More On Being Granddad

January 21, 2023 This is a post from a few years ago when I try my best to describe what being Grandad (after 30 years I’m still conflicted about whether it is Grandad or Granddad) is really like. It’s still the best job I’ve ever had. Thursday night I was in Bryan, Texas watching Will play basketball, spent the night in the motorhome and drove to Waco yesterday where I met up with Madeline for a nice dinner. We spent the night in a wonderful RV Park at Riesel, Texas and we will watch Will and the Flames play in … Continue reading More On Being Granddad

There Really Is No Better Job, Nor A Job As Rewarding As Being A Grandparent.

From November 17, 2018 The following story from last year caused me to swell with pride as I read what one granddaughter said during an interview. Last night I watched as Emma and her Lady Bulldog Teammates took on Georgetown and came out winners. Emma was the high scorer, with 24 points. I think we can look forward to an exciting season of basketball for Burnet. They really have some outstanding girls on that team. I also have grandson Will (Catfish) to watch as he does a season of 8th grade basketball. It would be hard to find anyone with … Continue reading There Really Is No Better Job, Nor A Job As Rewarding As Being A Grandparent.

Kenny And The White Bronco

I have to admit that in my younger years I spoiled myself with buying vehicles. I was doing a lot of driving, bidding on work all around the state. When I say a lot of driving, somewhere between 80,000 and 100,000 miles per year. I had a new Buick Rivera that I considered my road car. And it did handle the road very well. We had a project in Kendall County, just north of San Antonio building the Guadalupe River State Park, which was a undeveloped tract of ranch land when we started, so I couldn’t see driving that nice … Continue reading Kenny And The White Bronco

My Corvette Story

I wanted a Corvette almost more than anything in the world. I didn’t get one until about 1985. I drove up to a used truck dealership in Buda, Texas that I’d been doing business with. There set a very nice 1981 Corvette. It belonged to the owners daughter. It really looked classy. I had to have it. I had just sold a prime piece of property and felt rich. Nothing was going to stop me from owning that Vette. Especially if I closed the deal before Madeline found out. That car was brown, a slightly lighter brown than this. I … Continue reading My Corvette Story

Evolution of a State by Noah Smithwick

I have always heard it said that this is one of the best, if not the best first hand account of the settling of Texas ever put into book form. I grew up with a 1st edition, 1900 copy of this book in our home. It had belonged to my grandfather, A.T. Lewis. I knew it was a book that had to remain in our family. I grew up in Smithwick Texas, with the old Smithwick Mill on the Colorado River being on part of our family property. That being the old homestead of Francis Porter Lewis and Florence Stinnett … Continue reading Evolution of a State by Noah Smithwick

Impersonating Kenny

For years Kenny and I sounded amazingly alike on the phone. We both have what I guess is a distinct Smithwick accent. I’m doubtful that Kenny ever took advantage of that. My wife admits to getting us confused a few times. Maybe they can tell us if any of those conversations ever went hay-wire.If they did, I never heard about it. On the other hand, I can’t tell you how much confusion I caused by letting different ones think they were talking to Kenny when I was the one they were actually talking to. Our Grannie Ruby was easy. All … Continue reading Impersonating Kenny

Our Very First Furniture Purchase

Shortly after Madeline and I married we went to WF & JF Barnes Lumber Company and purchased this little cedar chest. It has made most of our moves during the past 51 plus years. Then on our first anniversary I bought her a new Singer Sewing Machine in a nice wood cabinet. It was purchased at the Singer Store on the lower level at Highland Mall in Austin. That was a brand new mall at that time. (I read a few days ago that it’s been shut down completely now) On one move, up to Waxahachie in about 1991 after … Continue reading Our Very First Furniture Purchase

Our Hometown Hero, Felipe Gutierrez

For the past few days I kept seeing the following friend suggestion when I’d log on to Facebook. This morning seeing the fellow, Steve Connatser, with the familiar face of Roy Rogers standing along side of him, I wondered who this guy is. I had only one friend in common with Mr. Connatser. As soon as I looked him up on FB I realized he is really fairly famous, being involved in the Travel Magazine Business. I google him and then it all came clear. It was a story we had on Angora Chronicles a while back. It involved Round … Continue reading Our Hometown Hero, Felipe Gutierrez