The message forum is an ongoing dialogue between our classmates. There are no items, topics, subtopics, etc.

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum and then click "Submit".

Bennie Schielack

I seem to recall a couple of steak houses - Safari on Richmond @ 610 - waiter tried to talk me out of have my filet well done (I've learned better now) and Black Angus - seems this was on Alabama somewhere. There was also a steak house up Shepherd in an old building moved from Quitman and Houston Avenue.  Can't remember the name, nothing fancy, just reasonably priced and overly large steaks and potatos.  

Anyone remember the Gizmo?  They had the most fabulous onion rings.  Prices hamburgers - 5 for a dollar .....

A new Chevy pick up truck could be purchased for about 2300 when we were graduating from High School.  I wonder what a Harley was going for back then?  

Beau, did you know the owners of the frame shop in Westbury Square.  His name might have been Lee, but I cannot remember his last name.  He drove a hopped p blue corvette, 68 ish and it was fast.  Should have been there about the time you were working the pizza store.  You guys had the best meatball sandwich.  I believe it was called a "mighty fine", and it really was. 

The majic store was fun to visit in the square, also.  Back in the good ol' days.  

Time for a nap.  Stay warm and snuggly, all .....

 

Beau Wann, Jr.

Didnt know the frame shop guy. Was he downtown on OLD MARKET SQUARE, or Westbury Square? I worked on Old market square downtown.  Sometimes I get those two mixed up with The Village and the galleria area. My mind just gets things wrong  no matter how I picture something.

As for the Gizmo, youre right, onion rings were great. Mostly after we got out of the swimming pool, we had malts.  2nd to none in the malt dept. I think malts were either .10 cents or .25 cents.   Ive had malts over the last 10 or more years, and they mostly taste like MILK. Myti burger was an offender in that area. It doesnt take more than a nickles worth of malt and a pennys worth of vanilla to make a VANILLA MALT ! ! ! !  I would complain about this to those folks, but they just could not bring themselves to make a real vanilla malt! I quit going long before Kathy sold the place. I dont remember who owns it now. Havent really wanted to go back.  Lots of bidnesses adhere to those two deadly woids---"this is the way we've always done it"...well thats 8 woids, 9 if you count the contraction twice! But yall all catch my drift eh what!

Probably one of my all time favorite hamburger joints, had to be THE CHUCK WAGON...bar none, best greasy burgers and fries and hotdogs on the planet. I remember when they first appeared...rather large covered wagon buildings. I only remember two of them, one on the corner of Yale and Crosstimbers and the one in our own back yard on 34th next to Waltrip. I know I've mentioned it before, but the man that ran the one on 34th, was there from the time it opened in 51 0r 52, till after we graduated from Waltrip...I think. He was a rather short man, in size, but large in stature from my point of view, and as I remember correctly, he wanted to retire to Colorado. I heard he finally did, although I dont know that for certain!  Well, I hope he made it!

I kinow all remember the menu at the Chuck Wagon; SPOKE DOG; HUB BURGER; WHEEL BURGER; AND OF COURSE., fries and O rings. That simple! And your assortment of drinks including malts and shakes! Just incase youse youtes forgot!   Dont recollect if they served anything else.  Having said all that, of all the things we have forgotten, that probably isnt one of them. How could you forget the CHUCK WAGON?  As dingy as I am, that is one memory that is there for keeps!

I forgot to mention, yesterday in 1845, EAPoes The Raven was first published  in the New York Evening Mirror.  And today in 1933, everyones favorite to hate...Adolph Hitler, came to power as chancellor of Germany.

Happey trails....

Robert Derrick

Beau, we all remember the Chuck Wagon and the little old man that made the burgers. And do you remember you could circle around it if you had a hot car let it lope looking for a dag race or just cruising and maybe looking  for a date.

Beau Wann, Jr.

