Was looking through some old photos today, and found this one that M. took at Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux a few years ago. (Hey, I made a poem and I didn’t know it!) It’s the cooper’s place — the barrel-maker’s place. He finishes a few barrels a day. Almost everything in the room was old old old.
It’s a new car! Plus a big big belly.
(34 and 3/7 weeks big!)
Good news all around.
Shoes have been a bit of a problem lately. My feet have swelled so that hardly any of my shoes fit. Over the summer I was okay just wearing sandals — they were adjustable so they fit no matter how hot the weather and balloony the feet. But now that it’s getting cooler out, and my old shoes still don’t fit, I’ve been trying to figure out what to do without spending a fortune. They say my feet might go back to their original size after delivery. But also, they say, they might not. So I’ve been on a hunt for comfortable shoes that can grow or shrink with me. I got a new pair of Birkenstocks, since the sandals are getting quite worn out after all the wear they’ve had this summer (and for the past oh-so-many years). They’re good but they still need some breaking in, can’t wear them every day. I tried ordering some nifty J-41 climbing shoes, but I messed up and ordered the wrong size. Luckily they were very easy to return (yay Zappos!). I might order them again after I know what size my feet are going to be.
Here’s the excellent part: last week I went to Goodwill, thinking of checking out their maternity selection. It turned out to be extremely tiny and sad. I ended up getting a bunch of neckties — don’t know why I can’t resist those — and a pair of shoes! Docs even! I’d been wanting a pair of Docs! They’re neat. They’re kind of like these, but they have three buckles. And they’re in good shape, and they’re a little too big, which is quite refreshing after trying to cope with all those too-small ones in my closet. And they were $4.00! Woo hoo!
First time I wore them, with thin socks, I got a blister and noticed that the soles aren’t exactly cushy. Since then I’ve been wearing them with thicker socks, and planning to get some insoles or pads of some kind. Finally made it to a drugstore today and picked out a couple different kinds of insoles. I’ve got a pair on now! They’re clear and soft and rubbery, and pretty comfy, or at least they were at first. By the time I’d walked around in them for half an hour, they’d migrated around so much that now it feels like I’ve got scrambled squids in my shoes. It reminds me of the Steve Martin bit from “Let’s Get Small:”
You know, a lot of people come to me and they say, “Steve, how can you be so fucking funny?” and I tell them, “first you got to feel funny, so before I go on stage, I put bologna in my shoes – so I feel funny.
…it’s funnier when he says it.
Every Friday I go to lunch with my friend J. After we eat, we usually stop by the little bookstore across the street to see what’s new. Over the years we’ve gotten friendly with a couple of really nice people who work there, Nick and Jolene. Usually at least one of them is there, and it’s always nice to see them and talk about books and stuff. So we were in there one day recently, and I was chatting with Jolene while I was checking out with my picks for the day. I hadn’t been in the place for about a month — not really at all since I started showing — and so I was wondering if she would notice my new shape. She didn’t say anything. I figured she couldn’t see because of the counter between us. But when I started walking away, she called my name in this very surprised tone of voice and I turned around and she got all excited and gave me a hug! And we had a good laugh. She explained that she’d figured it out because of the way I was walking.
So apparently I waddle now.
