THE PROOF IS IN THE FEET

Okay! Today's the day. After the first try-on I'm unsure. Wore them off and on yesterday; but today I am going to do the continuous wear. Put them on at ten. Only by a long time wear am I going to know if I really want these expensive suckers.

Five hour later -- not so much. Not so comfortable. See that redness on the big toe. See the ridge along side my left foot. Oh, I so wanted these to be the perfect shoes for me. The answer for wardrobe. 

And then there is this. THIS is not comfortable either. So what is going on here? My usual size is 6 1/2 Wide; I ordered a size 7. Now I'm wondering if an 8 might be a better size.

Now I am going to find out if the Customer Service is all it says. I don't want a refund -- yet. What I want is a pair of shoes that I can wear in any circumstance, feel comfortable, AND be fashionably acceptable. People DO notice shoes.

I went on the Tieks website and ordered an 8 and they will send a return label for the 7's. And I'll take it from there. 

Lordy Day, I hate being disappointed.

THE ARRIVAL OF HOPE

And here they are. Just look at that package. Really classy. 

And look at this. Is this adorable or what? I thought of wearing the flower on my hair but I have given myself the worst haircut ever and it looks even more ridiculous with this flower.

This is a pair of shoes? Really?

REALLY?

REALLY!! These are they.

THE PRIORITY OF FEET

These are my feet. Feet matter. They matter a lot. Especially mine. Mine are eighty years old, short, and wide. There is an outgrowth of bone or whatever on the outside of the right foot between the beginning of the arch and the beginning of the little toe. Shoes are an issue.

Since heel surgery almost three years ago, any shoe with any degree of stiffness at the back of the heel is just -- NO.  Two moves and two downsizings later, I hung onto four pair of black flattish shoes that I can't wear. I just have a hope that the 'someday' will happen. In the meantime I wear my black walking Sketchers. Not too fashionable a statement. Definitely not dressy. 

A year and a half ago I encountered Tieks on Pinterest. I read about them. I fell in love with them. The Easy Spriit/Nauralizer budget that was my norm was just NOT going to cut it. These and similar brands had been my mainstay for many years and were quite satisfactory for my short wide foot. There just weren't any styles that would accommodate the new requirements for comfort.  I abandoned any dream of having Tieks and continued with my fashionably awkward but wearable Sketchers.

Then recently Tieks popped onto my radar again. I read everything I could find. There was very little negative and a LOT of positive. After a great deal of angst, rationalization, and soul searching, I bit the bullet and ordered a pair. Matte black.

And now I wait, hoping that I haven't been had by some hyped up marketing. Hoping that I will at last have a pair of comfortable shoes that will be suitable for church, shopping, driving. Hoping this is really worth all the money. Hoping .....

THE SADNESS OF BROKEN

Stuff gets broken. A few days ago as I was returning from dumping waste into the compost bin, I noticed that my beloved garden cupid had dropped his wing. As I picked up the pieces I realized that it had once been repaired. Do I remember doing that? It was the Stix All adhesive that I always use for such repairs. Don't remember the when or the circumstances of it.  I brought him onto the deck.  Bill attempted a Duco Cement repair. It didn't take.

This is the garden cupid that sits on the top of my blog. I have had him for quite a long time and have taken numerous pictures of him during various seasons. It is sad. Being broken is sad.  And having been fixed and breaking again is VERY sad indeed. I made the decesion to not  attempt another repair. Some things have served their term and need to be retired. This is very apropos of relationships also. An omen.

I cried this morning. Things that are broken and cannot be repaired are sad. Very sad indeed.

WAITING FOR WILBUR

Gabriel is twelve years old now.  Blind.  Neurological problems that affect his hind quarters.  Gabriel sleeps a lot; eats pretty well; still goes outside to tend to personal matters; loves lap sitting and spends the night snuggled against me.  That being said, we do not know how much longer he will be enjoying this life.  So as long as he is comfortable,we have decided that we will accomodate his problems.  And it will be a heavy hearted day when his time with us is at an end.  And we will be very, very sad.

For two or three years I have been looking for another Shih Tzu as an addition to our family.  Not a puppy this time.  There are a ton of rescue dogs out there and suddenly the right one appeared for adoption.  Golden S Rescue will be delivering Wilbur to us this coming Tuesday evening.  Wilbur is also a Shih Tzu albeit almost four pounds heavier than Gabriel's 6.2.  He is four years old - give or take.  He is reported to be friendly with humans, animals, and cats; cuddly, personable, and housebroken.  He comes having been neutered and with all shots and immunizations. 

The addition of Wilbur will change our routine, our schedule, ALL of the family dynamics.  There will, of course, be an adjustment period.  It will take time and patience -- all round.  Aside from all of this, we are quite excited about this new addition to our lives.

And so we wait with anticipation -- well, Gabriel sleeps.

THE PRICE OF HOPE AND FAITH

Mr. Robin has been missing for a few days.  I had seen him flitting around with bits of food in his beak preparing to take it into the nest.  I decided to investigate.  There was no Mrs. Robin; there were no eggs; the nest was trashed.  The softer compact bottom layer was dislodged and askew and it was all dangling precariously in the Japanese Holly bush.  Gone. No more.

Where will they go?  Will they build again?  Will they find a more suitable location?  Having been so devastated for all her efforts, will she just give up?  Will she try again this season?  Will she return next season?  Or will she just give up and go away and never try again?

I can relate to Mrs. Robin.  My church nest has been taken away.  I face many of the same questions.  There are several options for me.  A couple are close to home, others not too far from home.  I don't think I'm ready to visit another place of worship yet.  I'm a little scared.  I need a respite.  I'm thinking God will wait with me through this interim period until I am ready.  There is always hope.

CLOSED. FINISHED. DONE.

GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH - NORWALK, CT.

 The doors are closed.  The congregation dispersed. Grace Church is dissolved. No more.  I left behind those doors the hurts and heartbreak and frustrations of the closing; the strife; the nasty.  No more. Gone. Left behind.

I brought with me all the love in the world.  I brought with me years of sharing stories.  I brought with me a sense of what community can be.  I brought with me the knowledge that wherever I go I have gifts to offer a new community.  I know how to share my story; I know how to listen with an open heart and without judgement; I have learned that scripture is to be savored and enjoyed and that it can be interpreted differently with each encounter; I am beginning to learn how to turn the negative into the positive.  This last from our Lent Workshop.  We could have used more time to continue.  It was not to be.

A lot of things were not to be.  That's okay.  We can each take them away with us and continue in our new church homes.  There are more opportunities.  We have earned hope.