Day Seven - Random Thoughts About Shoes

I really shouldn't title these "Day..." because it hasn't been seven days since my first blog, but I couldn't think of anything else at the time so "Day..." it is until I can come up with something better or someone out there can suggest something for me.

I have been taking a look at my niece's blogs with wonderful pictures of their kids and the fun things they do. How I love these families and being a part of their lives! They have grown into amazing women who do remarkable things! It is an honor for me to know them and be allowed into their lives.

Yesterday I was at the mall making necessary purchases, and stopped into the shoe store(s), which is almost never a necessary purchase for me because I'm always buying shoes. I love shoes; I wish I had more than one pair of feet so I could wear more than one pair of shoes at a time! It has gotten to the point where I have to promise myself to give away two pair of shoes for every new pair I buy! This doesn't always work out the way it should. I can always think of a reason why I need to keep this pair or that pair, even if they hurt my feet!

A few years ago, I broke my foot and was in a boot for nearly six months! This was pretty devastating for me since I don't believe in wearing the same pair of shoes two days in a row. A week or two before the break, I had purchased three pairs of lovely shoes and wore them no more than once prior to the break. I had to wait a long time before I could wear those lovely shoes and then when the boot finally came off, I still couldn't wear those beauties because my foot was swollen enough that I couldn't shove it in the shoes! However, I did get to go my new ones!

I talk about having several pair of black shoes and get blank stares from men and not a few women who are not shoe lovers like I am. I try to explain that one pair of black shoes is not enough. And even though these two pair of shoes may appear to be similar they are not. One pair is open toes sling backs, while the other is a closed toe sling back. Each shoe brings its own unique look to an outfit and where one may be totally appropriate, the other could ruin it! I find very few caring ears when discussing the many variables in black shoes.

I can wear my old shoes now, but because I was discouraged by how long it was taking for all the swelling to go down, and the muscles to heal entirely (I still have some trouble after 2 years!) I gave away two of the pair I purchased just before, and several others believing I would never be able to wear them again. Alas, many good friends have gone to other homes and other feet. I hope they are well loved!

I have scars where the surgeon cut my foot open to install two screws to hold the bones together. And while everything has healed nicely, I still have what I call a "Frankenhump" on the top inside of my right foot, making in impossibly uncomfortable to wear shoes that cover the top of my foot. In and of itself that's not entirely bad except that leaves wonderful styles that can never grace my foot. I complain about how distorting this is to my foot expecting some kind of empathetic response from my room mate, but I get nothing but playful mockery from her. You see, she has her own issues with her feet which she has had since birth, and is unable to wear those gorgeous high heels that can make your legs look 18' long! She is not the best person for me to wail to!

Lest you believe me to be like the infamous Imelda Marcos when it comes to shoes, I do have my limits. I do have just about every style of black shoe that I could ever possibly need and so have limited myself to purchasing shoes with color and interest. Occasionally there is a black shoe that is so spectacular I must have it, but I wait until it goes on sale! And every time I walk through the shoe store and come out empty handed I do think to myself "I cried and cried because I couldn't find a new pair of shoes until I saw someone who had none!"

I know it's ridiculous to believe that a pair of shoes hold any kind of magic to make me thinner, taller (well some can until they come off, and my feet pretty much hurt by the end of the day!), famous, or get the attention of Daniel Craig, Robert Downey Jr, Jeff Donovan, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant or Gregory Peck from across a crowded room, (the last three I hope are watching me from above and are waiting to see who my choice is in the next life!) a nice sleek pair of shoes does instill a certain confidence in my demeanor, the way I walk, and they way I hold my shoulders back with my head held high. You really can't help that when wearing a pair of 3" stilettos!

So, I going to my closet right now and get rid of every other pair of shoes, every 4th pair of shoes. Okay, I'm getting rid of shoes that have not been worn once in the last 4 months and can not be worn in the wet, snowy winter!

Wish me luck!