GETTIN' MY FREAK ON!

First of all, before I astound you by revealing one of my few eccentricities, I want to thank my readers for....well.....for reading and leaving feedback. I enjoy your comments. Keep them coming, and, Steve? Be just as inflammatory as you like. That's fine with me. Vent!


I would also like to report that I've now lost a grand total of 2 1/2 pounds. The walks at the track continue and so does the healthy eating plan. No problems there. Today, the 11th day of January, 2008, I am still on course. This is a new record for me since no other New Year's Eve resolution ever lasted longer than a few days.


Ok, now to get to the main topic of today's blog which will prove to you that I can be just as weird as anybody else. I consider myself to be somewhat conservative in my dress and demeanor. Oh, I will break out in a leopard skin print blouse every now and then, but for the most part I dress in solid colors. I wear little jewelry....pierced earrings every day, my wedding band, a watch, and, occasionally, a bracelet. If I were skinny, I admit, that I would probably be more flamboyant, because a thin woman can get away with a heck of a lot more than a fat woman can. Some fat people wear what they want to, sure, and say who gives a darn, I'll wear what I like. Some people look ridiculous doing it, too.


All my life I've tried my best not to look ridiculous. The times that I have let go a little bit, it pretty much ruined my day. Geez....I'm thinking about an outfit I wore to work in 1971. I now call it my "Lady of the Evening" attire. Those were the days that mini-skirts ruled, and they got shorter and shorter, until "Oh, my!" I left work early that day because I was sick and tired of tugging my skirt down to cover my butt. It was exhausting. Below are two photos of me wearing the outfit. I'm sure you're asking yourself, "What was she thinking?" Well, obviously, I wasn't thinking, or I wouldn't have been caught dead wearing that. Why didn't Don stop me? I still wake up in the middle of the night sometimes from a dream about that day, sweat beading on my brow, and when I do, I am so thankful that it was only a dream, and that I am not at work parading around like a street walker.

No more satin blouses and short, purple mini-skirts for me. This is a very casual town, and I tend to stick to my favorite uniform of blouses and tee shirts and jeans. This makes me think about how my mother, at my same age, never wore jeans and tee shirts.....or jogging shoes, but that's another whole blog that I'll save for later.


Now that I'm older, comfort and warmth are two of the most important things in my life, so skirts up to my wazoo are out, and warm, fuzzy house slippers are in. This is where I break loose from conventionality. My secret quirkiness is revealed when I buy the most outlandish slippers I can find. Why? Because the funny-looking ones are generally warm and comfortable....my main two needs, remember? The other reason is that they make me smile. Smiling is good for you, did you know that? When you smile, your body releases those feel-good hormones known as endorphins. We need all the endorphins we can get. I like to smile. In the dead of winter, when I come down with a bad case of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) I really, really, really need to smile. My house slippers make me smile every day. Don rolling on the floor laughing at my slippers makes me smile even more. There may be another reason. Now that I think about it, my mother leaned towards fuzzy house slippers too. Maybe my love for them is hereditary.


Last week I faced a dilemma. The soles of my favorite house slippers of all time were wearing out. Considering the fact that those soles are a thin layer of cloth sewn over another thin layer of foam, it's a wonder they hadn't worn out long ago. But they were sturdy little slippers and lasted until the holes in the soles were so big that my tender, fat, little Petunia Pig feet were starting to feel the ice cold floor underneath them. Shudder! They had to be replaced, and it almost broke my heart to have to do it.


My old house slippers look like fluffy bunny rabbits. I fell in love with them at first sight. I knew I just had to have those slippers for my own. Now, years later, they are showing their wear in other places besides the soles. The poor things....the cats have almost chewed away all their whiskers. Their fur is a little scruffy, but I would have continued to wear them except for the holes in the soles. I just knew that I wouldn't be able to find another pair just like them.

Below are photos. Can you blame me for becoming so attached to them?

I suffered a lot of anxiety when I finally made up my mind to replace them. Actually, they can never be replaced, but I didn't think I'd find another pair that I would love half as much. Where would I find anything that would come close to matching my bunny rabbits? Where, indeed? Wal-Mart, of course! They've never let me down before, and they didn't this time either. I found a wonderful pair of slippers that are just as cool as the bunnies! They are pink monster feet with glittered claw toes! What luck that I found them when I did! I must be living right. Another few days, and they probably would have been snatched up by someone else. Maybe I should have bought two pairs while they still have them in stock.

What do you think? Kind of sexy, aren't they? A word to the wise: If you want a pair for yourself just like them, you'd better run on down to your local Wal-Mart and grab 'em up. They'll be going fast!

The only drawback that I've found with both pairs of slippers is that I can barely walk in this house without the kittens attacking my feet. They leap at them, claws outstretched! They think it's great sport to attack the funny things on Mommy's feet. I kick them away gently, screaming at the top of my lungs, " Leave my slippers alone, you little demons!"




I'm keeping my bunny rabbits. I will either sprinkle catnip on them and let the cats have them for toys, or get Don to repair the soles. He likes to do little jobs like that. They will be around for a while longer. Right now, though, I'm enjoying the way the pink monster slippers look on my feet. Freaking cool!




Thanks for reading.............