feeling young again

We passed around an article at work on how to live to one hundred. Eat purple, no pop, not liking hamburgers, no marital dramas, excersize; were just a few things on the list. I don't plan to live to a hundred. We all agreed it didn't really sound that appealing anyway. To the good side, if you feel 10 years younger than you are that is helpful.





Now that I am working again I am feeling younger. I have also lost weight. those size 12 pants I just picked up are feeling loose. Being away from the house and kitchen has really helped with the weight loss. I have started using the medifast food again. I have plenty of those packets in the cupboard. It was handy when Riley and I were stuck at the hospital. At work those packets are just as handy.





I have found the Subway across the mall from us has a great soup each day. But I do hate spending money on soup when I could be saving up to buy really cute shoes out of one of our catalogues.





I did find the difficulty with catalogue shopping, buying something the store doesn't carry. I ordered a pair of really cute shoes only to find I ordered them in just slightly too wide a size. Some shoe companies run wide like Keen, other shoe companies run narrow like Romica. I was ordering from Aravon, the dress line of New Balance. I should have ordered a 9 B instead of a 9 D. Now I have to decide if I send the shoes back or try exchanging them or find someone that wants them in this size. I could wear heavy socks with them to solve the problem, but I bought them to wear with dresses and nylons. They are an adorable patent leather, and fit really comfortably in the 9 B. Next time I will only order if I know for sure that its the right size.








One of my co workers had a similar problem. She ordered shoes only to find she didn't like them once they came. They had looked really cute in the catalogue. She didn't like them as much in person.





The owners says it happens to all his female employees. Every time a new style comes in its like christmas in the store. We ooh and aah over the new shoes and talk about the details and what clients might be interested in the new shoe style. There is comfort and there is structure. Then there is eye candy, as the owner puts it.

Tom says enough is enough. I have bought enough shoes. My new job is costing him money. I feel like I am more organized and efficient. I have bought a pair of keens that I lived in while we were traveling. My feet were exceedingly comfortable whether we were sitting five hours on a plane or walking 3 miles shopping around the track.

I bought some Sanita Clogs in a utilitarian black. These have structure support for long standing at work. I would not recommend them for long walks. I have worn them to Trevor's football games, and done some walking in them, but I bought them mostly for work.

Then there are my Romicas. These shoes were made in Bolgaria. They look Italian and chic. They are eye candy, but comfortable. Which in our store means little support. You can wear them for short durations. I can wear them once in a while all day. But I have found for an all day shoe, something like my clogs with some internal arch support, is preferable. But these Romica's are adorable. I feel beautiful when I wear them, fashionable.

I would never have bought this many shoes, but I don't think Tom realized how rarely I really went shopping. And when I did shop, it was usually thrift stores. I was desperately in need of shoes.

I would buy one thing at my CABI parties, a skirt or top usually, then match it to a bunch of $3 or $4 tops or bottoms from the thrift store. Honestly people donate items with the tags still attached sometimes. Name brands I would never purchase, as the price was too expensive in the store. One ketchup spill or coffee spill or a pen going through the wash and the clothes are toast. I hate throwing away good money. Those accidents happen all the time at our house.

I have started wheening out my closet of old and tired and stained. It is amazing how much can be tossed. I will have a lot of room by the time I am done. Stains seem to be the most common problem. That and shrinkage. Shrinkage is not because I have gained weight, but I must have my dryer set too hot. My tops when I buy them, hit me at my hips. I wash these tops and my belly shows bellow the hem. I don't know what I do wrong, but tops just shrink when I wash them. It drives me crazy.

Trevor wears all of Tom's clothes now. The boys have moved on in shoe sizes though. Grandpa George had some really nice shoes from his work days that have now become the boy's dress shoes.

Trevor had a music concert last night. He wore Tom's pants and dress shirt and Daddy George's shoes. I had called from work and asked that Tom help get Trevor ready. I had mentioned that the shoes need to be black. Tom said Trevor could wear his football cleats if he couldn't find black shoes that fit. Thanks to Daddy George, we can go another year before investing in black shoes just for band. I was grateful to come home and find Trevor ready to go in the appropriate black shoes.

The new vitamin regime and work has revitalized me. The change is fantastic. Tom even came home from work and put the children to their after school chores. The dishes were washed and dinner was ready when I came home. I did have to do the clean up from cooking. But it is not the same when someone else cooks and you do the cleaning up. That is a fair exchange. I used to get so depressed at doing the dinner and the clean up, but that was my job, tedious. Now everyone is pitching in. Tom is getting involved and the boys are doing what they are supposed to without me getting mad each time to get them to do what they are supposed to be doing.

The sun is shining through the window and I am feeling good. I am off to do laundry as our machine broke and the repair man can't come until next Wednesday, a week away. Of course you are never up on laundry when the machine breaks. In our house one day is at least two loads. The cat decided to vomit on my bed this morning so that just added to the volume. But when you are in a good mood, it is humorous rather than tormenting. I will take a book and lots of change and enjoy hanging out like Tom and I did when we had our first apartment together and no laundry facilities.

I did have to yell at the boys to collect all their dirty cloths from the crevices of their rooms this morning. I told them to pile all the dirty laundry on the front porch. I can barely get out my door now. It may take two trips in the jeep to get it all done. I hope no one is at the laundry mat as I will want to use all the machines.