Category: Crazy Times

Crazy Times, My Family, My Friends, Smithwick, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

Gifts That Kept On Giving

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When I was about 11 or 12 I started collecting cigarette coupons. Benson and Hedges coupons. You could trade them for prizes out of a catalog, just like trading stamps. There were two or three brands that fell under the B&H brand so they all had a little coupon attached to the package, beneath the cellophane cover. Extra rewards came when you bought a carton. Back in the 60s just about every adult that I was around smoked. Socks and Lois Jackson were still married at that time and I spent a lot of time over there with them. Lois … Continue reading Gifts That Kept On Giving

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Learning To Eat Foods You Hate

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When I was about 13 years old, on a hot summer day Cec took me to a John Deere Front End Loader on the top of Taylor Mountain, as we always called it. From up there you could see Marble Falls, because you were up there looking down. It was far into the distance. I was clearing off the brush on several lots and then leveled them up for future building. It was early in the morning when he dropped me and I didn’t think about taking a jug of water. When noon rolled around I had never seen anyone. … Continue reading Learning To Eat Foods You Hate

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Why Did I Think This Would Work ?

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Once or twice a week I go to a place for breakfast. Nothing is cheap anymore. But the menu has biscuits and gravy and for an additional amount you can get sausage crumbles on top. Always feeling that biscuits and gravy (or SOS) is a poor man’s breakfast, I never ordered it because $12 seemed a bit high to me. Of course adding $3 for sausage made it $15. I brought it up to my server a time or two that it seemed to be miss-priced. You can get a full meal deal breakfast for $15 and that’s what I … Continue reading Why Did I Think This Would Work ?

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Walter Yates – A True Adventurer

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I never knew him personally, but followed him through writings in various publications. He first hit my radar through a friend we shared in common, Udo Haufler. I think Mr. Yates lived the life of adventure that many of us long for. Following is his obituary from the Austin Statesman that tells a lot about his life. For a detailed look at his life, his book Breakaway, tells about about his exploits. Obituary of Walter “Yukon” YATES1924 – 2015 YATES, Walter “Yukon”Walter “Yukon” Yates, age 90, passed away March 2, 2015. Walter was born on October 19, 1924 as the … Continue reading Walter Yates – A True Adventurer

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, In and Around Austin, The Construction BizLeave a comment

Bill Tabor – Inventor and Hydronaut

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I wouldn’t tell you that I ever really got to know Bill Tabor, but we were in the same type of construction business in and around Austin, back in the 1970s. I’d run into him from time to time. We both frequented the Jim’s Coffee Shop on Ben White Blvd and we would see each other and chat sometimes. Bill operated Travis Country Stables on Boston Lane out toward Oak Hill. He had his finger in a lot of things. He also operated a store, Tabor Town down around Cedar Creek. I read where Bill passed away back in 2017. … Continue reading Bill Tabor – Inventor and Hydronaut

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Two Of The Men That Were My Mentors

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My Friend Dave I first got to know Dave Hampton in 1972. He was a successful underground utility contractor and very well respected in the business. My first subcontract was working for him installing water lines in Burnet, Texas. It was actually more complicated than that. I was a sub to another sub that subcontracted to Dave’s company. That happens in our business a lot. Ok if you aren’t too confused I’ll continue. Throughout the 1970’s I worked with Dave several times. He had an enormous capacity for numbers. I learned a lot from him. There came a time in … Continue reading Two Of The Men That Were My Mentors

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

My First Day to Attend School in Marble Falls.

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I went to school in a small 3 room school at Jollyville for my first 7 years. Starting the 8th grade in Marble Falls was the first and only time I ever switched schools. I had it pretty good over a lot of kids moving to a new school. I already knew a lot of the kids there. I had been around MF almost every weekend and summer for my whole life. Running around with Glenn Lewis gave me the chance to meet a bunch of people and be exposed to a lot of situations.Jimmy Frasier was the one person … Continue reading My First Day to Attend School in Marble Falls.

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

The Teacher’s Pet

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I wasn’t the most well behaved student in Mrs. Corkers 8th grade class. That year was the first and only time I ever had to change schools. I must have tried hard to fit in. I certainly got my share of attention, for a new kid. She was considered a good teacher, but was very stern. English was my most difficult subject. I didn’t like it, I didn’t understand it. Mrs.Corker didn’t take to students that failed to excel in English. It was obvious that the two of us were going nowhere, fast. One day during class, she was talking … Continue reading The Teacher’s Pet

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around AustinLeave a comment

The Phantom Gambler or The Suitcase Man

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Who remembers the name William Lee Bergstrom ?He was commonly known as The Suitcase Man or The Phantom Gambler. Back in the high flying prosperous years of the 80s, me and several fellow contractors had a great propensity to head to Vegas a way to often. So when the William Lee Bergstrom situation came about, I was right in the middle of watching and reading about it unfolding. Following is the Wikipedia version of what transpired:Bergstrom was born in Austin, Texas and attended Austin High School graduating in 1969. He attended UT, but dropped out in 1974. His brother Alan … Continue reading The Phantom Gambler or The Suitcase Man

Amazing Things, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, The Jollyville Years, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

My Harvey Penick Story

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This really isn’t about Harvey Penick per se, instead involves his daughter. I used his name because it will grab ahold of just about anyone that has ever played the game of golf or has connection to The University of Texas. Mr. Penick owed a ranch down the road from us when Kenny and I were growing up down on the creek out of Jollyville. It was his weekend get away, but at the time of this happening (1963/1964) his daughter was living there. She had a German Sheppard Dog and a Collie. Us being goat people, we had to … Continue reading My Harvey Penick Story