It’s every little girls dream to know the feeling of importance, sophistication, and most of all, the high heeled elegance one pair of attractive shoes can deliver.
In my teens I had my share of stunning footwear, to know what it was like to effortlessly balance into infinite party hours on 41/2 inch shining pins and not flinch one bit as bones ached to be free. I remember every beautiful pair. But the one pair of shoes I loved most of all – were yours.
They hid in a gloomy corner at the bottom of your wardrobe, concealed by long dresses and heavy coats, never once seen on your feet. I wondered why such pretty shoes should be condemned to shadows?
Pressing girlie feet into the toes of your divine shoes, I was Cinderella in glass slippers. Clumsy, teetering on falling, I clipped and flipped all the way from the bedroom to the kitchen, to demonstrate what you were missing. Hands on hips, question marks in radiant eyes, I asked, “Mummy, are these your shoes?” Your expression was a mixture of impending laughter and annoyance at the realisation of how clever your baby had become. Hidden things would no longer be easy to keep to yourself.
You told me they were your wedding shoes. I looked at your flat heeled sensible footwear and guessed those pretty shoes were a part of you I’d never know. You would have liked to have told me to put them right back where I found them, but you were were too kind to say such things.
Jubilant at my discovery, I blundered my way round the house in wedding heels, wondering what kind of man I’d marry and if he… he’d like my shoes.
I imagined living in London just like you, where traffic was never still, pavements filled with shoppers, and I… lady of the city, walked with confidence.
Just for one day, I borrowed the image of a beautiful woman I found in an old black and white photo, and walked in her shoes.
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My mother on holiday wearing those wedding shoes.
Did any of you girls clip around the house in your mothers shoes?
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of boys wearing their fathers shoes… so what is it boys do to feel like they could be their dad?
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The Snail’s Castle – Mark Gordon
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Beautiful!
Thank you so much Dolly… so sorry for this very late reply!! 🙂
I’ve been wondering where you are, what you’re doing. Did you get your decorating complete? Your practical ‘stuff’ in order? Are you writing? My summer had so many ‘to-do’s’ and the one thing I accomplished was LOVING the summer. 🙂 I’m working on a third book but not writing as many words daily as I’d like to. Sigh. But I love blogging and reading blogs, and miss you ‘out here.’ You’re always so great about checking in with Roughwighting, and I really appreciate it.
I think it’s important to find a balance between on-line work, and off. And it’s difficult to do. I took 2 weeks off in the summer and it was such a release. But fun to return, also.
I loved this post about the ‘wedding shoes.’ Lovely. Nostalgic. Yes, I remember wearing my mom’s ‘big’ shoes. I never saw my brother wear my dad’s shoes, and my son never tried to wear my guy’s. But each of our grandkids have walked around in my guy’s huge (size 13) shoes and it’s the most adorable scene. 🙂
Hello Pamela… so sorry for the late reply! I convince myself sometimes I’ve replied to comments when I’ve missed a few! I still have a lot of decorating to do, I’m a bit slow on the DIY.. I really hate it! 😦 And also finding certain pieces of furniture, updating everything… I find it all very time consuming. Will be nice when it’s all done. I’ve also been trying not to be online quite as much as I had been… having a bit more of a normal life. I was finding it exhausting, feeling very tired and a bit stressed, which is why I haven’t published anything on The Writing Garden lately… I realised I needed a break from that too.
I have kept my Tumblr blog going,Twitter, and the photography on Flickr, that’s about all I’ve been able to do this last year. I think I got to a point where I had too many accounts, which is why I haven’t posted on FB either. There’s been a flurry of activity on my SoundCloud page.. mainly to do with a lovely lady who has been creating collaborated songs from some of my poetry… but I haven’t posted on there for a long time either. I must do something soon, everyone will think I’ve lost my voice or have given up… far from it… just trying to manage everything and keep my sanity in the process!
Oh yes, you’ve got to LOVE the summer!!♥ I did manage to enjoy a bit more this year too and record days out with plenty of pictures and video. It’s a terrible shame to be stuck indoors in front of the computer when you could be sitting on golden sand staring at the blue waves! Life can go so fast, and the older we get the more it feels too fast. I want to know I’ve truly lived by the time I get to 70 or 80, I don’t want to still be thinking “I must do that soon.”
