A Thanksgiving Feast With Charlie & Minnie

Charlie and Minnie were an old couple I’ve written about a lot over the years. They showed up in Smithwick ready to campout down by the river but ended up staying in the Old House, as we called it. This was where my grandparents, Theron & Leona had lived before his passing, and the house where all the Smithwick Lewis Clan had resided for decades. Minnie wasn’t a tidy housekeeper by anyone’s estimation. I guess living in an old farmhouse without a screen door would make it hard to keep things clean. Especially if you had a strong penchant for … Continue reading A Thanksgiving Feast With Charlie & Minnie

Buzz-Saw Lewis

I was chatting with Wallace Herbert earlier today. He reminded me of something that happened in the wild crazy days, must have been in 1970 or early 71. I had a new Chevrolet Pickup. I had pulled in at the Truck Stop out in Tin City out north of Marble to fill it up with some of that $.35 a gallon gas. That had become the late night hangout by that time with a bunch of guys standing around outside. Probably 8 or 10 of us. One of the fellows was a Marble Falls tuff guy that was best known … Continue reading Buzz-Saw Lewis

Another Strange Happening

When we were kids going to school in Jollyville, there were the Reeves boy’s that were the same age as Kenny and me. Donny was Kenny’s age, while Danny and I were in the same grade. We often visited each other’s house and played together. Then the Reeves’s cousin Elvin Horner came to live with them. He was Kenny and Donny’s age. The Reeves family moved and we lost touch with them. That was about 1963. By the mid 80s I was awarded a contract to construct a development project in Round Rock. When we got started building it, I … Continue reading Another Strange Happening

Not Every Land Deal Will Make You Money

This is the story of a piece of land I got up in Dallas one time, to settle a debt. Here goes: These real estate deals can be crazy. Outfit owed me about $300k on an apartment project in Houston in the 1990s.I put a lien on it and waited about 2 years.They wanted to sell the project so they had to square with me.They had 21 acres in south Dallas they gave me in trade for releasing the lien. How can I go wrong owning 21 acres in Dallas, with I-35 frontage? Except when I sold it about a … Continue reading Not Every Land Deal Will Make You Money

The Fire

Ruby Waggoner was my dad’s mother. She and my grandfather had divorced when Cecil was very young. He was raised by his dad, Theron and a host of aunts, uncles and his grandparents. Ruby Lee, Grannie Ruby or Grannie was a big part of our life going up. She lived in Austin and visited her often. She was one funny old gal that laughed a lot and made the rest of us laugh. Any time after I was grown and had projects around North Austin, I’d stop by even if for just a few minutes. One day she and I … Continue reading The Fire

Could I Have Just Found Peter Pan?

I just drove into a vacant piece of property that I sold to LCRA the year before. Actually I was taking a shortcut to my office. As I drove to an area that few people drive to any more there was a young lady that had parked her Prius in the middle of the road. It took her a few moments to discover that she wasn’t alone. As I set watching she was running and leaping with her hands outreached. It all looked very graceful. After a bit she looked around and saw me, and came back to move her … Continue reading Could I Have Just Found Peter Pan?

You Can Take The Boy Out Of The Country, But………

I was down at Turkey Bend one time visiting all the old Hall women as they were referred to. This consisted of sisters, Mabel Hall Wilson, Earlie Hall Croft, Mamie Hall Franck, and their sister in law Libby Hall. They all lived there in one little wad, so when you went to visit one, you just about needed to make an afternoon of it, but it was always a pleasure to do so. I always called them Aunt, not because they were my aunts, but out of respect. I’m not sure why that was respectful, but it was. I know … Continue reading You Can Take The Boy Out Of The Country, But………

What Is Wrong With Me

Technology Is So Great, that is if you understand how to use it. My case in point. I’m making a long drive today, alone. My wife listens to audio books very often when she drives. She swears it really makes time and the trip pass by faster. She suggested I download some books to listen to while I drive. I figured her suggestion had a dual purpose. Besides making my trip go faster, it would keep me from listening to the news so much. I don’t know where she ever got the idea that I’m a news junkie, but we … Continue reading What Is Wrong With Me