ZIP-a-dee Doo Da

Oh yes.  I am in a great mood today.  Was in an even better mood yesterday.  Why? You ask - well, because yesterday I did something I haven't been able to do in at least EIGHT YEARS.  I say at least 8 years, because that was the first time I tried to do this thing - and couldn't.

Now, you know me well enough now to know that I'm not just going to tell you what this "thing" is.  You know that I'm going to share the background story - ramble on about stuff that really isn't related, but is in my head - some how - and then finally get to my point.  Today is no exception - so here goes:

Like a lot of women, I have a certain "fashion" weakness.  Well, actually, I'm lucky enough to have two.  My weaknesses are purses and shoes.  Up until recently, when I started to actually like going clothes shopping - the only things I would shop for were purses and shoes.  Really, I never actually went shopping for shoes and purses - I would just have to look at them no matter what store I was in.  If there were purses or shoes in the store - I hunted them out like a dog, sniffed around for a long time, and finally grab a handful...because I could never decide the 'one' that I liked the best.

If you were to look into my closet right now - you'd be amazed.  Well, maybe you would.  Hubby isn't amazed - he sighs, huffs, and pouts anytime he goes into the closet.  He should just feel lucky he has a spot in the closet to hang stuff!  Anywho - my closet is full of shoes and purses.  I have purses and shoes that I have never used.  Hubby has begged and pleaded for me to give some away **GASP**...that's right, he wants me to part with my babies, my darlings...never going to happen.

So, weakness probably isn't a good word to use for my like of shoes and purses - obsession would be a better word.   Among this obsession I have a certain favorite - boots.  Boots make me weak at the knees.  I absolutely LOVE boots.  And so I reach the point of the story that you have been waiting for - almost.

Eight years ago, I saw a pair of boots that I wanted...REAL BAD!!  They were knee high, small heeled boots - they made me weak at the knees.  They were cute, they were sassy - they were going to be MINE!!  I walked over to the little stool to try on the boots that would be coming home with me.  Placed my foot in - oh, it felt so right!!!  Then, I started to zip up the boot.  I got just below my calf - and then devastation hit me.  My calves were too big - the boots were not going to zip up.  I felt the blood drain from my face.  I felt tears well up in my eyes.  It hit me like a ton of bricks that I was not going to be able to have the boots. 

Since that day, I never looked at boots with the same eyes.  No longer did I swoon over them.  Every time I saw a pair of the knee high boots - that I loved so much - I felt nothing more than sadness, disappointment, and envy.  I was jealous of the beautiful legs that walked around with those glorious boots - rubbing them in my face every Fall.  That was, of course, until Wednesday of last week.

You've probably guessed where I'm going right now - but stay with me...for my own amusement.  I was doing a little shopping for things I needed for my Halloween costume.  I walked past the shoe department, and there staring at me - calling for me - were a pair of knee high, black boots.  I walked past them, head held low.  Then I started thinking - I've lost 60lbs.  I'm in a size 16.  I've dropped a whole shoe size.  Is it possible that my calves are smaller - small enough - to fit into those glorious boots?  So, I walked back.  I grabbed my size and marched over to the stool.  I took a deep breath.  I psyched myself up, just in case I still wasn't ready to wear the boots I had longed to have for so many years.  I placed my foot in - started to zip.  Zipper stopped mid calf - DAMN!! Then I realized it was snagged on my pant leg.  I pulled my pant leg up...continued zipping.  Slowly, slowly, the zipper went up. 

As I looked down at the boot, fully zipped, on my leg.  I felt tears.  This time, there were no tears of sadness - they were tears of complete and utter joy.  I'm pretty sure that if someone had been standing close to me, I would of jumped up and kissed them.  I composed myself - carefully placed my boots back into the box, and headed straight for the check-out as if somehow between the time I tried them on and the time I paid for them - my calves would grow too big to fit back into the boots. 

Yesterday was the first day that I got to wear my darlings.  I wore them to the wedding.  I was a little nervous about wearing new boots to an event that would have me on my feet the whole time - but I did it anyway.  You know what? They were worth the wait.  They were worth the money.  They were comfortable, I looked damn good in them - and I am now a very, very happy woman.  I have accomplished something that I have been waiting years to do.  ZIP-a-dee Doo Da, ZIP-a dee ay!!!

Here's a pic of the new addition to my family:

PNOTD:

"Small accomplishments leave the biggest impact."

Till next time.  ;)