Category: My Sons

Amazing Things, My Family, My Sons, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Willy Willy Christmas Tree

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If I started telling you about the Willy Willy Christmas Tree you’d have no idea what I was talking about. But to Madeline and me, we have known a special tree by that name for more than 45 years. That special tree is in Zilker Park Christmas Tree that just about every Austinite has probably stood under and twirled around. When our first born son, Matthew (born in 1974) was young, 2 or maybe 3, we had planned to go see “The Christmas Tree” one evening. There had been a big build up to seeing it, he had probably seen … Continue reading The Willy Willy Christmas Tree

Crazy Times, My Sons, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Runaway Trailer

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Matthew, our first born, was just the age where he wanted to go with me everywhere I went. We left the house early on a Sunday morning and was making the 8 to 10 mile trip to our construction yard where I was going to unhook from the rather heavy built shop-made bumper pull trailer we had on behind. Back then, in the 1970s you could get out and drive around Austin without running across all that many other cars on the road on an early Sunday morning trip. Matthew, about 3 years old, was standing up in the passenger … Continue reading The Runaway Trailer

Amazing Things, My Sons, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

On Being A Father

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Being a dad has been one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. When I watch all my boys travel through their own lives, and doing it right, I feel like my part is mostly done. Never having a real rough patch with any one of the five boys, has been a true blessing. Of course there have been a little spat here and there. If there hadn’t been, it would be because they were just going along with whatever I said. Then they wouldn’t be their own man. The main thing is we’ve never been estranged for more than … Continue reading On Being A Father

Crazy Times, My Sons, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

A Nice Sunday Afternoon Motorcycle Ride

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A few years ago we were doing a project in Brownsville, Texas, a seven hour trip to the south. Being a nice Sunday I decided to ride my Goldwing down. Madeline was coming down later so she was pulling the trailer so I could haul it back home later that week. Ron Jr. was working on that job so he was already down there. He had a motorcycle so I suggested he ride up to Corpus so we could meet for lunch then ride back together. After having lunch we headed out for the 3 hour trip to the valley. … Continue reading A Nice Sunday Afternoon Motorcycle Ride

Kenny Lewis, My Sons, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Special Connection Between Brothers (this was written and shared almost 3 years ago – but it still applies)

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Nothing else is like the love of a brother. A brother that can make you so mad that for a moment you will write him off, thinking it’ll be alright if you never speak again. But within minutes all is forgiven, if not forgotten. The sibling that will do battle for you at the drop of a hat is the same person you have fought and argued with more than everyone else in the world combined. Early in their lives, Matthew, the oldest and Mike the second in birth order had a close relationship. Somewhere along the way, as they … Continue reading The Special Connection Between Brothers (this was written and shared almost 3 years ago – but it still applies)

Another Daily Happening, Crazy Times, My Sons1 Comment

We Raised A House Full Of Pretty Good Boys

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Raising five sons, we had relatively few major “situations” with any of them. Well excluding automobile mishaps. But even with those, they just tore up cars and never got hurt or hurt anyone else, so except for the high insurance premiums for many years we came out fairly well unscathed. We didn’t have any bad bouts of them drinking or drugging and getting too much out of hand. Of course they now tell us that there was a lot we didn’t know about. Of course there were things that I knew they did that I never even brought up to … Continue reading We Raised A House Full Of Pretty Good Boys

Crazy Times, My Sons, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

It Was Perhaps The Worst Purchase I Ever Made

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It all came about because 38 years ago today, September 27, 1982 we welcomed our twins sons into our lives. We knew things would change so in an attempt to get things in order, in went down to the dealership and bought a new GMC Suburban. It was a beautiful thing. It had been the sales managers demonstrator so I was able to strike a good deal on it. It was a medium blue on the top and bottom with the center portion a dark midnight blue. Part of the paint scheme in those days was to have some wide … Continue reading It Was Perhaps The Worst Purchase I Ever Made

My Sons, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Gifts That Mean The Most

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I am a little sentimental about gifts that my grandkids give me, even more so of things my sons made or bought for me when they were small. One gift that dates back close to 35 years, that I count as one of my most treasured possessions. It stayed out on my dresser for years, but somewhere along the way it got put in my sock drawer and remains there to this day. Most people would look at this prized possession and wonder why I have it in my sock drawer. The answer is simple. It was a gift this … Continue reading The Gifts That Mean The Most