Category: Thoughts and Musings

Crazy Times, Thoughts and Musings4 Comments

The Turtle Rescuer Girl

lewisotr

At our family reunion in 2013 my cousin Gerald Kirkland and his daughter Shannon came from Arkansas. After the reunion was over they came to visit Madeline and me in Corpus Christi for a couple of days. To give them a look at the Gulf Coast we drove out to the Padre Island National Seashore to hunt for seashells and look around. It’s a very primitive area where there are few people unlike other areas of the beach on Padre or Mustang Island’s. It was in turtle hatching season. The US Park Service hires college students that they have out … Continue reading The Turtle Rescuer Girl

Funny Happenings, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Hidden Talents

lewisotr

I confess that I actually have very few true talents. But I do have the ability to think very fast on my feet. In situations like while driving and taking sudden evasive measures to avoid an accident. There is no real way to measure that knack. But I have narrowly escaped many more accidents than I have actually been involved in. I’m not sure that wiggling my ears is really a talent, but I’ve amused people, mostly kid passengers in adjacent cars at red lights and such. I find that I’m losing that ability with age. I guess I’ve lost … Continue reading Hidden Talents

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, On The Job, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and Musings, UncategorizedLeave a comment

My Memorial Day Memory – 1981

lewisotr

Memorial Day is a time for reflection and to honor those Military Person’s that gave the ultimate sacrifice for this wonderful nation. But 40 years ago Memorial Day was marked by devastation to parts of Austin, like nothing some of us had ever lived through. The story below tells my personal experience that day. During the early morning hours parts of Austin received 11 inches of rain in the span of 3 hours. I have no doubt that one of the highest elevations around, Jester Mountain received that much rain or close to it. We were building what is now … Continue reading My Memorial Day Memory – 1981

Crazy Times, Old Dog - New Trick, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

How Could I Always Be So Lucky ?

lewisotr

I had to make a trip up to my North Texas Ranch yesterday. It appears the people that own the places all around me seem to be ganging up and deciding everything is always my fault. The wild hogs are terrorizing everyone and everything. On top of that coyotes are very prevalent and seem to have everyone in the area scared out of their wits. I’m not sure why it’s my fault, but I guess since I’m the largest landowner anywhere nearby, they think I’m the one that needs to take care of the problem. I ignored them for awhile … Continue reading How Could I Always Be So Lucky ?

Funny Happenings, My Family, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

All My Sons

lewisotr

I just saw a moving van and it reminded me of when Madeline was moving some her favorite pieces of furniture to our new place in Corpus. She was going to hire a company to transfer it. I asked her who was bringing it. She proudly proclaimed “All My Sons”. Puzzled, because we had decided that it was all the really good stuff (stuff that cost too much) and me moving it wasn’t going to work. We have a long history of severe damage every time I have ever moved anything. In my mind our sons learned everything they know … Continue reading All My Sons

Crazy Times, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Acupuncture

lewisotr

In between surgeries on the cervical portion of my spine, there have been three now, I went to an Acupuncturist in San Antonio hoping to get relief. Kenny had been to him several times and it hadn’t killed him, so I figured I was as tough as he is. I’m not sure if this feller was Chinese or Korean or something else from that part of the world. His name is Hou Chi Dung. As side note, he has a son the does it too, and he has an American first name, maybe it’s Jimmy and he changed his last … Continue reading Acupuncture

Aging, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

It Has Come That Time In My Life

lewisotr

As old age catches up to me, I find myself in almost constant pain. Not my whole body. Just my right hand. I thought perhaps it was carpal tunnel, but after looking up the symptoms of that condition, I decided it’s not that. It’s more of pain in the middle of my palm and my thumb. It has been bothering me for several months. Maybe even a couple of years.I know I don’t have any broken bones in my hand, but I think I need to go get a cast put on it if I ever expect it to heal. … Continue reading It Has Come That Time In My Life

Crazy Times, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Never A Broken Bone

lewisotr

I’ve told about everything that has ever happened in my life. Almost. Every near miss and a few direct hits. Miraculously I’ve never had a broken bone. In my story about going for the Army draft physical I told about crushing my foot. There were no bone fractures. The bones had what Dr. Allen called radial cracks, I think. There were bones that had longitudinal cracks but nothing fractured, if that makes sense. He bandaged my foot but no cast. That was when I was 18 or 19. Then when I was in my 30s I started having a pain … Continue reading Never A Broken Bone

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

While Building The South Austin Hospital – Early 1980s

lewisotr

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

lewisotr

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