It always amazed me how often I used to find tools, like wrenches, hammers, screw drivers and the like laying on the road when I was traveling from place to place. I always accused my careless mechanic of being the … Continue reading I Could Never Pass Up Tools Laying In The Road
Back a few years ago Kenny had a ranch in Mexico. It was just a little ways out of Ciudad Acuna, the Mexico counterpart to Del Rio, Texas. There was a large group of guys there one weekend to hunt. A couple of high powered attorney’s, a banker and a few other business men. A very diverse group at that, in age and demeanor. Kenny had a full staff that worked the kitchen and lodge, but he decided that a trip into town on Saturday night would liven things up, as if it needed to be livened up. So he … Continue reading Kenny Lewis; Driving In Mexico
In the fall of 1984 I had a very big real estate deal happen that made me think I’d never see another poor day. So what did I do? Went and bought a new Lincoln Sedan. It was the Cartier addition. Very slick ride. It wasn’t for Madeline. No way she could get all the kids and their friends in it. She drove a suburban. I had a pickup or a suburban or both. I’m absolutely positive there was a reason I bought the Lincoln. I don’t think I’ll be running in to ask Madeline about this. If I remember … Continue reading Hauling Guns Into Mexico
I have a dedicated crew of guys that are mostly from one family down in the interior of Mexico. The first of these fellows came to work for me around 1980. Leoncio or Shorty, the name I gave him shortly … Continue reading Delivering A Tractor Into The Interior Of Mexico
Back around 45 years ago I had a project in Austin and was waiting for John Harlan and his boys to finish another road bore (that’s the process of drilling a hole underneath a highway to installed a pipe so … Continue reading Ain’t No Need To Talk Down To Me !
George Lester McDuff was a fiery little fellow. Everyone called him Dink and he always had a story to tell. He had the ability to make me laugh no matter what the occasion. He could make anyone laugh. I first met Dink in 1963, when I was just a kid. He and my dad worked for the same utility construction company. Dink ran the roadboring division. Roadboring is where a hole is drilled under a roadway or railroad track and then pipe is installed. It was dirty work with mud knee deep and oil and grease everywhere. But everyday Dink … Continue reading Dink Wrote Me A Check
Back in the early part of the 1970s we had a project relocating a water line on South 1st Street where a big “S” in Williamson Creek. (as shown in the photo below). Three new bridges were be built. We were on the tail end of that job, cleaning up and pressure testing. The City of Austin had a crew that performed the pressure tests and they came out twice and each time the line failed. The General Contractor that was building the bridges had already started work and it was imperative that we get that line approved or it … Continue reading I Always Wanted To Do The Right Things, But Circumstances Can Get In The Way
I remember this happening. It’s the kind of thing that has gone one forever, but when it happens close to home it rattles people to the core. Below are a couple of different accounts of that happening. Continue reading A Sad And Shocking Murder August 25, 1973
My friend John Kemper had property south of the bridge and needed city utility service run across to it. He worked with the city to run large enough lines to serve a larger area as well. Working with engineers from Austin a concept of running an 8″ water line and a 6″ wastewater pressure line was designed to snake underneath the lake and lay on the bottom. It was to have large concrete weights strapped to each line to hold them in place. The pipe was to be a very durable HDPE pipe that was manufactured in Canada. It was … Continue reading Taking Marble Falls Water And Wastewater Service South Of The River
The almost constant upheavel in the marriage of Charlie and Bonnie Sharp was legendary. Maxine was married for several years to George Sharp who was Charlie’s brother. She more or less had a ring side seat to what all went on. So you could take this story to the bank. Continue reading A Story That My Mother in Law Once Told Me.
Angora Chronicles 