Lion Footwear Direct

Madison WI on Our Way To Door County

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:30:49 +0000

We passed through Madison, WI last year in July on our way to Door County for our summer vacation. We had never been to Madison before so it was interesting to pass through there. We left our internet business where we offer shoes online like the Birkenstock Arizona and Birkenstock Boston that both offer Birkenstocks famous soft footbeds that will mold to your feet. We arrived in Madison at noon on a Sunday and started looking for a place to eat and we found a Perkins Restaurant so we stop there to eat. When we went into Perkins the place was packed but we waited and before long we were seated and I ordered steak and eggs and my wife ordered an omelet. The food was good and soon we were head north to our destination in Door County, Wisconsin. Madison, WI has a population of 233,209 citizens making it the second largest city in Wisconsin after Milwaukee. A federal judge, James Duane Doty, purchased over 1,000 acres of land that was a swamp and forestland in the Wisconsin Territory. One of the territory legislature’s job was to pick a permanent location for the territory’s capital and Doty wanted it on his land so he offered buffalo robes for the freezing legislators and choice lots at the future Madison, WI at a discount so Doty got his way and Madison became the new territory’s capital. Doty named the capital Madison after James Madison our 4th President of the US. In 1884 Wisconsin became a state and Madison was named the states capital and the next year it became the site for the University of Wisconsin. On our way north to Door County we had no problem passing through Madison but on our way back I some how ended up on the city route and I saw more of Madison,WI then I planned. We ended up on the street that takes you to the state capital building that looks a lot like the US capital building in Washington, DC. We did make it through Madison and we finally were headed out of town towards home. When we got home we found we had a lot of orders on our internet store www.lionfootweardirect.com for Rockport shoes for men and Birkis clogs like the Birkenstock Profi Birki and Birkenstock Super Birki. Its fun to go on vacation but there really is no place like home!

Green Bay WI on Our Way to Door County

admin — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:55:04 +0000

Last year we decided to take a trip to Door County, WI after attending my 5oth class reunion at Oelwein, Iowa. We took some time off from helping people get comfort shoes from our Birkenstock outlet www.lionfootweardirect.com where we offer the very popular Birkenstock clogs like the Birkenstock Boston with the Birkenstock soft footbeds that mold to your feet.We had never been to Green Bay, WI before and I was surprised that Green Bay’s population is only 103,000. Our route took us through Green Bay on Hwy 41 where we connected with Hwy 57 that took us north 40 miles to the first town you come to in Door County Sturgeon Bay, WI. Green Bay had the feel of an old city that is a working man’s burg and we wondered how a city this small can support a major pro football franchise like the Green Bay Packers. Green Bay, WI was the perfect stopping place for the 17th century Indians, French fur trapers, and Jesuit Missionaries. they all traveled on the Fox River and their first stopping place became Wisconsin’s first settlement that would become Green Bay, Wisconsin. The glaciers that moved through the area thousands of years ago helped form the bay of Green Bay that is 199 miles long and covers about 3,000 sq. miles. In the early 1900s, the paper industry was growing and the Murphy Lumber Co. located at the mouth of the Fox River. In the 1920′s the Green Bay Packers pro football team was starting up at Lambeau Field that was named after one of the founders of the team. They could have never imagined that their team the Green Bay Packers would become World Champions under the great coach Vince Lombardi and won it again two years ago. The Packers are Wisconsin’s team and they wear the green and gold colors proudly! People come from all over just to vist Lambeau Field as the mecca of the Green Bay Packers football team. I wish we would have had more time to spend in Green Bay, WI but we were tired and needed to get to our destination since we had been traveling for over eight hours. I hope we have a chance to spend some time in Green Bay, WI the next time we go this way!

Jana and Wayne are Coming!

