I began this post a few times, offering context, laying out recent ups and downs, essentially, I realise, justifying a bit of shoe/shopping. The long and short of the posts I tried to write culminated in telling you about the nightmare my husband had to wake me from a few sleeps ago, shaking me gently for several seconds and through numerous terrified yells. Apparently, although all kinds of good things have been happening, I’m feeling some stress.
And after writing and reading and deleting and shampoo-rinse-repeat….I decided this was as good a time as any for a Short and Sweet post. Really, I thought, why don’t I just show them my new shoes…Above, my beloved older pair of Fluevogs (the distressed metallic loafers)poses with a new pair of Vince sneakers, and a new pair of white Arizona Birks. Wearing the Vinces too optimistically yesterday has resulted in blisters that have made me very glad for the Arizonas today. . .
But although my noisy mind is teeming with thoughts about retail therapy and buying judiciously and culling wardrobes and on and on, I’m off to breathe deeply. Deep breathing, now with better shoes…
Dear Frances,
I would say usually: walk in the nature,take some exercise or yoga,read a good book…..but you are already doing all this and more! (well,books are a little scary,I must admitt)
Everything would be just fine in the end,you'll see. You don't have to carry the world on yer shoulders! You are tiring yourself too much. Take it more easy,take some rest
Read,listen to and watch funny,entertaining things,sing….
Dream awake about your new home (only pink synopsis :-))
And no justifying for buying new shoes (or whatever else) needed đ
<3 Dottoressa
I am doing all this, when I can find time, you're right. And today, I had lunch with a friend and am sitting down with a mystery.
I do wish I had a magic wand that would do all the packing for me, but at least I can concentrate on dreaming a "pink synopsis" đ
and I have new shoes!
Great new shoes, for whatever reason! It's scary what our brains do to us. Keep your daytime commitments fewer, watching sunrises and sunsets w/wo libations more often, and run!
Yep, trying to do all those good things. Unfortunately, someone still has to get the boxes packed, the furniture sold, the junk carted away . . . but it's all temporary, at least…
Stress like you're facing leaves one feeling helpless and out of control. You know you will be okay once things settle, but in the meantime, stress exists and manifests itself in different ways. Roll with it as much as possible.
Distractions, like shoes and novels and whatever it takes, often help in the short term. Find the small pleasures. Enjoy them.
Thanks for saying this, Lorrie! It's true that I know I will be okay once this is all sorted, but in the short term, soldiering on is the option. But I do find it useful to build in rewards, distractions, and small pleasures. A murder mystery and a cup of tea were my carrot/reward today . . .
I was looking at those Birks this very morning! I like the white sole. It's not sandal time for us yet though…so I will take inventory when I pull out my summer shoes. Did you see they have some styles made out of 'croc' material? I was startled.
Dreams, eh? Those thoughts and worries just demand to be heard! Not very restful.
No, you have another month at least before sandals, I'm guessing.
I didn't know there were styles made of 'croc,' although I saw them in all kinds of material when we visited the store in Covent Garden a few years ago (came home from that with a rhinestoned, metallic silver pair . . . truly!)
It's true about the worries — they WILL out! Interrupted sleep always seems to me a less-than-helpful response by the body to stress. . . đ
Sometimes the answer is the simplest one.
đ
Sometimes comfortable and pretty feet make the world feel better. At least you can control your shoes!
Our house is sliding downhill again requiring more piers and I have 100 finals to grade by Monday. I think a new pair of shoes may be in order.
Lynn
Oh no! I think you need three new pairs of shoes! At least!
Oh! I hate blisters! Your worries will eventually be over. In the meantime, shoes and diversions are probably the way to go.
Me too, and I hate when the blisters are my own silly fault. . .
A new pair of shoes is one of my great pleasures in life đ Marie
It's so satisfying, right?! đ
New shoes lighten the mind and raise the spirits. I am thinking of white brogues for summer. Natty. I expect you will be better when the move is done. Transition is a tricky time but you have to go through all this. As I used to chant as I pounded along the miles: the only way out is through. Works for just about every occasion, including labour, grief and a night out when you are the designated driver.
Natty indeed! And so summery.
Can't go over it, can't go under it, can't go around it, have to go through it! And eventually I will emerge, right?
Of course. And tempered in the fire.
'The only way out is through' – that's what got me through my thesis. That and flapjack. Although my version generally ended '…darn it'. Or something fruitier.
Love Dottoressa's pink synopsis – what a wonderful expression.
Talking amongst ourselves here, excuse me.
Shoes – not a source of comfort for me due to enormous feet. Very serviceable ones though, happily. Stripes t shirts do it for me though so I can sense the little bit of comfort your new shoes have given you amidst the leaving behind. Enjoy them
Oh yes, the thesis — there was a period that felt so like slogging through the Slough of Despond. Except that my more prevalent metaphor was being locked in a high tower (recently vacated by Rapunzel, perhaps) and not allowed out until the damn thing was done. I so longed for the gumption to quit, but knew I'd be forever after disappointed with myself if I did. At least with this process, I don't feel so isolated.
You must know that I love you "talking amongst ourselves"
Striped t-shirts! Yes!
Oh yes, the trapped in front of an open door feeling. And knowing that only one person could get you out. But yes, worth it in the end and always to have been regretted had it not been completed.
Ceri in B – someone else 'blessed' with big feet! It's not so bad now, but it was murder as a teenager because there was nothing fashionable in my size (European 42, UK 8). Still, I can never go shopping for shoes with the light-hearted thought 'what shall I buy?'. More like 'I'll be thankful to find something that fits'. Also blessed with narrow feet, so most slip-on styles promptly slip off again.
Striped t-shirts are good.
Oh Linda, I feel your pain. Same size here but wide with it.
I find a comfort in scarves. This may be something to do with the tragic loss of my neck. I did use to love the line of my chin. Ah well. Wherever comfort comes, take it, as long as it is not drugs and excessive alcohol. Shoes seem a very reasonable way to lift the spirits, shoes and a glass of wine.
Scarves will do as well, except that this damned packing is making me frightfully aware of past accumulations. At least with shoes I've been able to wear out a pair or two over the last while, so that the two pair I bought were replacements. But I apparently haven't been wearing out any scarves . . . although you're right — they're very helpful in accommodating the change to that area 'twixt chin and shoulders…
I highly recommend an occasional bit of shoe therapy. -)
đ indeed!!
See my comment on Ceri in B's comment for why I usually need therapy after shoe shopping. I hadn't heard of Vince shoes – popped over to the website and liked what I saw. Your new Birks are very spiffy indeed. Their general dazzling cleanliness and absence of cracks in the leather make me aware that I really, really do need to buy a new pair. Mine are 26 years old – bought in Zell am See in Austria when pregnant with my first child. At that time they weren't fashionable – just a faintly quaint German brand of sandals worn by health professionals. They suited my pregnant waddle very well, and they are now my house shoes.
They're very spiffy, aren't they?! Perhaps too? Especially to those of us who have owned a pair since the days when there was nothing fashionable about them. I've gone through a few pair, although my longest stint was 14 years, nothing like your 26. I know they would have lived on, but I switched, disloyally, from that early comfortable back-strapped version to the oh-so-much-sleeker Gizeh model (can sleek really be used as an adjective for any Birkenstock?!), which I've worn for at least the last twelve years, only just becoming disloyal again. . . I wonder how many of the Birk adoptees of the last two or three years will be wearing theirs 26 years from now? Well done, you!
I do love shoes. I always sigh over Birkies, but the 3rd toe of my R foot is too long for the angle of the sole (too much information?) so I can never wear them. X