Author: lewisotr

One Hell Of A Guy, If I do say so myself.
Smithwick, The Early Days2 Comments

A Thanksgiving Feast With Charlie And Minnie

lewisotr

I’ve written before about this couple. They showed up in Smithwick in the early 60s and became a part of the community. They had passed through the area back a couple decades before. They were content to live down in the pecan bottom on river back then. Everything they owned was in the back of an old car back then and when they returned in the 1960s their circumstances hadn’t changed much. After a few days Cecil Lewis invited them to move into the “Old House”. It had been sitting empty since my grandpa, Theron died in 1958. Nonie just … Continue reading A Thanksgiving Feast With Charlie And Minnie

Crazy TimesLeave a comment

My Crooked Nose

lewisotr

I earned my crooked nose. It took me a long time to learn what to do to keep from getting punched in the nose. It was mostly all about keeping my mouth shut at the right time. Back in the mid 70s we were doing a project on the east side of Houston. At I-10 and Federal Rd. to be exact. The job keep me later than usual so well after dark I found myself standing at a pay phone outside of Jim’s Coffee Shop on Federal Road, probably letting Madeline know to not wait dinner on me. At the … Continue reading My Crooked Nose

Crazy TimesLeave a comment

My Nose Job

lewisotr

I have always had a big nose by just about anyone’s estimation. I won’t declare that I’ve worn it with pride, but what’s a feller to do. It’s a good conversation piece with my grandkids. I’m glad I don’t get my feeling hurt easily. You know those little rascals can be mighty direct sometimes. Once when when I went to have lunch with my grandson Nathan when he was in Kindergarten, and he’s been out of school for a few years now, a little boy sitting across the table says “Mister, you got a really big nose“. It had very … Continue reading My Nose Job

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Harold Crider Was A Great Bulldozer Contractor

lewisotr

He was honest, hard working and ran a really great operation. A man to be admired. Whether building a stock tank or pushing and piling brush, he could get it done. He had really great operators working for him. As much as I remember watching and looking up to him (even though you had to be fairly short to actually look up “to” him) there was one peculiar thing that I most remember. He always hauled his dozers around on a float type trailer (that’s a trailer that the bed is approximately 5′ off the ground) instead of a lowboy … Continue reading Harold Crider Was A Great Bulldozer Contractor

Grandchildren, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

I Have A Habit Of Whipping Out Old Saying On My Grandkids

lewisotr

When asked this morning by my high school freshmen grandson, Will or Catfish as many of you know him by, “what’s happening”? I said “the same old six and seven”, figuring that would throw him off. To which I said “it really doesn’t make sense”. It made me stop to think what does that saying really mean and where it originated. The trusty internet came through once again. Anyway, that explanation seemed to satisfy his inquisitive mind and mine too. Continue reading I Have A Habit Of Whipping Out Old Saying On My Grandkids

Amazing Things, Kenny LewisLeave a comment

It’s Been A Sad Day

lewisotr

Today has been a very sad day. A beautiful home was a total loss. However no one was injured. Many years of memories, hard work and treasures are now a pile of ashes. I know this because it was the home of my brother, Kenny and his wife Carol. They will be fine. They are fortunate to have a vacant home just down the road to go to tonight. They are resilient, but much sadness is in their future. Unlike most things with me, it’s a story so I let it rip on Facebook, namely on The Angora Chronicles. But … Continue reading It’s Been A Sad Day

Amazing Things, Kenny LewisLeave a comment

Through The Ashes

lewisotr

After the Fire Department left the house this afternoon, we were able to get a few things that were dear to Carol and Kenny. Many photo albums survived. It’s hard to believe, that they had so many pictures and maybe a couple dozen or more albums survived. Most of Kenny’s family history books were still there. Some damp, some wet, some were mostly unaffected. They even found a few paintings in good shape. One was a painting of Cow Creek by a local artist. His name escapes me at the moment, but Madeline and I gave it to them for … Continue reading Through The Ashes

Crazy Times, In and Around Austin2 Comments

The Ice Storm That Completely Paralyzed Austin

lewisotr

In the early part of 1973, I believe it was January 8th – 10th, it begin to rain and the temperatures dipped into the teens in Austin where we lived, and all around Central Texas. During a two to three day period it was impossible for cars to drive. The vehicles were not equipped for it. The city, county and state governments were ill-prepared to handle those road conditions. Weather forecasting was a hit and miss proposition back in those days, so everyone was caught mostly off guard. Almost everyone was forced to stay right where they were when it … Continue reading The Ice Storm That Completely Paralyzed Austin

Amazing Things, The History of TexasLeave a comment

Playing The Game Of “Connect The People”

lewisotr

It’s strange how people all around the country are connected and we never realize it. I was reading about the Wolf Family from Georgetown (owned the land where the Wolf Ranch Shopping Center is located). We did a lot of work around that development and got to know some of that family. Actually I had known Harry Robertson that married into the Wolf family since childhood. Harry’s sister had married one of my cousins way back when. Mr. Jay Wolf (the patriarch) died back in the 90’s. Wondering about Mrs. Wolf, Bettie, I found her obit. She had passed on … Continue reading Playing The Game Of “Connect The People”

Amazing Things, My Friends, The History of TexasLeave a comment

Are You Going To Buckle Your Seatbelt?

lewisotr

I once was passing my neighbors place out of Dripping Springs and saw he was there. It was a weekday and I realized he, being a state employee probably had the day off because it was Texas Independence Day.  When I pulled up he came outside a we visited a few minutes, then he said, why don’t we drive into town a buy a 6 pack of Lone Star Beer and drive over across the creek, Onion Creek, to the “lookout” a place he really enjoyed. It seemed like the Texas thing to do. I had nothing going on so … Continue reading Are You Going To Buckle Your Seatbelt?