My Green Thumbs

This is one of those stories from the early days of Angora, that I wonder why I even told it. Oh, I know……..it really happened. I could be a little foggy on how much help I had when I went to the restroom. Looking down in the comments section , I have had a lot of THUMB debacles in my lifetime. When we were kids, well teenagers, Cec had Kenny and me building a new shop building out from the house in Smithwick. It was a pipe frame, a simple structure. The cross bracing was used sucker rod (the steel … Continue reading My Green Thumbs

The Mean Streets of Houston

As a boy going up in the small central Texas town of Marble Falls, I dreamed of getting out of high school and finding a vocation without ever needing to go on to college or any other formal education. I grew up in a family where operating equipment and driving trucks came at an early age. I thought a career as a truck driver and maybe even owning a fleet of trucks one day was in my future. I was a high school senior, but not yet eighteen. At that time, you could get your drivers license at 14 and … Continue reading The Mean Streets of Houston

People Don’t Always Remember What They Remember

I once had a friend, Gerry Young, that mentioned in a conversation that we were having with an Equipmemt Salesman that he used to play on the same football team with Johnny “Ham” Jones. The fellow was very familiar with Ham Jones and what a good player he was. He even remembered some of the great tackles, and QB sacks and interceptions Gerry had made during his years of playing for the University of Texas. There was only one problem, Ham and Gerry played high school football together for the Pied Pipers of Hamlin, Texas not for the Longhorns. After … Continue reading People Don’t Always Remember What They Remember

My Harvey Penick Story

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. Below tells the Harvey Penick Story, and what he has meant to the game of golf: http://www.harveypenickgc.com/about-harvey-penick/ Mr. Penick owed a ranch down the road from us when Kenny and I were growing up down on the Bull Creek out of Jollyville. This would have been in the early 1960’s. I think it was Mr. Penick’s weekend get-away, but … Continue reading My Harvey Penick Story

I’ve Been Abusing Drugs

Maybe not abusing drugs in the normal sense of the word, but here’s what happened. Several years ago I was getting up to urinate several times during the night. So when I told my urologist the problem I was having she prescribed a medicine that was suppose to help it. I never could tell that it did much good so I didn’t renew my prescription. I just learned to live with it, as I’m able to write a story or two in the middle of the night when I can’t get back to sleep. The other day I was down … Continue reading I’ve Been Abusing Drugs

A “Trip” to Mackinac Island Michigan …..back when I was young enough to actually run a foot race

Several Utility Contractors formed the Texas Utility Contractors Association back in the mid 1980’s. We were a branch of The National Utility Contractors Association. We traveled to far away places to have our board meetings so we could mix pleasure with business and visit nice places around the country. We would make at least one trip to Washington DC each year also to make our desires be known to the elected officials there. One of those meeting was in Mackinac Island, Michigan one summer, probably about 1987. If you never been there, it’s a really beautiful place. Except this time … Continue reading A “Trip” to Mackinac Island Michigan …..back when I was young enough to actually run a foot race

Back When I Aspired To Driving A Cattle Truck For A Living

I had graduated from high school earlier that year and trying to “find myself” is the best way to describe where I was in life. It was already the time of year when the weather was starting to get cooler, so most likely it was November. Butch Sayers got me to go with him to Marysville, California to deliver a truck load of Corriente Steers (Mexican Roping Steers). We left Marble Falls in the middle of the afternoon and arrived in Del Rio at the stockyards after dark. The trip had been sprung on me suddenly and I didn’t have … Continue reading Back When I Aspired To Driving A Cattle Truck For A Living

Hauling Guns Into Mexico

In the fall of 1984 I had a very big real estate deal happen that made me think we’d never see another poor day. So what did I do? I went and bought a new Lincoln Sedan. It was the Cartier addition. A very slick ride. It wasn’t for Madeline. There was no way she could get all the boys and their friends in it. She drove a suburban. I had a pickup or a suburban or both. I’m absolutely positive there was a reason I bought the Lincoln. I just can’t think what that reason might have been. I … Continue reading Hauling Guns Into Mexico

Oliver The Finicky Cat

This cat wandered up to our place a couple years ago. I’m not sure he likes being an outside cat, but I’m not willing to take our relationship far enough to let him indoors. But he does have his “Throne” in the garage. He started using the backseat of my Gold Wing Motorcycle for his domicile. I now have him a bed that has been installed in place of just an old naugahyde seat. I’m not sure what is going to happen if I ever decide to use that motorcycle for it’s intended purpose again, like riding around the Hill … Continue reading Oliver The Finicky Cat