Thursday 1 November 2012

Crazy Cat Shoes


I went to Malaysia with a friend I’ve known for forty years. It was meant to be for our fortieth birthday celebration, but as I was still breast feeding, and had no income to speak of, she kindly let us delay our trip. It took me three years to save up the money to go, but eventually we went, no longer to celebrate our forty years on the planet, but forty years of friendship.
We had a wonderful time, relaxing, reading, massages galore and fabulous cocktails for lunch and dinner. It was weird to be away from our husbands and kids, but nice to be unencumbered for a change.(Imagine just being able to jump in a taxi and do your seat belt up? No Maxi taxi with carseat fiasco, no clicking everyone in). It was also lovely to have some time together, as we live in different cities, and I am remarkably the world’s worst telephoner: I call no one. I’ve lost the art of phone conversation.  I don’t really enjoy the faceless voice at the end of the line, though apparently I’m fine with faceless emails.
We shopped, with marginal success, she acquiring luggage limits of new footwear, me happy with just one pair of fancy red ankle boots, but more Angry Birds and Gangnam Style shirts than you can imagine.
We headed off to the airport together for our hour apart flights home. While she was in the chemist line, I popped next door to a shoe shop. In a moment, I saw them and had to have them. Miraculously, they were in my evidently elusive size. Within a minute they were in my bag!


The Crazy Cat shoes are super comfy, and literally put a spring in my step! I love just looking at them, because they are quirky enough to make me smile. They also have the whole holiday experience wrapped up in them – they remind me of my friend, my week off from reality, and the lovely laid back island of Langkawi.
Another friend told me I should enjoy them while I can, because there soon comes an age when you can’t wear those sort of shoes (I suspect I am that age already but inner city living means anything goes and there’s always someone weirder than you walking by).
I rang my friend for her birthday, slackly but predictably two days late. She mentioned she thought we should look at Vietnam for our next beach holiday, sans enfants. Guess I better start saving…Do you think they’ll have animal footwear in Hanoi?

Do you have happiness wrapped up in an item of clothing?



Linking with #HappyTuesday

17 comments:

  1. How adorable are those shoes. I don't think I could pull them off but they do look funky with those socks! So glad you had a lovely time and found something that will remind you of that special time together!

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    1. I am the kick-ass stocking lady. The shoes just might be my new signature

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  2. Those shoes are adorable! I'm pretty sure you can get cute (and cheap!) stuff from Hanoi too :)

    Welcome to your first FYBF!

    Ai @ Sakura Haruka

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    1. Thanks! It's great to find some other blogs to look at too, from my end. Very generous, these link ups.

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  3. What a lovely story ... and I love the shoes! I am in my 40's and I would wear those shoes - not crazy at all :-) My children are older - twin boys nearly 20 and a daughter 17. However, I remember very well a time when they were a bit younger where I went away - on a plane - by myself - overseas - to Singapore - to visit my sister. The freedom, the excitement, the independence, the thrill stays with me to this day. I cannot wait for another similar experience :-) xo

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    1. Shh, I'm in my forties too. But let's pretend I'm not...

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  4. Yay! So glad to see you linked up!!!
    And those shoes are totally cool! How nice to have a best friend for your entire life.
    I've been to Hanoi 3 times. No animal footwear that I can recall but lots of other beautiful items :) x

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  5. Thanks again for the generous opportunity. Still working it all out so great to look at who's out there doing what...

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  6. Haha I love your cat shoes and so would my friend who lives in the inner city and is 50.

    I hear you on ...I’ve lost the art of phone conversation. I don’t really enjoy the faceless voice at the end of the line, though apparently I’m fine with faceless emails.

    I think I need to pick up slack and pull up my socks.

    Glad you had a great holiday too.

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    1. I believe the inner city allows certain freedoms of attire. I once walked up King St in my pj's and waited for my pide and no one even looked twice...and I wasn't the weirdest person there either.

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  7. I think it is so awesome that you are wearing them! I don't think I would have the confidence to pull off something that funky!

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    1. Jess, you come across as very confident (in a good way), so I'm wondering who this is that is masquerading as the new Essentially Jess?!

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  8. I am sad I just felt the need to clarify that I didn't mean 'confident' as an insult. What is wrong with us women? A man would never take confident as an insult!!

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  9. One is never too old to wear crazy cat shoes - I'm having shoe envy. Sound like a great holiday.

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  10. I like the crazy cat shoes. There is no age limit on cat shoes. Enjoy them and strut around town. (or perhaps purr around town) with your head held high.

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  11. I love those shoes. I'm going to get some things that represent our kitties to wear. Such fun.

    I'm glad you finally got to celebrate your 40 year friendship with your friend.

    Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday. ♥

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  12. Such happy and fun shoes! They were there just waiting for you to bring you joy :-).

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