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:15:34 +0000

Jana and Wayne are coming to visit Saturday, May 19 for lunch and then we will go to Elliott’s Cementary to decorate my wifes parents grave for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Jana and Wayne live in Lincoln, NE and they retired last year but Jana does some baby sitting. Jana ran her own daycare center in their home for many years. Wayne has worked at different places in and around Lincoln, NE. Wayne has been volunteering at St. Elizabeth Hospital on a regular basis. Wayne had by-pass heart surgery a couple of years back so he watches his diet and walks every morning at a near by mall. Wayne needed a new pair of shoes so he ordered a pair of walking sneakers from us and a pair of Avia shoes for Jana. Because of Wayne’s foot problems, he added a pair of insoles for flat feet. Jana and Wayne have a daughter who lives in Dubuque, Iowa and they stop sometimes when they are on their way to Dubuque to see their daughter. When Jana and Wayne come for lunch we will have the same things we always had when we had lunch at their mothers apartment . We will have deli ham, turkey, and cheese sandwiches, Stax chips, and can of mixed nuts. Jana will bring something like a cake or cookies and I am glad she does because what ever she brings it will be good! After lunch will drive about 10 miles on Hwy 48 to the Elliott, Iowa Cementary where will decorate Lindas and Janas parents graves. We bought some pretty nice looking decorations since last year we had a big wind storm that blew away their decorations. Then we will come back to our house for awhile before going to our granddaughter’s graduation party. I am going to wear my Sandro Moscoloni hand made men’s shoes .My wife is wearing her new pair of Arizona Birkenstock with Birkenstock soft footbeds that mold to your feet. Coming this weekend Jana and Wayne will beat all the traffic that will be going on next weekend. We always stay close to home on Memorial Day weekend. We enjoy seeing Jana and Wayne and we will see them again later this summer.

Shopping in Egg Harbor WI

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:51:51 +0000

On the last day of our trip to Egg Harbor in Door Country, WI we drove a few miles north of the Landmark Resort to buy some hats and t-shirts. We stopped at a family owned restaurant for a delicious breakfast before checking out what Egg Harbor had to offer! We found a tee shirt shop where we found nice quality tee shirts and designs so we bought each of us a tee shirt and I bought a red hat with Door County embroidered on it. I noticed Al the owner had a pair of Birkenstock London on. He said he spent a lot of time on his feet and found the Birkenstock soft Footbeds in these Birkis gave him the support and comfort shoes he needed. We noticed an art gallery behind the tee shirt shop and went in to take a look around. The Gallery had a lot of local artists prints on display and we both noticed Charles Petersen’s prints because of the ghost images in all his prints. We were considering buying a Charles Petersen’s print especially since they had a sale on everything they had in the Gallery because they were selling out to get rid of the overhead of the building. We talked with the lady who owned the Gallery with her husband who did picture framing. It was hard to decide which one to buy because they were all interesting but we both like Petersen’s “A painter’s memories” and I believe the price was around $300.00 with a sale price of $275.00 including the print and frame. The ghosts in this self portrait of Charles Petersen includes a family in a farm scene in Door County including lawn furniture. The closer you look at Petersen’s prints the more interesting things you see. Door County has a lot of rual scenes including a lot of cherry orchards. The little girls ghost is looking over Charles Petersen’s shoulder when he is painting a picture of their farm. For some reason we did not decide to buy it and left for more shops like the ice cream shop that had Italian ice cream that was low in fat but still haD a good flavor. We each had a cone in a waffle cone and enjoyed every bite! If you are going to spend time shopping it is important to wear good quality shoes like the Rockport Encounter. If you need the best arch support add a pair of Birkenstock arch support insoles. We were starting to get tired of shopping so we went back to the resort. The following day we drove the eleven hours it took to drive back from Egg Harbor WI to Southwest, Iowa. After we got back we started talking about the “A painter’s memories” print and I had Charles Petersen print remorse. I found a booklet that had an ad for The Gallery and I called them and bought the print. We had to pay around twenty dollars to have it sent to us and it arrived in perfect shape because they took a lot of care in packing the print. We enjoy looking at it everyday and it is hung over our TV.

Touring Lake Geneva WI on Foot

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:28:44 +0000

On our first day on our vacation to Lake Geneva, WI we took the Mail Route boat ride around Lake Geneva and then started walking around the town of Lake Geneva, WI. We stopped in at tee shirt shops and they all sold alot of things that appealed to teen agers and kids. The town of Lake Geneva is a summer time destination for a lot of people from Chicago. When they had the fire in Chicago alot the wealthy people moved to their summer home around Lake Geneva. The lake itself is spring fed and they have prided themselves for the high quality of the water in Lake Geneva. We stopped at a local bistro that served great burgers. At the bar we met Ben and Lisa from Chicago and she worked as a nurse. I told her about footwear on sale at our medical footwear store www.lionfootweardirect.com and about our Rocker Shoes and how wonderful shoes they are for nurses. Ben is a consultant and asked about what was our most comfortable shoes for men and I said it is Sandro Moscoloni hand made shoes affordable prices. After lunch we continued on our tour around Lake Geneva, WI stopping at gift shops and then we stopped at Lake Geneva’ s Museum. The museum was very interesting and had lots of artifacts used in Lake Geneva back in the early days. The antique fire trucks and equipment were worth seeing. Lake Geneva stores have a lot of great items for sale and we enjoyed out tour around Lake Geneva, WI.

