
Bill McDonald and Ralph Casey
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Bill McDonald
August 14, 1955 - December 28, 2008
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The Farrier
His nights are long and cold,
He gets up with a groan.
His bones are tired, broken from the mold.
The coffee hot and black
He looks at his planner to figure his day
His office, a horse on wheels, requires no meals.
The secretary, a cold voice mail
while he hammers yet another nail.
You need him in a pinch cause
Ol' Daubers stuck in the fence.
"Mr. Farrier help Ol' Dauber is broke"
"No, this is not a joke, I need him by yesterday"
"I'm miles away you are going to have to pay"
Like a superhero he saves the day.
Ol' Dauber walks away feeling well,
You bid him a farewell.
With your pocketbook dented
and his pocketbook padded, you smile and say, "Hope he is around to save me another day"
Well old man, job well done, your day is over,
Go home and rest y'er weary bones.
Matthew McDonald, Son
We remember Bill as the true Texan, living in Colorado, with something to say. His articles as the "Phantom Farrier" were humerous, serious and sometimes offensive. He was genuinely concerned about helping new farriers get started out on the right foot, and stressed "good shoeing" all the time. Bill joined the BWFA in 1990. The last time we talked was just before the 2008 Convention which he was not able to attend. His father had recently passed away. He did send us a quote for the bulletin . . .
It's easy to drift with the current swift
just lie in your boat and dream.
But in natures plan it takes a real man
to paddle a boat upstream.
and RC, that's what you are doing.
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