Category: Meeting New People

Amazing Things, Meeting New People, My FriendsLeave a comment

Lewis the Hawksbill Turtle

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It was a Saturday morning in the Fall of 2012 and I asked our neighbors down at Port Aransas, Gene and Virginia, if they would like to go with me to the Padre Island National Seashore. We had talked before about going to the two areas they call Little Shell Beach and Big Shell Beach. We drove about 22 miles south of the visitor center before we decided to turn around. The going got too rough to chance continuing any further. On the way back we saw a huge Turtle on the beach not very far out of the water. … Continue reading Lewis the Hawksbill Turtle

Crazy Times, Meeting New People, On The Job, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

Borrowing Money On Your Word And A Handshake

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Early in my contracting career, G.K. became my accountant, sidekick and office guy. His marriage had failed due to his drinking and other circumstances, so he was free to move around the state doing projects with me. Something that I was able to easily do too. Madeline and I were fairly portable. We went to Huntsville, Houston and eventually we ended up in Brackenridge, Tx. We only had one child, a baby – Matthew, when in December 1976 an opportunity came along to go do the largest project I had ever undertaken. It was in Stephens County, Texas. It was … Continue reading Borrowing Money On Your Word And A Handshake

Another Daily Happening, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, Meeting New People1 Comment

My Austin Road Rage Incident

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Austin traffic must get on everyone’s nerves that ever drives in it, even in the early 2000s. One day when leaving a business down on Riverside Drive, I heading up north on I-35 right in the middle of afternoon rush hour traffic. When it was time to merge into traffic at the on ramp there was a guy in a big jacked up Ford Pickup that was determined that he wasn’t going to let me in. I was in a position to see him in my mirror. Every time a car would pull forward he made sure to keep the … Continue reading My Austin Road Rage Incident

Crazy Times, Meeting New People, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Is There Really Anything To A Dream?

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I originally wrote this story back in October, 2015. Yesterday there was the post about not telling about a bad dream until after breakfast. Not knowing whether that applies to all dreams, I got up and had a bowl of Raisin Bran, just to keep it on the safe side. When I we lived in Dripping Springs in the 1985-1991 timeframe I, along with my sons were all baptized one Sunday morning by Rev. Grady Roe. It was about this time of year in 1985. I had only given myself over to going to church real sparingly up to that … Continue reading Is There Really Anything To A Dream?

Crazy Times, Meeting New People, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Hood Blew Open

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A month before Madeline and I married in 1971, I had a 1968 Ford Galaxy 500 that I rear ended a Williamson Country Road Maintenance Pickup in Liberty Hill, completely demolishing the front end. It took a couple of months to get it the repairs done. I finally got it out of the body shop on a Friday afternoon, just before leaving on Saturday morning for the Jordan Christmas Party in Houston. The Jordan Family Christmas Party was the highlight every year for Madeline’s whole family, when they got to see all their cousins, aunts and uncles on her dads … Continue reading The Hood Blew Open

Meeting New People, My Friends, Thoughts and Musings5 Comments

If I Had It To Do All Over Again

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I often contemplate the words of that title. It’s almost like asking “What Is The Meaning Of Life“. What I really think is I wouldn’t change all that much for my own benefit. I would probably go at things at a little slower pace, in an attempt to make things easier on my now aging bones. I could always say that I should have spent less and saved more, but perhaps that was always a motivating force to continue to forge ahead. What I think about a lot are the missed opportunities to spend more time friends and loved ones. … Continue reading If I Had It To Do All Over Again

Meeting New PeopleLeave a comment

Mr. Bob Coffee – Sculptor Extraordinaire

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I was at a funeral in Smithwick this morning of Marvin Turner. While standing around visiting afterwards I sauntered over where Kenny was conversing with a group of gentlemen that were all neighbors with he and Marvin down on Cow Creek. After Kenny introduced me all around, a kindly gentleman, the most senior of the group said “you are the fellow that wrote that book, The Angora Chronicles, aren’t you”? Of course I immediately took credit for it. He said he has just finished reading it. He asked if there were other editions. I feigned at how busy I am, … Continue reading Mr. Bob Coffee – Sculptor Extraordinaire

Meeting New People, My FriendsLeave a comment

Let Me Tell You About Bill

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Bill is a woodworker. Actually he is a woodturner, mainly. His works are beautiful. He lives in Bertram. It’s an amazing story of how we met. Madeline has a cousin in Houston that owns a bookstore that specializes in Murder Mysteries. In fact I think that’s all they carry. The name of the store is Murder by the Book. I think it’s been there for many years. This younger cousin worked there, then bought it after a time and married the bookstore manager. I may have the sequence of events out of order, but that’s the story for the most … Continue reading Let Me Tell You About Bill

Crazy Times, Meeting New People, Smithwick, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

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

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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………

Crazy Times, Meeting New People, SmithwickLeave a comment

The Fruit Basket

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Growing up in Smithwick, I knew just about everyone that ever came through there.After getting out of school and getting married, I left for Austin and would get back up there every few weeks. But things were changing faster than I could keep up with. The 227 acres that Kenny and I grew up on started being sold off in small tracts. While it’s no secret we didn’t really like it that Cec was selling it off, it wasn’t our choice. He had inherited the property from his Dad in 1958, when our Grandfather, Theron, passed away. But it appeared … Continue reading The Fruit Basket