     I had a drag race once, my 51 ford against...dang, I forgot his name..I can see his face clearly, and I think he had a 52 or 54 ford. I think I had all of 80 horsepower, and of course it was a flathead, but a V8. Anyway we went out on lang road, and someone said go, I popped the clutch, and all hell broke loose. And all hell was the rear U joints. Drive shaft  just banged around till I shut er down. the guy I was racing, or not racing, depending on your point of view, towed me home. Went to Hi Los or Spradlin and bought a Ujoint, for about 11 bucks and actually put it in myself.

      From then on, I never raced anyone, cept maybe to the dinner table! But of all the memories, I would say The Chuck Wagon was a good one. When I came home on leave, I have a couple of pictures of Robbbie Boswell, Jimmy Hilshire, Lynn Prewitt and maybe a couple of others inside the chuck wagon.

How bout that bad boy...2014 Softail Deluxe. 110 cubic inches.  If I win the lotto, I'm getting this one! ! !

Oh, hey Robert D, I just thought of another cologne...BRITISH STERLING. I still have a bottle of that babe magnet juice.

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Hey kids, what time is it? Howdy doody time of course! Actually it's 3:30 AM Woodland trails time! couldnt sleep, ol Mr Pain said, GET UP...so I did. Took a hot shower and really steamed up the place.
I'm kinda hungry. Didnt have supper, cause I couldnt make up my mind what I wanted. Nothing sounded good, so that's what I had, nothing!  Now I'm hungry! Oh yeah, I believe I already said that dint I! Man, what I wouldnt give for one of those Chuck Wagon Wheel Burgers and order O fries and a vanila malt.

    How you like that bike on the above post?  To me, it's like looking at a piece of art! I wonder how Ms Hawkins or Ms Cook would view that? I know, as supportive as they were of whatever you were doing, they would just love it like I do!  If I had that one, I'd probably just sleep in the garage, or bring it in the house and park it by the bed. Of course that's what I said about the one I have now.

      I did spend a lot of time sitting on it and or next to it polishing it.  My first dog Rocky, and I, would polish it for hours on end. I would sit on one of those short rolling garage stools, and Rocky would sit next to me as I polished it. Me talking to him all the while. And of course him listening to me as if I really had anything worthwhile to say. Well, dogs arent as picky about what the conversation is about, now are they. Rocky loved me, and I him!

     You know, if I go to the kitchen, all the kritters will be up and nosin about wanting an early breakfast, and if I cook something, Diane will be up wonderin just why the heck am I cooking something at this hour. Ok, hold on...maybe I can sneak in there, and heat up some left over coffee and open up the shortbread cookies...

     Oh man, I did it...stealth is my name and food is my game..."and all through the house, not a creature was stiring, not even a mouse..." Better not be no yuky mouse stiring in this house! What am I saying, I have 4 cats...mouse would have to be on a suicide mission to want to start bebopin around here!

     A while back, someone posted the word "skin flick"...and like Teddie said that's a woid we havent hoid in a while. First time I heard that woid, I thought they were saying skinflint! Now we all know what that woid means dont we. I thought, they were talking about "Scrooge" as in Ebenezer, or even Scrooge McDuck...member him?  Eventually I got it. Back then, a skinflick to me, was BEACH PARTY, with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon.  I saw that movie at the Hempstead Drivein...about a gazillion times. You know, it only cost a dollar to get into the drivein. But I guess I was leanin towards being a skinflint to see a skinflick, I parked my 51 ford outside the drivein and snuck in.

     Didnt know there was a hunert foot deep ditch around the place. Fell in, and it was full of vines and stickers and such.  Almost never made it out of there. Finally got in and once I got the stickers pulled out of me, It twerent so bad. Of course the movie was almost over, and what the heck, I had already seen it anyway. When the lord passed out brains, I thought he said rain, and I said no thank you.

     I have always been in love with Annette Funicello, from the early days of the Mouseketeer Klub till she just recently passed away. Not in a bad way, but just something about those eyes and that angelic face with the angelic smile.  I suppose that most guys felt the same, more or less!  One of the true beauties that was timeless. As beautiful as Liz Taylor was, she got old, just like the rest of us...gee, there's a real revelation. Well, you know what I mean. Annette never looked old even though she was in her 70s. 

