Category: Thoughts and Musings

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Meeting New People, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Hood Wasn’t Fastened And Blew Open At The Most Inopportune Moment

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A month before Madeline and I married in 1971, I had a 3 year old Ford Galaxy 500 and 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 out of the shop. I finally got it out of the body shop on a Friday afternoon. On Saturday we were leaving for the Jordan Christmas Party in Houston. The Jordan Christmas Party was a huge deal. I had made every excuse imaginable about why I didn’t need to go. I didn’t know any of … Continue reading The Hood Wasn’t Fastened And Blew Open At The Most Inopportune Moment

Amazing Things, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Texas History, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company (continuous since 1912) and White’s Uvalde Mines (since 1923).

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This area down out of Uvalde, Texas is unique in that there is mining of asphalt, ready to pave a road as it is dug from the ground. Limestone gravel coated with an asphaltic bitumen content similar to that produced in operating asphalt plants. Many roads in south Texas have been paved with this product. I’m not certain that it meets TxDot specifications to pave state highways without farther processing, but it looks and acts like a hot mix/cold lay material produced in just about any asphalt plant and used mostly on private roads and temporary patches. On a personal … Continue reading Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company (continuous since 1912) and White’s Uvalde Mines (since 1923).

Amazing Things, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Mechanical Calf

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This story was originally told by me back on Oct. 4, 2016. When You’re Me, I Never Know What I’m Going To Be Thinking About When I Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night. This morning I woke up around 3:30, which happens way too often. The first thing that popped on my mind was a fellow I met in about 1971. I knew Leroy fairly well for a few years. He worked for another utility contractor, one that we had a working relationship with. Leroy ran their shop and was very mechanically inclined. As I got to know … Continue reading The Mechanical Calf

Aging, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

In My Next Life

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I’m not sure what the afterlife or the next life looks completely like. But what I know for sure is if given a chance to re-live my life over, I want to do it in an occupation where rain is never a bad thing. For over 50 years, while rains could come over a weekend and it wouldn’t stop work, but even then there would be pumping out holes and cleanup come Monday. But the real anxiety would be when the whole week would call for rain in the forecast, turning into a disaster when it actually happened. The weather … Continue reading In My Next Life

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Story Of The Bonnie & Clyde Movie (as told by Dink McDuff)

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Paul Pruitt was a cattle buyer and had a feedlot down along the border. Dink had met him, I suppose, hanging out in one coffee shop or the other when he was there working on the water and sewer system in Eagle Pass back in the 60s. One day Paul invited Dink to fly with him to look at some cattle down at Laredo. Paul flew his own plane. They made it there and took care of the business they needed to and got ready to leave to fly back to Eagle Pass. A rain system was moving in so … Continue reading The Story Of The Bonnie & Clyde Movie (as told by Dink McDuff)

Amazing Things, My Family, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

A Little Digging Pays Off

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This post is about the name I found on my Paternal Great Grandparents (Moses and Judy Maybelle Linebarger) Marriage License. I was curious about who the Minister was that married them. The spelling of the name was hard to make out. Trying several different spellings I finally went to the Burnet Co. History Book – Vol. 1 and found the name Bro. Rucker. Seeing that he had been at a church, Hale Spring Baptist Church which was located up Hamilton Creek, I decided this may be the man I was looking for. But it didn’t give a first name or … Continue reading A Little Digging Pays Off

Amazing Things, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Cowboys’ Turtle Association

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“The things we don’t know!!” In premise, the Rodeo Association of America (RAA) was a great idea. Its formation in 1929 brought about a standard set of rules, allowing for world champions to be recognized in bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding, steer roping, calf roping, bulldogging, team roping, and even wild cow milking. What the RAA lacked, however, was representation. Made up entirely of rodeo committees and producers, the RAA had its members’ best interests at heart, not necessarily the contestants’. This came to a head in October 1936, when Hugh Bennett, a world champion steer wrestler and top … Continue reading The Cowboys’ Turtle Association

Amazing Things, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

The Felps Trailer Company Johnson City, Texas

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By the time the early 80s rolled around, Madeline and I had a house full of young-uns, which translated into the need for a Suburban. She was always wanting to haul something that wouldn’t fit in there with all the boys. So I did what any good husband would do, I bought her a new 16’ tandem axle Felps utility trailer for her birthday one year. Dang that was the best pulling trailer I can ever remember having. Dick Laymon on Manchaca Road sold them back then. There was a rule for that trailer. If I pulled it, it had … Continue reading The Felps Trailer Company Johnson City, Texas

Crazy Times, Thoughts and Musings, TravelsLeave a comment

The Mystery

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It was at dusk on Sunday evening 12/15/13. As I drove north on I35 nearing Hillsboro, Texas I had an encounter with an apparent drunk driver. In front of me I saw a white S-10 Chevrolet pickup (an older vehicle – late 90’s model) that was all over the road. Traffic was heavy. He took an 18 wheeler completely to the shoulder of the highway. I decided to hold back to observe. The pickup continued to drive erratically. I dialed 911. When the dispatcher answered, I gave her the details that I was observing. By that time we had passed … Continue reading The Mystery