Author: lewisotr

One Hell Of A Guy, If I do say so myself.
Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

All My Sons

lewisotr

Madeline was moving some her favorite pieces of furniture to our new place in Corpus a few years ago. She was the one setting up the furniture move, because I had proven that I wasn’t a good mover. I asked her who was bringing the stuff down. She proudly proclaimed “All My Sons”. Puzzled, because we had decided that it was all the really good stuff (stuff that cost too much) and me moving it wasn’t going to work. We have a long history of severe damage every time I have moved anything. In my mind our sons learned everything … Continue reading All My Sons

Amazing Things, On The Job, The Construction BizLeave a comment

The Techno-Redneck or Gadget Man

lewisotr

Over the past 30 years I have adopted two nicknames. I like each equally. It all started back in the mid 90s when mobile phones were becoming more widely popular and affordable. I always thought I wanted to newest thing out so when a new gadget hit the market I tried to be the first to have it. I usually had a string of employees that were more than willing to take my hand me downs. I didn’t feel too bad about buying the new cutting edge devices because I was convinced that being in the forefront could help one … Continue reading The Techno-Redneck or Gadget Man

On The Job, The Construction BizLeave a comment

Cell Phones On The Cheap

lewisotr

After the prosperous years of the 80s came the real estate bust of the late 80s and early 90s. Kenny, Coy (of double tailed quarter fame) and I were once again teamed up again doing work together. The days of mobile phones had given way to pagers and pay phones. Mobile phones were very expensive in the early days. My average phone bill in the 80s was $1,000 – $1,200 per month. That wasn’t for the whole company, that was just me. I stayed on the phone constantly, conducting business and doing a fair share of BS’ing. Those costs just … Continue reading Cell Phones On The Cheap

Crazy Times, Meeting New People, SmithwickLeave a comment

The Fruit Basket

lewisotr

Growing up in Smithwick, I knew just about everyone that ever came through there.After getting out of school and getting married, I left for Austin and would get back up there every few weeks. But things were changing faster than I could keep up with. The 227 acres that Kenny and I grew up on started being sold off in small tracts. While it’s no secret we didn’t really like it that Cec was selling it off, it wasn’t our choice. He had inherited the property from his Dad in 1958, when our Grandfather, Theron, passed away. But it appeared … Continue reading The Fruit Basket

Crazy Times, Smithwick, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

J.P. and the Tires

lewisotr

I’ve told a story about the snake victim that was working up in the wrecking yard. The junk yard is what we called it, was a 5 acre abandoned field up the hill and out of sight of our house. It was on our land, but was operated by Hugh Hampton. He would bring wrecked cars in and strip them down for usable car parts then scrap the remaining pieces. One day a “63” or it may have been a “64” Chevy Impala was brought in that had been in a wreck and was pretty much totaled. It had belong … Continue reading J.P. and the Tires

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Kenny LewisLeave a comment

Cec And His Home Brew Recipe (As Told By Kenny Lewis)

lewisotr

Cec was one of the men in the fifties that was plagued with stomach ulcers, which seemed to be fairly common in those days or at least much more than now. His diet consisted of raw eggs, raw oysters, milk and crackers and certainly no alcohol. Even with his best attempt at the home remedy cure, the situation worsened until finally in the middle of the night he had to be rushed to the hospital and emergency surgery to remove a portion of his stomach. It was the cure he had needed for a long time. Thankfully he was back … Continue reading Cec And His Home Brew Recipe (As Told By Kenny Lewis)

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Rattlesnake Bite Victim

lewisotr

Cec allowed an old fellow from Marble Falls to establish a wrecking yard on a little patch of ground on our property. Old Man Hugh Hampton was as nice of a fellow as I ever met, and a very hard worker. He was honest as the day was long. (Whatever that saying is suppose to mean) Hugh had a fellow working for him up in the junk yard pulling usable parts off of cars. It was in the summertime, because Kenny and I were both at the house. I’m betting we had stopped by to grab a bite to eat. … Continue reading The Rattlesnake Bite Victim

Cecil Lewis, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

Four Wrecks All Happened Within Minutes

lewisotr

It was the Friday afternoon of opening weekend of deer season, in 1968. The calamities started when Kenny, in a Ford Falcon, pulled out from the Gulf Station in Marble Falls. He and his squeeze at the time, Karen, were going to head northbound. I think Kenny was paying more attention to the redhead sitting next to him than he was to the heavy traffic, as he got t-boned by a Houston attorney that was up to go hunting. The attorneys car was a brand new Oldmobile 98 with 250 miles on it. No one was hurt seriously, but both … Continue reading Four Wrecks All Happened Within Minutes

Crazy Times, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Wreck At The South End Of The Marble Falls Bridge

lewisotr

It was just coming light and as I came down the hill I spun and couple of turns in that ole “63” short wheelbased Chevrolet pickup and smacked the guardrail right on the end of the bridge. I was more than likely going too fast for the conditions. Let me back up there, I was going to fast. Early one Sunday morning with it raining and the road slick, I had taken Kenny out to the Pure Stone Quarry to pick up a dump truck. I would have been 14 or 15 years old. George Becker was standing in the … Continue reading The Wreck At The South End Of The Marble Falls Bridge

Crazy Times, Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Wooden Pallets

lewisotr

After graduation several of us gathered at the Scott Place down at Doublehorn. Winfield had been out of high school for a year and was home after finishing his first year at LSU. His folks were away, so it was an ideal place for a party. Knowing I had stuff to do the next day I had the presence of mind to leave the party before daylight and head to Smithwick. I was scheduled to go to San Antonio and pick up a load. I was over on the Eastside of San Antonio by mid morning sitting at a huge … Continue reading The Wooden Pallets