Weekend Warrior

I still haven't tired of the colored leaves around here.

Laura and I took a walk through the woods together yesterday, and saw this leaf.

Pretty, huh?

Kingwood Parks has added to the paths; this was a brand spanking new path that goes right along beside the edge of lake.

After our walk we (read: Laura) dug into organizing the pantry big time.

She is very strict about "best used before" date.

The day after that date- the can is gonzo.

I explained that "Best used by" means it may have less flavor afterwards, but it isn't the same as expired. She gave me "that look" and chucked the three year past date can into the trash.

Works for me. The pantry was too crowded anyway, and frankly if we haven't been in the mood for "Cullen Skink" soup from Scotland by now, we probably won't be in the mood for it anytime later.
She did discover several food mixes that she had sent us back when she was living in Hawaii.

Poke mix, and poi mix...so I ran to the store to pick up some fresh fish, calamari and pineapple for an authentic island dinner.

I took a picture of that...but it really looks odd to see purple poi, raw fish with seaweed filaments and circles of white calamari on the plate so I'm not going to post it.

As I headed to the store the sky looked fierce, but only a few drops fell, and a bolt or two of lightening flashed against a sky that later turned a rich crimson red.

No pictures of the red...I was heading home by then.

This is my dish cupboard. We "borrowed" a couple of the racks for the pantry, so L. and I had to head to Target again to get some more. I am always surprised at how many people see my dishes and bowls stacked on the racks and go "Great idea!"

So I just thought I'd share for any other January organizers out there.

(I hate having bowls stacked, or salad and dessert plates co-mingling.)

The bad part about running to Target was missing some of the big Charger foot ball game.

Laura and Bernie and Tiggie yelled their way through the fourth quarter while I made "Elvis" sandwiches.

That's fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. We had caught a short clip about that being Elvis Presley's favorite sandwich, and L. and B. both said they had never had one before.

So check that off their life's list of things to do.

Eh. It is OK.

Better with sugary peanut butter. The wholesome sugar free keep in the refrigerator kind doesn't really do the melty gooey thing very well.

The Chargers won; they are going to the playoffs.

I guess the Sunday afternoon scream fests will continue for a while more.

What do you think of my new shoes???

I almost never wear high heels anymore. One, at my height it seems silly to tower over everyone, and two, most high heels hurt my feet (heel spur issues) and three, most high heel shoes won't hang onto my narrow heel shape.

Now I have shopped for shoes at the most expensive and exclusive shoe stores in America, and while shopping, I have ignored the price tags. At one store I tried on 120 pairs of shoes. On that day I almost cried.

All that mattered to me was finding pumps that worked with my narrow heeled foot to wear while I did presentations to the top lawyers and executives in the Southwest.

It is true: Clothes not only make the man, they especially make the woman. Flats just don't cut it on a woman wearing a business suit.

Back then, on that day, I did find three pairs of shoes out of the 120 pairs (at an eye crossing amount) and bought them even though they were only about 65% comfortable. They were hand made in Italy, and lovely to be sure.

I bought three other pairs that were only 25% comfortable. As in I could hobble from the car to the event if I knew I could sit down immediately. Shoes SOOO darn cute I couldn't say no. Except that every time I try to wear them, I inevitably say "no" and put on some other shoes instead.

The biggest selling point on any dress shoe that I ever bought was that they hung on to my foot as I walked. Nothing undermines a presentation more than the speaker stepping out of her shoe and falling flat on her face on the way up to the podium.

Trust me on this. I know of what I speak.

The expensive designer shoes served me well. I could walk into an event and stand for up to 30 minutes before crying "Uncle" and begging for a chance to be seated.

While Laura and I were out shopping, I saw these shoes.

Just for laughs, I tried them on. They hung on to my foot! I walked around with them on for a half of an hour. They still felt OK! (like 75% comfortable.)

I liked the cut of the top of the shoe. I liked shape of the heel.

I really liked that they didn't fall off my foot as I walked.

Like the saying goes: If the shoe fits, buy it in every color.

Such wisdom. I think I was pretty smart to do so.

Especially since they were found at Walmart, and were going for $12.98 a pair.

whooo HOO!!!

Next week Laura is going to help me clean out my extensive collection of adorable shoes that I never, ever wear because frankly they hurt like h-e-double hockey sticks.

Oh boy...this is gonna be something. Know anyone who wears US size 8.5 to 10 Narrow shoes? Boy do I have some shoes for you!