Macenzi is Graduating!

admin — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:55:21 +0000

It seems like it was just yesterday when our granddaughter Macenzi was a little girl who had a crush on Elmo. Macenzi was only 6 years old when she and her brother Ian moved in with us. Their mother lived in an apartment in Council Bluffs at the time and she needed to get some problems straightened out. Macenzi was a mama’s girl and was not too happy moving in with us. Macenzi and Ian lived with us for about eight months before moving back to live with their mother in Council Bluffs, Iowa. While Macenzi and Ian were living with us we took them to Sunday School at the Methodist Church here in town. After Macenzi and Ian had moved to Council Bluffs we picked them up every two weeks and brought them to our home for the weekend and took them back home to the Bluffs on Sunday afternoon. We enjoyed eating at the Great Wall near the Mall of the Bluffs on the Friday night we picked them up. Sometimes before we picked them up we went shopping at Mall of the Bluffs and I wore my Rockport Cape Nobel shoes because they are some of Rockports best shoes. My wife likes to wear her Avia athletic walking shoes andto keep from having her feet hurt, she inserts a pair of Birkenstock Birko Balance Arch Suppports. Our grand kids lived in Council Bluffs for nine years before moving back here. Macenzi started her junior year in high school here and it was a real good deal for her. She was attending Lewis Central in Council Bluffs and it is a huge school. By moving back here she moved to a much smaller school and she has been happy here. Macenzi has a great voice and sings in the high school chorus and has sang in the high school musical. She also sings in the choir at church and has joined and attended regularly. Macenzi has been on the honor roll and has talked about becoming a school teacher in the future. Macenzi is planning on starting out here at Southwestern College in Red Oak and she can live a home. She has another week of school and she will be graduating May 20th at the high school. I am planning on wearing my Sandro Moscoloni shoes with my new cream colored silk shirt and black slacks. Linda is planning to wear her Passion Flower colored Arizona Birkenstocks with one of her new spring outfits. We are extremely proud of Macenzi and we know what ever she decides to do in the future she will do her best!

BMW Bummer Repairs Story

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:05:24 +0000

Last fall Linda and I took a trip to Papillion Foreign Motors to have the oil changed and the 125,000 mile inspection for our 98 BMW 740I. The inspection revealed repairs that were needed including recharging the air conditioner because it no longer worked. I wanted to go ahead and fix the air conditioner but Rick at Papillon Foreign Motors said he wanted to wait until spring to fix it and the other repairs that came to $2400.00. So last Tuesday we headed back to Papillion to get the needed repairs. Rick let us borrow his truck so we could go shopping in Omaha. When we took the keys into the office Rick said his feet have been hurting because of all the standing he did on concrete. I recommended the Rockport Northfield, a good quality mens Rockport , and a pair of Birkenstock best arch supports. We headed up 84th St. to the Westroads and our main stop at Von Maur Department Store. I was glad I had worn my Rockport Margins because they are so comfortable and to even make them better I added arch supports from Birkenstock. My wife wore her Avia athletic walking shoes to make shopping more enjoyable. She bought some items she was needing and we left for the Westroads Food Court for a fried rice and shrimp plus Crab Rangoon from the Imperial Palace. After lunch we headed for the Westroads Theaters where we watched Hunger Games that we enjoyed. We drove back down 84th St. to see how things were going with our Beemer. They tried to fix the car’s air conditioner but found out the compressor was toast! He quoted me $1,000.00 for the compressor and he said we need to change the fluid in the transmisson and the total for all these repairs was going to be over another $2,000! I was stunned and in shock! I was not planning on spending this much money to get the BMW up to par. I told Rick that I would be back in a week to get the work done. The next day I got on the internet and found the same brand of compressor or $340.85 and the dryer for $55.85. I called Rick and he said he would put it on for us since the savings were so large. We are taking a trip to Branson, MO in the near future and we want the car ready to go. This 98 BMW is my favorite car and I plan on keeping it a long time.

