Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Lost Fuel Truck

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We were down in Houston working many years ago. I had a cousin, Butch Martin working with us. He had an old friend from Austin that was needing a job, so we found a place to fit Wilber in. He was an equipment operator and he also served as our fuel truck driver, which was just a part time gig. Butch and Wilber each had a bit of a drinking problem, and always found a joint to call home everywhere they went. One Monday morning when we showed up for work and Wilber was missing in action. We didn’t think … Continue reading The Lost Fuel Truck

Aging, Crazy Times, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Martin’s, Father and Son Roadhands

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Uncle Bob Martin worked for me a couple of times in the 70s. He was slow and steady but was accomplishing something with every motion. He was my maternal grandmother, Nancy’s brother. Uncle Bob’s oldest son Butch Martin worked for me several times. We was opposite of his Dad. He was fast and all over everything, but man could he move dirt. You just always knew it wouldn’t last long, before he’d twist off and not show up. Each time I’d swear that was the last. But he had an uncanny way of arriving when you most needed someone in … Continue reading The Martin’s, Father and Son Roadhands

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Kenny Lewis, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Writing Letters To My Brother

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I never was much of a writer when I was younger. But I told 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 me … Continue reading Writing Letters To My Brother

Aging, Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Thoughts and Musings4 Comments

How I Began My Woodworking Hobby

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We have a very unique table. We got it from Madeline’s mom, Maxine, many years ago. It was a coffee table brought back from Venezuela by Maxine and Ted in the 60s. It’s not just a regular coffee table, it is huge. It’s made for a crosscut piece of Honduran Mahogany that is approx 3 1/2″ thick by 4’/ 5′ oval diameter. It’s a very impressive piece. The legs are made from branches of same type of tree that have been turned down on the end to make a dowel that fits into a drilled hole on the underside of … Continue reading How I Began My Woodworking Hobby

Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, My Family, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Things We Find Out About Ourselves. (August 8, 2016)

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I attended a funeral today, along with many others. It was a funeral where tears were shed, but no real outward displays of the terrible sadness that you know many felt. That comes from deep faith. That comes from the knowing and understanding that there are more good things to come. I left that service a bit saddened by the loss of an old friend, but that’s a normal reaction. I had a completely different emotion that I felt going away from there today. A complete feeling of dismay. It stems from an incident that supposedly happened around 50 years … Continue reading The Things We Find Out About Ourselves. (August 8, 2016)

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, Smithwick1 Comment

Grover Simpson – Game Warden

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I ran across this story one time. While I never had any direct dealings with the renowned Game Warden, Grover Simpson, my dad, Cecil Lewis eluded him for many years. There were many close calls. Even stories of Cec hiding out all night long while Grover set waiting for him to show up back at home. Or having to abandon a vehicle and make a several mile walk home to avoid being caught while road hunting. THE LAWMAN WHO BUSTED LBJ By Mike Cox Game warden was a family friend with a quick smile, a foul mouth and a lifetime … Continue reading Grover Simpson – Game Warden

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, Meeting New People, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Mrs. Lily Mae Little

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Back in 76 we were needing something to do. (That is what we say in the construction business when our inventory of work has been depleted) An acquaintance of ours, a competitor, had landed a big project up in North Texas, in the Possum Kingdom Area. It was more work than his crews could adequately handle, so we contracted for part of the project. We would be laying a 10 mile long segment of 24” water line. I was only 24 years old at the time. Madeline, our not yet 2 year old son Matthew and I relocated to that … Continue reading Mrs. Lily Mae Little

Marble Falls and the Area Around it., UncategorizedLeave a comment

Grease, The Movie And David’s Mishap At The Marble Falls Rodeo

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The year was 1978. It was July, Rodeo Time in Marble Falls. Shirley, my sister in law was staying with Madeline and me in Austin. The movie “Grease” had just been release. We had a 4 year old Matthew and a 1 year Michael. Shirley was wanting to see John Travolta swiveling his hips, so it was decided that I was a better choice to accompany her to the movie down on Riverside Drive, than to stay home and keep order with those children. We were sitting there enjoying the movie when a theater worker came down the aisle announcing … Continue reading Grease, The Movie And David’s Mishap At The Marble Falls Rodeo

Marble Falls and the Area Around it., The History of Texas1 Comment

T & S Manufacturing – Jermyn, Texas

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Originally posted on May 30, 2017 Anyone that has spent very much time driving around the rural ranching areas of Texas, have probably seen plenty of these Trip Hoppers as well other cattle feeding equipment manufactured by T & S. Of course Jermyn, Texas is a long way from Marble Falls, where I was raised, but just about anyone from here have a special kinship to T & S. The Taylor Family, Charley & Liz along with sons Jimmy Dan & Pat, were residents of Marble Falls up until the early 1970s. Charley was instrumental in forming the Marble Falls … Continue reading T & S Manufacturing – Jermyn, Texas