Silly way to Wednesday and the life of shoes

So today is on a somewhat silly note but, I think this is excellent, we can’t be too serious all the time. I have been living on Go Lean Bars….. Ever since a friend started me on one about 2 months ago. I feel breakfast is the most important meal; it gets us moving our brain working it keeps us from being hungry all day. Anything is good, but eat something. I usually have a bowl of cereal but the last 4 weeks of kid camps and summer activities I haven’t been able to sit down and eat. They have don’t worry I am just doing all kinds of things to get us ready & moving while they are eating. So this is where the Go Lean bars have come in. I love them for breakfast and I don’t feel hungry. So I get an assortment box at Costco, and I am the only one who eats them so… I have a favorite flavor. I love the almond flavor and I usually eat all 8 of those right away sad when I have to move to the peanut flavor… Well this morning I finished off the last peanut flavor bar and so now tomorrow or the next time I need a breakfast bar it will have to be Carmel. I like Carmel don’t get me wrong it is just in these bars it is the sweetest one and it leaves me hungry and it has popcorn in it…… it just isn’t my favorite. I told you today was silly, I recognize a breakfast bar is not the end of the world. I am also aware there are bigger problems in the world than poor me having to eat my least favorite bar. However I am tempted to ignore them and go get a new box. I know, I know that still leaves me with more Carmel bars. I am willing to trade or give them away…… I want them to be eaten. I will eat them or give them away….. Or maybe ignore them in the box and mix them into a new box hoping they will magically turn into almond or peanut bars. This is the silly note my morning started on.



I have moved on to a more exciting part of the day. The shoe repair store I have been meaning to get to I finally visited. I love shoe repair stores they have a passion for shoes like I do. They see that a shoe has it’s own life and personality and that each one is a treasure. I never found one in California so I have 3 years worth of shoes saved up. New heels, minor leather repairs etc. The purse that has become a saga to get a zipper.(they don't do zippers here either) I walked into the shop and the owner was on the phone with a client (we are all the same you can hear the passion for our shoes oozing through every word. Most of us are desperate to save some pair of revered shoes) This client was trying to save her Fiesta purse. I should tell you here is San Antonio every April we have Fiesta, which I am told by locals, has no historical significance other than it is a party for the city for the sake of a spring party. It lasts for 2 weeks it has parades, cook offs, floats, boat parades on the river, banners, pins, sashes and all kinds of wild revelry. The Rodeo & Fiesta also have a particular fashion and it is something I can’t describe here, you have to see it to believe it and it is so much a part of the events. This client was trying to save the purse her special purse that goes to all of the Fiesta events. This purse has been helped before doctored and cared for here for years the owner knows “the purse” as well as she knows the client that owns it. The purse has to be converted to a clutch it can’t party like it used to it can’t go to parades anymore it has to just go as a clutch to luncheons and dinners. I never saw the purse but I can tell you that like all people who age this purse had to slow down in it’s advanced years. There were still parties and if the purse followed the shoe doctor’s rules it would live to see more Fiesta’s. I have to tell you I liked this Woman already I knew my shoes were coming to the right place. I pulled each pair out one by one, the first is a summer mule that needed a re glue…… it was the easiest to part with a shoe assortment. I like them but If I “lost” it I wouldn’t cry. The owner lovingly handled it and told me it was a simple fix…… test one passed she handled the patient well. Next was my beloved Christian Louboutins the gorgeous cordovan pair of peep toes that the one corner of the peep toe is just a smidge to tight otherwise the shoe fits like a dream.

These beautiful patent leather peep toes in the divine go with anything Cordovan color I handed them over. Yes, I hugged them first and told the owner I loved these shoes. The owner didn’t laugh or think I was silly she gave me a moment alone with my shoe….. Then gently took it and tagged it and told me about patent leather. I learned new things about the patent leather, and why even though I know this brand and my size and I love this designer and have many styles boots, heels etc… why is it that these peep toes pinched my toe when they are the perfect size? We talked about patent leather and peep toes….. And it was easier to hand over the shoes…… I really liked the owner. I handed over my go to sexy sandals for the summer the pair that if anything happens to them I will be distraught… the strappy leather ones that make me smile and they are so comfy. The pair I wear with my sexy skinny linen dress. I asked her to check those over twice even though they just needed a re-glue on the top inner sole. I wanted to make sure the heel was sound, the outer sole was perfect and that we would be together for a long time.

