Salute to the oil and gas industry

[cowman]

Well emerald I always said raising kids is just like raising a dog. You beat them when they need it and give them a treat when they desrve it! Now I will admit I wasn't much into the beating part but my wife sure was! Which might just be why my kids think I'm the real meal deal and don't really have a lot to do with their mother? Or it might be that I treated them like adults since they were little?
I remember the middle girl was going off to school and she didn't want to wear a toque or something. I said well if you don't want to then don't, you'll look real pretty with no ears! She didn't and her ears peeled some...but I noticed the next day she wore a hat! I also remember my youngest was about 4 and thought she should be able to ride the lawnmower wherever she wanted. I said no you can't and she said why not? I said well you are just a little person and you don't make the decisions. You don't run the world. She said, I think little people should run the world, very defiant! Well I found that funny and said well maybe you are right! Anyway they all lived somehow! And here I am today buying my 5 year old grandson his own quad... the times do change!

[cowman]

Silly old granpas buying five year olds quads must be the 'in' thing with granpas making big bucks in the oilpatch !!!!
Seems we have one in our family so all the WOMEN in the family watch in horror as our five year old Evil Kneivel rips across the field on his very OWN quad. Lord give me strength !!!!
What will be left to buy the kid next, of course, how silly of me, a DIRT BIKE, Snow Machine etc.

Sure makes John Deere and Tonka toys look pretty boring.

Funny thing is that the little guy prefers to have someone read to him and he is looking forward to camping out with GRANNY in her backyard this summer.
Now, I don't know how I am getting talked into this but in my view its quality time that no money spent on a quad will buy !!!!! So there GRANPA !~!!
I actually regret the times I gave the kids a whack, diplomacy would have worked better.

Any good dog trainer will tell you, that hitting a dog does absolutely nothing to build trust and respect !!!

My border collie pup is coming along very well, she is three months old tomorrow and a light tap on the butt with the fly swatter is all it takes.

I never yell at her, just am firm and if she really TESTS me, I take her head in my hands and look her in the eye and scold her. Works wonders !! We have only had one DISCUSSION regarding my work glove being hidden under the loveseat !!!

[cowman]

I have had a few border collies in my lifetime, but don't have a dog anymore. The boy has a red heeler, who isn't overly bright, but sure can move those cows up a chute! The best dog I ever had was an Australian shepherd.
I always found border collies so darned sensitive they would get all pouty and aloof if you yelled at them? They were also so darned smart it was scary? I had one that probably had a higher IQ than I did and she was a very good dog but sure was funny. She actually would only eat if I fed her...wouldn't eat anything anyone else gave her! If you yelled at her she would sulk for a week and have her nose out of joint!
And I will admit I would never get a male dog or in the case of a horse a mare? I don't know what it is but a male dog or horse just are dumb as hell!
Its like I told one neighbor: Male dogs are not worth the powder to blow them to hell...and I suspect that might apply to most human beings as well! LOL

[cowman]

agreed on the gender of dogs and horses. Give me a good gelding anyday, and a female dog that is spayed really settles down and is a darn good solid top hand !!

My pup has lots of energy but she is darn smart. Both her parents are working dogs and the mother seems to be pretty level headed.

The neighbour had a collie that is very sensitive, she never wags her tail and when she is called she comes on her belly. I have a feeling that someone was pretty tough with her when she was young.

I like a good bold dog that never sneaks around......usuing your analgy cowman kind of like a good man I guess..... LOL!!!

[cowman]

Well lets not talk about geldings! Gives me these awful ideas when you relate that to humans!
I am a "liberated man"!!!!
When you have five sisters who can beat the hell out of you and probably did a lot better than you in life...it is a humbling experience?
Luckily the old boy was a natural born chauvanist and bestowed most of his blessings on yours truly...albeit with a lot of misgivings! And in reality I shouldn't even say that...he was pretty generous all around...but I was the dumbie who got stuck holding the bag at home!
And by the way, I have a very good relationship with all my sisters...but even today I wish he could have cranked out another boy!

[cowman]

Better the only son in a family of daughters than the other way around !! Poor girl would have a whole battalion of chauvinists !!!!!