Category: Uncategorized

Amazing Things, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., Texas History, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Sometimes we get busy with life and don’t check up on folks like people used to.

lewisotr

There’s a lady that used to contribute to the Angora Chronicles regularly. In fact she is the very best around for finding interesting photos and articles about a wide range of things related to Texas History and such. She has been a major contributor to all those Bob Dunn and Will Beauchamp Texas History Groups. In fact if you aren’t familiar with all those great groups check them out. I bet you can find one or more that you are interested in. I looked back and noticed it’s been months without seeing anything out her. The post about the Armadillo … Continue reading Sometimes we get busy with life and don’t check up on folks like people used to.

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My Surprise (from Nov. 28 2014)

lewisotr

I had a very pleasant surprise this evening. I got a text from a very dedicated employee, Chris Chapman and his wife Jeni. Jeni is the daughter of Madeline’s brother David. Chris has worked for the company almost his entire adult life, just short of 20 years. They had left a box by our back door here in Bertram. When I went out and retrieved and opened it, there were 5 copies of The Angora Chronicles, volume one. It has 67 stories, mostly some of the first stories I submitted on this group. It is so professionally done. When Chris … Continue reading My Surprise (from Nov. 28 2014)

Another Daily Happening, Kenny Lewis, The Early Days, Uncategorized3 Comments

On A Quest To Buy A Truck

lewisotr

On the day after Thanksgiving in 1977 Kenny and I went to Cross Plains, Texas to look at a potential truck purchase to haul our equipment with. We started out from Smithwick. We were both there with our families where we were spending the holidays with our mom and dad. Being a 3 hour trip up to northwest we left early in the morning and arrived in Cross Plains by 8:00 AM. We had seen an ad for this used truck dealer in a magazine. When we got there, they had a sea of trucks on the lot. We test … Continue reading On A Quest To Buy A Truck

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The Gatesville State School For Boys

lewisotr

When I was a kid growing up in the 60s, The Gatesville State School for Boys was the primary place that juvenile delinquent boys were housed. That place had a long and not always a glorious past and was closed in 1979. Following is some history of that place that brought fear in young boys when they were told “You’d Better Straighten Up Or You’ll End Up In Gatesville”. Believe me, we understood that language. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatesville_State_School Continue reading The Gatesville State School For Boys

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Come Along With Me On An Odyssey

lewisotr

We have all lived through a hellish nightmare for the past two years. We lost relatives and close friends. Many of us have endured sickness like nothing we have ever experienced. People have suffered financially. We have been unable to do the things we have been accustomed to. Others have lost their jobs and their careers upended by this epidemic. I decided to explain to my friends what I have personally gone through. Not as a way to garner sympathy, but hopefully give certain people some level of comfort. I’ll explain what I mean as we go along. First off … Continue reading Come Along With Me On An Odyssey

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, My Friends, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and Musings, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Pete and the Boulder Busters

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Times have changed a lot in the 50 years that I’ve been in the construction business. The only economical way to excavate rock for installing underground utilities in the first 10 years was blasting with dynamite. It tapered off over the next decades to where that method is rarely even used today. We blasted up and down streets in very congested areas. In my first 4 or 5 years there wasn’t even a city permit required in Austin to transport and use explosives. Anyone dealing with the City of Austin now, would find that hard to believe. Now you need … Continue reading Pete and the Boulder Busters

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A Year Long Wait, For Nothing

lewisotr

It just occurred to me that I seldom order anything that I can’t get next day shipping. If I buy something I want to touch and feel in right then and there or at least the next day. People ask why I don’t order new cars or trucks, so I can get them exactly like I want them. I always think, what if I order it and it takes 2 or 3 months to get it, and then it isn’t exactly what I want. That could happen, easily. I can order a pizza for delivery and I’m pacing the floor, … Continue reading A Year Long Wait, For Nothing

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Something I Will Always Regret

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Back in 1985 I had the opportunity to sell a 50% stake in my construction company to a well established building contractor. It was a transaction that was mutually beneficial to both parties. For me it would allow me to bid whatever size project I desired and have the financial backing to really excel. I had had many years of struggles, with the ups and downs of the economy and me not always making the wisest decisions when it came to the business and financial end of things. By merging with this other company I would still have my own … Continue reading Something I Will Always Regret