I Would Be Considered Dink’s Stalker In Today’s Terms

Dink would come through Austin and borrow money for a venture or a vehicle to drive until his boat would come in. I was always needing to contact him. Dink was always headed off to Alaska to mine gold one time and then off to Africa to mine for diamonds the next time. Another time when he made a little remote controlled oil gobbler that would go out into the water and clean up oil spills. Yes this was different than the containment diaper to strap onto barges and ship that I’ve previously written about. It’s not that Dink wasn’t … Continue reading I Would Be Considered Dink’s Stalker In Today’s Terms

Cec Loved New Toys

(As told by Kenny Lewis) Cec was the type that when he got something new he couldn’t wait to use it. He had bought a new Murray Mower at Walmart. It was late in the day and didn’t get much of a chance to use it by the time he got down to the Fishing Camp. He was up early the next morning and couldn’t wait to get started mowing. Most of us know for numerous reasons that it is a good idea to wait for the dew to dry off the grass before you start mowing. More especially if … Continue reading Cec Loved New Toys

Another Strange Happening

When we were kids going to school in Jollyville, there were the Reeves boy’s that were the same age as Kenny and me. Donnie was Kenny’s age, while Danny and I were in the same grade. We often visited each other’s house and played together. Then the Reeves’s cousin Elvin Horner came to live with them. He was Kenny and Donnie’s age. The Reeves family moved and we lost touch with them. That was about 1963. By the mid 80’s I was awarded a contract to construct a development project in Round Rock. When we got started building it, I … Continue reading Another Strange Happening

The Goat Shed Up On Possum Kingdom Lake

There was a time between our first two sons being born and we had a project laying a 24″ water line up in Stephens County. Housing was hard to find so while driving around the area, I found The Possum Kingdom Fishing Camp. This was a place that was very active in the summers but pretty well shut down during the winter. I found the owner and made a deal to rent the whole place. There was a little 2 bedroom house in the center of the property with one bedroom cabins surrounding it. This was in December of 1975. … Continue reading The Goat Shed Up On Possum Kingdom Lake

Save Our Planet

I’m not sure how strongly I feel about Climate Change or Global Warming or whatever the buzz phrase of the month is. I am fairly sure we humans do harm to the planet. We foul the roadsides and waterways with trash so it’s no stretch of my imagination to think we are messing with the ozone layer. I’m doubtful that the California fires are President Trumps fault because he pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord. I heard a scientist kind of guy on one of the Sunday News programs this morning say that by the year 2100 this country … Continue reading Save Our Planet

Riding On The Back Of An Elephant

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying anything disparaging about the fairer sex in what I’m fixing to write but you tell me there aren’t differences is in the two sexes. A decade or so back we were over in Africa. One day we decide it would be a great idea to go on an elephant back tour through the wilds of Zimbabwe. We got on with me sitting behind my wife and the lady traveling with us got on another one sitting just in front of an Englishman. We weren’t out of sight of the starting point before I … Continue reading Riding On The Back Of An Elephant

Octavius

Just off the northeast corner of the house, our house here in Bertram is a huge wind chime. It has a pleasant melodious quality about it when there is a light breeze blowing. As the wind picks up, it turns to a haunting sound. So much so, that I have a bungee cord that I wrap around it, as to make it immobile when the wind blowing too strongly. You see it’s just outside my bedroom window. A while back we had a house guest, a special young lady that is really into Medieval Times. She has a vast knowledge … Continue reading Octavius

My Old Friend Horst

Horst was truly one of the nicest old fellows I ever met. He worked as a superintendent, building apartments. He may be the only man in that position I never had a head-butting with. There was something about the way he approached things, that I worked extra hard to be sure I pleased him. We first started working together in the mid 1990s. Our friendship grew over the next few years. Horst loved deer hunting. I started including him in any hunts we were going on, whether business or when I was taking my sons hunting. He had wonderful stories … Continue reading My Old Friend Horst

The Thoughtfulness Of My Brother

One day my brother, Kenny, walked into my wood shop carrying a wooden saddle rack, that he had bought somewhere. He ask if I could carve a name and maybe put something fancy on it. The rack was fairly simple, made from pine, just plain looking. He told me the story of seeing a saddle hanging in the barn of an old cowboy friend of his. He ask about the saddle and got a complete history of it. The old cowboy had owned that saddle most of his adult life I believe. He told him who made the saddle and … Continue reading The Thoughtfulness Of My Brother

Impersonating Kenny

For years Kenny and I sounded amazingly alike on the phone. We both have what I guess is a distinct Smithwick accent. I’m don’t know if Kenny ever took advantage of that. My wife admits to getting us confused a few times, but never has told me if any of those conversations ever went really hay-wire. On the other hand, I can’t even tell you how much confusion I caused or the fun I had becoming Kenny on the phone. Our Grannie Ruby was easy. All I’d have to say is “Grannie has Karen been by today?” With that, I’d … Continue reading Impersonating Kenny