What would cause me to have a satisfied mind? I guess it’s a lot like counting your blessings. I’m sitting at our kitchen table that seats eight and at our kitchen counter, 10 more are squeezed together for my grandaughter Sammy’s 21st birthday party. A few days before the party I asked Sammy if she had any idea as to what kind of a career she might want. I had asked this question at other times but all I got was a, “I don’t know.” This time was different. Sammy is so good at so many things like being a Cowgirl, a very good cook, a horse trainer, and a teacher but her answer was none of the above. Sammy said working in a daycare center sounds very interesting and that after serval visits to different centers, she feels right at home in one. I thought to myself our country certainly needs more daycare workers just like her. Another guest of the party, Kincade, our youngest grandson has soloed many trips in a helicopter and is well on his way to becoming a full-fledged pilot, that are said to be very much in demand. Lauren and her husband Cian have a fantastic, log cabin recording sound studio on the ranch, Middle Ridge Studio. Cian is also a much sought-after sound engineer, who is asked to travel wherever a sound stage needs setting up and sound knobs that need turning. Lauren does all the marketing for the ranch and rides. Kathryn, who graduated from Cal Poly in 2022, has taken on the job of scheduling all the events for the V6, from cattle drives to cowboy academies and all the yet-to-be-discovered other events in the future. Kathryn also raises and trains Barrel Racing horses, when finished she loads them up and heads to the nearest jackpot barrel race. When she feels they are ready to move on and up, it’s on to a rodeo to see what she really has under her saddle. 

           My son Greg, besides Kincade, has two sons. Rhett has just graduated from Montana State University and has a very nice girlfriend so it’s too early for me to guess what direction he goes in. His older brother Zack has a fence-building business in Stephenville, Texas and is doing very well, but I hear that the allure of having a chance to go down the road to as many rodeos as possible, with hopes of winning enough money to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, tugs pretty hard at a very good team ropers heartstrings. 

           I can’t forget my two granddaughters Sage Massey and Kayla Santos who partner up each year to produce the big Parkfield Rodeo. The rest of Sage’s time she spends starting and training two-year-old horses and is very sought after for her skills. Kayla has bore two great-grandchildren for Zee and me by the names of Hank and my namesake Jack. She is the full-time office manager for Massey Livestock owned by Mike Massey and our daughter Lillian. There must be somebody who wants to run the cattle operation on the V6?  Well, he just showed up. My grandson Brinan Varian and I have become partners in the most volatile business known to man, the cattle business. Now that’s how you get to have a satisfied mind. 

                    See Ya, 

                     Jack