving partner.  We meld together so completely that you couldn't tell where I ended and the car began.

Sorry.  I lost myself for a moment.  Later today Tom will pick me up and we are off to another dealership and test-driving adventure.  This time we are driving (and possibly buying) a Shelby Cobra Mustang with 600 horsepower down to the wheel that we've been assured is a total beast.  It's for Tom's son and we had to promise him that we would not spin those brand new tires.

Cooking With Allergies

I don't know what's more dangerous, eating or cooking with food allergies!

Over the last decade I have found out that I am allergic to almost every thing I love to eat.  Cheese.  Milk.  Eggs.  Peanuts.  Cranberry.  Pineapple.  Rice.  Black Pepper.  Cayenne Pepper.  Lima Beans.  Oregano.  And oh, so much more!  A banana split would kill me because I am allergic to bananas, strawberries, ice cream, the milk in the chocolate sauce, peanuts, whipped cream and pineapple.  Even the cherry on top is suspect!  I never get invited to anyone's house for a home-cooked meal because they are afraid they'll cook me the wrong thing and restaurants fear me.

About once a week my boyfriend, Tom, and I go to Johnny B's here in Dahlonega for pizza.  They have the best if you like thin crust like I do!  The bartenders know exactly what we want and know that half of it is to be without cheese.  (Yes, I said "bartenders" because we only eat at a table when there's no room at the bar.)  About 50% of the time they make a mistake in the kitchen and the pizza comes out loaded with oregano and with lots of cheese -- but that's okay.  We even encourage it.  They make us a new one and we get to take the "mistake" home with us.  It's a windfall!  Tom has pizza for later.

Whenever I eat something I shouldn't I don't always know it right away.  Many of the foods I can't eat (milk, cream, butter...) affect me a day or two later by causing pain so severe I sometimes can't walk.  Those are called "latent allergies" meaning the allergens collect in my joints and muscles and give me mock arthritis pain.  Don't ask your medical doctor about this.  They will deny it.  But I'm living proof that there is a such thing!

The foods that cause immediate reactions are the most troublesome.  Whenever I just taste some of these my neck swells, my arms and legs itch, my face itches, I break out in rashes, I double over with pain, I get blisters inside my mouth or I start sneezing.  And - sometimes I do all of the above.  I feel the symptoms come on then run for the Benadryl, dancing around like an idiot scratching whatever part of my body I can reach and cussing at myself for eating what I shouldn't have.

I love to cook but find it's downright impossible to season and salt food correctly without tasting it.  I'm not going to torture my dinner guests with only foods that I can eat so I cook myself a little something on the side.  If no one is around to test the "poisonous" food for me I'll sneak just a tiny little taste of (for example) potato salad (yikes! eggs and mayo!) or those sausage bundles (cheese!!) I recently made for the Super Bowl party.  It never fails.  The slightest little bite sends me into my allergy dance.

I don't even have to taste the food to feel the affects.  I can simply touch foods sometimes (like when I form meatballs with my hands - eggs!) and start breaking out, itching, cussing and running for the Benadryl.  If it wasn't so darned dangerous it would be entertaining!  Oh, heck.  It is entertaining to Nancy and Tom who get a kick out of watching me cook.  It was Nancy who coined the phrase "Cooking with Allergies".  She chose that name as the title of my cooking show, should I ever have one.

I'm learning to use gloves (not latex 'cause I'm allergic to it) and keep a bottle of Benadryl handy at all times.  I haven't learned to stop tasting the foods yet but I can always blame it on other people because they aren't around at the time to be my royal tasters.  Lord forbid if I should ever blame myself...

Girlfriends and Giggles

Girlfriends are better than boyfriends.  I'm not meaning in a lesbian-sexual kind of way.  I'm meaning in a carefree, fun kind of way.  You can do things in front of girlfriends that you would never do in front of boyfriends.  You can sit on the toilet and talk while flushing.  You can wear funky pajamas and no makeup and look like something the cat drug in.  You can talk about your boyfriend.  You can complain about your boyfriend.

Girlfriends are special but best girlfriends are awesome!  Mine happens to be Susan.  When Susan and I get together we discuss everything from old boyfriends to farts (which are one and the same sometimes).  We find humor in everything.  We laugh.  We make fun of people. We Giggle.  We vent.  We cuss.  We cry.  We fart.  We laugh again.  There is nothing sacred and no subject is taboo.  She knows more about me than any person should ever know and will take my secrets to her grave.  If I'm doing something stupid she'll call me on it and she's always right.  We respect each other.  She's like my sister yet we don't have the sister-fights that are so common with siblings.  Every woman needs a best girlfriend like Susan.

I think world leaders should tap into my and Susan's conversations.  We solve the world's problems on a regular basis.  Unemployment?  Not a problem.  Put their lazy butts to work cleaning up the highways.  Yessiree!  Fire all the politicians and put us in charge.  We'd have a blast until we got sick of the whole thing.  Then we'd move on to more important things like what we're cooking for dinner. 

