One of my favorite things to do, next to spending time with Mel playing gross-out to see who can watch the bloodiest episode of NCIS or Bones and maintain an appetite, is to spend time with girlfriends.
There hasn't been a lot of time for that lately. I did get to see my girlfriends from high school, who came to Mom's funeral, but we usually like to spend more time together than that, hence this picture of some of us blowing off steam on a recent retreat.
This week, however, Mel and Bonnie, our assistant, and I were told by the grief counselor that we needed to take some time away and just play. Well, I've had God tell me that same thing on a talk on one of my hikes in the past, but the words sounded strange coming from a real, live therapist who was once a minister. So on Monday he advised Mel and me to take the rest of the afternoon off and go to Joplin to Red Lobster. Since king crab is our favorite food, and safe on our gluten free diets, we did as we were told, leaving Bonnie at home to type one of our next projects. Poor Bonnie.
The food was great, since we both love crab legs, and we relaxed as we took our time driving back home to check on Mom's gravesite. It's beautiful out there in the middle of the country, serenaded by milk cows, and we held a serious discussion about what next in our lives. Mel had promised to live where we are as long as Mom was alive. He could now choose where he wanted to go, what hospital he wanted to work in, what kind of job he might be interested in.
Yesterday, Mel had to work, so Bonnie and I decided it was her turn to take a trip with me to Springfield, eat at Outback, shop for shoes (she needed a new pair) and just have some fun. No one warned me before we went that Bonnie is a shoe freak. Even Bonnie didn't warn me until we reached Sears and I saw the gleam in her eye at the 1/2 price sale signs all over the place in the shoe department. She had five pairs tried on and replaced before I could even figure out what she was looking for. I can tell you this for sure: her taste in shoes is the exact opposite of mine.
I go for hiking boots and Birkenstocks--one pair of which I did find at deep discount in Dillards. I salivated so heavily that by the time I made up my mind about them. they were so slobbered on I no longer wanted them. Besides, they were pea green. Yes, the same color as the shoes Bonnie had just purchased and loved, but her coloring matched that color of green. Mine definitely does not. I have to return to Springfield next week with Bonnie to have one of "those" follow-up check-ups where parts of your anatomy is hideously abused, and you have to take narcotics to bear the pain. I figure the shoe sales will still be on, and we missed at least one shoe store on the mall. I have a feeling I may go back and check on that one pair of green Birks that I might be able to dye when I get them back home.
But speaking as someone who isn't a shoe freak, I can still admire from afar the sparkling, high-heeled monstrosities of ankle-breaking seduction that has obviously drawn many a woman into crutches much too early in her life. The last time I wore high heels was when the heel broke on my right shoe. I twisted and fell on my face in the gravel, and was sure I was scarred for life. When it turned out I had jumped to conclusions I decided I wouldn't take that chance again. Now I love flats. Cute sandals with darling rows of straps and chains around the ankle. Oh, my. So may shoes, so little time!
How about you? Do you have a shoe preference? If so, is it modest and comfy, or would you be willing to suffer agony to wear a beautiful pair of high heeled shoes with gold sparkles and straps and even glitter on the soles of the shoes? How far are you willing to make sure your feet are beautifully adorned?
Labels: boots or slinky heels?, Girl fun, Shoe sales, Shoe shopping
One of my favorite things to do, next to spending time with Mel playing gross-out to see who can watch the bloodiest episode of NCIS or Bones and maintain an appetite, is to spend time with girlfriends. 
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15 Comments:
Modest and comfy tennis shoes. I discovered Skechers a few years ago when we were scheduled to go hiking for the first time. I hurt my knee, was unable to exercise for about a year, and vowed never again to the hiking, but the Skechers are with me for life. :-) They are the only shoes I can wear that don't make my feet hurt. Heels? I think I might have an old pair somewhere in my closet. I also have a pair of dressy looking flat Crocs I can wear for short spurts when tennies aren't appropriate.
My true preference? Barefoot.
But when I go out, I like comfortable but sturdy shoes. I gave up heels years ago, although I still drag them out if the occasion calls for it (I think there's been one occasion in about seven years.)
I'm glad you're playing some.
Ouch, Sandie. I've hurt my knee hiking before, but not that bad. I like Sketchers, too, but the ones that rock and make me work harder when I'm walking. I have also worn my Birkenstocks all winter.
I love barefoot at home, too, Tracy, though my doctor has told me to never go barefoot. High arches fall that way. So I have shoe inserts that really wouldn't look good in those gorgeous, flashy high heeled sandals.
Ouch, Sandie. I've hurt my knee hiking before, but not that bad. I like Sketchers, too, but the ones that rock and make me work harder when I'm walking. I have also worn my Birkenstocks all winter.
Glad to see you doing fun things, Cheryl! I love Skecher's that rock, too.....wear them most of the time. I do have a few casual shoes for church....but no heels!!
Yes, Jackie, flats for church, too. Actually, I have a pair of those Mary Jane Sketchers I wear if I'm not in my Birks. Those rockers are so easy on the feet, but have you ever tried to close your eyes to pray in the rockers? I've nearly fallen flat, so I have to keep my eyes open now.
I had a pair of 575 New Balance that fit so wonderfully I actually sighed the first time I put them on. I didn't know shoes could feel like that. Unfortunately they aren't making that style anymore. I love the looks of heels, but don't wear them very often or very long. I used to wear them ten hours a day. How did I do that?
Modest and comfy shoes for me too.
My favorite shoe store is Easy Spirit.
Modest and comfy shoes for me too.
My favorite shoe store is Easy Spirit.
Oh, Mary, ten hours a day? That could kill anyone's feet. I wore them eight to nine hours, though, when I was young and enjoyed dressing up--and had a desk job.
I like modest and comfy, too, Linda. Unfortunately, my feet need the rockers, which are comfy, but stick out like hiking boots, hence a good excuse not to wear dresses.
ya know me, a pair rubber boots , a pair of Tennis shoes, a pair of dress shoes.
tryed to wear HIGh heels , and would always turn my ankle, so no more HIGh heels for me
how does a person, wear them real high skinny heels?
jel, I recall having some black sandals with skinny straps and skinny heels. It takes a lot of practice and a skinny body, which I actually had many years ago.
is that a Big red fish behind that girl, it the picture?
Oh, the rainbow trout? At least, I think it's a trout. It could be a large-mouth bass. Don't worry, it's carved wood. That's just one of the features of Big Cedar Lodge, where we usually have our retreats, south of Branson. We love that place, with all the paved hiking trails and fresh air. I'm especially impressed because Big Cedar has the only restaurant I know about with gluten-free sandwiches on the menu.
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