Gravel roads

[cowman]

It always amazes me how many "armchair graders" there are out there?
I talk to a lot of farmers and hear how their grader operator is not doing a very good job. They seem to think they know what he should be doing differently!
Now the grader operator in my area is just a young guy and I seriously think he is the best one we have ever had, but to hear some of the neighbors talk, he is not doing anything right! I suspect they have short memories!
He is cutting the shoulders hard and of course that brings up clumps of sod? What his detractors don't seem to understand is he is trying to put a crown back on the road for better drainage and therefore less pot holes!
I actually phoned into the county and told them what a good job he was doing.

[coppertop]

good for you cowman. Municipal employees are the target of so much criticizm it is nice for them to get some praise for work well done.

[cowman]

coppertop: I have always been a firm believer in getting to know the people who affect your life? I stop and talk to the grader operator...hey it has to be one of the most boring jobs imaginable?
I shoot the bull with him...and guess what? If it is real ugly...guess who gets his lane plowed out? When I need a real good job pushing back the snow from the water hole...who helps me out?
Every year I buy the operator a bottle at Christmas, with a little note saying how thankful I am what a good job he has done! Who do you think comes to mind after a big snowfall?
I also do the same for the mailman.
Am I an idiot? Am I throwing my money away?
I don't drink...actually can't. But I probably buy more booze than the biggest drunk here! That quite frankly is how business works? You help out others...they help you out? One hand washes the other? Might seem crass...but that is the trick?

[coppertop]

cowman, during my years on council it was disgusting to hear neighbours undermine the work done by county employees. If someone saw a county truck parked during lunch hour and heaven forbid, a county employee was eating their lunch, then all hell broke loose. We had one citizen who used to follow the county trucks to find something to complain about !!!

I do my utmost to let anyone who provides a service know that I appreciate what they have done, whether its the youngster that carries out my groceries, the gal that pumps gas or some poor senior that is working at Tim Hortons and is run off their feet !! My parents were sticklers for courtesy and ' walking in another's shoes'

I was carrying a couple of huge packages down the street in town this morning, and one was going to fall on the ground, when a young fellow came up and offered to carry it to my vehicle. His comment was ' I work on the rigs and all too often in the dog eat dog lives we have we don't take time to help one another'. He made my day !!!

[cowman]

KARMA...coppertop...Karma!
How hard is it to give someone a compliment? To go that wee bit extra to make their day?
You know it...you got it.

[countrygirl]

I just had to comment about yur statements of the gravel roads. A little kindness goes a long way. I am sure that the dude on the machine apprteciates the recognition. I have been told that it is not to expect any thing more htan a paycheck, that is bull a pat on the back goes further and is remembered better. Good on you for thinking of the workers out there. I am in retail and boy there are some seniors out there working their butts of til pension pittence comes their way and they will more than likely keep on working just to make ends close together( they will never meet)

[coppertop]

Making ends meet is getting exceedingly more difficult for anyone on a low or fixed income.

Being courteous and showing ones appreciation takes no time and certainly costs nothing.