    Maybe some day, I can meet her...along with Thomas Jefferson, the Wright Brothers, Ben Franklin, Edgar Allen Poe...well, on a well lit day with Mr Poe. That ol boy was just a tad scary!  A Stephen King in iambic pentameter if you will...and even if you wont!  How cool would that be, sit down with all the above folks along with hundreds more and just chat! 

     Well, I would just listen, what could I possibly add to any conversation with the likes of those folks?  I can hear em now, "uh, who are you"?  "you say you climbed telepone poles and hooked up phones?" And walked the high steel as an ironworker"?  Was that important? " Did it actually matter?  No, I think I'll just sorta hang towards the back and just listen!

    H.G.Wells, now there's an author I'd like to talk to.  Mary Shelly...Elizabeth Barrett Browing...Keats...Shakespere...well, only if he spoke in a language I could understand, and not sound like Yoda..."true to thine ownself, be"...Emily Dickinson...love her stuff...The Bronte sisters! Well, I do get to converse with those folks, by just picking up one of their books, now dont I!  When they passed on, I'm glad they left something of themselves behind, arent you?

    Guess I'll try to get at least an hour or two of sleep, before the critters all start runnin to and fro, clamering for breakfast.  When it's feeding time, Jack and Cooper start shaking their heads, rattling their collars.  Jack also sounds like he is yawning.  The lions and tigers all start running amok, over the table and chairs, up on the counter, across the beds, sliding on the floors. Utter chaos. Annie-Bob starts opening the cabinet doors and letting them bang shut. Many a silent night I've heard that noise, and thought someone was trying to get in. I'd grab a bazooka and a flamethrower and check it out, only to see a 10 pound kitty opening and shutting the cabinet doors.

    I'd hiss at her to stop that, and she'd just look at me and do her Robert Deniro impersonation, "you talkin to me? Well, I'm the only one here"!  TGIF eh? Being retired, it's always Friday, or Monday, or a weekend. Thats one of the good things about retirement, time has no meaning, unless you burn the biscuits because you forgot to set the timer and forgot they were in the oven...nah, I've never done that before...and if you believe that, I've got some ocean front property in Ari zona... 

Jan Barnes '65 (Nimtz)

Beau, I am sitting here reading your latest escapades (not ice capades) to my hubby.  He likes the bike photo you posted.  He said to tell you that he is reading a good book you should read.  It is about the world's best motorcycle writings (not ridings), almost 30 different stories compiled in one book.  It is called The Devil Can Ride by Lee Klancher.  He is enjoying it.  If you can't find a copy in your local library you can come up to Boerne and borrow his when he's through.

James King '65

Another Chuck Wagon was located at Long Point and Antoine.

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Jan, thanks for the tip on a good book. There is a Library just down the street on Gessner and Little york, (I gave all yall the coordinates, just in case all yall want to check it out). I will stop in today on my endeavors to persevere and whilst I run my errands. Only stopped in there once, it were closed! I was wondering why there were no cars in the parking lot. Thought I had all those books to myself. If they'd a left the door unlocked, I would have.

    They sell books, and National Geographics too. Better take a dollar four ninety eight with me. Hmmm, where'd I put my change...there it is, eleven cents and some small change!

    How yall weatherin the polar vortexs up there in Boerne? According to the weather people, it was colder here in the big city than it was in the hill country.  I find that hard to beleive. Last time I went camping north west of Austin, it got down to 12 degrees. Of course that was 1975 methinks, but a mere wrinkle in time from then to now. A Megaparsec if you will! And even if you wont! I was on a camping date with a lovely lady aptly named, Snow. We had several  extra-curricular activities planned, but you know what they say about best LAID plans of ladies and men?

    About all we did, was set the tent on fire trying to keep warm. Woke up with frost on our heads, and we had winter caps on. took us the rest of the weekend to thaw out.  Once we DID thaw out, the ice was broken! We were soul mates! ! ! I would have married her, but alas she passed away. God rest her soul!         Mr C reared his ugly head yet again.

