Today’s been pretty quiet if you don’t count the constant honking from the other room.
My Guy now has the same cold that laid me low for well over a week. After two years of masking, and therefore no illness, we’re really, really annoyed at falling prey to germs. Healthy people make very poor patients.Tomorrow I’m steppin’ out to see some friends, but that’s not the part that’s shaken my small world. I’ll be stepping out in new shoes. If you have feet like mine, new shoes aren’t just a shopping event – they’re a real achievement.
Bunion aside, which is a whole other issue, my feet are a challenge. My side of the family has big feet. I remember our family cat used to sleep in my father’s loafers. Like everyone, as I’ve grown older my feet have grown, too. There’s also the added snag that most stores usually stock a very limited number of larger sizes.
Those of you tripping the light fantastic in size 7’s probably don’t realize this, but did you know women’s half sizes stop at 10? 10 ½ sized shoes are as rare as the Vaquita – by the way, a porpoise which lives in the Gulf of California near Baja and of which there are now only 18 left.
My left foot is usually a 10 ½ or 11, while my right is much less high maintenance and willing to wear pretty much any old thing. The other day, though, I scored a pair of leather (not sneakers!!) size 10s that don’t make my bunion scream and which seem to be long enough that I can even wear (thin) socks. And they even seem to have quite a bit of style to them, so I’m not doomed for sensible oxfords yet.
When I get weary of my own troubles, though, I remember a good friend with her own problems. She wears a 4 1/2. Really.
I notice how many nice shoes have no wide range, just medium.. So that's me done for. My mom used to scratch my new shoes with a cinder from the fireplace, so they'd be skidproof.
ReplyDeleteMy late husband took a size6. Boys shoes were no good, too narrow, men's shoes rarely in size below 8. We made friends with a shoe salesman who took a 7 and understood the problem, so he searched high and low to help. But most mfrs simply don't make smaller sizes. I wonder if the influx of smaller immigrants be m other cultures will eventually have an impact.
Never thought about the impact of immigrants. Interesting.
DeleteLike yours, my feet have grown and expanded from 8N to 10W, extra deep toe box. I am down to one pair of funky New Balance sneakers in shades of purple suede. Fortunately, I am the old hippy.
ReplyDeletePurple suede sneakers actually sound pretty cool.
DeleteSo sorry to hear you have a bunion, upstairs neighbour has them on both feet and I've heard how painful they can be. I have short, wide feet, so finding shoes that fit is hard for me too, unless I'm willing to pay $200 or more per pair at the specialist shop. I've been wearing nothing but "youth" sized leather sneakers for about ten years now, size 6 in extra wide, and suddenly they are unavailable. Out of stock EVERYWHERE! I can get by with women's size 7, but they also have to be a wide (D) fitting. Again, unavailable.
ReplyDeleteAmazing the foot woes out there! Do manufacturers even care?
DeleteIronically, the reason for the bunion, I'm certain, is years of shoes that were too short, thus forcing the bone on the side to jut out.
I hear you. My father had large feet. My mother had wide feet. I have large, wide feet and finding shoes that actually fit is a nightmare. An expensive nightmare.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have a cold and am sneezing up a storm.
Oh dear. Sorry about the cold. Sisters in germ and foot troubles.
DeleteMy shoe size is larger than it was, and people are surprised when I tell them that this is not unusual.
ReplyDeleteYup. Thanks very much, gravity.
DeleteI just recently bought a pair of shoes a half size larger than I thought I wore. They are the most comfy shoes ever! I will continue to let my feet spread out, Happily.
ReplyDeleteEnvy here for you and your half sizes! :o)
DeleteI don't think I ever had that experience with parents scratching up my shoes. I did, however, slip on new shoes more than once! I guess they never got the memo.
ReplyDeleteSo sad about the beautiful vaquitas.
Vaquitas look like cartoon animals, don't they?
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