Posted: March/17/2007 at 2:08pm | IP Logged

I just remembered how cool it was when I was growing up in the fifties to have cleats on my shoes and boots.  That tap tap sound was neat.  I think it was to preserve the life of you footwear.  Shoe repair was a necessity back then and if the shoemaker didn't routinely put the cleats on my shoes and boots I'd ask him to.  I know my mom was pretty upset if I wore my brogs in the house with cleats and marked her hard wood floors up.   

I forgot to mention they were metal cleats. 

Posted: March/17/2007 at 6:48pm | IP Logged

It used to be there were lots of shoe repair places around. I don't see many these days. I think it's becoming a lost art! My parents would have new heels, soles or sewing repairs done since it was cheaper than buying another "good" pair of shoes. Also, how many people polish their shoes anymore? And you don't see many today using the "rubbers" to go overtop of good shoes anymore either. I wore the boots with the fold and latch metal clips for a long time. Along with the pull on boots with a piece of elastic and one button on the side to help hold the top closed. Don't forget your Wonder Bread bags over the socks first!

Posted: March/17/2007 at 7:58pm | IP Logged

Your right Chris, there aren't too many shoemakers around any more.  Its like $30.00 for soles and heels, and I believe that's why its a dying craft.  You'd really have to think something special of your worn out shoes to get them repaired.   Everything is throw away today.  My shoemaker is in Sunbury on the main street.  There is also one in Ashland that I know of.  Sadly, I use him exclusively for stitching things in disrepair, like my Indian moccasins I run around in the house with when I'm on the warpath.

Posted: March/18/2007 at 1:11pm | IP Logged

Cleats on your shoes....Wow...you've taken me back there, to the old days, for a while.

I well remember getting cleats on my shoes (sat & waited while the shoemaker at Tip Top (Shenandoah) put them on) and my mother having a fit.  She told me girls didn't put cleats on their shoes!  So, my experience was a brief one.....I tapped danced to school the entire time until the cleats and/or shoes wore out!  

Another thing I got yelled at was that I loved to whistle (still do) and when I was little and whistled my mother used to say: "Stop whistling, The Blessed Mother cries when little girls whistle"........and boy, I would stop immediately. Talk about a guilt trip!  I would never tell my daughter (if I had one) something like that!  But, she just wanted me to be ladylike, I guess, and that was probably the only thing that worked on me.

But, remembering cleats.....also brings to mind penny loafers with that shinny new penny in it.  Some of us girls even puts dimes in the loafer slot which later came in handy for that cherry coke at the hangout! LOL.

And to Piddler.....you can buy your moccasins at The Sheepskin Store, not far from me on Route 183...Exit 19 off of Rte 78/22...Strausstown Exit.  But, no more warpaths!!!

Posted: March/19/2007 at 11:27am | IP Logged

Whistling?  I can't tell you the last time I heard someone whistle.  To me, I would have to say, now there is a very happy person.  And to whistle while you work?  Who whistles while they work?  Who's truly happy with, or at work today?  Now there would be some kind of people to get to know, I bet your life would be improved.  They surely must know something of value that I don't know.

Can you imagine trying or having to put wonder bread bags over your kids feet to keep them dry and warm?  Or stuffing felt or even paper in your boots for insulation?  How would they look at us?  Like we are crazy.

Liquorian, thanks for the shopping tip on the moccasins, I've made note.  I've bought them for years in Harrisburg, at the Trading Post, then they moved to Camp Hill.  The ones I've been buying are hand crafted by the Indians in Canada, sorry to say they need to do a better job at stitching them together.  Hence my need for the shoemaker.