Thursday, October 16, 2008

Bear Joins The Union

The black mini-pond thingamabob had sat around here for a long time catching rainwater and occasionally growing skeeters. I think we purchased it as a witch's cauldron for a parade float or Macbeth play or SOMETHING unpondlike.

It had occasionally been pressed into service when I needed a holding tank for this or that aquatic critter, but mostly it just sat.

Saturday, I was trapped alone here at PFHQ with the dogs and no vehicle while everyone else went off to play.

There sat the mini-pond . . . waiting to achieve full self-actualization as a real mini-pond complete with water.

Hmmmmm ... the more water sources the better when you are managing a plot of land for wildlife ... why not put this pond to work.

I have a little stand of bamboo that could use a water accent, so I toted the pond over and began to dig.

It wasn't long before Bear showed up looking for work, so I hired him for some of the excavation grunt work. He's a good puppy and got right to work once I explained the concept of diameter and the volume of a cylinder formula. It wasn't long before the pondsite was taking shape due to Bear's diligence.

He was working pretty hard until ...

... a representative of the Canine Union showed up and began telling him how I was exploiting him.
Bear ignored her at first, but soon he was demanding a raise, longer bone breaks, health care plans, and ...


... an employee rec-room complete with jacuzzi.


It pretty much went down hill from there.

Check out the bamboo mounted security camera footage above to see for yourself.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well go figure! I always figured Bear was a Rebel....

Jen said...

Ah, good help is SO hard to find...

Anonymous said...

Too funny. Maybe if you had offered him a change in title and a supervisory position. That's what my employer thinks anyway.

Anonymous said...

I thought you were going to say that Bear struck oil on your property, but then I checked the calendar and realized he hadn't.

Gee, I feel bad about your "soil." Is it all like that? I thought my Ozark rocky soil was bad, but that stuff of yours doesn't look like much more than sand. I guess there's nothing you can do to improve it.

Unknown said...

Did you explain to Bear that Florida is a "right-to-work" state and that he didn't have to join the union? and did he consider having to pay out some of those dog treats as dues? Sounds like the union rep was less than forthcoming with young Bear.

Pablo, you'd be surprised what grows in our "sand"

Doug Taron said...

You're such a taskmaster. I liked the sandy nose effect.

h said...

Vote Troll! I will eliminate Dog Unions, cut your taxes and raise them on anyone you don't like.

http://chromedcurses.com/allatwitter/

Freste said...

Seeing as you didn't provide the tools to do the job correctly or provide OSHA gear/work guidelines or instruct him in proper caninonomics or notify him that his job would be protected, I can certainly see why he hooked up with the AFL (Affordable Fido Labor) union.

The security cam even had the cat laffin all morning!!!

threecollie said...

Easy to see how it works...they join the union and then they don't any more...work that is. lol....good one!

Unknown said...

Too Funny!!! xoxo

kathy a. said...

good thing that bear signed on with a worker-owned company, FC inc., that takes advantage of his personal skills [dirt-digging, chicken-chasing, and bounding around for the camera]! good benefits, too.

Anonymous said...

As a former prez of a local labor union I welcome Brother Bear into our masses. Go Bear......!

In Unity,

Patti

PS did you ever get that book?

MamaHen said...

Hmmm, I think we pay about as much attention to our foreman. ;)

R.Powers said...

Flat,
Oh he is all that and more.

Jen,
You're tellin' me. My boss was just muttering that the other day ...

Cathy S,
Ahhh government. If they're a problem promote them. The Park Service used to do that often.

Pablo,
Yes, early April is the usual oil drilling time around here.
That sand is what I have. This piece of land has only been out the sea a short time ... this is true bottom land.


Bee,
My experience with union reps is that is the usual situation ... less than forthcoming.
Bear has come to his senses now and is actively engaged in his primary occupation of shredding our belongings.


Doug,
Was I too tough on him? He just seems to have the slacker gene sometimes.


Troll,
I don't like cats. Tax the cats.

Freste,
True, coming to a construction site naked except for a collar is probably not a good idea.

3C,
Next he'll be carrying Chairman Mao's little red book.


Emma,
Bear wrote the script.
Love you.


Kathy A,
We found his resume to be resplendent with unusual skills.
He puts the multi in multitasking.


Patti,
Bear says thanks and his dues check is in the mail!
:)
No, and I was in C-land twice this week. I need to write a note and stick it on my dash!!

Annie,
I hope he's probably not as finger waggy as me in that video.

Unknown said...

Bear's all dog!

LauraHinNJ said...

:-)

Thanks for the giggle.

(Silly Labs always ready to goof off.)

Anonymous said...

Pablo stole my joke. That's OK.

You do have even *poorer* soil than we have. Yet you are able to grow a nice selection of fruits/veg's. Are you amending, Fc? If so, what with?

R.Powers said...

Robert,
Definitely all that!

Laurahinnj,
Luka and Bear are always willing to handout smiles!

Thingfish,
I use Miracle Grow liquid fertilizer, Dynamite slow release, etc.
No pesticides, but I am not strictly organic on fertilization.