     Went out this morn to get the newspaper, and bundled up expecting it to be freezing...what the heck, it's balmy it is! Whether you like the weather in Texas, just wait a minute, it's gonna change!

Well, I'm  off to run my E rrands and a stop at the Library...

Pat Brantley (Ross)

I loved that man at the chuck wagon.  I got a speeding ticket during our junior year and cried at the chuck wagon because I couldn't pay it.  He put a cup on the counter and collected money for the fine.  I paid the twenty eight dollars in small change.  The clerk didn't want to accept the change but it was legal currency so he had to give me a receipt.  

I loved the onion rings at princes.  The malts at chuck wagon were the best, though.  I have had the vanilla malts at beck's prime several times.  They taste like melted Haagen das ice cream.  

My my next door neighbor (Lucy hunt '65) has a husband who is addicted to his motorcycle.  I think it is a BMW.  He wears some type of protective clothing when he rides.  Her family owned forest park cemetery so she rarely rides with him.  I know more people die in cars than bikes, but the images are still there.  We came into houston on Wednesday for a doctor appointment.  The windshield kept icing up so we stopped at buckeys for a snow scraper.  They don't carry them.  They have ten types of hot sauce, but no scrapers.  We bought a long handled soup spoon and some window washer fluid and just stopped several times to de-ice the wipers.  Try to explain buckeys to a non-Texan.  

Steve Puckett '65

Happy birthday, Teddie Jordan! 

Here's some old pictures that might be of interest.

I liked Sonny Look's the few times I went there. Loved the knight on the horse.

Sonny Look 4/21/19 - 12/29/03  RIP    This is a good writeup about his career, one of Houston's great personalities:  http://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Sonny-Look.pdf

Pat Brantley (Ross)

Thanks for the pictures.  Sonny look's first wife died.  Jos second wife, Carole was a stewardess when I was.  We were delta ladies.  She was a very nice person.  I only ate there twice, but it was great.  The first time I went there was with Charles brawner before the ninth grade prom.  We double dated with Jimmie lee brawner and  Allen Weinstein.  I think I was too nervous to eat that night.  

Bennie Schielack

Pat, did you ever meet Pilot/Co-Pilot Mike Trahan from Orange, Texas?  He went to Ol Miss and Texas and was a Delta Pilot after flying "Puff" in Viet Nam.  I've met him thru a fellow dancer, his cousin and thru facebook.  Just wondering about the Delta connection.  I do know there are thousands of Delta Pilots and other employees.  Just thought you might have crossed paths. 

Jimmie Lee Smith (Brawner)

Brantley, you must have been more nervous than you thought - I was with David Blankenship, whom Charles had pushed to asked me out (which I didn't find out until years later).  Blankenship said Charles wanted him to ask me and double date so that he was kind of doing a "try-out" of me but with Blankenship footing the bill.  Charles was no dummy.  Wonder where I'd be today if I hadn't "passed the try-out?"  Thanks, Blankenship!

Steve Puckett '65

 USS Texas on April 21, 1948, when it was berthed. The Inn is to the right. Looks like there had been a lot of rain.

 

USS Texas in May 1986, water being pumped out. The Inn is to the right, just glimpsed

 

Memories of the inn, written in 2007

http://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/V4-N2-Oliveira-San-Jac-Inn.pdf

 

Another writeup, from 2010:

http://bill37mccurdy.wordpress.com/2010/08/08/the-san-jacinto-inn/

 

The Monument Inn opened nearby in 1974, burned in 1991, reopened in a different location near Lynchburg. You can order "Our Famous All You Can Eat" $34 which they earlier had named "San Jacinto Inn All-You-Can-Eat Special.”  http://www.monumentinn.com

Bennie Schielack

Monument Inn was just North of SJI, just before you reached the ferry landing.  Seems to me it was a two story white wooden building.  They served boiled shrimp two ways ..... regular & spicy ..... I loved the spicy.  My memory of SJI was walking into the entry way.  It seemed like walking into a cave to me.

