Tennis Shoes

 Yesterday afternoon John and I went on a nearly impossible quest.  To find tennis shoes that I could put on by myself without help. It involved going to 3 different shoe stores and buying something I was not expecting to get.  I was expecting to buy another pair of Finn Comfort shoes.  Or something similar.  

The first 2 stores were a total wash out.  I was ready to go home and take a nap.  Thank goodness John was driving because the next shoe store was on the east side of Tucson.  We went to a locally owned shoe store called Alan’s Shoes on Speedway.  I first tried on the Finn Comfort shoes and found out for closed toed shoes you have to go up one size which they did not have.  Apparently in Tucson these shoes are considered fall / winter shoes only.  

So I explained to the very knowledgeable sales woman that the arthritis was getting worse in my hands and I really wanted a pair of tennis shoes that I could put on by myself.  She asked if I had any objections to New Balance Shoes and I said no. So she went to the back and found a pair of shoes she thought would work. 

She came out with the New Balance shoes pictured below.  They are model WW813HWT Walking Shoes.   As you can see they have a long strap made with Velcro.  Don’t cut the strap as it will make it easier to put the shoes on. The secret to putting them on is to open them as wide as possible. Slip my foot in  then tilt my foot towards the heel of the shoes to make sure I am are all the way back.  Then just pull the straps starting with the toe strap first.  

I can put them on by myself  I wore them shopping today. They did not exactly go with my dress . They were comfortable although a higher arch support would be nice. That however is a tiny problem   

If you can’t get them at your local store Alan’s shoes has a website.  I used it during the pandemic and they were fast and efficient.  Alan’s Shoes is a link to their website.  

This is not a paid endorsement.  I bought the shoes myself.  If you use the link to Alan’s Shoes website I will not get paid.  I have been shopping at Alan’s Shoes for years.  The opinions are my own.  

Sunday

 The day was spent doing a little cleaning, laundry,and knitting.  A lot of time was spent Zenning.  We also went to a store that claimed that they just got a shipment of Tilly hats and had one in John’s size.  A knock of is not a Tilly hat with proper ventilation.  A tiring but productive day.  

The Next Project

 I am about to start my next project. I had to steal a pro owl from my weaving supplies because the skein of yarn is so big.  Updates to follow. 

The Picture

 The picture of Grandma’s Summer Shawl in yarn I spun.  Fiber from Cloudlover in 50 % merino and 50% silk. I also won yarn chicken.  The tiny ball in the center is all the yarn I have left.  The pattern is available on Raverly and Love Crafts dot com.  

The Shawlette is Finished

 I finished the shawlette at 9pm tonight. Alas it was to dark to take pictures.  I also won yarn chicken.  I did not even have enough yarn left over for an extra row.  

I also did something I have not done since March of 2020. I went to Starbucks, ordered a tea. Yes I sat on the lovely patio in the shade.  I had the patio to myself.  I listened to my book and got a whole lot of knitting done.  I also got to the post office and gas station.  The gas was down to $4.79 a gallon.  Then it was time to go home and do a couple of loads of laundry.  A little picking up too.  

This Much Left

 There is an old adage in knitting circles.  When a project looks almost finished. When someone asks how much more knitting do you have to go? The response is always holding up the last of the yarn and saying this much.  Well tonight is my this much moment on Grandmas Summer Shawl in my own hand spun yarn.  Ooo’s and awe’s welcome.  Tomorrow morning I will finish it and block it.  

More Progress

 Last nights dinner did not sit well on my tummy.  So instead of errands I relaxed and knit.  You can see progress on the shawl. I am about to add the last skein of hand span yarn to this project.  I did manage to make a color change on the 5 foot long scarf.  So very visible progress there. 

I am going to call it an early night.