Category: Crazy Times

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, On The Job, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Vicious Guard-Dogs – Oak Cliff, Texas

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We once had a project, installing a really large waterline in Dallas. It was actually in the Oak Cliff neighborhood south of downtown. This was in the late part of the 1980s. It was a really rough part of the city. I haven’t spent much time there in the past couple of decades, but something tells me that things haven’t improved much. I’ll tell you how bad things were, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary to find a dead body along the right of way of our project, which started out down near the Trinity River and came up … Continue reading Vicious Guard-Dogs – Oak Cliff, Texas

Crazy Times, Meeting New PeopleLeave a comment

My Encounter With Zoran

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When we first bought our place in Corpus Christi in the spring of 2013, and was getting moved in, I would see a fellow that easily could have been homeless walk along the side street, then cross Ocean Drive and disappear under the hill into Cole Park. This guy appeared to be about my age, looked a bit scraggly and always unshaven, but didn’t really have a beard. One of those guys that you wonder how he appears to never shave, yet never has a real beard. My house was full of windows, especially on the lower floor, looking out … Continue reading My Encounter With Zoran

Crazy Times, My Friends, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

After The Big Wreck (sequel to the 13 Vehicle Accident)

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I’m not sure if it was because of the wreck or just because, but Mary Alice has always been the classmate that Madeline and I have held the closest and been the most constant friend throughout the past 54 years since moving on from high school. She has spent many holiday feasts with us and watched our sons grow up and them have kids. Our sons think of her as the crazy old aunt (said in an endearing way). She has the ability to talk about any subject and talk she can do. One time, 15 or 16 years ago, … Continue reading After The Big Wreck (sequel to the 13 Vehicle Accident)

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., My Friends, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

A 13 Vehicle Accident In Marble Falls

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Usually you think of multi-car wrecks happening in Austin or Houston or Dallas. A little known fact is there was a wreck that happened right in Marble Falls, Texas that involved 13 vehicles back in the spring of 1970. I was involved. It was my senior year and I only went to school in the mornings and worked at a local car dealership in the afternoon. This one afternoon things weren’t to busy at the car lot so I ran home and grabbed a small trailer mounted air compressor and headed to Kingsland to drill a few holes for dynamite … Continue reading A 13 Vehicle Accident In Marble Falls

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Kenny Lewis, My Family, My Sons, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Santa Comes to Dripping Springs

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We had moved to Dripping Springs in the mid 80’s. It was a great place to raise kids. Life was really wonderful. Madeline was able to find something to occupy her time with every second of every day. And night. All of the little angels were involved in sports and a variety of other activities. We had an active church life with a great church family. Madeline was the Den Mother for the younger boys. It was Christmas time and we were hosting a party out at our place. Bunch of little Cub Scouts everywhere. Madeline could talk my brother … Continue reading Santa Comes to Dripping Springs

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

Private Fallout Shelters in the 1960s

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Fallout or Bomb Shelters were both used to describe these underground structures. Talking about the Nike Bases that were built to protect Bergstrom Air Force Base made me think back to the early 60s in Austin. My dad was working for a construction company doing what I’ve spent my lifetime doing, installing underground utilities. The company transitioned into building “private underground bomb shelters” all over Austin. The only one I remember ever seeing built was over in a neighborhood off of Airport Blvd., very near the old Austin Airport.I wonder how many are still intact after all these decades. The … Continue reading Private Fallout Shelters in the 1960s

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The Early Days, The History of TexasLeave a comment

Nike Missile Bases Built To Protect Bergstrom Air Force Base

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In 1960 my Dad, Cecil worked as a construction inspector for Marvin Turner Engineering. He was assigned to overseeing the building of two missile launch sites in the Austin area. There were deep underground silos dug into the ground where the Nike Missiles were to be launched from. I’ve read that the launch sites were decommissioned in 1966. I think the program was being scuttled before it really ever got off the ground. There is one off of Bee Caves Rd. The Command Center, for both launch sites, has now become the Bee Caves Armory, is across Bee Cave Road … Continue reading Nike Missile Bases Built To Protect Bergstrom Air Force Base

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The Construction Biz, The History of Texas19 Comments

Hauling A Parsons Ladder Trencher

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Back in 1970, not too long after I graduated from high school, I was driving a truck for Nelson Lewis, hauling equipment all over the state. I remember being dispatched to Devine, Texas to haul a Parsons Trencher from there over to Port Lavaca. It was a trip of around 200 miles, maybe more with weaving my way down through the many little south Texas towns. This was before any big highways were built. Those towns were connected with Farm to Market Roads and a few State Highways. I got to Devine late in the afternoon one day, loaded the … Continue reading Hauling A Parsons Ladder Trencher