I shall certainly pass by from time to time Pamela, always love to read your posts, they are so good, so well written! Oh, and the best of luck with the book… novels can be hard to stick with, so many other things of life can get in the way. Or is it the book that gets in the way?! I’m never sure!!! 😉
Ahh, I’m so glad you flopped around in your Mother’s shoes… it’s a must for most little girls. I can just imagine your grandchildren doing that shoe thing, it is so funny to watch. I remember my cousins son, when he was barely three seeing a pair of my empty patent leather stilettos, getting his feet into them and walking around the living room. I still have the picture of him standing in the shoes. He’s in his thirties now… I don’t embarrass him with the photo these days, but it still makes me laugh at how oddly cute he looks in those shoes, with his little puzzled expression of “what are these??!” How can we explain to a little one, how much our loved shoes mean!! 😀
I’m with your cousin’s son. In my mind’s eye, we all should be living in a tropical island with sand between our toes, no shoes needed. 🙂
Glad to know you’re AOK and just BEING, which, of course, is the best way to be. Totally understand about backing off on social media. Much too addictive at times. I do love blogging because I connect with so many neat people, and I get to promote my books a bit. I happen to love sitting at my desk playing with my characters. Pretty weird, huh? 🙂 Take care and ‘see your around’ the virtual sphere I’m sure. xo
Coincidentally, the Hero Snoopy behind an amplifying glass picture is cool!
Thank you!! 🙂
Hi Suzy, I’ve been away from blogging since January, but have returned for a little bit. Anyway, I loved your sweet story and the beautiful photo of your mom. It evokes memories of my mom and I when I was a little girl, too. Precious memories, now that both my parents have passed. Good luck on working on your home. Love and hugs, Lauren
Thanks so much Lauren, that’s really kind of you! I’m sure there are many little girls now grown up who feel just the same. You don’t forget who you used to be, or the love of your mum and dad… precious memories indeed!♥
I’ve been away myself… focusing on other things and trying to spend less time online and more in the real world… easier said than done! 😀 Apologies for my belated reply… I hope things are going well for you Lauren? Thank you for passing by here, it’s lovely to hear from you again. Hugs coming right back!!🤗
Reblogged this on From 1 Blogger 2 Another.
Thank you so much for the reblog, that’s really kind of you!! 😊
Most welcome Suzy!
love that picture of your mother in those shoes! And the shoes themselves look like they can paint a whole life. How sweet and innocent we are as kids, looking at those shoes and thinking we can be like someone if we just walk around in them. I did that too, with my grandmother’s shoes, (hehe), fond memory. Her closet filled with clothes from Germany, seemed so mysterious. I remember that day well. Thanks for this reminder, and for sharing your memories.
Yes, its a lovely photo. You can’t see her face too well, but I like the overall look to it, like an old movie… thanks so much Linda!! 🙂 It is funny, the things we thought when we were little. Somehow those kiddie games felt so real at the time.
I remember when I was an eleven/twelve year old, picking up old shoes at school jumble sales or charity shops, just for dressing up. My Mum was never keen on me doing that, I think she thought I was going to trip over and break my leg in 4 inch heels. And she was probably right to be concerned, it is quite mad to be walking around on stilts… haha!! I just loved high heels… but I hate them now, I really do. All my shoes have been flat for years. I’m lucky I’m not really short or I’d probably still be wearing heels.
Oh yes, at that age, a closet that’s not yours…. ooooh, so exciting!!! 😀
By the way, the Hero Snoopy behind a magnifying glass picture is cool!
No problem being late… I don’t mind at all. I’m often a while getting back to friends blogs myself… take your time, it’s the best way, can get stressful otherwise. 🙂 I think a lot of boys want to do the same work as their father, at least for a while, until they discover something more exciting, perhaps in their teens. Ah, so you were having some troubled fun… haha, I wouldn’t have guessed!!
Yeah, some people love decorating, redesigning their home. I like the idea of it, but not the reality. I used to watch a tv programme a few years back where a large team of decorators came into someone’s home and completely redecorated in an hour. That’s what I need… all my problems solved in one hour!!! 😀
Oh, thank you!! Yes, just a bit of fun with some little bits from childhood. Even the magnifying glass was from the same era. I had real trouble holding the magnifier with one hand and controlling the camera with the other. Sometimes my mind was on the camera and I moved the magnifier in the wrong place and other times the camera focused on the magnifier not Snoopy through the magnifier… it was a tricky procedure. So pleased I got a good one in the end.