My all time favorite seafood restaurant is Don's.  The store in the Galleria was fantastic.  We would frequently sit in the bar and enjoy the shrimp gumbo, onion rings and margaritas.  What a combination.  A real pleasure to the palet.  

When I travel East, I always take time out to stop in Lafayette or Baton Rouge and enjoy gumbo and some of their other delicious offerings.  I'll go out of my way to stop in.  

Beau Wann, Jr.

     GROUNDHOG DAY! ! !   One of my all time favorite movies! I guess I like it because Phil gets a do over, and make things right. Wouldnt mind a do over or two!

     Pat, what a phenomenal memory you have! I dont recall ever going to any dances, in school period.  I do remember our HS prom at the Shamrock hotel, but  thats the only outside function of school that I have a slight recollection of!  I dont recall there being any dances from elem to HS. I do remember going to a party at Jimmie Lees house by Garden Oaks Elem. And I remember seeing Jimmie Lee at Hot wells swimming party, and then seeing Jimmie Lee at another swimming pool with a plastic bubble in the deep end. And saw Jimmie Lee at the pool at the Shamrock Hotel...I wonder if I had a crush on Jimmie lee...

    Other than the one football game I went to, I didnt participate in any outside school activities.  Mostly I  worked after school and on weekends from Junior high till we gradumaated! SStill had fun though.

     Dont know of any really great seafood restaurants anymore. Cajun town was great, but they changed things up. I think they have a new cook...BOO...food just doesnt taste as good anymore! You dont think it could be my taste buds, do you buds? Went to a new mexican restaurant, last night,  Hacienda de los whatever. It is on 26th St., a block  east of Ella Blvd behind Lowes. Really an eye pleasing place. Looks like a courtyard inside. Food on the other hand is not so good. At least that's what my taste Buds told me. Others in the group, (inlaws) liked it. Well, we all know inlaws have no taste dont we. After all, they let there daughter marry me!  Service was good, except for the moron waiter calling me "boss" and "chief"...I HATE THAT. Especially from the service industry.

     In all me travels, dont recollect flying Delta, but that doesnt mean that I didnt! I remember flying United, and PanAm and of course Continental. Which ever airline I flew, the Stewardesses were just wonderful. I came home on leave whenever that was, and saw Karen Tram (sp) in the Hobby Terminal. I think she was with Continental.   IAH Bush wasnt built yet. She was always so nice to me when I saw her. Always smiling. Saw her recently, well, in the last 5 years, and she looked the same and was her usual nice self.

    Looks like paunxetawney Phil is about to make his appearance...how could the ground hog NOT see his shadow with all those TV lights blaring and glaring in the poor boys eyes!  those people are crazy!

    I remember my first plane ride out of the country. Flew Pan Am, and it was out of this whirld...no really, out of this whirld, that is until we landed. Dont recollect how long the flight was, but it was Long. They gave us nicely printed up menus to keep to remember the occasion! I still have the menu, but it's packed up in storage. One of the items we had, and I remember it as vividly as if it were yesterday...rock cornish game hen...

    Another flight I remember was coming home on leave. Flew Continental from Diego, and it was in the wee small hours of the morning, and cold. So I thought. Boarded the plane about 1 or 2 am, and it was empty, cept for me and the flight attendants. Must have been the mail carrier, cause I was the only passenger. I thought I had made a mistake and gotten on the wrong plane. No, they assured me I was on the right one. Well, who am I to argue about being on a Continental plane with just pretty flight attendants. I told them I could suffer through!

    I was in uniform, and flying standby, duh! I must say, I was treated royally. We detoured up to Denver, to avoid a snow storm between Diego and Houston. Landed in Denver and it looked like a blizzard there to me. Gee, must have been a really bad storm we went around. I just thought San Diego was cold. It was 48 when we took off, and zero minus a zillion when we stopped to refuel or take on more mail in Denver. Then we landed again in Colorado Springs, and it was even colder and nastier. At both stops, I was offered the opportunity to get off and "stretch my legs". The stop in Denver cured me of wanting to get off again, anywhere. I had on my "dress blues", and my Pea Coat, but I might as well have been nekid. Thats how cold it was!