That's one of our favorite topics.  When Susan starts telling me what she's cooking up for her and her hubby, Jerry's, dinner I find myself wanting to make the 2 hour journey to her house.  I'd do it too if I knew I could get there in time.  She's like me.  She uses fresh herbs and loves to do crafty things in the kitchen.  She wants to start making her own vinegar, an idea she got from me.  I've almost always had a big jug of homemade vinegar aging in my kitchen - except for now.  Hmmmm.  It's probably time to start again...  She's an encyclopedia of using natural herbs and suppliments to cure everything from cold sores to mental fatigue.

We could write a recipe book together - or a poetry book - or even a child's story book.  I'd write it and she could illustrate it.  Did I mention she's an artist?  We display and sell her paintings at our store.  She worked as an artist for Publix doing displays and signs until she got sick.  Did I mention she's a double lung transplant recipient?  That's how she knows so much about natural cures.  She's had a crash course in it! 

What it all boils down to is a best friend is a very important person in any girl's world.  I don't know what I would have done without mine during the two toughest years of my life. I have just hung up from talking with her as she heated up homemade chili.  As I sit in front of the TV watching the Food Channel and eating snacks for dinner I wonder how good that chili tastes.

Wow!  My thin-skinned Georgia butt is freezing right off!  Oh well, never had much of one anyway... 

I forced myself out of bed this morning and, while making my first Coke Zero of the day, looked out my kitchen window and noticed my largest koi (named RinFinFin) motionless, looking as if he was suspended in mid air underneath a thin coating of ice.  It's not often we have weather this cold in Georgia and rarely does it get cold enough for a long enough time to freeze the surface of the pond.  With the weatherman predicting a low of 4 degrees on Monday I'm a little afraid that I haven't done enough to ensure my fish are going to be safe. 

This summer I had a tragedy befall the koi pond in my back yard.  I kept noticing fish missing.  I began with 40-something large koi (some 3 feet long).  I found one lying dead on the side with a huge bite taken out of his side.  Hmmmm.  Wasn't sure what kind of animal had a mouth that big.  Then I got the notice in my mailbox from the City of Dahlonega.  There was a black bear roaming free on Crown Mountain.  Yikes!  That's my mountain!  Then it hit me.  The bear had to be the predator of my koi.  I never was able to catch him in the act but every time I started counting my koi I was missing another one or two.  It was so sad! I lost my favorite, Smokey Jo, a 20 lb. GinRin Suragoi, and her daughter, a beautiful GinRin Ochiba.  I finally put a halt to the nishikigoi smorgasbord by lowering the water down a couple of feet so the bear couldn't simply fish off the top.  My koi were so friendly they ate out of my hand so all a bear had to do was stand beside the pond with a bucket of food and they'd come right up to him.

Almost immediately after I lowered the water the pond began leaking.  My pond is 5 feet deep.  I lowered it by 2 feet.  Overnight it was down another foot.  I am pretty sure he must have gone swimming and clawed the sides of the pond.  I tried to find the leak with no luck.  I was able to rule out leaking from the plumbing because it still lost water when I turned off the circulation.  I finally gave up and allowed it to leak down until it stopped.  There was nothing else I could do!  My 5 foot deep koi pond is now only 1 foot deep and I only have 5 koi left. 

So that brings me to the problem of ice forming on the top of my pond.  I'm worried my poor fishes will freeze.  The pond is too big for a de-icer to be affective and there is no possible way to heat the water so I am crossing my fingers that we'll have a normal Georgia cold snap.  Georgia natives know all too well how we can have snow one day then a balmy 78 degrees the next.  My solution for the long term is to, sadly, find homes for the few koi that are left and fill in the pond.  Let me know if any of you would like one of them but a warning - they are big fish and will not fit in a pond less than 5000 gallons... 

Once I tearfully tear down the beautiful pond that my late husband built I'll have to be content to get my "koi fix" at the store.  The ones we have for sale are as friendly as mine at home, giving you kisses when you stick your fingers into the water.  And because they are in an inside tank there's no way a black bear can get to them.

For those of you who have ponds and would like more information on how to winterize it, here's a link to an article on our website: http://www.ponddoc.com/Seasonal_Pond_Care.html. 

Clearing the Clutter

The more stuff you have the more stuff you have to maintain.  I've recently come to the realization that I want less maintenance, thus less stuff in my life.  I want to enjoy my life, not have my stuff dictate what I do with my time.  I decided what is important to me and those things I want to keep.  I love my car (It's a 6-speed Z4 sDrive 35i with twin turbos - fast and fun!).  I love my bikes - and by "bikes" I'm talking about motorcycles.  There's nothing in this world that competes with the feeling I get when I'm riding.  As my friend, Shannon Spry, will attest, I become a free bird when I get on them.  I love my guns and will fight to the death for my right to carry them.  I love my bed.  It's the most comfortable bed in the world and no - you can't try it out!  I love to cook and I love growing fresh herbs on the deck.  I love my close circle of friends.

There are other things that I like but these are the things I don't want to do without.  Having decided what I want to keep and knowing what I need to have to live, I now can decide what I want to toss out. 