The Owner smiled at me as if she totally understood and checked it over in front of me showing me all the finer points of the shoe and how well made it is and how well I have cared for it and how it has a long life ahead despite the fact I wear them at least 4 times a week. We smiled and talked shoes.



A woman walked in from Argentina, she spends part of the year here part of the year there. She has known the owner for years and trusts her with her handmade designer shoes. This woman talked of how they make the shoes for you in Argentina. You go into a store, you tell them what you want they make it for you. You come back and whola you have a pair of handmade shoes that are to die for that last for years and only need a new sole every so often. I have never wanted to go to Argentina as badly as I did this morning……. She also spoke of hand tailored suits and hats and how things are re worked and kept for years…… I have to go to Argentina. I know they have amazing leather there so it would make sense they would have hand made shoes to die for.
So for a random Wednesday morning despite being out of my favorite flavor bars knowing that Carmel bars are lurking in the box for me…… I had a wonderful conversation about shoes, Argentina and in one week all of my shoes will be returned to me in perfect shape.

On Being Texan

I was driving home from a long road trip I had been away for a week and on the road for about 15 hours. I hit the Texas state border and thought I don't think I have ever been so happy to see Texas. I felt like I was nearly home, gasp could this mean I am becoming Texan ?

I had to start laughing, when I visited Charleston SC for the first time I took the carriage tour of the city. I highly recommend it the drivers are hilarious and full of history. Our driver told us that in order to be called a Charlestonian your family had to be there for 3 generations. This is the historical/political views of the "locals". There are exceptions, if your family was there and left but came back that counts, and if your family was a founding family no matter where you roam you are still a Charlestonian. I especially found this fun because I have family, a direct line of family that came and owned land and plantations in North Carolina and they owned it as part of the original colonies and then later in statehood..... would this make me a Southerner? I have a lot of Southern blood but I fancy myself a Yankee. Of course I was born in Wyoming which was just neutral territory for so long that I like that idea that I belong to the wilder more neutral part of our country.

So I wonder how long does one have to live in Texas to be a Texan ? I own a house here, I have a drivers license here, I have lived here for a year now, am I a Texan ?

I love Texas because Texans are independent, free thinking and trust me if any state in the union could become it's own country Texas could. I have lived in Texas before in the north for a short time and now here in the south. I love that Texans aren't afraid to tell it like it is, or tell you exactly what they think. That said they also don't push that on you they prefer you to want to follow from example not by brute force. While they are strong & outspoken they also are subtle and charming and want you to know they believe there is enough space for everyone to have their own opinions even if they aren't the same. Trust me in this state there is a wild spectrum of ideas from conservative to liberal and everything in between. I like the good manners and strong work ethics, I can see why many Midwesterners have come here we share a lot.

I love Texas history, this state has seen so much and is like a wise old guardian, they will share the whole story with you and give advice but still understand if you follow your own path. My Uncle has taught history here and I love history and knew a fair amount but I will say since I have been here immersed in the history..... perhaps steeped is a better word it is amazing. Really there is exciting stuff in the history and Texas has ties throughout our nations history that would shock and amaze you. They are strong politically but not in your face it is more subtle strength and rich in stories. this state has a lot of diversity and they have to find a way to make it work to survive. Many states could learn a lot from the history here. I LOVE that Texas was it's own country at one time it makes me smile, sure they are proud to be American but they are Texans first. I am a big advocate for state rights and Texas wasn't afraid to say they had rights. Even now they use, sell, produce Texas products before looking elsewhere. If we all had more state pride and tried to use, sell, produce more our whole country might be stronger.

Don't get me wrong Texas isn't perfect and there are strange things here. there are disagreeable thoughts ideas and laws. There are some people who could live up to the southern stereotypes.

So as I was driving across my corner of Texas to home I had all of these rambling thoughts about the place I live right now. I almost had a fear that Sam would like it so much he would want to retire here or because of T's needs we would be here for so long we would have to retire here. I thought Whoa am I ready to be a Texan ? I better learn to love Texas if that were the case. Could I ?

While I was happy to see Texas and I love the concept of Texas I'm not sure if by definition I am really a Texan or that I could be a Texan forever. But I was happy to see Texas