    This was before the planes pulled up to the terminal buildings and you could go from inside the plane to inside the bldg in one fell swoop and not bother with the weather. they pushed up those long tall stairs to the plane, and I stepped out onto it, and if I hadnt grabbed the rail, woulda slid all the way down to Houston. OH MY GOSH, it was cold. I noticed none of the flight attendants or flight crew got off, just me! Why, I've landed in the TWILIGHT ZONE! I got back on board, dont know how I got up those stairs, but I did. they didnt have enough hot chocolate and blankets for Frosty the snow man. Got lots of love and attention from the stews..."oh the poor darlin" I heard em say...and of course, I sure didnt like that at all! 

    I dont ever remember getting to Houston. The TWILIGHT ZONE crew musta spiked my cocoa! I dont even remember which year that was, but I do have 4 years to choose from.

   My last plane ride, and the first plane ride since I got "dont like flying a phobia", was to Las Vegas in naught 5 or 6 for a squadron reunion. Only 7 of us are left! Anyway, the plane was packed coming and going. Managed to get the last seat in the tail, right across from the restroom. Thats the safest you know! My white knuckles were the only thing holding the plane up. Flight attendants noticed my nerves were a tad frayed. They brought a coke to me, but if I was gonna drink it, I would have had to let go of the armrests, and that wasnt gonna happen! Well, alls well that ends well, as long as it was a safe landing, and again, they all have me to thank for it. I brought that baby in, with no bounce at all. just as smooth as silk. They let me get off the plane as soon as the color came back to my face and they could pry my hands from the armrests. I must say the "Stews" were as remarkable my last time as they were my first time.

   16 minutes till Punxsutawney Phil emerges. Why isnt that animal cruelty? Waking that poor boy up so early and on such a cold morning. Well not here, it's 68 gredees here. Oh my, those people there are really on dope. they are all singing and dancing to Y M C A...first it was "SHOUT"...GO HOME PEOPLE, GO TO BED...

    Maybe I'lll try to go back to sleep....NAH that aint happening...
Happy trails...

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Phil sawr his shadow...6 more weeks of winter...duh, ya think!  We're in a polar vortex anyway!

Yes, I finally remembered Delta. Flew on it many times. I remember the tickets with DELTA printed on them.  I kept all my old tickets from all my flights...just in case I ever needed em again, or maybe could use em! Besides, they really looked official back then, sort of like the tags on your mattresses and pillows..."do not remove tag under penalty of pain and suffering"...so, I just kept them all. Dont let this get out, but I have been cutting the tags off the pillows and mattresses. 'COME AND GET ME"!!!

    Lessee, in alphabetical order,  there was American Airlines, Delta, Continental, TWA, Pan Am...who else! Sleepy, Doc, Grumpy and dopey... Did I get all the major airlines?  Which all goes to prove, a mind is a terrible think...

Here's a Neptune P2 I flew in most of the time. See the little window just aft of the star and fore of NAVY?  My position was on the other side with same little window.  P2 had twin recips and two JATO (jet assist take off) motors.  Carried a 7 man crew, and not a flight attendant among em! Dang! ! !

We also had a gull wing P5 Marlin. We called it a "pig boat", cause it was sooooo ugly. Had an ugly black pug nose!   It was mistakenly callled an amphibious plane, but it could only take off and land in the water. To get it on shore, it pulled up to a ramp, and we had to jump in the water and attach wheels to it, and then a small CAT pulled it up and towed it to the flight line. The Pig Boat carried a 7 man crew methinks.

    We had a P3 Orion, which was a 4 motor turbo prop. Almost like a C130, but not quite as large. Carried an 11 man crew. The P3 is still in use today, not by the Navy, but by the Coast Guard and Hurricane hunters, and those we gave away to other countries.