I've started cleaning and clearing out closets and pantries but nothing has been as rewarding as when I tackled my laundry room.  For months I've been stressing over the light in my laundry room.  It stopped working and, because I've had other priorities, I have been doing my laundry in the dark.  Instead of waiting around to finally get an electrician in, I took the little lamp off my desk and sat it on the dryer.  Plugged it in and let there be light!!  My whole life changed at that very moment of enlightenment.  I couldn't wait to do a load of laundry and washed those nasty cleaning rags I'd been putting off for so long.  I was on a roll!  I cleaned the room, even cleaned the floors and took my iron and ironing board out of retirement arranging them so I could easily use them when necessary.  I couldn't wait to change my sheets so I could iron my pillow cases!  I had to stop at ironing the sheets though because my best friend in the whole wide world, Susan Freeman, brought me to my senses by telling me I was being obsessive.  Susan has a way of reeling me in when I get too far out in the lake. 

 

I was surprised that something as simple as arranging my laundry room could bring me such joy.

There is another kind of clutter that has nothing to do with stuff and that's what's in your mind.  I've never been one to worry all the time but I do have a history of over-thinking things.  For months I slept with one eye open because I never knew when Cecil was going to fall or need something.  January 26th will be three years since he died and I still can't break the habit.  It's not unusual for me to go the whole night without sleeping and, when I do sleep, it's not for long unless it's drug-induced.  At 3:00 in the morning I'll be wide awake "thinking".  I've yet to figure a way to clear the clutter out of my head!  I sure could use some help with that!

My next project is to take all the stuff that I'm clearing out of closets and junk rooms, all the stuff that I don't need or care much about and take it all to the store and have a big winter yard sale.  This is an idea I came up with during one of those sleepless nights.  I think it will kill two birds with one stone.  I'll clear out the clutter while hopefully bringing new customers into the store during winter while we are out of season.  I'll have some really cool stuff to sell.  Guitars, amplifiers, furniture, flower vases, home decor items and linens.  Stay tuned.  I'll be announcing the sale soon.

My Name is Peggy and I'm a Pond Addict

 

I am Peggy Ferguson and I am a pond professional.  Some people would call me a fanatic. Some would say that I'm an addict.  The truth is I'm a pond enthusiast who went into business to support the habit.

 

I've spent the better part of 20 years educating folks about koi ponds and water gardens through my website, www.ponddoc.com, and my publication, "What's Up, Doc?".  I hope I've helped a few people along the way with the design, construction and care of their garden ponds.  Of course, it wasn't always just me.  I was the writer of the family so it was up to me to get the word out for the original "Pond Doc" who was Cecil Ferguson, my late husband.  He's gone now but his legacy lives on!  He taught me everything I know about ponds and koi health and I'm still plugging away at it.

 

Many of you may remember us from our water garden center in Alpharetta, Georgia.  We closed it down when we moved to the beautiful North Georgia mountain town of Dahlonega.  We began mail order only from our home and, up until recently, that's what we've been up to.

 

Ya'll might remember that Cecil smoked like a chimney.  He used to sneak around and smoke at the store all the time, hiding it from me, and some of you even promised to keep his secret.  Sure enough, he ended up with lung cancer and died.  You wouldn't believe how often I find a new stash of cigarettes hidden away at the house.  I won't get on my soap box right now about the dangers of smoking but let his death be a warning and I'll leave it at that.   

 

Several people have asked me, "Peg, why don't you do a blog?"  Truth is I've had a run of bad luck with all my kin and loved ones dying and hadn't felt much like writing.  It started with Cecil's death on January 26th, 2011 at 7:35 am and I hope it's over now.  During the past years I've lost my mom, my brother, two uncles, an aunt and my dog, Duke.  Ask me which one affected me the most and I'm liable to say Duke cause he's the one that broke the camel's back.  I've been slightly depressed, as you probably suspect, but now I've got my mojo back and ready to start anew!  I have my new business partner, Nancy Meehan, to thank for that.  She goaded me into opening up a location just off the square here in our historical little town and gave me something to look forward to.  If Cecil were alive he'd probably say I'm crazy but at least I'm not sitting at home now staring at the walls.

 

That brings me to shamefully plugging my and Nancy's store!  Pond Doc's Home & Garden is a unique shop to the Dahlonega business sector.  We specialize in koi pond and water garden supplies, just as we always have.  Now, however, we are encompassing the whole home and garden arena by adding product lines that appeal to almost all people, not just pond people.  We even have personalized gifts that are ordered and shipped directly to you or wherever you designate.  Ya'll come out to the store when you're in town.  If you can't make the trip you can still visit us online at  www.PondDoc.com for product and a whole slew of information on koi health, water quality, garden design, etc., etc., etc.   

 

I've decided to follow the store's lead and not limit my blog to just koi pond and water garden subjects, although I will be writing a lot on those topics.  This is my personal blog so I plan to enjoy it and talk about whatever subject I wish.  I have lots of ideas knocking around in this crazy head of mine!  In fact, I've already written my next blog that is titled, Clearing the Clutter.  You'll have to wait until tomorrow to read it.