Shoes

 I have a some shoes.  A woman needs shoes.  Shoes for everyday (different heights and styles depending on the pant length and dressy-ness of every day), for church, for walking, for winter weather.  I have the luxury of having shoes for every single occasion.  

I am picky about shoes, have picky feet - not in my control.  And I'm w-a-y past the point of wearing certain shoes just because they look good, my feet have to be happy.  No six inch heels for me.

I love the Altra brand of shoes for my morning walks - the zero (or near zero) drop, wide toe box and a certain level of cushioning.  I don't love the fact that shoes (and seems like a lot of the "athletic" type of shoes) wear out.  (I reiterate that I'm a "one and done" kind of person - buy them once they should last forever.)  

I got my latest pair of walking shoes in February.  Figure I've put roughly six to seven hundred miles on them.  Professor Google says 300-500 miles per pair of shoes on average. Mine are wearing out - soles, inside of heels, cushioning. There's a bit of mileage left on them still.  But I know they are going to need replacing soon.

Been trying to get to the outlet store for a couple weeks, have just had this nagging feeling that perhaps they'll have a new pair of the model I like.  Since they are an outlet, you can wear the shoes for up to 30 days and then return for exchange if you don't like them, so the shelves do have previously worn shoes which I totally avoid. 

Managed to finally get there yesterday.  They had a whole display of my model, new unworn shoes.  Two pair in my size.  One had been tried on, the other not.  Until I tried them on.  Then they became my shoes.  Walked this morning wearing them.  Just perfect!  

The whole reason for my post here is to remind myself that it's worth a fifteen minute drive round point of the mountain.  Those shoes were half the suggested retail price, half  what I paid for my old pair.  And brand new. Everyone once in a while the stars align just right and things work out the way you hope.  I'm grateful for whenever that happens, rare though it feels.  Yesterday was the that rarity for me.  Yay!