Where in the World and a Shoe Crisis

I love where I live, I really do and I love my friends in this area even more, but I kinda think I have the traveling bug. The problem is a lack of nearby international airports. The recent round trip to Malta required no less than 10 flights!!  And while I love flying, I can certainly do without that headache every time I want to go somewhere and do something.  So this is a BIG problem!!

London blew my mind! And I really want to go back and see the place properly and see friends this time. But with the schedule I was running there was simply no time to do anything other than whip my ass hard to get around to see what landmarks I could and I certainly didn't manage to get a proper run in which is something I always try to do if I'm in a different area.

The other thing is not actually a “shoe crisis” as such but a whole appearance crisis lol.  

Here in the southern states we tend to be very laid back and casual in our dress, but driving a truck all week long makes me want to dress like a girl on my time off, skirts, heels, boots. But here I stand out a little too much. It wasn’t so bad when I wasn't  single, but now I kinda feel that I am looked at differently.

In London and Malta most people were wearing the kind of things I enjoy wearing, and I’m not even talking about my crazy love of heels and tall boots, although there were plenty of those about too.  Also, I’m starting to find the discomfort of being hit on more… this probably sounds silly after what I just wrote but it’s partly work related and while here and on twitter I can laugh and joke with the best as it makes day fly by with a smile, it’s a very different thing when it’s close to home and more discomforting when it’s in the work place where I don't dress in anything but sensible work gear. I have always had to cope with a certain amount anyway because of my tattoos and being in a very male dominated industry etc, but this is slowly becoming intolerable, I probably have enough phone numbers to fill a small phone book with and I don't necessarily want any of them!! Especially now that it seems that these are beginning to fetter my web presence too. It's gotten to the point where I feel that my trucking days are starting to draw to a close, especially if I end up having to move to over the road driving rather than regional.  So, as this year progresses,  I will probably be looking to change my online presence quite a bit especially with the recent twitter hiccup. It is something I have been contemplating for a while anyways and I'm considering possibly reorganizing this blog into something a little less haphazard.

So a move to a place with more of an acceptance of dress and appearance plus an international airport to have access to running in Europe, the Med and Asia may be in the plans soon – I’m open to ideas, but where I live now is fantastic for running and cycling and above all -my friends! It certainly would be a tough call to move away from here.

Malta pics 5

ahhhh

Just back from an awesome run/walk with James & Elsie on an absolutely gorgeous day. Spring is coming, finally :-)!!!  It was so nice to be able just to take off wearing shorts & a tee and be comfortable, LOVE it!

Thought I'd add some pics from the past week or so

My new kick ass Doc Marten's. What you can't see very well in this pic is the pink stitching around the sole. I bought these from zappos.com and that site ROCKS!!!! Ordered them on Friday night, got them the next Monday with free shipping. Amazing service.

Signs of spring

This is just a couple of hours after I rammed my head in the door jamb while ill. Ignore the mess, the frown, and the very messed up hair. I'd just gotten showered & dressed + was very sick still so cut me some slack, lol.

New trail up to the water tower at Pulaski, TN

So, I've been on a shoe buying mission lately, too bad I can't wear the high heels right now due to the right ankle....What's not pictured here is the patent leather black heels that I was originally searching for. Actually wasn't looking for patent leather but it's what I ended up with.

The heels that are gorgeous but I can't wear (well to walk in anyways) :-(. The black & silver ones are Calvin Kleins that I got on sale for $29.40 :-) :-) :-)

The practical shoes that aren't sexy but I can actually walk in without the ankle protesting

The oh so gorgeous bronze metallic sandals that again I can't wear right now, sigh........

The best part of the shoe shopping was that all 5 pairs here were on 70% clearance at Dillards, altogether spent under $140.00. The black pumps (court shoes for the UK readers) though were right at $100, but except for the ankle they didn't hurt my feet.

Cute sterling silver necklace that I got on sale at Hautelook.com

Shoes or the lack thereof

For the past 3 years it seems like I've only purchased running shoes and the odd pair of work boots........well last summer I did buy a couple pair of Fit-Flops due to the plantar fasciitis but they are gawd-awful ugly so they don't count.  The problem is that this winter I decided I needed dresses for the off time but I have been having a heckuva time finding dressier shoes that I like or that my feet can tolerate.

Don't know exactly what the problem is but it seems like I can find nothing but stripper heels, shoes that look like a grade school craft project, old lady shoes, or they just look & feel plain old cheap..........I've been shoe-shopping so many times for the past 3 weeks and have come home with NOTHING.  Ok, so that's not completely true, today I did come home with a pair of hiking boots and a pair of work boots--things that would lace up and be snug around my right ankle since I'm still kind of nursing it.  BUT they're not what I was shopping for!! I'm starting to feel like my girl card needs to be revoked, grrrrr.

Searcy has been scoured, likewise for Conway. Next week when I come back home I'm going to make a stop at Dillard's to see if they have anything that will meet my evidently way too picky standards.  I'm hesitant to order online because you never know how they're going to fit or what the leather quality is like.  Any suggestions will be greatly welcomed :-).