My new shoes

Spending money (shopping) is not my bag; I truly hate the chore.

And the one thing I hate most is shopping for clothes and or shoes.

I know. How can a woman hate shopping? Especially shopping for clothes or shoes?

But I really do hate the task.  I regard shopping for clothing as a necessary evil of life.

And unfortunately, (or as some might argue, lucky for me), I am now in the position of needing to shop for clothing because I have shrunk considerably from the size I've been for too many years.

Whilst I was being massaged on Thursday, my therapist told me about a "tea and fashion show" she had attended on the previous Monday evening. Apparently, there's a shop in Carleton Place that she didn't even know existed and it carries a fabulous line of very fashionable clothing for women aged 20 - 70 (and the models ranged right on up through that age span). She was raving about the selection of clothing that had been displayed -- and there was a sale of 20% discount on all items through to Sunday (I wondered what her cut was for sending customers). She told me the name of the place and its 'almost' location (because she knows the town about as well as I do; 15 years residency isn't long enough to get the feel of the land, I guess).

Yesterday, I had the unusual pleasure of having a day of no commitments on my calendar -- and I could breathe -- and I was feeling fine. My nightmare appears to be truly over!

I decided to go looking for that fabulous clothing shop on Carleton Place's main drag (there was another errand I wanted to run in the town anyway so why not head out and take care of both chores?).

Well, one errand leads to another and John needed something from the Post Office which just happens to be on the main drag too.  As I was heading to the Post Office, I noticed the clothing shop that I needed to go to.

Alright, now I knew where I needed to go.

I left the Post Office at 9:15am and drove the short distance back towards the desired shop.

I parked the car a half block away and as I was walking towards the clothing shop, I noticed a shoe store.

Hmmmmm, wonder if they carry the Volks Walkers that my feet love so much.

So I stopped to look in the window and there's a pair of shoes that I simply must have!

Now, it's not often that such an impulse grabs me but, oh I needed those shoes.

However, I was on a mission to check out that clothing store so I kept going on down the road, only to discover that the clothing shop didn't open until 10:00am.

So I stopped to do a little window shopping; they sure do have some nice stuff on display in the window.

And there's one dress there that I absolutely must have (provided it looks as nice on me as it does in the window!).

Since she wasn't opening for another 40 minutes, I decided to pass the time by going back a few doors and checking out that shoe store.

In I go and ask about the shoes I must have.

And oh dear, he had my size and they fit like a glove and they are oh so comfortable.

I left there 15 minutes later with a pair of new shoes in tow, along with new laces for the Volks Walkers that I was wearing and new laces for another pair that was wanting at home. Turns out he does carry a few Volks Walkers (they are very difficult to find now) and he has a fabulous line of European shoes. He will be my first stop for shoes from now on (I've always had a hard time finding comfortable footwear that I like).

He had other shoes that I wanted to buy but I just couldn't justify the purchase at this time (I'm working on it though).

While I sat in the car waiting for the clothing shop to open, I called home to see if John had arrived from his errand yet and he had just come in the door.

"Where are you now?" he asked.

"Sitting in my car, waiting for the clothing shop to open," I said. "There's a dress in the window that I have to buy."

"Is it a dress-up dress?" he asked.

"Well, my husband might have to take me out somewhere," I responded.  "It certainly isn't something I would wear to go to my physiotherapy or massage appointments."

"I guess we can arrange something," he said.  "See you eventually."

When 10:00am finally struck, I left the car and was in the shop like a rocket.

"Good morning," I said, "there's a dress in the window that I need."

"Good morning," said the saleslady, "which dress would that be?"

As we both walked towards the front of the store, I said, "Well, the blue one, of course." (They were all blue.)

"OK, then," she commented, "that narrows it down quite nicely."

I knew immediately that I was in my kind of shop.

Once we identified the dress I needed, and we figured out which size I should try on, she went about looking for other items I might like and she very quickly determined that I didn't want anything purple, or with a flower print, or was sleeveless, or above the knee. I told her that my massage therapist had attended the fashion show earlier in the week and that is why I was there, and asked about capris because I understood that they carried some very nice ones. She selected a few capris for me as I went through the super-sale rack and found blouses and other bargains to try on.

Off I went to the dressing room where I don't know how many items were waiting for me.

Some items were too big; some too small; others I simply didn't like.

One dress I really liked, but not enough to pay what was being asked (even with the discount).

A blouse that I had found on the bargain rack had my name on it (I would never have paid the original asking price but the reduced price said "pick me").

One of the pair of capris was so comfortable I was tempted to leave them on (but the weather outside suggested that I put my jeans back on).

And the dress that I just had to buy?

I loved it as much on me as I did in the window (well, OK, maybe not quite as much but only because I tend to be very critical -- but I do love it!).  And the price was surprisingly low; the discount made it an even better buy.

So I left there with three items of clothing, having spent just slightly more than I had on my one purchase at the shoe store!

From there, I went on to the purpose of my original errand to Carleton Place -- to Marks Work Wearhouse, where I wanted to try on their pants/capris, several of which fill my closet.

These pants/capris are the best! The pants can be rolled up to capris and the capris can be rolled up to shorts, which make them supremely versatile. They are made of very light-weight cotton and they are the most comfortable pant in the world (in my humble opinion). I have several, in many different colours. Unfortunately, the ones I have (some of which I just bought last summer) are all waaaaaaay too big for me -- you could almost put two of me in them now (OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but they are too big and they look ridiculous).

There are two solutions to this quandary I have about the many items of almost-new clothing in my closet that are now too large for me. I could pay someone to alter them down to my size (depending on what it would cost per pair). Or I could buy new ones and give my larger ones to a very good friend who could actually wear them (and she would get good use of them).

Anyway, my intention was to go to Marks and try on the pants/capris to find out what size I need (I'm having difficulty buying pants that fit because I seem to be an "in between" size right now). They no longer carry the same pant as I like (don't you hate when manufacturers alter a design of a terrific item just enough to make you hate it?) but the capris are similar enough to what I like. And I am a size ten.

Did you hear me? I'm a size 10!

I left Marks with two pair of capris, a fabulous T-shirt (that looks smashing with the capris I bought at the other shop) and another top. Total cost for the four items: just slightly more than the single purchase at the shoe store.

So, what was so special about those shoes, you ask?

I love them, so I just had to buy them.

John thinks they're "pretty sexy" and I'm sure I can find something with which to wear them; if not, I'll just have to go out and buy another outfit.

Oh, and I still have to find a pair of shoes to wear with that dress that I had to buy!

Gosh it feels good to be back (and skinny!).