Category: Thoughts and Musings

In and Around Austin, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Austin Was Always A One Truck Stop Town + the Big Wheel in Oak Hill.

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With I-35 and the other highways of commerce from out to the east and west, it seems there was hardly a time that Austin was home to more than one Truck Stop. In the 50s and 60s, The Austin Truck Terminal up north just south of US 183 on I-35. It was owned by Mr. Herbert Skinner. He also owned Austin Truck & Machinery that was adjacent to it. It became the Freightliner Truck Dealership and remained there for many years.  The cafe was Marvin’s in the early days and later was operated by a fellow by the name of … Continue reading Austin Was Always A One Truck Stop Town + the Big Wheel in Oak Hill.

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Double Cross

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The are some things that happen in our lives that leave us wondering about mankind. This story left me feeling less trustful and saddened. I had become very good friends with an old gentleman that was my neighbor, Udo Haufler. Upon his retiring after a long and successful career as an excavation contractor in Austin, I bought his office and yard along with several pieces of his equipment. I didn’t buy his business per se, and I’ve alway questioned why I didn’t. He had almost cornered the market on doing big excavation projects around Austin. The Haufler name in the … Continue reading The Double Cross

Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Family Folklore Is A Powerful Thing

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We have had to lzseveral discussions on The Angora Chronicles where people are convinced that something is one way, when it really seems very unlikely that it is true. But once that story is handed down through the generations, its very hard to dispute it. Even when playing the Pass It On Game, hardly ever does a phase or sentence make it through the next person without the meaning being scrambled, much less after it makes it around a circle of people. So think about how implausible and unlikely any story handed down through the ages is to what really … Continue reading Family Folklore Is A Powerful Thing

Amazing Things, Meeting New People, My Friends, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

My Friend Udo

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I have had the great fortune to meet many people in my lifetime. None probably made a greater impact on me than Udo Haufler. Udo was my neighbor, my friend and my mentor. The first day of 1977, Madeline and I moved into a house on a very quite, secluded south Austin street. Albert Road was like being in another place altogether. It wasn’t like living in Austin. Directly across the street was a large 2 story house, with a horse stable in the back. Esther and Udo Haufler were the elderly couple that lived there. (of course now that … Continue reading My Friend Udo

Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Have You Gotten A Message From A Friend Lately, Wanting To Make You Rich?

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Well I get on average about one of these a day. You can tell by the way the conversations start that it’s not who it should be, using that name. My problem is that every time it happens, I let the conversation run off the deep end and then it becomes something I can’t share here on this forum. But today I watched myself so that it didn’t become “R” or “X” rated. It’s funny how after a while they must figure out that something is up and I’m wasting their time. Well anyway, I amuse myself a little each … Continue reading Have You Gotten A Message From A Friend Lately, Wanting To Make You Rich?

Crazy Times, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Sometimes Keeping Your Mouth Shut Is A Good Thing

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Years ago we were on a cruise in the Bahamas. One stop allowed us a day of sightseeing and gambling. I was in a casino playing blackjack. The dealer and another player were talking sports, mostly football. At some point the topic changed and Mr. Knowitall was telling the dealer all about Wimbledon and why this one had dominated and why this other one should think about retiring. I instantly thought, hey we are playing blackjack here, deal the cards a little faster. Who cares about tennis. But I never said anything. A few minutes later the subject went back … Continue reading Sometimes Keeping Your Mouth Shut Is A Good Thing

Amazing Things, Meeting New People, The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

What did we talk about that afternoon?

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This is an add-on to a story about an afternoon conversation I had with our then Governor Mark White. It was mostly centered around the over crowding problem in Texas Prisons. He knew I was in the construction business and was seeking my assistance in piloting a program to give early release to some worthy prisoners that just needed a break. He thought that if they could come out and show up to work (digging ditches, if you will) and not get back in trouble, they could find their way more easily back into society. We did some planning and … Continue reading What did we talk about that afternoon?

Amazing Things, Meeting New People, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Little Actress

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Not long after we moved to Bertram, a new pastor was sent to the Methodist Church. He and his wife were very lovely people. They had arrived here after spending time in Goldthwaite, Texas. They had become acquainted with a young couple there that had a young daughter and twin sons that were toddlers. One time the little girl came to spend a few days with them. They brought her over to our place see the donkeys and the lambs. I was heading down to feed the catfish in our pond so she wanted to go too. I put her … Continue reading The Little Actress

Thoughts and Musings3 Comments

It’s Just How I Write

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If a person reads much of what I write, it shouldn’t take long for them to figure out that I’m not very well educated. I graduated the 12th. How that happened, I’m not sure. I spent most of my approximately 2160 days of formal education observing what was going on out the window or getting into mischief of some kind or the other. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not proud that I didn’t graduate at the top of the class. Most things that where common sense, I did alright in. Math was something I could reason out. History and … Continue reading It’s Just How I Write

Another Daily Happening, The Jollyville Years, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Treehouse Of My Youth

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I was running a little ahead of time for a doctor appointment this morning in Austin. I decided to drive by the place we called home from 1958 until 1965. What was back then a small wooden structure built on uneven ground, up a canyon that was 65 acres comprised of mostly shin oak scrub brush and rocky soil with a scattering of live oaks that has now given way to yet another suburban neighborhood. The street leading off of a then unpaved country lane is now Talleyrand Dr. The rocky little trail up to our house is now Rolling … Continue reading The Treehouse Of My Youth