I Am Very Fortunate That My Mother Kept So Many Of The Little Keepsakes From My Childhood

I have so many things now to look back on and to help me recall my childhood, all thanks to my mother. This little wallet is an example of the things she held onto, on my behalf. The remote isn’t really old, but is being used to demonstrate the small size of that wallet. This very small kid size wallet, that my mother name and address in, was from Mexico. As you can see I carried it many a mile. How it survived is beyond me. This was bought in the very early 1960s. On the same trip there was … Continue reading I Am Very Fortunate That My Mother Kept So Many Of The Little Keepsakes From My Childhood

On Being A Left Hander

Being Left Handed Myself………. not sure how it would have worked out in my case, to make me write with my right hand. Almost everyone said I had the worst handwriting of anyone. I could have made a real mess trying to write with my right hand. However my grandmother, Leona, was left handed, but they “switched” her when she started to school. She had beautiful handwriting and the experience left her mostly ambidextrous with everything she did. https://famouslefthandedpeople.com/ Continue reading On Being A Left Hander

Back When I Was “Retired”

Oh what a difference six years can make. Back then I was retired, getting up and walking a mile or so down Ocean Drive and then onto Shoreline Drive to the wharf area to watch the sun rise up over Corpus Christi Bay. I really met some interesting folks on those strolls. While out for a walk one morning I ran across an interesting fellow. We walked and talked for a mile or so. Very interesting guy. When we were parting ways that first morning we actually did our introductions. “Well I’m Tom Sawyer” to which I said “I’m Huck … Continue reading Back When I Was “Retired”

Kenny’s Present To Me, Plus The Story Of The Homeless Woman

Kenny went off to an auction one Saturday where wildlife and birds of all sorts were being sold. This was at the very end of the big Ostrich craze. You know what I mean. There have been several others too, the Emu , the Llama, the Alpaca where anybody that’s anybody has to have some if they ever expect to become wealthy. Anyway Ken decided my little estate could use a couple of the giant birds. So unbeknownst to me he pulled in and opened the trailer gate and made me the proud owner of the two beasts. Like I … Continue reading Kenny’s Present To Me, Plus The Story Of The Homeless Woman

Old Time Wrestling (written in December 2014)

I spent a way too much time thinking about this last night. Actually, I didn’t lose sleep but I did research for a while trying to find the name of the opening music that was used when Houston Championship Wrestling would come on in the 70’s (mostly when I’d tune in). I found a great YouTube clip of a History of Houston Wrestling and Paul Boesch. Brought back a lot of memories. I never went to a live match, but enjoyed watching the characters. They were real showmen. The theme music – does it have a name? Madeline was listening … Continue reading Old Time Wrestling (written in December 2014)

Meeting Fine Folks Over A Meal

I went out south of Bertram one Saturday morning back in 2014 to a Texas Ranger Cross Dedication. After the dedication we were invited back to Fort Croghan in Burnet for lunch. I got my plate of catfish and set down at one of the long tables. Seated across from me was a nice couple that I started chatting with. The Angora Chronicles was something pretty new at that time, so I told them all about it. Actually it was mostly the lady that I engaged with. I got her name and invited her to join us in our story … Continue reading Meeting Fine Folks Over A Meal

I Have A Habit Of Whipping Out Old Saying On My Grandkids

When asked this morning by my high school freshmen grandson, Will or Catfish as many of you know him by, “what’s happening”? I said “the same old six and seven”, figuring that would throw him off. To which I said “it really doesn’t make sense”. It made me stop to think what does that saying really mean and where it originated. The trusty internet came through once again. Anyway, that explanation seemed to satisfy his inquisitive mind and mine too. Continue reading I Have A Habit Of Whipping Out Old Saying On My Grandkids

I Was A Kid With Few Talents

In fact I think I could only do approximately two unusual or amusing things. One of those I tried out while sitting in the barber chair a while back. Now mind you it wasn’t the first time I’d tried a barber out on this but in memory it’s the first time I ever got a real reaction. As this young gal started to clip the ear hair, I started my ear wiggling routine. Of course I could see her look as I could see her in the mirror, so as she’d get close with the clipper, I’d let my big … Continue reading I Was A Kid With Few Talents

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

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.

The Double Cross

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