Amazing Things, Crazy Times, My Friends, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings3 Comments

The Mean Streets Of Houston

lewisotr

As a boy going up in the small central Texas town of Marble Falls, I dreamed of getting out of high school and finding a vocation without ever needing to go on to college or any other formal education. I grew up in a family where operating equipment and driving trucks came at an early age. I thought a career as a truck driver and maybe even owning a fleet of trucks one day was in my future. I was a high school senior, but not yet eighteen. At that time, you could get your drivers license at 14 and … Continue reading The Mean Streets Of Houston

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Incident That Almost Left My Brother To A Life Of Infamy

lewisotr

It was a late afternoon in the late 1970s. Kenny had put in a full day in Austin with the construction business and was headed to Marble Falls to finish off his day with his ranching activities. He headed out of Oakhill on Texas 71 and as he approached Paleface Park he looked up to see a white Mercedes Sedan pull directly out in front of him. With a quick reflexes he stomped the brakes and locked up all four tires. In a cloud of blue smoke he skidded right up within a few feet of the drivers door of … Continue reading The Incident That Almost Left My Brother To A Life Of Infamy

Crazy Times, The Construction Biz2 Comments

Ridiculous Things People Ask You To Do

lewisotr

One time years ago we were working beside North Lamar out just north of Rundberg Lane. A few blocks south of our job site 2 cars got together in a pretty bad crash. Attorneys got involved and started suing everyone they could think of. I’m not sure how our name got involved but it did and we were named in a lawsuit. I turned it over to the insurance company. Several months or even years past when an attorney called me to get a statement. She had almost worn me completely out when I told her that I would send … Continue reading Ridiculous Things People Ask You To Do

Aging, Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, No Place Like Bertram, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

My Love For Donkeys

lewisotr

This was originally written in the early days of The Angora Chronicles, with the times freshened up for this time period. In about 1959 I got Tar Baby. He was a fine specimen. Kenny always had good horses, but I preferred riding Tar Baby. He was given to me by my Grandmother Leona’s brother, Uncle Ed Purcell. I rode him in many rodeo parades and just for a leisurely ride. I usually wasn’t in a hurry and neither was Tar Baby. When it came time to help gather cattle or goats, I’d have to mount up on a horse. Otherwise … Continue reading My Love For Donkeys

Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

I Had No Idea What All I Had Stored Away Up In My Head.

lewisotr

When the Angora Chronicles first got started I didn’t bother to take inventory of how many stories I had in my head and I sure didn’t know if anyone else would be willing to tell a few stories of their own. So for this to carry on for more than seven years is kind of a miracle in itself. The screenshots below, of a very early post, makes it seem like I thought after a week or so I was about to run out of something to say. Of course 7 years and 3 month later, a few stories have … Continue reading I Had No Idea What All I Had Stored Away Up In My Head.

UncategorizedLeave a comment

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

Crazy Times, The Construction Biz1 Comment

The Ugly Phone Call

lewisotr

I was sitting in the office one morning and had received several solicitation calls. I was busy and was fed up with all nonsense calls when the phone rang again. It was an area code I didn’t recognize at all. I picked that phone and the guy said “Hello Ron, This is Dave out here in New Jersey”. I launched into a complete tirade about how sick I was of getting these $:;@/”:?!)$ phone calls, and to never call here again. He had sounded just like the several other telephone salesmen I’d already heard from. He said “no, no I’m … Continue reading The Ugly Phone Call

UncategorizedLeave a comment

Something I Will Always Regret

lewisotr

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

Aging, Amazing Things, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings9 Comments

Espinosa

lewisotr

This is a story I wrote 4 years ago, in Oct. 2017. It tells of a typical love/hate between two men, of which I’m a part of. It’s hard to believe that it’s now been this long since I’ve seen my old friend. I decided to check with his daughter Rose this morning to see how her parents are doing. Remarkably they are still living out that life they have lived for so many years, almost 70 years. I vowed to go see them soon and I will do that. Within just a few months of me starting into the … Continue reading Espinosa

Another Daily Happening, Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

We Did Things Much Differently Back Then

lewisotr

This was written back in September 2014. Within a month or so in the beginning of The Angora Chronicles. I grew up around construction equipment and trucks. In the 60s when I was in high school Cecil Lewis ran a fleet of dump trucks. Among other things we had the contract to haul the blasted rock from the Pure Stone Quarry out south of Marble Falls back to the crusher in town. Even as young and as small as I was at 14 or 15, I commonly and single-handey pulled transmissions and replaced clutches in those old dump trucks and … Continue reading We Did Things Much Differently Back Then