Category: Amazing Things

Amazing Things, My Family, Smithwick, The Jollyville Years, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

The Little Keepsake Box

lewisotr

This little wooden box is one of the treasures that I hold close to my heart. It belonged to my Grandmother, Leona, that we affectionately called Maw-Maw. The initials L P was for Leona Purcell. I will be telling you more in a couple of days about my Maw-Maw, who was known as Aunt Nonie by many folks around the country. Why in a couple of days? May 6, 2021 will commemorate 112 year’s since her birth. Now back to the box. I remember that she always kept this box on her dresser. When I would ask her about it, … Continue reading The Little Keepsake Box

Amazing Things, Crazy TimesLeave a comment

Back When I Went Middle Aged Crazy And Bought A Corvette

lewisotr

All my life 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, with a for sale sign on it. It belonged to the daughter of the owner. 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 it. Especially if I closed the deal before Madeline found out. … Continue reading Back When I Went Middle Aged Crazy And Bought A Corvette

Amazing Things, Grandchildren, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Sometimes you just have to adjust to the situation.

lewisotr

We drink coffee in the morning, pretty well every morning. Even though there are cheaper ways to drink coffee, we buy the K Cups and use a Keurig because we seldom drink more than a cup (although they are big cups). So making a pot of coffee seems like over kill. I drink my coffee out of a disposable Dixie Cup of the 16 ounce variety, with a lid. A while back my little granddaughter, Fia, (Sofia) started bringing me cups of coffee all during the day and night. With a face like this I couldn’t tell her that I … Continue reading Sometimes you just have to adjust to the situation.

Amazing Things, My Friends, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

The Two Minute Talk That Has Lasted Me A Lifetime

lewisotr

Udo was of German descent. He had a coarseness about him, but an incredible refinement as well. He adapted to the situation he was in at the moment. When he retired after a long career in the excavation business, he sold me his office and yard, along with some heavy equipment and trucks. We lived across the street from he and his wife, so our visits were frequent. In retirement he moved from his lifetime hobby of flying planes, to flying helicopters. He would often fly me around to look at my projects. It helped him stay in touch with … Continue reading The Two Minute Talk That Has Lasted Me A Lifetime

Aging, Amazing Things, Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Old Holland Page Kenworth Truck

lewisotr

When I was a small boy and would go visit the Holland Page Construction Yard. My greatest thrill of all was when we would go there and his big Kenworth Haul Truck was there dropping off or picking up a load. Below is a picture of a truck that looks so much like that old Kenworth. It was a 1940 model. It was retired in 1964, with 4.5 million miles on it. The same driver had picked it up at he factory and driven it every mile or so was the tale. His name was Mullins. I have no idea … Continue reading The Old Holland Page Kenworth Truck

Amazing Things, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

What Would Life Be Like If This Move Had Taken Place

lewisotr

Back in 1963 or 1964 my dad was working for an old highway contractor in Austin. Holland Page, as a young man had started building Texas roads and highways when they were moving dirt with fresno’s and teams of mules. Mr. Page and Cecil Lewis developed a real liking for each other. We would go in with our dad to the office on Saturdays. We would prowl around the shop and yard area, which was about 4 blocks north of US 183 on North Lamar in Austin. Mr. Page would caution us about watching for rattlesnakes out in that jungle … Continue reading What Would Life Be Like If This Move Had Taken Place

Amazing Things, Another Daily Happening, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, The Construction Biz2 Comments

Another Rock Blasting Story

lewisotr

During the first 15 years of my contracting career most trenches in rock were blasted, before good productive and dependable rock trenchers were developed. We had one crew that their primary job was drilling and shooting (term we used for blasting) rock. We were building a new subdivision right behind the Bannockburn Baptist Church, before it was built, on Brodie at McCarty Lane in southwest Austin. All was going real good on that project. Don the crew foreman and our ace blaster was short handed, so he hired an old hippie that happened by. The old hippie’s only job was … Continue reading Another Rock Blasting Story

Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Let me give you a little insight into my dad, Cecil Lewis.

lewisotr

I hope I don’t give the impression that Cecil Lewis was an outlaw or something. He was, what can I say, he was Cecil Lewis. Truly a one of a kind. If he liked you he’d do anything for you, if he didn’t like you, he’d still do anything for you. He was liked by most people, respected by many but people knew to give him a wide berth.I owe much of my success to him. Not only in the things he taught me to do, but in the things I learned not to do. He was the nicest yet … Continue reading Let me give you a little insight into my dad, Cecil Lewis.

Amazing Things, My Friends, The Construction Biz, The Early DaysLeave a comment

Bud Lockhart – Trucker Extraordinaire

lewisotr

I was about 13 years old, up underneath an old dump truck, single handedly putting in a new clutch. We were allowed to use an old covered platform dock down at Pure Stone for the purpose of working on our trucks. It had originally be put there as a loading dock, to load rail cars, but was no longer needed for that purpose. I could tell that a fellow had walked up and was standing beside the truck. I continued on working. About then this fellow squatted down so he could take in what was happening. We chatted as I … Continue reading Bud Lockhart – Trucker Extraordinaire