Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Finger Pointing

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I have a young man, Luis, working around the place making things look pretty. I went and bought him a brand new chainsaw not long ago. I purchased the cheapest one I could lay my hands on, because, let’s say I wasn’t expecting him to be the most careful with it. No need screwing up a $500 saw when you can do the same thing with a $130 saw. It was a Craftsman brand and required the use of 40:1 gas mixture, instead of 50:1 like most other 2 cycle engines. I bought the premixed cans of gas, so we … Continue reading Finger Pointing

Amazing Things, My Friends, The Construction Biz, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Summer Of 1961

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Much of our summer of “61” was spent down in Woodsboro, Texas. Our dad was the chief inspector for Marvin Turner Engineers in Austin. He was sent to Woodsboro to oversee a complete makeover of the Water and Wastewater system. Knowing that we needed to do stuff that regular city kids did, we started off the summer by going to Austin and Navy Store on Congress to buy baseball gloves. I still have mine 60 years later. A new start up company, B & T Construction from Port Lavaca had the contracts to perform the work. I turned 9 years … Continue reading The Summer Of 1961

Meeting New People1 Comment

A Visit From The Jehovah’s Witnesses

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One Sunday afternoon I was sitting around the house, with my three younger sons. They were all still in school, but big teenagers by that time. We looked out as a minivan drove up and parked in the circular drive out front. We all four went out to see what they wanted. Not usually how we greeted folks, a whole hoard of Lewis’s, but we all ended up facing off with a young, mid 20’s guy and older fellow, maybe in his 70’s. They had papers in there hands, and gave us all some pamphlets that we could read. The … Continue reading A Visit From The Jehovah’s Witnesses

Amazing Things, Meeting New People, My FriendsLeave a comment

Lewis the Hawksbill Turtle

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It was a Saturday morning in the Fall of 2012 and I asked our neighbors down at Port Aransas, Gene and Virginia, if they would like to go with me to the Padre Island National Seashore. We had talked before about going to the two areas they call Little Shell Beach and Big Shell Beach. We drove about 22 miles south of the visitor center before we decided to turn around. The going got too rough to chance continuing any further. On the way back we saw a huge Turtle on the beach not very far out of the water. … Continue reading Lewis the Hawksbill Turtle

Crazy Times, Thoughts and Musings4 Comments

The Turtle Rescuer Girl

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At our family reunion in 2013 my cousin Gerald Kirkland and his daughter Shannon came from Arkansas. After the reunion was over they came to visit Madeline and me in Corpus Christi for a couple of days. To give them a look at the Gulf Coast we drove out to the Padre Island National Seashore to hunt for seashells and look around. It’s a very primitive area where there are few people unlike other areas of the beach on Padre or Mustang Island’s. It was in turtle hatching season. The US Park Service hires college students that they have out … Continue reading The Turtle Rescuer Girl

Funny Happenings, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Hidden Talents

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I confess that I actually have very few true talents. But I do have the ability to think very fast on my feet. In situations like while driving and taking sudden evasive measures to avoid an accident. There is no real way to measure that knack. But I have narrowly escaped many more accidents than I have actually been involved in. I’m not sure that wiggling my ears is really a talent, but I’ve amused people, mostly kid passengers in adjacent cars at red lights and such. I find that I’m losing that ability with age. I guess I’ve lost … Continue reading Hidden Talents

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, On The Job, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and Musings, UncategorizedLeave a comment

My Memorial Day Memory – 1981

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Memorial Day is a time for reflection and to honor those Military Person’s that gave the ultimate sacrifice for this wonderful nation. But 40 years ago Memorial Day was marked by devastation to parts of Austin, like nothing some of us had ever lived through. The story below tells my personal experience that day. During the early morning hours parts of Austin received 11 inches of rain in the span of 3 hours. I have no doubt that one of the highest elevations around, Jester Mountain received that much rain or close to it. We were building what is now … Continue reading My Memorial Day Memory – 1981

Kenny Lewis, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Mansfield Dam

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Kenny had been away in the Army for several years and when he returned he came to work with us. We were working in Austin, several locations. He and I were coming down Red Bud Trail where it crosses the low bridge just below the Tom Miller Dam. Kenny, the passenger, was taking in all the sights of Austin, marveling at how things were growing in the little town where we had spent much of our early years. As we wound down the hill and headed across the bridge I looked up at the dam and said “Dang Kenny, isn’t … Continue reading The Mansfield Dam

Crazy Times, Old Dog - New Trick, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

How Could I Always Be So Lucky ?

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I had to make a trip up to my North Texas Ranch yesterday. It appears the people that own the places all around me seem to be ganging up and deciding everything is always my fault. The wild hogs are terrorizing everyone and everything. On top of that coyotes are very prevalent and seem to have everyone in the area scared out of their wits. I’m not sure why it’s my fault, but I guess since I’m the largest landowner anywhere nearby, they think I’m the one that needs to take care of the problem. I ignored them for awhile … Continue reading How Could I Always Be So Lucky ?

Funny Happenings, My Family, Thoughts and Musings1 Comment

All My Sons

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I just saw a moving van and it reminded me of when Madeline was moving some her favorite pieces of furniture to our new place in Corpus. She was going to hire a company to transfer it. I asked her who was bringing it. She proudly proclaimed “All My Sons”. Puzzled, because we had decided that it was all the really good stuff (stuff that cost too much) and me moving it wasn’t going to work. We have a long history of severe damage every time I have ever moved anything. In my mind our sons learned everything they know … Continue reading All My Sons