Lost two old friends this week

Bro. Noble · July 13, 2004, 04:03:58 PM

Old Dog and my 044 are both gone.

Old Dog lived on the front porch where he guarded the house. A copperhead evidentally bit him a week ago. Took him all week to make it back to the house. He made it to the back yard where we nursed him the best we could. Yesterday when I went out the front door on the way to the milkbarn, he was back on the front porch----dead.

The 044 had bearing failure and the repairman said wasn't worth rebuilding. We've had it about 10 years and it was my favorite saw.

RavioliKid · July 13, 2004, 04:33:35 PM

So sorry to hear about your losses. Sounds like your Old Dog had a lot of heart.

D._Frederick · July 13, 2004, 04:49:58 PM

Noble,

How much of a problem is poison snakes in your area? Do you have to be on guard for them all the time during warm weather? Do they bite your cattle in the pastures? Do they do any good or do you try and eradicate them?

Tom · July 13, 2004, 04:50:16 PM

It's a good feeling to know that your animals know where home is, isn't it. He knew where he wnted to be when he was in trouble and where he wanted to be in his last days. He loved y'all enough to make it back to the front porch where he could be next to you.

Do you have a good spot on the wall in the barn to hang the 044? Retirement for a saw is a great show of respect. I have an axe that is due too.

bennelson · July 13, 2004, 04:56:08 PM

Sorry to hear bout the loss of your dog. Had to put my first dog down about two months ago. I grew up with that dog. Very little in life is equal to the companionship of a good dog.

What is it about old tools and trucks that make them so hard to retire? Ya caint just throw out a tool specially an old one.

Jeff · July 13, 2004, 05:35:00 PM

I liked old Dog. Glad I got to meet him. Even though he scared the stuff outta me in the middle of the night.

Our old Sydney dog is now 15. Almost completly deaf now. Pretty old for an Australian shephard. He has been with us since my kids were 3 and the other 6. I was still in my 20's when we got him from the pound. I hope he hangs around a while longer.

Captain · July 13, 2004, 05:48:44 PM

Sorry for your losses, Noble. I've not yet had the experience of retiring a saw, the illicit new owners of them will have that experience before I. Now the loss of a dog, that's a tough one.

Captain

Bro. Noble · July 13, 2004, 07:02:08 PM

D. Frederick,
We always watch for snakes while in the woods or weedy areas, but not to the extint that it keeps us from doing what needs doing. We have copperheads and ground rattlers with an occasional timber rattler and very rarely cottonmouths (along the creeks). Pups seem to get bit the most often while learning about things that are strange to them. Their head will get all swollen and often times be left with a disfigured head or nose. Cattle more often come in with swollen legs as did 'old Dog'. Sometimes snakes don't inject venom, sometimes it is weak if they have recently bitten something, usually it causes pain and swelling and sickness but seldome fatal. I can't think any good use for poison snakes and try to kill any I come across, especially if they are around our buildings.

Tom,

The 044 went on the retired saw pile :D I don't know why we don't junk them

As for 'Old Dog' , he was just a stray and will be a lot less expensive to replace than the 044. I never got too attached to dogs cause it always seemed that any that I had that were of any use, if someone else didn't run over them then I did.

"Old Dog' was kind of an exception. He was really protective of my family and house----growling and occasionally nipping at someone he didn't know. I had a lot of fun accusing those people of being Democrats. We have a neighbor that is quite the troublemaker. He's calling the Sherrif constantly reporting people that didn't use their turn signals etc. He caused me some really serious concern without realizing how much trouble he could have caused me (and I'm probably the best friend he has in the area). Well one time he stopped to chew me out because I made some ruts in the road while pulling a car out of the creek. 'Old Dog' calmly walked over to him while he was ranting and peed on him

;D I always had a soft spot in my heart for that old dog ever since.

Tom · July 13, 2004, 07:12:16 PM

Yep! That would have done it for me too. Old Dog must have been a good judge of character. :D

dail_h · July 13, 2004, 07:12:17 PM

Most folks don't get the opportunity to own more'n 'bout one good dog in a lifetime. You sure do miss'em when they're gone,just like folks
Sorry bout Old Dog

Kevin · July 13, 2004, 07:14:41 PM

Too bad about the dog Noble, sorry you lost him before his time was up.
As for the saw, did it seize?

Bro. Noble · July 13, 2004, 08:16:04 PM

Kevin,

The saw didn't seize, but it doesn't crank smooth (with the spark plug out) It wil start and run for a few seconds, but knocks and smokes a lot. I'll keep it for parts. Might buy an 046. I've got an 066 to fell with and we use an 034 to buck. We,ve got an 036 we can use for a spare, but neither my son or myself likes it.

Norm · July 14, 2004, 05:09:34 AM

Good dogs are hard to come by. I never had but one dog that I got attached to, an old black lab that would retrieve anything and everything, still miss the old guy. Thanks for telling us about Old Dog Noble, tough to lose an old friend.

D._Frederick · July 14, 2004, 09:14:37 AM

Noble,

Thanks for the info about your snakes, I wouldn't like to find any in the farm buildings or in a pile of baled hay either.

A good dog is like family and you hate to loose them, it takes effort to find a really smart one that fits into a persons life style. If you can find one that don't cost a fortune, go with an Assie, they have more brains than most.

OneWithWood · July 14, 2004, 10:04:52 AM

Bro,

I sure am sorry to hear about ole dog. I was hoping to meet him someday. I lost a very good dog a few years back. She was a black lab with a lot of personality and very protective. She was 17 when she died. Your porch will seem a bit vacant for a while.

Check out the MS440 as a replacement for the 044. I think you will like it.

Patty · July 14, 2004, 11:52:14 AM

I am real sorry about your dog, Noble. You've lost a good friend. Good friends are hard to come by. Sounds like he had a good life, thanks to you.

Bothy_Loon · July 14, 2004, 02:17:23 PM

Sorry to hear about the old dog . I liked the story about peein on the ranters leg. Good on him.
I have been lucky to have had a few good dogs in my time the last being a mongerel from the pound. I had to hold him while the vet put him to sleep & will never forget those brown eyes looking at me as he slipped away. Didnt feel right for weeks.
Bothy loon

etat · July 14, 2004, 02:43:24 PM

I'm a gonna remember old dog just because of that story. Sounds like he was quite a character back in his day. I've had bunches of dogs, but only one that I really deeply and truly cared for, and miss to this day. His name was Midnight and for a long time he was my babysitter and guardian for my children. He died at my feet with me squalling like a baby. Maybe later I'll tell his story.

The saw can be replaced.

Larry · July 14, 2004, 03:46:22 PM

Sorry about your dog Noble. I have shed a tear or two over the years when I buried a couple of the good ones.

Happy about your saw as this will give you an excuse to try a good saw something on the order of an new Husky 372. :D :D

pappy · July 14, 2004, 05:53:03 PM

Noble,

Sorry to hear about old dog's passing.

We're on our 5th lab in 34 years and when we lose em it hurts. But we's just gotta have a little buddy around, they give us more happiness than sorrow.