The latest on Hairy.
I bought my Gator three days after the day we thought Hairy was gone for good. I had wanted one anyway, but it looked like I was going to be chasing the dog on the pipeline cut a LOT, not to mention all the running around keeping up with what the pipeliners are getting into. My intuition was correct.
My wife was not intent on cooperating about penning him up, so he ended up running the pipeline alot. As the different crews move farther down the line, he follows them to a point where it's a big trek for him to get back. Several times I went up the pipeline cut on the Gator to pick him up. He was so exhausted, he would be stopping to rest and panting like crazy. He would be pretty happy to ride home in the bed of the Gator.
He's gotten to be a legend on the pipeline. The crewmembers call to tell where he is. They call to tell us they are afraid he's going to get killed by the machinery..... Then YESTERDAY was a whole new call.
I had managed to get the kennel situated and my wife got him a bed, food and water dish and put him up yesterday. I got home and he was in the kennel and really being mature about it. I got buisy doing some stuff on the place and when my wife got home, she got him out and I thought he would run off since he could hear the machinery. He didn't run off, but took refuge on the porch.
My neighbor really loves the dog and is retired, with plenty of conversation with the crews. He said that most of the crew members he talks to, tell him how great the dog is. He also told me that he had observed that Hairy stays away from the machinery and concentrates on the areas where there are lots of boots on the ground. My neighbors fear is that since everyone brags about how good of a dog he is, that someone will take him home one weekend.
Here's where the most interesting phone call comes from: Since we successfully penned him up yesterday, there was a voice mail message from a crewmember. He said that he had not seen "Hairy Dog" (name on his phone number tag) all morning and wanted to call and make sure he was okay.
Hairy Dog evidently has now earned hero status among the Texas Keystone XL crews.
I'm anxious now to find out if they have taught him to weld.
Hopefully my wife managed to pen him up again today.