There's no going back!

That saying applies to more things than I realized! I dropped into DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) yesterday to look around since they are giving double points on their cards. The DSW near me doesn't carry the really pricey designers, but they carry nice shoes none the less. I browsed and didn't find anything. Here's the problem. I've been getting higher end shoes the last year. I haven't bought many because they are just too expensive. But they are worth every penny. I've discovered Cole Haan shoes with the Nike Air padding. They are like nothing I've ever had on me feet--including Danskos. I saw a little pair of Dr. Scholl's sandals with the molded rubber soles on the clearance rack and tried them on, but of course, I was taking my foot out of a $200 Cole Haan sandal and putting on a $25 sandal. Needless to say the $25 one couldn't even compare. Once you've worn really good shoes, there's just no going back. This little experience has motivated me to put a bunch of stuff on ebay because there is a new little bootie in the fall Cole Haan catalog that will be perfect with jeans and for work.

I simply love these. The problem is that they are $375. I've never spent that on shoes. I think $200 is about my max for shoes and higher for boots. I'm thinking these will be in my closet before the end of October! I need to clean out my closet and put all the Nanette Lepore tops I don't wear on ebay as I usually get at least $50 and up for those.

There are other things where price and quality go together.

Premium denim. Yup! That's another one. After my little trip to True Jeans this summer, I realized that good jeans are really worth the price. The fabric is a much higher quality and the fit just doesn't compare.

Cosmetics/ Skin care. This is another biggie. Good skin care products are worth the price.

A good hair cut. I will go hungry before I will skimp on that.

Home grown and/ or organic produce. Once you've gotten used to these, the regular grocery store produce doesn't compare!

High quality natural fibers. This applies to yarn and fabric. I just cannot put polyester on my body! Ever since I started wearing good natural fibers, I can't do synthetics. I may entertain a blend with microfiber, but it has to be good stuff!

Massages! Okay, the choice here is to get regular massages or to go back to not getting them. There's definitely no going back with that one!

I think, in order to possess nice things, one has to live simply. In other words--have fewer things--just choose really nice things! As I get older and start to look toward retirement, I see that I have too much stuff. So my little trip to DSW is really becoming more typical of my shopping these days. I look, but I really don't buy much unless I'm getting gifts. I've come to realize that I wear certain things over and over so I want those things to be nice. I will have fewer of them.

Accomplishments this week:
I've been attacking my mending pile. I had a gorgeous skirt that I bought at Ann Taylor last summer that I had never worn.
Why? Because the lining was too tight! That's right! The lining! I really hate it when a manufacturer makes a lovely flared dress or skirt, then makes the lining stick straight. They do it to cut down on cost, no doubt. This skirt is made of strips of ecrue eyelet which are stitched together at the hip. Then there are about 26 skinny godets inserted to make the skirt flare out.


I split the lining at the side seams and inserted a large godet which gave it much more flare. It fits like a dream whereas before the lining was skin tight on my thighs! Only a year late. At least I got to wear it this season!

I got my yarn for Juliet. I ordered Cascade Venezia in the bulky weight from Yarn Country. It's every bit as soft and dreamy as I expected. It's a very soft off white. I'll have to raid my antique button stash to see if I have some nice oversized mother of pearl buttons for this sweater!

I'm am going to work on Fifi! I am going to try to finish it by the end of this week. That is my goal! My reward will be casting on Juliet!

Bushism of the day:
"This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mential losses." --George W. Bush, speaking at a South Carolina oyster roast, Jan. 14, 2000

Kitty Cam:
Samantha seems to enjoy the painting scaffold in the dining room!

And she seems annoyed with me for intruding on her privacy!