Quite the Foot

[Darren Henry]

Anyone who remembers Florsheim shoes has no room to talk about dating one's self. LOL.They've been out of business for quite a while.

[Cheryl]

Yes.. it was a sad day when they did.  I had moved on long before that, but they once operated 2 factories in the town next door.  Both were still in operation when I started working there.. then they closed one..  a few years later they closed the second.. moving  the work to MO..  not long after -- that one closed too.   I can say though, that I  was the  one that put the binding on Johnny Carsons custom loafers..  orange suede   :o  ~  it was the 70's..  hahaha!  I ran a single needle for awhile and also the 2 needle..  man  those machines could FLYYYY!

As for age... I am not concerned.....   there are many who look better and just as many that look worse so ...  so I'm good.    8)

In fact, I kinda like what my daughter said not long ago (she is 23 and we were discussing the constant  battle  with the scales)  "When I hit 65.. its gonna be  Beer on the Porch, Moo-moos, and flashing  the cars that  go by"...  LOL!!   ;D

[Mojo]

Cheryl:

I believe you and I are close in age. If it will make you feel better I can post a picture of me. I am sure that you will then see you have aged well. ( If I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself ). Going through life being bald, fat and ugly is tough, but I manage to get by somehow. :)

Of course, we can both be thankful we are not as old as Darren. That man gives meaning to saying
" Old fart ".

:)

Chris

[bobbin]

Living in Maine I too lament the demise of the shoe industry and even the woolen textile industry.  When I was a kid in high school the shoe industry was still a mainstay in many communities.  Can I purchase a pair of shoes made in Maine now? prob'ly not (haven't tried in years, though). 

And I recall walking through a very small woolen mill with my Dad in the next town over.  The machinery was old and noisy.  The guy who took us through was old, too, but he was delighted to give us a tour.  It was really fascinating to see the threads set up on the looms in the precise order that delivered the specified plaid in the specified colors.   Right up through my high school years I could go to the "factory store" and buy very high quality, domestically (LOCALLY!) produced woolens to make my clothes. 

I've lived in this community for nearly 20 yrs. now.  And in that time I've watched 5 thriving fabric stores dwindle to 2 (one is a "chain" and basically useless) and it's nigh on impossible to buy quality garment goods; the only growth sector for the remaining "independent" is in quilting.  Black gabardine 100% wool? forget it! not available unless I buy on-line.  And even then it's imported... usually Italian.  Such a shame. 

[Cheryl]

I know what you mean Bobbin.  Nearly all fabrics are  made overseas now and its such a shame. I used to sew my own clothes and recently have  made the vow to get back into it.   :)

ROFL @ Chris!   ;)

[Darren Henry]

Of course, we can both be thankful we are not as old as Darren. That man gives meaning to saying
" Old fart ".

It ain't  the years; it's the mileage.  :'(

I've mentioned my old bud Murray the sign maker I worked for between employment and self self-employment. He's a 1936 and his wife is a '62 or '63 and a couple of years ago they decided to file their income tax on line. Her's went through  lickity split but she could not get his to process. I dropped by their place one night and he was complaining about it. I said the problem was his social insurance number only had four digits (it's a 9 digit # in Canada). At 6'4" , 290 LB I really appreciated his new  knee transplant and the door being behind me.  8)

8) Just before I released from the forces I went to a pay parade administered by a very young female 2nd lieutenant. She says "social insurance number ?" I quipped " 4". She gives me this deer in the headlights look so I explain; " yeah, there's God , Jesus, dirt, and then me. That's why I have this pace stick. I may need it to hobble back into my office."  :P

[Mojo]

We love ya Darren and you know I had to take a jab at you my Northern brother in arms. :)

CHris

[Darren Henry]

Of course,Chris. That's what sets this board above all others is the friendly banter and camaraderie.

[Peppy]

We have a machine with that kind of foot. A post machine that came from a shoe factory. Here it is in action-


pay no mind to the safety sandles. Those are bellows she's making. Accordian covers for stone saws. Lots of quarries around here.


heres one done.


Here's one in a ball. There are two finished ones packaged in the upper right. In the lower left are the individual 'ribs'

Couldn't happen without the good old post machine. Sorry, I can't think of any age related jabs right now. Long day...

[Darren Henry]

Sorry, I can't think of any age related jabs right now

>When I was in school the air was clean and sex was dirty.
> When I enlisted Centurian was a rank, not a tank
>Christ was a "lance jack"   ( lance corporal; today that would be a master corporal)
>I check the obits. every night before I go to bed. If I don't see my name I set the coffee pot and alarm. When I do I'm gonna sleep in a bit I guess.