Memories of Pampaw

By:Lyn Meeker

My Grandfather was a shoe repairman. He had started out as an apprentice to another man and once he married my grandmother he bought his own shop and began the shoe repair business. He owned the same shop for over 50 years! When he retired, he sold the shop, but it still kept his name : Everett's Shoe Shop. You'll still see the same sign as it was so many years ago (In fact I've told the current owners - it's changed hands many times in the last 30 years- that I want that sign if they ever decide to put up a new one!)

This all is leading up to the smallest pair of sandles that my grandfather ever made. You see each and every Summer all the grandkids would get a new pair of leather sandles - and we wore them constantly! Around May we'd go down to my grandfathers shop and have our feet traced - boy, did that tickle!!!! We tried not to squirm as "Pampaw" took our instep measurments and those of our heals.

But, the smallest pair he ever made was when I was just a few months old. My mom said she found them in a box in the cupboard and she's keeping them for me! Those are over 43 years old! Just the thought of those sandals brings back so many Summer memories - all those trips to Newport Beach, the walks down to the Jetty, the walks to town - and playing in the Fun Zone, going out to "Look at the fishes" with "Pampa", and ohhh so many more.

I'm planning on putting my sandals in a little picture box and placing it in my headboard so I can have many more memories!

So, If you ever have the chance to travel to Claremont, California and travel down Yale Ave - You'll see Everett's Shoe Shop - one of the few storefronts left from oh, so many years ago! (And if you happen to be there, you might as well as stop in at the DANSON which is across the street! They've got a great Mexican Salad - and if you're really hungry - get the double!)

Tomorrow at dMarie Daily: Born Scrapbooker, by Andi M.