If your car broke down and you had to hike 5 miles, could you do it in the shoes you have on? What about the shoes you wear to work? To church? If not, it would be a good idea to carry a spare pair in your car or in your ginormous cute handbag.
How many pairs of shoes do you have? I'm talking the practical ones here. Cute uncomfortable ones don't count. Do you have enough good sturdy shoes to last a couple of years if you couldn't buy another pair?
What about your kids? What about your kids next year? You know those pioneer stories about the kids with no shoes. I'm not that tough, plus it snows here and I'd rather not have to wrap my kids' feet in rags to protect them. I don't know about you, but I'm not too handy at making shoes either. I've made a couple pair of moccasins, but the mid weight leather soles sure don't last long if you're walking around on gravel or cement much. Yes, experience speaking. If you've got a good pair with buffalo hide bottoms they'll last longer, but they're also a lot more difficult to sew.
It's pretty easy to stock up on shoes and boots from the goodwill stores, yard sales, or online places like ebay in sizes you or your kids will need in the future. Stash them in a box somewhere. They don't have to be in perfect shape, although I would look for quality shoes that will last at least one season--more if you have more than one kid that might get to that size shoe. Leather is generally more durable than "all man made materials". Style is not all too important as long as they are built well and your kid could hike around the woods in them. If your kids are picky they may never wear them. But if you need them, you'll all have shoes.
And no, the shoes in the picture are not from my closet. I don't own a pair of shoes I couldn't walk a long way in--even my sandals and dress shoes. How are your shoes?
9 comments:
Be sure that Not New shoes from any source are thoroughly disinfected before you put them on your family's feet!
My mother's grandfather was a cobbler back during the last depression. He melted old tires to use to glue on new soles and heels. My father's family was so poor they had no shoes all summer. In the fall they would sell a couple of hogs to pay for new jeans and shoes for the winter. Of course this meant they had to have a sow, so they'd have piglets to raise for food and selling. When the sow died they were in dire straights until they got another.
Now that's a good idea! Shoes in the YS. Rock on!
I normally wear boots or at least heavy duty work shoes. I also keep an extra pair of boots in my vehicle along with a change of clothes.
I have many pairs of shoes....not too many really good ones though. Although I think we're good for hubby and I. And we have so many pairs of shoes kickin' around for the kids...they just never seem to be the right sizes for them.
yep - like you, i could probably walk in ALL my shoes...
Most are hiking boots which I wear for work. Have a pair of sneakers in the truck, as well as my waterproof barn boots.... It floods a lot here - rubber barn boots are a necessity!
And yes - I pick up spares at garage sales - disinfect, powder, air out, redisinfect, and good to go! :)
marci357
I have all "sensible" walking shoes and boots. I can't walk in heels. I have an extremely odd sized foot to begin with and the 'Fancy' shoes just don't come in sizes that fit my fat little foot. It's really hard to find shoes that fit a 5.5 EE in womens sizes so sometimes I have to custom order shoes. So finding "deals" at the good will are not really an option for me, but keeping and maintaining quality custom made shoes are my focus. And a well maintained custom boot lasts many years. I've had some of my boots as long as 12-15 years now and they are still almost as good as new.
I'm thinking that this is one aspect of our preps that gets overlooked very often!
How important is several pairs of good serviceable shoes or boots!
Thank you for pointing this out to those of us that have forgotten it!
Not sure how I haven't come across your blog before.
But glad you are now found and indexed on my blog roll.
Thanks for all the great info.
I no longer have fancy high heeled shoes. I passed that phase quite a few years back!
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