Just thought someone might be interested in ancient prehistoric history...Man, that was almost 50 year ago. My how time flies when your having fun! ! ! 

Steve Puckett '65

Beau,  that must be Karin Tron, Waltrip '65, now Karin Warren, a realtor.  At one time I thought that stewardesses were goddesses and must have one of the most glamorous jobs in the world. In the early 1970's I asked my then girlfriend where she had worked before her present job.  I was surprised to learn that she had been a stewardess for a big airline. Ha!

I could not find a photo of the Chuc Wagun (or Minute Man) from our day but here is a photo of one of the original ones in Waco. 

Pat Brantley (Ross)

Jimmie lee, I am sorry I didn't remember it was David.  I did know that Charles was interested in you.  I realized he was friend material shortly after that dance.  

I don't remember flying with mike Trahan.  Most of the guys I flew with were based in Memphis or Chicago.  I snuck a soldier on board for a full flight and hid him in the bathroom during takeoff and then he sat in my jump seat for the rest of the trip home.  Guys on leave had so little time home as it was.  I flew a lot of recruits to the processing center in Detroit.  We always fed them first.  The war was very real for many of us who never saw it, but knew we were sending our best over there and they would suffer.  I have had serious conversations with my grandchildren about the reality of war.  I am not a pacifist, but the price of war is great.  I read history from scripture to present and it convinces me of this reality more each day.  

Wayne Lake

FYI, I loved reading about all those great seafood haunts but I still believe Gillhooley’s in San Leon has the best oysters (Oysters Gillhooley’s sizzling hot out of the oven still in the shell with a little lemon and parmesan cheese) and fried shrimp you will find anywhere. It may be a little rough for some, indoor and outdoor dining, big camp fire out back, ice cold beer (bring you own koozie), they allow smoking, bring cash because they don’t take plastic, bikers from Houston, some in colors, local San Leon 'low life' and don’t go there dressed up or everyone will look at you funny but the food is simply the best.

I’m still waiting on your favorite Texas BBQ joints. There used be a good one about a ½ a block North of 11^th St and maybe two blocks East of Shepard, an old crippled black guy ran it and he had BBQ figured out. I remember that wiry cook at the 34th St Chuck Wagon but didn’t know he was a soft touch for cash?   

From League City but finally getting close to buying one in Aransas and trying to sell this one………..stay warm my friends.

wtl  

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Pat...BLESS YOU...Back when you were an  angel to the service man, we were pretty much dirt everywhere else...again BLESS YOU...and thank you...

    Hey BJ, thanks for those pictures. Were the chuck wagons here orange with a white top? Or do I have that confused with real conestoga wagons that had a white/dirty canvas top?

    Hey Wayne, before you buy your new house, check the curtain rods for shrimp! ! ! Thats just mean! ! !

     Wanna go to Gillhooleys? I would love some great seafood/oysters. We could have a WABEC meeting. We havent had one of those in a coons age. I personally cant think of that BBQ place you mentioned. There were a couple of BBQ places on our side of town, both named Western Kitchen, methinks. They have been gone for a long time, but they were great. BBQ meat is very subjective. Some folks like it lean, and some like it with lots of fat. I learned a few weeks ago, being asked do I want lean or moist, meant do I want meat with out fat, or lots of fat. Not thinking, I said moist. What came out, was a pile of fat. Had to send it back.  A real bbq chef, can make lean meat moist without the fat.

     There is a couple at church, that bring BBQ brisket to church functions, and it is so smokey, I cant eat it.  I like to taste the meat, with just a hint of smoke, or whatever seasoning is added. My youngest cooks with  GARLIC...I mean, everything has garlic, and lots of it. Cant use enough tums and mouthwash to get rid of the taste. He also puts orzo in everything. For those that dont know what ORZO is, it is a tiny noodle, the size of rice. I never had it until he served it up one time.  With lots of garlic.

