Category: Amazing Things

Amazing Things, In and Around AustinLeave a comment

Roberta Crenshaw

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I became acquainted with this lady by owning land that adjoined property she owned in south Austin. Her obituary tells her life story far better than I can. She truly was a remarkable lady. The things she did will leave a mark of beauty on Austin for an eternity. Civic pioneer Roberta Crenshaw dies at 90 Parks activist fought to keep Town Lake serene. By Dick Stanley AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Wednesday, February 09, 2005 Lady Bird Johnson often gets the credit for Town Lake’s beauty and its popular hike-and-bike trail, but when she was praised for that, Mrs. Johnson used to … Continue reading Roberta Crenshaw

Amazing Things, Cecil LewisLeave a comment

Cecil And The Blind Salamanders

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When we built the Guadalupe River State Park in the early 80s, I had Cec (my dad) down on that job driving a water truck. (Except when he bit my thumb – but that’s a whole other story). He brought his travel trailer over and camped out right down along the river. Some of the park people told us about a closed section of the park that no one was allowed to go. It was actually on an adjoining ranch that had been acquired by The Parks and Wildlife Department that was going to stay undeveloped. It was called The … Continue reading Cecil And The Blind Salamanders

Aging, Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Hard of Hearing

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I’m not sure what went wrong. May have been from running air tracks, with no ear protection when I was a younger fella. Or being around bulldozers and other noisy equipment my whole life. I don’t think it has anything to do with being yelled at by my wife because she’s never been a yeller. In fact she is so quiet I hardly know when she’s around. Or maybe I’m just not hearing her yell. But she’s been telling me for 20 years or maybe 40 years that I need some hearing aids. I finally decided a few weeks ago … Continue reading Hard of Hearing

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, Texas History, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Montopolis, Travis County, Texas

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Correcting The Record: I have been told by a noted Travis County Historian that the photo of The Montopolis Courthouse, Travis County has been found not be the case. There was no such Courthouse at Montopolis. My personal story about the area: I have very fond memories of the Montopolis Area of Austin. I really didn’t know much about the history.My construction office and yard was at 2801 Montopolis Dr. for about a decade back in the 70s & 80s. It was the old homestead that included a stone house, garage apartment behind and a metal shop building farther back. … Continue reading Montopolis, Travis County, Texas

Amazing Things, My Family, My Friends, Smithwick, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

Some of Smithwick’s Finest

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This is a post that Mona Gayle Waldrip posted in the very early days of the Angora Chronicles. Let me take a moment to say: “Mona Gayle you are so missed by so many people. Your pictures and your words meant so much to all of us.” I think the little boy out front in the middle was Kenny Jackson. Continue reading Some of Smithwick’s Finest

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

Dink’s Watch

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As a young teenager my friend Dink had a watch that I thought was the neatest thing. It was a Bulova Accutron. Those were the popular watch in the 60s that used a tuning fork instead of spring to keep them in rhythm. Instead of a tick tick tick, they hummed. By the time I was grown and Dink and I were in business together, the watch quit working. He had tried several places to get it repaired and the cost was more than it was worth. I talked him out of it, but I don’t remember the financial arraignment. … Continue reading Dink’s Watch

Amazing Things, Another Daily Happening, Crazy Times, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Things Can Move Slowly At Times

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Trying to work out a little issue with the IRS. I finally got assigned a Tax Payer Advocate to help me figure things out. That was back about this time last year. I can’t call or email her. That just the way things are done. I have to either fax her question and she gets back to me or I can call her, and leave a voice message on her direct number. She has been very good all year about giving me updates on the progress. Of course that’s only one a month, and I need to strive to grab … Continue reading Things Can Move Slowly At Times

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, Texas History, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Nothing is ever plain or simple in Austin

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The Pfluger Pedestrian & Bicycle Bridge is a good example of this. While I considered the cost to be extravagant for a pedestrian bridge, I have grown fond of it over the years. It’s a beautiful addition to the city, especially the way it is lighted, as shown in the wonderful drone shot.Christopher V. ShermanOverAustin.com https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_D._Pfluger_Pedestrian_and_Bicycle_Bridge This is a link to a video I took back in July 2016 from the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/EvCPwLy92QVJWFtv/?mibextid=WC7FNe Continue reading Nothing is ever plain or simple in Austin

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, Texas History, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

KRUGER’S JEWELERS, Austin, Texas

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An Austin Institution !!!! My wife, Madeline, and I bought our wedding rings from a very young David Kruger, back in the fall of 1971. I’m not for sure, but he may have still been in college, working there part time. He dealt with this very young couple (we had both just turned 19) so nicely. You knew he was meant for the jewelry business ! On November 6, we will have been wearing these rings for 53 years. This article was in a special addition of the Austin American-Statesman March 2, 1986. Current photos of Kruger’s Jewelers Continue reading KRUGER’S JEWELERS, Austin, Texas