Category: Thoughts and Musings

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Smithwick, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

A Thanksgiving Feast With Charlie & Minnie

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Charlie and Minnie were an old couple I’ve written about a lot over the years. They showed up in Smithwick ready to campout down by the river but ended up staying in the Old House, as we called it. This was where my grandparents, Theron & Leona had lived before his passing, and the house where all the Smithwick Lewis Clan had resided for decades. Minnie wasn’t a tidy housekeeper by anyone’s estimation. I guess living in an old farmhouse without a screen door would make it hard to keep things clean. Especially if you had a strong penchant for … Continue reading A Thanksgiving Feast With Charlie & Minnie

My Family, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

A Baugh Family Thanksgiving

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I am so Thankful that FaceBook allows this to be a smaller world and that we can come together as family. On Tuesday, 2 days before Thanksgiving we were able to welcome many of Madeline’s family, most that she hadn’t met before or had only seen a limited number of times. There were cousins that she knew existed, but as often times happens, only a long ago funeral were the only thing that would have brought them together. In the Baugh Family, we found so many wonderfully nice folks. Everyone came and contributed food to allow us to have a … Continue reading A Baugh Family Thanksgiving

Aging, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Why I Appreciate AI, As It Polishes My Words And Makes Me Seem Bright.

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I am forever being asked, did you really write that or was it AI? This morning I’ll share what I wrote and then the difference AI made in regurgitating it. Perhaps AI can go it alone, but I’m not sure how that would work. But I’m willing to give it a try. That will be the third entry. My Thoughts: I Am Thankful  For my family, near and distant, the specialness of what being a grandparent brings For my life, present and of old and a sound mind and mostly good health  For friendships that have endured a lifetime  And … Continue reading Why I Appreciate AI, As It Polishes My Words And Makes Me Seem Bright.

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

LBJ was a unique piece of work

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I had a fellow tell me about this barber we both know in Austin that got a call one time summoning him to cut LBJ’s hair. When it came time to settle up, he was told that he shouldn’t charge for his services, because cutting the Presidents hair was an honor. Well that was the one and only haircut that Lyndon got off of him. That story reminded me of the following happening: I went down to the LBJ Library and got them to run me a copy to cassettes of all of Lyndon’s phone calls while he was in … Continue reading LBJ was a unique piece of work

Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

The Rio Motel and Club – Austin, Texas.

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I knew about The Rio because in the mid 1970s several of us that were working on the I-35 expansion from Airport Blvd up to US 290. We used to go there and drink coffee and eat breakfast or lunch sometimes. I was surprised when I opened the Austin Statesman newspaper one day to find out that The Rio had become really famous in the history of Austin. There was a club there also, but I never remember going to it. But there were several notable Austin people found it to be a great meeting place. There was a well … Continue reading The Rio Motel and Club – Austin, Texas.

Crazy Times, Texas History, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Oscar Wyatt

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The Coastal Corporation   Address: Coastal Tower Nine Greenway Plaza Houston, Texas 77046 U.S.A.  Statistics:  Public CompanyIncorporated: 1955 as Coastal States Gas Producing Company Employees: 13,300 Sales: $7.37 billion (1998) Stock Exchanges: New York Amsterdam Dusseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Munich London Ticker Symbol: CGP NAIC: 48621 Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas; 22121 Natural Gas Distribution; 32411 Petroleum Refineries; 42271 Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals; 44711 Gasoline Stations with Convenience Store  Company Perspectives: Throughout our operations, Coastal seeks to maximize the competitive advantage of our strategically integrated and diverse base of energy assets and operations; focus on core geographic areas where our assets and expertise bring unique strengths; maintain a strong balance sheet to provide the financial … Continue reading Oscar Wyatt

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

LoVaca Gathering Company and Oscar Wyatt

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Seems like in the mid 1970s, no name was mentioned more often on the Austin News than Oscar Wyatt and LoVaca Gathering. Below is an excerpt from a much longer article about Austin’s Energy woes.(The full link at the bottom) Natural Gas Shortages – Ironically, one of the most instrumental people to inspire Austin’s renowned energy-efficiency programs was a colorful and somewhat ruthless oil and gas magnate named Oscar Wyatt.  Though he had a noble side to him – a rags-to-riches tycoon, who at various times in his life acted as a selfless patriot – during the 1970s, he became one of … Continue reading LoVaca Gathering Company and Oscar Wyatt