RM - go to Zappos. Order 10-20 pair. Try them on immediately and return the ones you don’t want promptly. With any luck, the return credit will appear on the same credit card statement asthe charge. Free shipping, free returns.
MP - I had thought of that. 
Did the same when my daughter had her foot issues prior to her surgery since she had issues fitting into shoes.
Yes, agree about ordering many pairs from Zappos at one time.
I just drop the returns off at the UPS store the same day they arrive. I also order any style I like in multiple styles.
Our family joke is that Zappos is going to cut me off someday. I will order 30 pairs and keep one.
I feel like half my life has been spent looking for shoes. I still have trouble with some of the high
prices today. Recently found a perfect pair but they were $385 and that was a no go.
Had a really fun time with 5 year old G’Son and DIL. Shopped, pedicures, egg hunt etc.
It only took days to put the house back together and to get over the exhaustion :x .
D and FSIL are deciding on a Sept. 2017 wedding. She has two weeks in Sept. and 2 weeks in
March for vacation. She called her first choice of a venue and, unbelievably, the date was open.
It is a performance center/theater that just happens to not have a performance that night.
They will be out here in two weeks to figure things out. Fortunately FSIL is a go getter and a leader
and has already stepped up.
RM–now see what you started. I just ordered 3 pairs of sandals.
I should receive the 4 tops I ordered from them today. I have found nothing in the
stores so decided to look on Zappos.
Same here. I would throw myself at their feet if they cut me off. I started out life with a narrow foot; my feet spread during pregnancy and after child #2, didn’t go back. So now I have a narrow heel and very wide toes (yes, like a duck, but with a lovely pedicure!) But for Zappos, I would have to live my life in $5 flip flops from Old Navy.
A September 17th wedding date? Well if you’re calm, I can be calm.
Oregon - have they picked a date yet in Sept? My D is getting married on the 16th. Still on the hunt for shoes. I did look at Zappos. I may have to bite the bullet and order the pricey shoes that I like. My issue is that heels really hurt my feet/legs after a while but that is what I LOVE! Go figure. Maybe there is a way to train my feet and legs prior to the wedding? LOL
@oregon101 - Now you can also join the September 2017 MOB party! Our D’s is the 23rd. I’m still working on my dress, never mind the shoes. Since we’ll be at a camp, wedges are in my future. At Easter dinner, several of the women (all invited to the wedding) were talking about how they “just couldn’t wear wedges; they don’t go with cocktail dresses.” OK – they’ve been warned. Can’t wait to see them trying to navigate the dirt paths in heels …
Drove to NH Wednesday to visit B, who is still in the hospital. He’s had quite a few tubes removed, including the one down his nose, so he’s more comfortable. His white blood cell count still needs to come down more, so not sure when he’ll be able to go home; early next week maybe? He’ll need to build up his strength.
Busy weekend with my 20 mile training walk (in the rain) taking up most of Saturday. S is still here on break dealing with his student visa issue (replacing the one that was damaged).
Quick request- D is taking her GMAT this afternoon - so if anyone has prayers, good wishes, fairy dust, mojo, etc - please her way. Thanks!
Spent the weekend taking sewing classes. One class on Sat. morning and then 2 classes yesterday basically all day. Enjoyable but I did lose the weekend.
FG - I can’t imagine walking for 20 miles! I am not a fast walker so that would take me forever!! And in the rain - Ugh!!
Sending good vibes for the GMAT.
Did a lot of yard work…got everything planted for summer.
Had a good weeekend cleaning up around the lake house. Such nice weather but this week will be much cooler and rainy, typical Minnesota spring!
Just finished reading A Gentleman in Moscow for one of my book clubs. I am hosting so need to figure out some light Russian appetizers and dessert to serve. I am heading to a local Russian grocery store and bakery to see what I can find. Was thinking of blini with creme fraiche, smoked salmon and dill or chives on top. Thought about putting caviar on top or putting caviar on top of deviled eggs but caviar is an acquired taste and I am not sure if the book club members would appreciate it. I don’t really care for it. There are some gluten free people so I thought I might make parmesan crisps that could be used in place of blinis for them. I will have the grocery store workers suggest some meat and cheese for a platter and then hope to find some pastries or cake there. There will be wine but I was also thinking of having White Russians or Moscow Mules available. Any one have any other suggestions?
We took ShawD and BF out to dinner last weekend and then had them here for dinner last night. Very interesting. He’s more in the mold of ShawSon: nice kid, smart, stable, no drama, math nerd who loves complex board games, plays sports but isn’t an athlete. Unlike ShawSon, probably needs some work on social skills. ShawWife gave ShawD her old bike (which needs to be reassembled). He put it back together – no muss, no fuss.
