Kenny Lewis, The Early DaysLeave a comment

Writing Letters To My Brother

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I never was much of a writer when I was younger. But I committed to myself that I’d stay in touch with my brother, Kenny by writing him often while he was away in Vietnam and also when he was stationed in Germany. Telephone calls were not possible in Vietnam, and much too expensive when he got to Germany. I would write and tell him what all was going on in my life. I’d tell him about everything crazy happening in Smithwick. There always seemed like something Cec had gotten into that needed to be told. He wrote back to … Continue reading Writing Letters To My Brother

Amazing Things, My Friends, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Never Assume The Best Mousetrap Has Already Been Invented

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Ryan was probably the more studious of the two brothers. Roy was the more sociable. There was a third brother by the name of Ricky. He was in the middle by age and there was a younger sister, Monica. But Ryan and Roy were the two that I was the most familiar with. Ryan was the same age as my oldest son Matt . Roy and my second son Mike were in the same grade. They went to school together for about six years in Dripping Springs. Ryan and Matt were pretty much alike both having more reserved personalities. They … Continue reading Never Assume The Best Mousetrap Has Already Been Invented

UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Lawson Products Caps

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Lawson Products had a salesman that made the rounds to all the contractors shops to sell them nuts and bolts. He kept our bolt bins full to overflowing. We never complained. We knew him coming meant he’d bring a good supply of good quality caps. Of course our Office Manager, Woody, always wanted to know why our bolt and nut bill was so high. This was in the 1970s and before the nice quality cap craze really got started. I really think that these caps are what showed people that a gimme cap didn’t have to be cheap looking. Wasn’t … Continue reading The Lawson Products Caps

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.