Category: The Construction Biz

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, The Construction Biz, The Early DaysLeave a comment

A 1980 Buick Riviera Was A Great Looking Car

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I bought a new Riviera in the fall of 1979. I was going to use it mostly for road trips. It drove so good and looked even better, that I found it hard to park it and get back in a pickup. One day I picked up Kenny so we could make a run around town and see how everything looked. We did that pretty often back in those days. We drove through a subdivision we were building out on RM 2222, overlooking Lake Austin. All the utilities had been completed on that project and we dressing up the sub … Continue reading A 1980 Buick Riviera Was A Great Looking Car

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, The Construction BizLeave a comment

The Banker Up In The Deer Stand In South Texas

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Kenny had a nice deer lease about mid ways between Laredo and Freer for a few years in the 1980s. One weekend he took took several bankers and other businessmen from Austin for a hunt. I wasn’t there but my best guess is there was a lot of drinking going on. Early Saturday morning he had one of his cohorts take a one the bankers to the tallest stand on the place. After getting the hunter up in the stand, he drove off in a jeep with a high rack on it. Not paying attention the high rack caught one … Continue reading The Banker Up In The Deer Stand In South Texas

Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

While Building The South Austin Hospital – Early 1980s

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We had contracted to install the water, wastewater and storm drainage for the new hospital that was being built just west of South 1st on Ben White. We were getting down to the end of the project. Everything had worked out about as well as we could have hoped for. It was time to hook into the city’s 66″ water main that crossed Ben White and continued south on James Casey Drive. We were required to tap into this large main at night, since it was the major source of water for all of South Austin. We worked through the … Continue reading While Building The South Austin Hospital – Early 1980s

Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

Failing To Choose My Words Correctly

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One time I submitted the low bid on a project, a subdivision. It was for a fairly new MUD District, the Anderson Mill MUD. (That shows just how long I’ve been around perhaps – Anderson Mill was formed in the early to mid 1970’s) The next bid that was submitted was slightly higher, by a few thousand dollars. Even though my bid met every qualification, I was informed that the district was going to reject my bid in favor of the 2nd place bidder. While I was disappointed to say the least, I was new enough in business to not … Continue reading Failing To Choose My Words Correctly

Funny Happenings, On The Job, The Construction Biz, The Early Days2 Comments

Always Watch What You Say Around The Little Ones

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I did a job down in Hockley, Texas a long time ago. I was on that project when I heard that Elvis was dead. Funny how we remember those things. When I first started the project I needed someone in the office there onsite to help keep the pipe and other material ordering straight as well as keeping up with time and other office duties. An older fellow dropped by looking for an employment opportunity. He lived in the area and knew his way around. He was a strikingly handsome old fellow. He dressed nicely, but seemed like he constantly … Continue reading Always Watch What You Say Around The Little Ones

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

Funny Happenings, Kenny Lewis, The Construction BizLeave a comment

The Red CCI Jacket

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This story was originally written back in August, 2014. I stopped by my brothers office yesterday. He and his trouble making son Kody were sitting in his office. Of course Kody just had to bring up something about the caps getting handed out that time on the street corners. I don’t like to mention things around Kenny that get him stirred up, you understand. He told a story of being at a Liberty Hill football game a few years back and looked over and a old boy had on a Red Carhart CCI jacket on. He didn’t recognize the guy. … Continue reading The Red CCI Jacket

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, The Construction Biz4 Comments

It Wasn’t Me !!

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Kenny has always had a lot of company pride. He likes all of his machines looking good and clean. Everything needs to be ship-shape in the world of Kenny Lewis. He enjoys having his company name on jackets and caps. He spends a lot of advertising bucks and it pays off for him. You could see people wearing them often around town, putting the CCI out in the public. Kenny and I had an arraignment for about a decade that lasted until 2003. We pooled resources and CCI was the name that was in the forefront of the business. Advertising … Continue reading It Wasn’t Me !!

The Construction Biz, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

It’s Strange The Things We Remember

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It’s been almost 40 years ago that I walked into G & L Stationers on South Congress. They were in a building just north of where the Night Hawk Restaurant was at So. Congress & Riverside Drive in Austin. I had decided it was time to put a distinctive mark on my company. They had a graphics designer that worked with me to make a company Logo. I still remember his name, Duane Kelly. In just a few minutes he was putting the finishing touches on the big LC that would grace our new sign out front of the office … Continue reading It’s Strange The Things We Remember

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

The Life Of A Utility Contractor

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I’ve been broke and I’ve been moderately successful – each thing several times. Failure is only a really bad thing if it takes you down and keeps you there. Falling on hard times can be a character builder like nothing else. Once you’ve found success and experience failure, it makes a good person try even harder to find those good times and to not repeat the same mistakes. I started out in the construction business back in 1972, a few months before I turned 20 years old. I had nothing but a new wife and a good work ethic. I … Continue reading The Life Of A Utility Contractor