This is from an old slide that used to show at the Norwich New London Drive-in Theater during intermission. How did he get here after trade school machine shop training, technical college, 4 years as an electronics tec in the USN, and whatever they teach at the University of Connecticut in the physics dept.? Well ... long story. The leather man actually made the stuff with only hand tools back then. People actually used to come into the shop and say. "I saw your ad on TV", long after I had discontinued that adv. The dog was Bootcamp, today it's "The Duke", a Coconut Retriever I brought back from the West Indies.  Bad news... Sept. 6th 2004, before sun up, she found something in the woods next to the house that got the best of her... a mind is a sad thing to waste... very very sad but... only one hope for a cure... I miss them all, Flip, Billie, Bootcamp, Bette and Al, Dolly and Joe, Pookah, aka "The Duke"... "The Rainbow bridge" is taped to the side of my monitor... still...
 "Hey Jessie it's Christmas! Want a cookie?"  ...If you are talking cookies, I'm your Puppy!...  ...Digging?? What digging?? I thought we were talking COOKIES!... Hurry TOSS THE COOKIE...my knees are getting weak... and there is the evil eye thing I have going for me if you don't... This one is smart! She comes to see me when I'm working on the web site and keeps hitting my arm so I can't use the mouse... I pet her ... she does it again... I tell her, "Not now!". My computer is on the floor under my desk... as she leaves, she puts her head down and pushes the reset button with her nose... I hate it when she does that... but, still too soon... I still miss "The Duke". 2006 up date... I get all my dogs from Humane Society/Pound/whatever... so you never know. Turns out, she is Great Dane and Pit Bull and has put on about 60 Pounds to make her about 100 pounds. She has the mouth of a pet shark when she rolls on her back to be petted... do not get out of your car...without cookies, and I tell you it is safe. Due to popular demand, here is another picture of Jessie in an unguarded moment. She can sleep like that?  
2007 update... So many people like the dogs that I have to mention that we have another dog, Millie, from the humane society in Gainesville. We wanted someone to keep Jessie more active. Here Millie is as a puppy, and below, almost grown up. Unlike Jessie she really likes people. She is too smart for Jessie. She does things on purpose to make Jessie jealous in order to get her attention.
Millie is really fast and can run rings around Jessie, but when in close quarters Jessie rules. Millie knows that when we go for a ride the passenger seat belongs to Jessie. She won't even sit in it when Jessie isn't there. She looks a little worried here. I told her to sit and stay... she has never seen the camera and wonders what is going to happen. I forgot to say smile. |
Leather Goods Connection started as "The Hole in the wall Leather Shop" in Norwich CT and then moved to the old tannery office building and became "The Norwich Leather Co."
The manufacturing expanded and became "Ponemah Shoes" in Taftville CT where we made, mens shoes, handbags, vests, hats, jackets and wallets.
The belts and accessories were still made at The Norwich Leather Co. store. I sold those business and went sailing for 15 years. Now as
LeatherGoodsConnection.com I'm back at it and still enjoy designing new bags and making custom products for individuals here in my new
shop in N.E. Georgia.
Bill at LGC North in MN, helps out with belts. 
Larry makes belts at Alma Leather, Alma WI.