New Shoes

I went shopping with a friend from work yesterday. I bought some shoes with high, but sensible heels. I had to choose about a year ago whether I wanted to run or whether I wanted to wear high heels. The running won. So, these shoes shall be my trial run back into heels. We shall see. I think they are cute. This is not the best photo - I edited out a leg of the chair I was sitting on because I thought it looked odd. I am once again at loose ends about blogging so I thought I would do what I used to do - post photos of shoes, etc. I don't know why. I just do.

About running - there was an article about me and my marathon in our facility newsletter this month... complete with a photo of me and my marathon medal. A few people have stopped by my office to express amazement that a marathon is 26.2 miles! I guess people think that "marathon" just means "race," and is not any set number of miles. My daughter (who works in the same building) forwarded me an e-mail that someone sent her - about her mother. She said she had gotten at least four of them. In the e-mail she forwarded, a woman my age (who I know) expressed her amazement that I am out running marathons when other people my age are contemplating knee and hip replacements. Well, I don't have anything to say about that, except - why would people send that to my daughter? Not me?

Years ago, I made up my mind that if I had something positive to say, or heard something positive from someone else - I would pass that on to the person. I guess if you have a few people die suddenly, you realize that you don't know when you will get a chance. We tend to wait until "the moment is right" and sadly, most of the time, that moment never comes. So, I try to express love, appreciation, admiration, etc. in the moment. And if I hear something good, I try to pass that on as well.

In AA especially, I think it is important. We really never know what demons a person may be battling. We alcoholics are people who like to show up with a "brave face," and say everything is fine - when it isn't. (Of course, there are those too who love the emotithons and endless crises and tears and their attendant attention.) But it is always good to be kind.

Enough of that lecture!

So, I went to the new dentist yesterday. I felt like I was a visitor from the 19th Century. Dentistry has really changed - I didn't know that. The dentist was someone who might grate on someone else's nerves, but I loved him. He called me "honey" and patted my hand a lot. I remember when I was a young feminist - I would have stormed out of there accusing him of paternalism. These days, I am grateful that anyone might be old enough to get away with calling me "hon" and treating me like that. It wasn't insulting at all in that moment. He did speak to me like I am an intelligent adult between the reassuring pats on the hand. I have an appointment next week for a very expensive root canal. I think it will be OK. I will call the old dentist today and tell him that I have decided to try another dentist. That won't be fun, but I think I owe him that.

And now I owe my workplace a full day of work for a full day's pay. I better get to it.

I think I will stay sober today, and I hope you all will join me.

xoxoxo