Those who know me well, know about my legs and feet.  It’s not a big deal, but an annoyance I’ve lived with my whole life.  My left leg is one-and-a-quarter inches shorter than my right one.  My left foot is two sizes smaller than my right foot.

When I was a kid, my parents bought me shoes to fit the larger foot and we stuffed tissues into the toe of the left shoe. At some point in my adult life, Andy suggested that I buy two pairs of cheap shoes and toss the odd ones. The leg length was not significant enough to bother me. . . until I turned 50.  I started getting bad knee and back pains.  The physical therapist recommended getting a shoe lift.  The orthopedic surgeon didn’t think it was a good idea.  I went for it anyway.

One-and-a-quarter inches doesn’t sound like much but, I felt like a kid walking down the street with one foot on the curb and the other in the gutter. Was I ever clumsy!  Every muscle in my body hurt for a month or two until I adjusted. Then, I LOVED being level!

I started buying shoes at Nordstrom because they will sell me two different sized shoes at no extra charge.  I’ve read that the founder’s wife had mismatched feet and that is why they do it.

I’ve never been a big shoe freak.  I liked to have a wardrobe of shoes to match my outfits.  That was enough.  The shoe lift, though, put an end to my fashion sense.  I bought a pair of New Balance walking shoes, model 812.  They had a flat sole, easier for the shoe man to add a lift. I’ve been wearing the same shoe ever since.  I retired, so the sneakers were fine with my normal wardrobe of shorts or jeans.  I got a black pair of sneakers to go with black dress pants or a long black skirt.  Those are for special occasions when I dress up just a little.

It’s been fifteen years and I am sick of plain white sneakers that go with most things I wear. I want color!  I want something to wear with a dress! So, a few weeks ago I got on line and found some on the Nordstrom web site and ordered four pairs.  (Actually eight pairs, four for the right foot and four for the left foot.) They don’t charge for shipping, they even pay for return shipping for the odd shoes.

I took the left shoes to the shoe shop for the lift and shipped back the unwanted shoes.  Today, I got my left shoes from the shop.  I was so excited! I put them on, walked back and forth in the motorhome, and then took pictures of my feet with new shoes.

This is what I’ve been wearing day in and day out for fifteen years.  And, this is the best pair.

I still needed some white sneakers, but this time, I got a pair of retro Addidas with black stripes on the sides.  Racy! I love that shiny label on the tongue when I look down at my shoes.

See what a difference an inch-and-a-quarter makes? That lift will not stay nice and white to match the shoe.  They always turn darker.

Oh, look at my happy feet!  Actually, they are not as cushy and the New Balance walking shoe.

Another pair of sneakers in living color! I should have taken a movie so you could see me wiggling them back and forth.

They have a patent leather tongue and panel on the back. Snazzy! They are so comfortable too.

Jennifer laughed when she saw this pair of “dress” shoes.  She said they are “so you“. I think they look like old woman shoes except for the ribbon laces.  I might have to change those. They look like 1890s shoes to me.

The platform on the left shoe makes them look a lot different.

Do these shoes make my ankles look fat? Yes, they do. The left one was a bit snug, but I didn’t return it because I’m expecting the leather to stretch.

Here are my favorites.  I plan to wear these with a sundress or any skirt or skort or shorts I can match them with. They are a far cry from plain white sneakers.

Wow! I’m going to wear shoes without socks.

I’ve never bought so many shoes at the same time.  It was pent up foot frustration that made me do it.  I probably won’t buy any more for a long time.