Author: lewisotr

One Hell Of A Guy, If I do say so myself.
Construction, Crazy Times, Meeting New People, On The JobLeave a comment

The Nichols Brothers and how the magic of Facebook helped to write their full story

lewisotr

Back in the 70s we had a band of brothers that came to work for us. They were hardworking, honest to a fault it seems like and a little bit crazy. When I say “honest to a fault”, I mean that they gave you a better days work than maybe they should have, as in it seemed like they were killing themselves to be sure you knew they were earning their pay. Larry, Richard and Conner were their names. Larry was a little older than me, Richard was about my age and Conner was a bit younger. It was easy … Continue reading The Nichols Brothers and how the magic of Facebook helped to write their full story

Construction, In and Around Austin, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Then & Now

lewisotr

I graduated from high school in May 1970. By the fall of 70 I went to work in the underground utility industry. I believe I was earning around $3.00 per hour. Considering the minimum wage back then was$1.60, I was doing pretty well. A top operator was paid $3.75 per hour. By late spring of 1972, I had learned enough about the business, plus what I had picked up being around trucks and machinery my whole life, I subcontracted my first water line installation project in Burnet, Texas. I had a crew of 4 or 5 people including myself. I … Continue reading Then & Now

Crazy Times, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., My Friends, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Before I Became Civilized

lewisotr

Back in high school driving around and drinking beer or even stronger libations was a common practice. Most all the nights run together, one not being different from the other. Occasionally something happened that sets certain nights apart. Getting intoxicated and left up at Roadside without any clothes on, ending up in jail for the night, now that was memorable. A night when a quite a bit older fellow decided I needed to be taken down a notch or two, so we met up in the Lakeland Minimax parking lot and entered into an extended slugfest that could have lasted … Continue reading Before I Became Civilized

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, My Family, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Slamming The Cabinet Doors

lewisotr

Granddad can get cranky at times. Not just because I’m getting older, heck this incident happened 20 something years ago. I wouldn’t have even broken the 50 year old mark at that time. I haven’t always been cranky. I think it set in for me in my thirties. I have to admit I became an old man before my time. I had an Opthomologist tell me I had “old people eyes” once when I started wearing trifocals in my early twenties. He said eyes like yours are usually reserved for old people. At least they never worsened. I guess there’s … Continue reading Slamming The Cabinet Doors

Crazy Times, Kenny LewisLeave a comment

The Hitchhiker

lewisotr

Several years ago Kenny stopped by my place in Bertram one evening. He had a lot to say, but I don’t remember him ever saying anything that enlightened me much that night. That happens sometimes when he has made a trip or two too many to the cooler in the back of his pickup. At least back at that point in time. He was living on out the road from me about 5 or 6 miles. As the night wore on and I wore down I suggested that the best idea was for him was to come in and make … Continue reading The Hitchhiker

Crazy Times, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

A Typical Friday Night Growing Up in Marble Falls in the 1960s

lewisotr

We would drive through town, go up the roadside park up on the hill, south of town, turn around then drive to the far north end of town. Turn around and repeat that same course dozens of times during a Friday or Saturday night. The whole circle would be no more than a couple of miles. Very few cars would speed, mostly just cruising up and down looking cool. Gasoline cost 35 cents per gallon, so for $5.00 you could drive around all night long. Most of us were drinking beer and having a good ol time. There were drugs … Continue reading A Typical Friday Night Growing Up in Marble Falls in the 1960s

Amazing Things, Meeting New People, Thoughts and Musings4 Comments

Because It Felt Right

lewisotr

Back in the 1980s, probably the summer of 1987 or 88 , I was an adult sponsor on a high school church mission trip to Appalachia. A chance encounter happened one evening. After our hard days work, we would walk to a convenience store a couple of blocks from the community center where we stayed each night. We would go there and get ice cream, but mostly we went there to use a pay phone to call home. I had a cell phone but it was difficult back then to get service many places. We were in a little town … Continue reading Because It Felt Right

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, On The Job, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Death By Seatbelt

lewisotr

Once when we were doing a project in Dallas, my Suburban was having mechanical problems so I took it to the shop. They gave me a rental car. This was in the early 90s. Kenny was up helping me on that project so we would go eat before we would go to our apartment each evening. This night we determined where to go eat on our way home, but then I changed my mind. He was following me when we stop at a red light. I just opened the drivers door and stuck my head out to tell him to … Continue reading Death By Seatbelt

Crazy Times, Kenny LewisLeave a comment

An Encounter With A Big Ol’ Sow (this happened back in June 2019, so you don’t need to send him any get-well cards – he’s fine)

lewisotr

The lady from down under the hill that owns one of his lease pastures called to say there was a hog back in the hay field. Kenny headed that way, it was just before dusk last night. He could see a really big sow out in the middle of the field. He leveled down on her with his .223 and pulled the trigger. She didn’t stay down, so he shot again. She ran for the thick brush. Knowing she was injured he grabbed his 9mm pistol and went in pursuit. He found her laying down but still alive. He shot … Continue reading An Encounter With A Big Ol’ Sow (this happened back in June 2019, so you don’t need to send him any get-well cards – he’s fine)

Kenny Lewis, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Wife To The Rescue

lewisotr

I KNEW ONE DAY WE COULD GET OLD KENNY WOUND UP. It took a little while after we got The Angora Chronicle up and running, but finally he cut loose and told us some of his famous wife stories. Wife To The Rescue – Part 1 For those that are not aware, I have been married three times. Even though I’m sure, had I ever gotten into a situation where I needed help in my defense, Karen would have been there, it just never came up. Shirley was my second wife. Many years ago we were at a Jackpot steer … Continue reading Wife To The Rescue