Another beautiful spring week is gone. There is almost no snow left. The Big Guy thought we were short so he sent about three inches for us Thursday. In conversation from people I have talked to, Lloydminster got a skiff, Marwayne got nothing and Glaslyn got six inches. Other people got varying amounts depending on where they live. I have no moisture marked for this coming week. I hope all the cowboys have good weather for calving and no wind.
On the home front, Eddie and my son Ron have the wheat all cleaned and in the bin. The canola is all cleaned and in the bin. I am happy. This is much better than last year where I couldn't get out of my own yard, first the trucks were buried in the snow, then the snow melted and the ground in my yard and at my elevator was so soft we couldn't move around. There was a big frost boil right where you came off the elevator road and the land to the seed bin was swamp.
Next week we will change oil on the last two tractors and haul the airseeder out of the snow bank. There is always a little servicing to do on equipment. I have three or four shanks to put back on the airseeder. They were originally held on with half inch u-clamps. That proved to be not strong enough, as we broke several. Then they came out with 9/16 u-clamps as a changeup so I bought about a dozen of those useless things. The problem is they appear to be fine thread but they cross thread or something before they become tight. Then you can't get the nut on or off. To fix the problem, I started blowing out the holes with a cutting torch in the shank holder so I could just use 5/8 u-clamp. Another case of us farmers having to put up with overpriced and under engineered equipment.
In federal politics there seems to be scandals coming out of the woodwork from all sides and all parties. The sooner these shysters quit dipping their hand in the cookie jar the better. They are elected to represent the voters in their ridings. Nowhere does it say you have a licence to steal. I hope that the caucus members get these people out and throw them under the bus. Who needs them anyway?
When I was lying in the hospital bed, (not any more, I am home) I had lots of visits from my children and grandchildren. I could not be happier as to how our children have turned out and I love every one of them. I didn't do it by myself as my wife Bev did the majority of the child rearing since I spent long hours in the field making a living. No one starts as a professional parent. It is on-the-job training. If you make a mistake, be a big enough person to go back and fix it.
As I look back I have to smile to myself and here are some of the things I told my kids.
My mother had a big black strap and she did not tolerate any lying, cheating or stealing. I did not have a big black strap but I tried to instil in my children what my mother taught me.
You have the ability to do any job you want, go find what you want and do it.
Life is for living, get at it.
If you want to do something, stick your head in there and do it. If somebody gives you a head shot, give him one back and keep on going.
Don't start any fights in the schoolyard. But if you get into a fight you better finish it, and then I showed them where to hit.
When they turned 16 we made arrangements for them to have vehicles. Two out of five I made go to the CU to get loans to purchase a car. The deal was I would buy any parts they needed, but they had to learn to put them on. I told them having a driver's licence and a vehicle is a new freedom when one turns 16, but it is also a responsibility. You are responsible for getting you and your vehicle home safely. This had varying degrees of success.
Don't drive drunk! If I catch you doing drugs I will whip your arse!
There are no jobs in my basement … get out there and get one. Don't leave your resume at the door. Interview the person you might like to work for and give that person the resume. Successful job interviews are first thing in the morning. No one is going to hire a slacker who slept in or comes late in the day.
For the girls, it was get that war paint off your face. Can't you have your hair your regular colour? I think there is too much skin showing here, girls! Anyone dating my daughters had to come in for a visit before the date. I just continued what my father-in-law, Bob Polinsky did with me. We usually talked about farming.
So far, so good. I told you some of the things I said to my children. You will have to learn what to do to parent your children. Anyone can raise a brat. It takes special effort to raise a responsible adult. That is your job.
I have to tell you that I am very proud of all my children and grandchildren.
Joke of the week: There was a farmer who went to visit the mental asylum. The farmer asked the director of the institution, "How can you tell if someone needs to be in here?" The director said, "We fill a bathtub full of water. Then we give the person a spoon, a teacup and a pail and ask them to empty the water out of the tub." "Well, that's not hard to figure out," said the farmer, "you would use the pail." "No," said the director, "a normal person would open the drain and let the water out. Now, would you like a bed by the window?"
