In the early days of the Angora Chronicles we had a lengthy discussion about “The Little House” as we always called it. It was the house my parents and older brother lived in when I was born. We lived there … Continue reading The Little House or to others The Tin Shack
This little wooden box is one of the treasures that I hold close to my heart. It belonged to my Grandmother, Leona, that we affectionately called Maw-Maw. The initials L P was for Leona Purcell. I will be telling you more in a couple of days about my Maw-Maw, who was known as Aunt Nonie by many folks around the country. Why in a couple of days? May 6, 2021 will commemorate 112 year’s since her birth. Now back to the box. I remember that she always kept this box on her dresser. When I would ask her about it, … Continue reading The Little Keepsake Box
Back when Papa Ted (Madeline’s Dad – Ted Jordan) retired from a long career in the oil patch and came to live in Smithwick he took on the task of keeping our property at the lake mowed and trimmed. He did a great job as long as his health allowed for it. In the very beginning he showed up one day and there was a well tanned fellow with a big bushy black mustache and a nice sombrero there at the lake. Figuring it was some of the hired help, Ted lined him out. He told him how the fallen … Continue reading Señor Kenny
When I 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 is … Continue reading The Gift’s That Kept On Giving
I was on the road out of Corpus this morning. I got a call from the police department. Did we own a Cadillac STX, gray in color? I said we did. The dispatcher said they had gotten a call from ONSTAR about that car, which is Madeline’s. It could have been stolen, hijacked or involved in an accident. I asked her to let me go so it could call my wife. She said okay and she would call be back in 5 minutes. I started calling Madeline. No answer. Finally on the third try she answered. She was laughing. She … Continue reading A Moment Of Panic (from a few years ago)
Every day events in our life happen that shape history. I sometimes play the “IF” game with myself. The most simple occurrence, the conversations we have, the chance encounters change the course of everything that will happen for the rest of our lives and will impact the lives of so many others. The most important chance encounter that changed my life happened by simply stopping at a beer joint one afternoon. The old 281 Club, that many of you remember, used to set on the side of highway between San Antonio and Marble Falls at Round Mountain . One day … Continue reading The Little Things That Happen In Our Lives……….
This is a story I wrote sometime ago about my mother’s parents and what life was like back in the 1915 throughout their lives. Much, if not all of their married life was spent in Smithwick. Nancy was a member of the Martin Family from Burnet. I think Delbert was raised primarily in Smithwick. From this union came 11 children, 3 boys and 8 girls. They lived on what has always been known to me as the Old Boultinghouse Place, which is a couple of miles east of the Smithwick Cemetery. A quarter of a mile east of Balcones Springs … Continue reading Let me tell you about Delbert and Nancy Boultinghouse, My Mother’s Parents
May 29, 1920 I was going through some old files this morning and ran across this diploma of my grandfather. I had seen it before but never had really examined it. But to find this and look at the dates help me to understand how being shortly after the end of WW I and with more and more automobiles coming about, there was a real need for mechanics to keep them running. I don’t know how long he worked in the business of fixing cars, but being a farmer, the skills learned here were put to use throughout his life. … Continue reading Andrew Theron Lewis – Graduate of The Sweeney School of Automotive Repair.
