Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Addiction... Dependence.... and Fear...




Okay. To those of you who know me and have seen me lately, this blog entry is no surprise. It does, however, come as a surprise to me. I am amazed at what I am about to say. MY SHOES ARE HORRENDOUS. There. To my mother who has been screaming this for years, yes years. To my friends who have simply smiled and ignored my feet, and to my students who probably have dubbed me the fat teacher with those awful shoes... I see it... But truthfully, it has reached such a crisis I know not what to do.
I bought these shoes from Land's End Catalog one sunny day by phone.. I saw them in a catalog and thought, "Hey! comfy looking sandals." At the time I walked a lot, went up and down stairs kind of easily, had a home and a pretty fully life. I also had a whole closet full of shoes.... dressy flats mostly, a few sandals, a pair of flip flops... a nice pair of tenny runners for my fouro mile walks.... Uh, yeah... that was EIGHT years ago. I bought them in the spring of 2000. I'm not sure when they migrated to the top of the list of shoes to wear. I only know that gradually other shoes died the way all good shoes do... but these insidiously refused to go that way.
Then came some fairly sizable life/health changes. I have fairly cruddy arthritis that is a real pain if you get my meaning! I have had a back muscle spasm that refuses to allow me to stand or walk for more than a minute or two... With all this marvelous invalid-ness I have acquired many extra pounds... And some of you know the rest... Extra weight= less walking=extra weight=less walking.... the perpetuality of the old fat lady that stumps around looking for a chair. That's me.
But lest you think this is a woe to be me entry, I will get back to the shoesies.... I began somehow to wear these babies every day.. I wear them in winter with hose, with black hose, navy hose, tan hose, and with heavy socks if I have to be outside... yep... I just smiled when people said, "I can't believe you wear sandals in the snow." I think I secretly hoped they believed me to be some lost in the sixties beatnik.... not an old lady whose feet hurt too much to get new shoes. For many years after a big closet purge, these were the only shoes I owned... Often I have purchased a couple of cute pair of shoes throughout the course of the year. I have a neat pair of leather tennis shoes, a glitzy flat with cool copper jewels, a pair of clog-like green shoes that feel about as good as anything else EXCEPT these babies.... and now three pairs of new sandals... Clarks, Earth shoes, and .... I dunno....
But with all the pain it causes to move, function, get there... and back, I just can't force myself to put anything else on. I always sneak this pair out in a sack if I do wear another pair, and in less than twenty minutes... yeah, you guessed it.
Once I had a sweater I wore past its due date and a very sage senior girl told me she was staging an intervention. I finally took my coat of many colors to the burn barrel.... But I don't think I can function without shoes that feel like these... I am writing to Land's End and begging them to look in their old stock.... Wouldn't it be fabulous if they found a pair that would last me til 2016? Wow....
Any suggestions? I know they are ugly. About three years ago I bragged to my mother that I had worn the very same shoes every day for five years. Her remark chilled me a little, "You think they don't look it?" haha.. My mom... She's the best.
As you see, the soles are splitting... It's a matter of time now... Help!

7 comments:

Lisa Pogue said...

Oh, dear. What do we do?

Lisa Pogue said...

You have been awarded, by me, for being an inspiration!

Susie Q said...

But they look SO comfy! I am of that age now where comfort trumps looks any day! *laugh*
Of course, here *I* am wroiting this while wearing sweats with a torn pocket and an oversized shirt that has a *Kitty claw* tear right in front! But hey! IT is sooo comfy!

Hugs,
Sue

Becky K. said...

Those shoes are really good friends! I hope you can come up with another pair.

You could tell us size and your bloggy friends could find some on eBay or in their own closets...

Blessings!

Becky K.

Twyla and Lindsey said...

They look like my Birkenstocks. Have you ever tried a pair of those? I wear them ALL the time, but I have several different pairs. The soles are all the same though. I believe feet should be comfortable! Twyla

Lori @ Katies Rose Cottage Designs said...

Your post is cracking me up ! Aren't those Birkenstocks ? I remember when everyone in California wore those ~ I am sure you can still get them ~
There were days when people used to get those resoled because they get more and more comfortable as time goes on ~

xoxo,
Lori

Diane Fay (littlealma) said...

I so sympathize with you about the shoes! (and few extra pounds!) I have the same situation - it is like a downward spiral isn't it? One of these years I am going to have to get new knee joints! You know what kind of shoes I wear year round? Is those "ugly" crocks! I don't care what they look like, they feel the best on my knee! I have one real pair, and several knock off pairs, and I wear them all winter too.... Oh well! Hope you find some good new ones! If you do, let me know!

Hugs from Michigan - Diane