Boat Trips on Lake Geneva

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:08:33 +0000

The next morning after arriving in Lake Geneva. WI we walked three blocks from the Bella Vista Hotel to the Corner Cafe where we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. The Corner Cafe had a great view of Lake Geneva and the Muncipal Building and we headed down that way after breakfast to the Lake Geneva Boat Co. to their ticket reservation office behind the Muncipal Building. I was sure glad I had worn a pair of Rockport World Tour shoes with arch supports in them so my feet would not hurt. Linda wore her red patent leather gizeh birkenstock sandals that looked great! We got tickets for the mail boat tour that Lake Geneva Boat Co. offers where we can ride along with the mailman delivering mail to all the people who live around Lake Geneva. There was a story on the evening news about Lake Geneva Boat Co mail boat and the mailman that delivers to Lake Geneva homeowners. Our mailman Ben was a 16yr. old high school student who did the mail job for a fun summer job. We had some time to kill so we headed back up town to shop in the local stores and soon we were boarding the mail boat and were on our way to deliver mail. The boat captain broadcast information about the people that live on Lake Geneva and then he pulled the boat near the first stop’s pier and the mailman jumped off the boat on to the dock and put their mail in their mail box. Some of the mail Ben delivered had newpapers and was quite a handful to deliver. He then ran back and jumped back on the boat before it got away! A pair of Avia athletic shoes would have been a big help for Ben. He repeated this over and over again as we went around the lake. A couple of times we thought he was going to go for a swim but he managed to get back on the boat in time. The boat captain talked about how expensive lots are around the lake and about people like the Wrigley’s from Chicago and other wealthy people who own property around Lake Geneva. The weather was great and it was fun watching the mailman trying to keep from going in the drink! We had our second boat ride on a Fireworks Tour on the 4th of July. It was raining a little bit but not enough to stop the fireworks. We rode around the lake until dark and then the fireworks show began. It was a good display and when it was over we headed back to the dock. We enjoyed our boat trips on Lake Geneva and I hope we return there someday!

Lake Geneva WI Here We Come!

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:24:24 +0000

Around the first of July of 2010 we took a trip To Lake Geneva, WI. I had looked around on the internet of places we could go and I found information about Lake Geneva and it looked like an interesting place to vist so I booked a room through one of the travel websites at Bella Vista because of its location near downtown Lake Geneva, WI and it had good reviews. The night before we left I packed my Rockport Boat Shoes and a pair of Birkenstock insoles for added comfort. We were going to do a lot walking on this vacation so my wife packed her Avia athletic walking shoes. On our drive to Lake Geneva we got lost in Davenport, Iowa because Mapquest took us the wrong way but we found our way back to Interstate 80 and to our destination. We turned north soon after we crossed the Mississippi and we encountered the first toll road we have ever travelled on. People that had purchased a toll road permit did not have to stop but we stopped at the toll booth and paid. I found out later that they have cameras that record your license number and they will send you a fine for not stopping and paying the toll. The toll road was four lane but they did not have any rest stops on the toll road. Lake Geneva is located near the border of Wisconsin and Illinois. We arrived late in the afternoon and found our hotel with out much trouble. Lake Geneva is very picturesque with the town built on the banks of Lake Geneva. When we checked into our hotel we noticed a disinfectant smell in the Hotel and our room seemed fine at first. When we finished unpacking we sat on the couch and we sunk into it because the springs were shot in the couch and it felt like we were sitting almost on the floor! The king sized bed took almost all the space in the bedroom. The room had a balcony overlooking the back parking lot of the Hotel. A room facing the lake would have been much nicer and I will always get a room with a view in the future. It costs a little more but it is worth it! We changed into shorts and our Birkenstock sandals Arizona for a short walk down to the lake. These Birkenstock sandals feature Birkenstock soft footbeds that make them comfort shoes. We stopped at a local restaurant for supper and we turned in early since we were tired from the trip. We were looking foward to exploring Lake Geneva and we would start in the morning.

Sorry or Yahtzee?

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:00:20 +0000

Our twin daughters both work until 3:30pm and their daughters Trinity and Karley get out of school at 3:15pm so my wife and I arrive at their school at 2:45pm to get in line in front of the school to pick them up and bring them to our house. We all know that school teachers spend a lot of time on their feet so comfortable shoes are very important to them. Footwear that looks good on men like the Rockport World Tour Classic, Rockport Margin, Rockport Cape Noble men’s casual shoes or Rockport Northfields are all good men’s shoe choices. If you need more support put a Spenco Arch Support or a add a pair of Birkenstock insoles. After we get back to our house the girls decide whether they want to play the board game Sorry or the dice game Yahtzee. The girls are very competitive and try very hard to beat their Grandpa and Grandma. They both like the sugar free suckers and the granola bars we have for them to eat and we all have a good time together. We have a half hour to finish what ever game we are playing and we usually get done with a game of Sorry but Yahtzee takes longer and we have to finish
it up the next day. We enjoy spending time with our granddaughters and we will miss our time together when school is out for the summer. After their moms pick them up we are back working on our Birkenstock online store www.lionfootweardirect.com