Hi Nicole,

Ah yes - the shoes! Nope - Matt got his degree in elementary education, and has been teaching on a tiny little Island off Alaska for a couple of years. My DH did see him recently, out riding - he comes back here in the summers, but I haven't seen him in the shop. The shoe thing was pretty odd - I always refused to give him any, and eventually he gave up on me. DH would sometimes produce a pair, which just kept it going.

The shop has really changed - still really relaxed and laid back, but, dare I say, far more efficient than before? My favorite thing is stopping in and yakkin' with the owner. I've been buying all my toys there since 1984 (geeze, I'm old!), in spite of the occasional frustration. They've opened a second shop, too, in Houghton. A couple of the guys who worked there in college have stayed on, and run the new place.