Cecil Let A Blast Get Away From Him

Back in 1967 there was an old service station in Burnet at US 281 and League St. The owner decided to replace the old gas tanks with new larger ones. After they had removed the old tanks it was discovered that some rock would need to be blasted so the hole would become large enough for the new tanks. Cec (the name that Kenny and I called him by – short for Cecil) was contacted about coming up to Burnet to drill & shoot the the rock. (Shoot the rock means to dynamite it or blast it) Off he went … Continue reading Cecil Let A Blast Get Away From Him

The Big Accident

Below are two of our early Angora Chronicles Stories that some will remember, while others probably never heard about. It is stories that involves my beloved Grandson Will “Catfish” Lewis. While it happened when he was still 11 years old, it lives on in my memory almost every time I drive out my front gate. Will turned 16 yesterday and now has his own pickup to drive. He is a very good driver and I wish him all the best and hold high my prayers over him for his safety every time he is behind the wheel. This is the … Continue reading The Big Accident

The Gift Of Grandparents In Children’s Lives

I’ve mentioned before about what a blessing my grandmothers played in my life. I mostly grew up without the benefit of a grandfather. My mothers dad died when she was 9 years old, which was a decade before I was born. My grandfather, my dad’s father – Theron died when I was barely 6. I had just stated first grade. I have memories of him, but not many true interactions. Yes, riding on a tractor with him as he plowed and falling asleep. I probably don’t actually remember that but I remember stories of it happening. I’ve had grandkids ride … Continue reading The Gift Of Grandparents In Children’s Lives

The Bluebonnet

My name is She-Who-Is-Alone. I am a Comanche Indian who lived in Texas a long time ago. When I lived in Texas, only Indians lived here. They call me She-Who-Is-Alone because my parents and the rest of my family died. They died during the drought, when it did not rain for a long time. Texas is very hot in the summer. Without rain, the crops do not grow. Without food, many people get sick and die. The horses and buffalo need water also. When the drought came, we prayed to the Great Spirits for help. The people played the drums … Continue reading The Bluebonnet

The Only Track Meet I Ever Competed In

Going to school in Jollyville didn’t provide for someone of the things that going to a more traditional school did. We didn’t have any sort of a sports program. We played kickball and dodgeball out on the playground. That was about it for sports. The principal, Mr. Pyle had come to us after being a coach and principal at Thrall. A year or so after he arrived at Jollyville, in my 6th grade year, he arraigned for those boys in grades 6 – 8 to go compete in the Thrall Track Meet. Eight or ten boys loaded up in cars, … Continue reading The Only Track Meet I Ever Competed In

The Hood Blew Open

A month before Madeline and I married in 1971, I had a 1968 Ford Galaxy 500 that 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 the repairs done. I finally got it out of the body shop on a Friday afternoon, just before leaving on Saturday morning for the Jordan Christmas Party in Houston. The Jordan Family Christmas Party was the highlight every year for Madeline’s whole family, when they got to see all their cousins, aunts and uncles on her dads … Continue reading The Hood Blew Open

It Almost Sent Me Into A Panic

This story actually started back in 2012 when my wife and I moved down to Corpus Christi to spend our twilight years on the coast. Of which after a couple of years, we knew there was no place like Burnet County to call home, so we came back to the Hill Country. Once we got our house and started outfitting it, we were buying most everything new, as we were maintaining a residence up here and left our old stuff behind. One Sunday afternoon we went to the CC Convention Center to the annual home and garden show. We were … Continue reading It Almost Sent Me Into A Panic

Sometimes If You Keep On The Trail, It Lead You To Where You Are Going

I had a good friend that passed on a while back. When he was still alive, he would sometimes ask me what I thought ever happened to a gal, that was his first love. I got busy and found out where she lived, even found him an address, which wasn’t too far off his beaten path. He never got the courage to make contact. I think he knew it’s wasn’t the thing to do. His life had made many turns and given that it appeared she had married a couple of times and had children and grandchildren, not making contact … Continue reading Sometimes If You Keep On The Trail, It Lead You To Where You Are Going

Car Sickness

It doesn’t seem like kids get car sick as much now as they used to. For nine years, from age 4 until I was 13 we maintained a Friday afternoon family ritual. When school would get out on Friday afternoon we would leave Jollyville and head to Smithwick. The road for some of the way was still unpaved, just a gravel road from Lago Vista to Smithwick. That stretch of road became RM 1431 and was paved, starting in 1958. The road from Whitestone to Smithwick was even more crooked back then than it is now. A way more crooked. … Continue reading Car Sickness

When A Situation Presents Itself, I Always Say Take Advantage

Earlier this week I arraigned a lunch date with two high school friends, Sam Hall and Ronald Mayfield, from high school. They were good friends back in Marble Falls, but hadn’t seen each other since, which was about 50 years. We established that 11:30 AM at County Line on the Lake would be the place and time. I was passing near one of our projects where my middle son, Ron Jr was at. I thought it would be nice if he could join us, to get a flavor of what old time friendships are like. He jumped in an we … Continue reading When A Situation Presents Itself, I Always Say Take Advantage