It's the shoes that make the dance

It has been another good week. Sleep deprivation notwithstanding.

A friend at work asked me to go the Ukrainian New Year gala at one of the local church halls. She's not been to a good Ukrainian dance party since moving here and thought a bunch of us girls should go and have a good time. Another really good friend of mine goes every year and has been after me to come out. Of course, XSU being the non social person he is unless it involves copious amounts of alcohol and his guitar ( playing the same four songs ad nauseum) would never want to go. And for some reason, he didn't like my friend's husband. I could never figure that one out. For far too long I played the loyal wife and chose to stick with him.

No more my friends!

So I borrowed, without knowledge,Rebel Junior's new shoes that she has already purchased for Prom and off I went. I had a great time. Ate far too much food, danced the night away when the young girls passed on their leftovers to me,or did the girls in a circle thing and between the Ukrainian dances, the Black Eyed Peas and the Beatles, I did okay.

One of the girls won a bottle of Ukrainian honey pepper flavoured vodka At midnight she opened the bottle and we girls plus our hardy two Ukrainian gentlemen dance partners had a shot each to usher in the New Year. Pepper vodka is very.... peppery even with that bit of honey in it.

I didn't get home til nearly 2 AM, and slept til nearly noon. Even the dog didn't wake me up to go out. RJ had the XSU drive her to work and pick her up, so I am feeling quite content in my little house today.

Life is good. Now I just need to continue to re jig my biorhythms clock and see if this getting up before the birds will work over the next few months.

More Sex and Lies... and coulda used the video tape!

I have returned from Edmonton. I had a great time at my conference. I always do. Lots of stuff going on causing great consternation before the annual general meeting meant that I spent some time running around organizing resolutions, finding out who would support the issues and pretty much rabble rousing.

Rebel Junior threw another party while I was gone, after I asked XSU to SPECIFICALLY keep tabs on her. "Oh I will, don't worry. She is going to Jamie's but I will swing by your place just in case." Yeah... a lot of good his swing was. It's never been good. And Rebel seemed to not be around all of a sudden while this partying was going on right under her nose.

RJ managed to con her dad to get her a Blackberry phone. seriously! I am not paying for it. Another whole story. But guess what? He agreed with me - really - he did! that RJ's phone should be blocked for a while. So her phone is turned off for at least a week or three. I am sure she'll be going through withdrawal even before I finish this blog entry.

Rebel had the boyfriend back in the house. I was not impressed but expected this. I figured he'd be around while I was out of town, but enough already! I asked him when he was leaving and he looked over at Rebel. Argument ensued when I stated that unless Rebel was paying the mortgage - looking at her wasn't going to do him any good, and at what time would he be leaving this evening? I stood over him with Rebel telling me to leave her room, while I stared down this idiot.

Good thing I spent a lot of money on new shoes while I was at my conference. In four days I had a mere two hours for recreational retail therapy and I used it well! What would a trip out of town be without a little shopping. We found a shoe store to end all shoe stores. I swear half the women at the conference must have stopped in. I bought two GORGEOUS pairs of shoes as did my room mate from BC. We both pranced around our hotel room in our new shoes admiring our skill at sussing out shoes at full price instead of the sale rack stuff. yeah.... full price, for shoes made some where other than China... France to be specific... I think I have money for the mortgage and maybe the electrical bill and a little gas for my car this month, given what I paid for these shoes. Leather like butter -and the sassiest pair of little summer peek-a-boo pumps. It's my outlet for no sex. shoes. While sex is a whole lot cheaper (but is it?), and quite probably over rated, the shoes will last a whole lot longer and probably give me a whole lot more pleasure. I pant even as I edit the photos

and no.... my toes are not squished into the shoes - I just have this toe that is crooked. My mom had the same thing, and so does Rebel.

Wordless Wednesday

Lost over Loafers

I'm not one of those Carrie Bradshaw type shoe people. I don't lust after shoes, I don't really go out of my way to shop for shoes. This may be where the librarian in me comes out. I have your black pumps, your navy pumps, a couple of pairs of black dress heels, the obligatory red shoes, a bunch of pairs of sandals for the summer and may be one or two other pairs but that's about it.

I do have this one pair of loafers that I have loved and worn for years. I've had them so long I am sure it must have been late 20th century when I bought them. They came from Arnold Churgin Shoes in Calgary - my favourite shoe store. Okay I like shoes enough to have a favourite shoe store - that I shop at once every 5-10 years when I head to Calgary to visit friends and family.
This pair of loafers was a beautiful leather, comfortable beyond belief, the perfect heel. I wore them all the time - with jeans, or dress pants. I put them away a couple of years ago, after probably replacing the heels at least twice - because I felt I *really* needed to buy something new, something a little more 21st century. I haven't found that pair yet. They're either ugly, wrong kind of heel, they don't fit my foot properly, ( I have high arches, and size 6 feet) or they make me look like a librarian. - don't start.

I decided to wear them this weekend - no snow on the ground - pavement anyway - because I was tired of boots and heavy footwear. As I was driving I thought my foot felt a little cold and the shoe a little thin . They just didn't feel quite right.

When I got home I took the shoes off and had a look at the sole. Oh yeah... they are pretty much worn right through. The top of the shoe still looks great - I polished them often, cleaned them, but nothing could save the sole. So, I will have to pitch these favourite shoes and this will force me to find *something.*

Who knew one could feel so lost over a little pair of black leather loafers. A pair of CFMs - oh yeah... but loafers?