     I havent found a bbq place with any consistancy in quality. One time it's good, then the next time there's a problem. Of course, it could just be me being picky. But, I like what I like, as most folks do. Lately nothing has been satisfactory. Either the universe is becoming unhinged, or my taste buds have become unhinged, buds!

    I watched, much against my better judgement, Emily Brontes, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, the 1939 version with Merle Oberon and Lawrence Olivier...I read it along time ago, and that has to be one of the all time depressing movies. Great performances, no doubt, and that Sir Lawrence was one handsome rascal wasnt he!  The ending where their spirits went off together, was the most uplifting part of the whole movie. Beautifully written story, as in style, but soooo depressing!

    Back then, women were pretty much property of their fathers and husbands, so I understand the depressing nature of the writing of women back in those days. There were actually 5 Bronte sisters, and one brother. 3 of the sisters were of great literary talent. Charlotte, Emily and Anne. Just thought I chunk that in there. Elizabeth Barrett Browning was pretty much enslaved by her tyrant father. When she left home for her husband Robert Browning, her father disowned her...the sorry sob!

    Well, I'm not telling you anything you dont already kinow now, am I! I just like to chat about a wide range and variety of subjects.

    Jan, I went by the library Friday, and they were closed...again! The first time I went, no cars in the parking lot, and they were closed. Friday, there were about a dozen cars in the parking lot, and still closed. Seems they open at 1 on Fridays. Went by there today, and they were open...but alas and alack, I went off and left my note on that book you told me about, and also left my glasses and ears at home. I can see big stuff like cars and houses and closed librarys, but anything smaller and I are blind!  So I went home and took a nap. I will try again tomorrow. Putting post it notes everywhere to remember my eyes and ears and stuff.

    Ok, gotta go help feed the tigers and wolves!

Trappy Hails...

Robert Derrick

Wayne and Beau,

You guys are a HOOT. Are your books available on Amazon?  By the way, Pat ( Wilcox) Prewitt retired from Delta. Not sure if she was a pilot, or stewardess, or jet engine mechanic. Ask her or Lynn next time you are at Fudd's. They attend often. I am going to try and make it next week.

Beau Wann, Jr.

     High praise from such a distinguished gentleman Robert! Thank you very much. My books are only available IN the Amazon... I will have my people send an autographed copy to your people. My people are the little people IN the Amazon. We communicate by messages in a botttle and paper airplanes.  I sometimes use a nom de plom aka Billy Shakespear,  Mark Train,  John Steinwreck, Ernest Hammingway etc...

Bennie Schielack

Today's good bar b que is found @ Demeris, both locations, but most convenient to most of us is 610 and 290.  Many, many years ago, there was a little shack on old Hempstead Highway, East of 34th and on the North side of the highway.  Little screened in porch and great Bar B Que.  For sure it went away many, many years ago.  Goode Company pleases my pallet, also.  Seems I stopped in some road side Bar B Que store along I 45 120 + miles North of Houston several times.  The owner is/was from Houston, retired and ran a great store.  Had large models of WWII airplanes hanging from the ceiling and also pictures all around, too, if I remember correctly.  East side of I 45 somewhere in time .....  

Oh, went to a little house a couple of blocks East of 59 in the area of Toyota Center.  That Bar B Que was really good, too.  This one was named for the lady who owned it.  Sorry I cannot recall the names, it's been a while.  

Fired a pistol for the first time this past weekend.  From close range, I could select and hit 4" groups, yet could barely see where I was shooting (like many of you, 67 year old eyes).  Maybe if I did not shake so much, I'd be able to make smaller groupings.  Never have had a desire to posess a hand gun, but as our area, state and country change, I'm beginning to believe it is the thing to do.  I'm beginning to believe "gun control" is hitting that at which you are aiming.  Much research and big decisions to make in the future.  

Beau Wann, Jr.

     Hey Bennie, Demaris is very good. We go there often. I forgot one, on Long Point, called BEEF AND BUN.  there are two locations, the other is on West Fuqua.  The one on Long Point is close to here, and really just a hole in the wall, but very good bbq and very generous portions.