I started looking for new houses – ShawWife can’t think about it until her show in NY ends (end of June) but it makes her anxious anyway.
FG, good energy sent to your D.
20 miles! wow. I am only good for 8 on a hike. What is the terrain? Very impressed.
I finally got together a glass project. I have had the kiln and all needed supplies for over a year.
Somehow my cutting skills just went out the window and I have been frustrated. I ruined some expensive glass yesterday and then it occurred to me to make something very eclectic and modern. Free form. It looks good so far.
Yes, D is thinking about Sept. 9th. So I guess CC will have three weeks of Sept. wrapped up
with weddings. Actually, they have not decided and will be here in a couple of weeks to look
at venues and such. I now own three books on wedding planning. I would rather be reading
cookbooks
@NorthMinnesota - My Book Club read “A Gentleman in Moscow” in March. I loved the book! Our hostess served dinner (normally we do heavy appetizers + wine) – a stew from the book? I can’t remember exactly what, but it was delicious. Your menu sounds great! And Moscow Mules?? Count me in – where’s the bus?
Good luck with the house search, @shawbridge. Where are you looking?
We’re back at the beach, with a little bit of running back and forth to MA during May. Lots of spring chores, but my golf league starts next week, and that’s my priority! H, of course, is locked away in the shed working on the sailboat. B is still in the hospital; maybe going home in a couple of days. He’s lost quite a bit of weight and needs to be eating more.
@CBBBlinker, still being negotiated but it is complicated. Cambridge, Somerville, Concord, … plus Sausalito. I could see Coolidge Corner also but then we’d have to worry about studios as it is not near the studio we own a studio.
ShawWife wants things single family house with garden area (not condo), in-town neighborhood and walk to everything, easily rentable while we are in California, but no work taking care of it. Failing that, which makes it possible, a neighborhood where people know and talk to each other. I want a really nice view, very contemporary (she likes this too), one floor living for us, and possibly a place that the kids would like to come visit when they have kids. A few years ago, we found a place on a pond. Very neighborhood-y. We probably would have knocked the house down, but it wasn’t terrible. But, she was severely allergic to the pond.
Plus, we have to deal with a family house on a small lake in Quebec. Owned by 4 sibs. One by one, the others have said they don’t want to pay for it (and it needs to be knocked down and rebuilt). I would prefer to sell it as ShawWife doesn’t want to spend the summers there (we can rent it out easily for the rest of the year). I don’t love the area as there are no open spaces. Trees everywhere. I’d prefer to buy something nearby that we would use or just make our East Coast house something in the country on a lake in a community of artists.
I will invite you all to a show she is having in NY in June.
Everyone at book club loved reading A Gentleman in Moscow. I tried to create a faux Russian atmosphere so I served Moscow Mules. Made the Blinis and Parmesan crisps with creme fraiche, smoked salmon and dill. Took a poll beforehand to see if I should get caviar for the blinis and smoked paprika deviled eggs but everyone passed. Picked up a few Russian cheeses and crackers from the Minsk Market and also some blueberry Blintzes for dessert. .Great discussion of book. I would recommend AGIM if you are looking for something to read. Some thought the beginning was slow but picked up quickly and they didn’t want it to end.
Sounds like a lovely time NM.
So I’ll start with the good news. D was very pleased with her GMAT score (thanks, everyone!).
The other news…we had to put our dog down yesterday. She was 16 and her health issues were getting worse, H and I had already discussed the possibility. But she was so sick Monday night that we had to make a decision. She is at peace now, but we are missing her so.
FG - congrats to your D. So sorry to hear about your dog. Always difficult.
We have a 13 year old large mutt (90 lbs). She is aging as all dogs do and has arthritis in her back hips. Recently we put in wood stairs to our upstairs and sense then we have had a baby gate across the stairs so that she won’t go up. This is after her falling down the stairs several times in one weekend. She just can’t barrel down them like she could when they were carpeted. I hate to do that to her but I would rather do that then come home some night and have her at the bottom of the stairs with broken bones. The other night I didn’t close the gate all the way. It’s just propped up and typically she hasn’t bothered going around it because if it falls (which it has) it scares her so she has been staying away from it. So the other night she came up stairs. The coming up isn’t the issue it’s the going down. So she and I did a controlled decent with me in front of her. Still almost lost her and she did slip the last 2 steps. Ugh. I love my dog but when they get old it seems that there is always something.
Hugs to you FallGirl. Thinking of you.
RM…Hoping she gets used to staying downstairs. Aging is hard on all of us!