Amazing Things, My Family, Smithwick, The Jollyville Years, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

The Little Keepsake Box

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This little wooden box is one of the treasures that I hold close to my heart. It belonged to my Grandmother, Leona, that we affectionately called Maw-Maw. The initials L P was for Leona Purcell. I will be telling you more in a couple of days about my Maw-Maw, who was known as Aunt Nonie by many folks around the country. Why in a couple of days? May 6, 2021 will commemorate 112 year’s since her birth. Now back to the box. I remember that she always kept this box on her dresser. When I would ask her about it, … Continue reading The Little Keepsake Box

Funny Happenings, Kenny Lewis, My Family, SmithwickLeave a comment

Señor Kenny

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Back when Papa Ted (Madeline’s Dad – Ted Jordan) retired from a long career in the oil patch and came to live in Smithwick he took on the task of keeping our property at the lake mowed and trimmed. He did a great job as long as his health allowed for it. In the very beginning he showed up one day and there was a well tanned fellow with a big bushy black mustache and a nice sombrero there at the lake. Figuring it was some of the hired help, Ted lined him out. He told him how the fallen … Continue reading Señor Kenny

Another Daily Happening, Crazy Times, Smithwick, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

GTE Telephone Switching Building

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This story was originally written back in 2015. So another 6 years have come and gone with this saga. Back in 1977 GTE was updating the phone lines down Smithwick way. They made a deal with us to lease a small plot of ground to put an switching building on. The property where this building is located is on a 7 AC tract that I had owned for several years. Cec made the deal and I told him to just cash the check when it came in, which was easy enough for him to do back in those days. The … Continue reading GTE Telephone Switching Building

Cecil Lewis, Crazy Times, SmithwickLeave a comment

Cecil Lewis Had A Dark Side

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Cec got crosswise with the phone company. He didn’t like the way they did what they wanted, when they wanted. The phones never worked right. The phones hummed, crackled or didn’t work at all. When he couldn’t get any satisfaction out of them on an issue it made him mad. So he went up the highway, I think by the Bowles Place where the big phone cable came out of the ground and went overhead where it had been to rocky to trench. He took a hypodermic needle (probably the one he shot my toes up with to cut out … Continue reading Cecil Lewis Had A Dark Side

Crazy Times, Funny Happenings, Kenny Lewis, My Friends, The Construction BizLeave a comment

He Got On That Harley And They Rode Away

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There were a couple of brothers sitting around visiting a few years ago. I’m not sure how or why it came up, but they were discussing a fellow contractor with whom they had know most of their lives. The younger brother said “did you hear about Ol Dan (not his actual name). I’m not sure his company will be around much longer. It seems he’s gone middle crazy. He bought a new Harley and left his wife. Last time the guys at his shop saw him he was headed out west on that motorcycle with a large breasted blond on … Continue reading He Got On That Harley And They Rode Away

Crazy Times, Meeting New People, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Is There Really Anything To A Dream?

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I originally wrote this story back in October, 2015. Yesterday there was the post about not telling about a bad dream until after breakfast. Not knowing whether that applies to all dreams, I got up and had a bowl of Raisin Bran, just to keep it on the safe side. When I we lived in Dripping Springs in the 1985-1991 timeframe I, along with my sons were all baptized one Sunday morning by Rev. Grady Roe. It was about this time of year in 1985. I had only given myself over to going to church real sparingly up to that … Continue reading Is There Really Anything To A Dream?

Crazy Times, The Construction BizLeave a comment

A Little Nose Problem

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Jose Tobias had just arrived in this country from a far away land south of the border. We hired him to work on a crew. He was a little slow and I’m not taking about how he walked. Back in those days, a lot of us used Vicks Inhalers. A lot allergies and sinus problems and we tried everything for a little relief at certain times of the year. Jose had a stopped-up nose so when they went to the 7/11 one day he purchased his first Vicks Inhaler. He had seen me do it I guess he figured it … Continue reading A Little Nose Problem

Crazy TimesLeave a comment

A Typical, Yet Untypical Vacation

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One of our family vacations that we were able to plan ahead and actually take was to California. I say that, because many times we planned vacations and because of being self employed the business would get shoved in front of family. For that I’m regretful but being in business afforded us opportunities that perhaps we wouldn’t have had otherwise. This year, 1986 I think, took us to Los Angeles to do some of the same stuff most people do when there. Universal Studios and other Hollywood stuff, went to see the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach as well … Continue reading A Typical, Yet Untypical Vacation

Aging, My Friends, Thoughts and Musings6 Comments

The Big RL Is Climbing Up On His Soapbox Once Again

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I don’t want to sound preachy and I’m not trying to guilt anyone into anything. It has been a long while since I brought this up. You say “what is it that this old fool is talking about”? It has to do with Facebook Etiquette. It doesn’t only apply to The Angora Chronicles, it pretty well goes across all groups, pages and people personal walls. When you take the time to read something, simply go up there and tap one of the icon showing what your feeling for that post is. By hitting LIKE or ❤️ or even the one … Continue reading The Big RL Is Climbing Up On His Soapbox Once Again

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

Winfield, Me and the Capitol National Bank

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Back when my friend Winfield, the CPA, worked for me we were being courted by one of the big downtown Austin banks. Emory Thompson was the pitch man for The Capitol National Bank that would come by and try to get us bring our business to them. I knew him, his family had owned a big tire business that had sold and he went from being a tire salesman to being a money salesman. We had been doing business with a small local bank in north Austin, aptly named North Austin State Bank. They had done everything I’d ever wanted … Continue reading Winfield, Me and the Capitol National Bank