the dozer driver

Deliveries in an area the size of Baguio (this site is about 6km long by 4km wide), can be quite taxing after a while.


Hence we called in the big guns, the big pathfinder i mean, to enable us to deliver to the far ends of a couple of lines.
John, let's just say he is a woodsman is not the driver who dozes on the job, but rather the dozer driver. He is one of those who's done it all seen it all kinda bloke.


John has retired after decades of hard work helping to shape far north queensland what it is now. His task is to clear two long lines up to the base of the ranges, one line is about 3.6km long and the other is about 2.6 km long.
It's not as long as the mason-dixon but long enough for a deliveryman who is na ton-ton.

mark knopfler too drew the line, or sang a song about some gullible cordie lad who he swears made him mad. he was sailing to cordillera with a tailor, name of james. now if you believe that then he might be in dire straits. but that's mark taylor and james knopfler - as mason & dixon for you. ladies men, just like me. sometimes nonsensical he he.
Back to the story of John-
Yes John had been a drover, a bushman, a stockman, a builder, a jackaroo, a what-have-you, he was even a manager for a couple of years. Who knows he might also have been a lineman, like dason & mixon.

He is also a good mate of Barney (client's neighbour who owns a quarry next door) who gave his word to supply a bulldozer driver as required.

Unfortunately Barney's man could not make it so he sent an sos to his old mate from mareeba 280kms away in the south, so that's how we ended up with our dozer driver. John came out of retirement as a favor to Barney 'cause they go back a ways. On this job, John is staying with Barney and Barney's missus in town.








A couple of days working with John and i got to hear some of his stories.











To come to the gist of this tale, John and his wife raised three daughters. They raised them as best they could with a lot of blood sweat and tears (and mebbe a drop or two of some hearty ale).
John taught the girls his love of the outdoors and often brought them camping and fishing and maybe the odd hunting trip or two.







John is a philosophical man, and said that he decided early on that he was not going to be too fussed about what his daughters wanted to be, as long as they are happy with what they're doing.









So anyways one day, they got called up to the school to see the principal. John, as any parent would was a little worried and kept asking his wife about any misdemeanours their daughters may have been up to.

At the interview the principal asked them the girls' plans after they finish school.
John, in his no nonsense straight talking manner said could not care less what they did: "...they could be shovelling dirt as long as they're happy..."
It turns out the girls were very high achievers in the sciences and other academic subjects and the principal was concerned that their daughters potentials may not be realised.
And to cut a long tale short, John's daughters are a scientist, an executive manager, and a doctor.
And John drives bulldozers on the side... only if he feels like. Or so he can have that two week holiday overseas.

Coooeee...
I think that's John...
saying the line's now clear for us lazy b___s.
- bones i think he said...


you've long been on the open road
you've been sleepin' in the rain...

so only stop to rest yourself
till you'll go off again...

at this point i may be going to Blackbutt on my next job
will keep you posted.