blue

It was a busy, busy weekend here at headquarters.  Plenty got accomplished and there were a few fun surprises, too.  There's one thing, though, that I absolutely have to share right away.  You were so patient about my belly-aching and hand-wringing over the big shoe dilemma, so  I think you should be the first to know:  I have found the shoes.

It turns out I needed blue shoes.  I had no idea.  I put them on my feet and then I just didn't want to take them off again.  They were a little spendy, but just like with the dress, I have all intentions of wearing these constantly after the wedding.

Of course, the nice girls at the shoe store have already pointed out that now I have the "something blue" thing taken care of.  I'll be honest, I hadn't been too worked up about that whole thing.  I don't think that some superstitious Victorian rhyme is going to do me much good at this point.  I've already ditched so many other traditions, what's one more, really?

I did learn something interesting, though, about the saying.  Of course, I've heard the whole "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," but I'd never come across this last bit.  Have you ever heard "and a silver sixpence in her shoe?"  Maybe this is common knowledge in the on-line wedding world.  It could be that I just don't get out enough.

According to my somewhat-reliable source, the sixpence symbolizes financial stability, which is certainly something I could use right now.  Unfortunately, they stopped minting the sixpence coin in the 1960's, and I just don't think a nickel is going to cut it.

Besides, walking around with a coin in my shoe would kind of be a drag, even in comfortable shoes.  And these shoes are incredibly comfortable.  I'm kind of fighting the urge to wear them right now. They remind me of a bird's egg.*

So enough, now, with all the shopping and buying and getting.  It makes me kind of anxious, actually.  I'll be back on Wednesday with some crafty goodness to share...


*A bluebird's egg.  A sparrow's eggs are whitish, usually.  With brown speckles.  These are important things to know.

rules

I don't even know where to begin, friends.

I spent the better part of today doing things that are extremely outside my comfort zone.  To begin with, I bought some makeup--for the first time in about a decade.  This required actually going to a makeup counter and asking questions about makeup.  Also, letting an incredibly up-beat twenty-something put makeup on my face.  This was all much more nerve-wracking than I can begin to describe here.

And then, there are the shoes.  I spent all day today looking for a pair of shoes.  I don't understand why this part has become so difficult.  It's not like I'm after something outrageous.  My criteria are pretty simple:  Flats, probably in a neutral color, probably leather, without any buckles or bows or little metal studs in them.  Also, no extra-pointy toes.  Just nice normal shoes.

Apparently, these shoes exist only in my imagination.  I've looked everywhere.  The thrift store, the Internet, and now every store within walking distance of downtown Seattle.  I went into stores I've never ventured into before, some of which I'm embarrassed to actually name here.

Along with all the trendy teen stores, I tried the big department stores, too.  And that's where I found my dream shoes.

I know, the Swarovski crystals are kind of breaking the "no buckles or bows" rule.  I don't care.  I still want them.

And I can't have them.  I know that.  I knew it before I tried them on.  (And allow me to emphasize here: This afternoon, I put my dirty little feet in a pair of shoes that are allegedly worth more than the pittance that is currently masquerading as our honeymoon fund.  Absolutely crazy.)  The whole thing was definitely a lesson, though, in why you should not try on clothes that you have no intention of buying.  Once the saleslady put those fancy little princess shoes on my feet, it was very, very hard to take them off again.

I don't like that I'm angsting over things like makeup and expensive shoes.  It makes me worry that all this wedding silliness might be compromising the woman I think I am.

Which is why I fully intend to spend the rest of my weekend gardening and cooking good food and hanging out with my man and figuring out how to make a wedding "headpiece" out of three dollar's worth of fabric remnants from Jo-Ann Fabrics.  Because that is exactly the kind of woman I want to be.

Happy weekend!