There are matchsticks and tapes in the Flickr feed now! I’m having fun capturing little things at the moment. I shall get back to scenes sometime soon, once we get some good weather. England never looks good in white sky, overcast mode! 😉
I saw this post date is on April 22. I am not sure how I could miss this post. I am sorry that I am late coming to read your post 😦
It is a lovely story. Although I am not a girl but I can imagine how a young one could be exited going through her mother clothing and tries them out. I do not recall whether I ever did try my father shoes when I was very young or not. I would not be surprised if I did. I did not remember now what I was doing then to feel like my father. The latest memory like that was I wanted to the same kind of work the did when I need to decide what kind of school need to take then. That was the only memory that do have about what to be like him. I was more busy getting into trouble when I was much younger than anything else 😦
I can understand how one can be uncertain about the outcome for this. I would be in the same boat. I do not have clear head to imagine when I put this and that into the room together and what would it look at the end. Regardless, I think it will be something that you like. Good luck and do not forget to have fun along the way too 🙂
Lovely story, Suzy. I’ve watched my little niece and can see that desire to wear her mother’s shoes in her eyes.
Good luck with the redecorating. That’s a large task, but it seems like you’ve already undertaken the initial declutter, or clean up. It must be hard to let go of some items. I know that for a fact.
Thank you!! 🙂 Ah yes, I can imagine that! I don’t think it will ever go out of fashion for little girls, that fascination with mum’s shoes… or any shoes, anything but boring little girls shoes!
Oh thank you… yes… mm…. it’s getting there, but very slowly! Decluttering is essential for all of us really, but especially if like me you live in a very small home. It’s impossible to keep everything you think might come in useful one day. And of course it never does… until you give it away… haha… so maddening that, but it’s not an excuse to keep things… I’m being as ruthless as I can!! 😀
I should declutter too. Everything becomes useful the day for week after you throw it away. 🙂
Sounds like lovely plans! Yes, I remember trying on ladies shoes, dads shoes, any I could get my feet into 😊 my kids were the same I guess it’s about imagining being all grown up. Oh what a lovely story❤
Haha… that sounds like a great shoe obsession to me… I thought I was bad… that’s wonderful, I can imagine that!! 😀
One really naughty thing I did was try on shoes belonging to the ladies my mum used to work for. While she was off vacuuming the carpets, I’d sneak into the bedroom, open the wardrobes and cupboards and try on all the shoes. A number of times she used to catch me out and get quite angry with me, even though I was being very careful, not damaging anything. She was so worried a family member would unexpectedly call back home and discover me discovering the shoes. On those occasions she did tell me to put them right back where I found them. But she did at least laugh about it later. Little girls cannot be trusted near a cupboard full of glamorous high heels!! 😀
And thank you so much Sumyanna, it’s lovely to do these little stories of life. When I’m an old lady, I hope the recordings will still exist, then I can sit back and listen to pieces of my life! 🙂
What a cute story and so true – we must try them on 🙂 Oh, I know exactly what you mean. Those stories are precious. As I get older I see how easy it is to forget even things that happened this year… it is good to keep them and put them in a form you can treasure much later!
You have a really nice voice, you should voice audio books! 🙂 Glad you’re back, Suzy.
Ahh, thank you so much!! Oh, audio books… that’s quite a job, compared to a poem or short story. But it would be a great achievement… maybe one day! 🙂
Ah, so this is where you are. :)))
Well, only very briefly!! Won’t be posting much on my blog this year, got a lot of decorating to do. Once I get into that, my paint head will take over… haha. I’ll be posting some writing on Wattpad in a while, and revisiting again. Bits and pieces here and there. Lovely to hear from you again Glyn! 🙂
You’re back! I was here the other day and realized just like me you too have not posted anything after July. What a coincidence!
She looks gorgeous. The post reminded me of my childhood days when I would try wrapping around my mother’s saree after she got back from school. She was kind too, just like yours, she never stopped me (She passed away in Feb). Girls always want to imitate their mothers when they are young. I could visualize it all – “Your expression was a mixture of impending laughter and annoyance..” Beautifully written.
I’m back very briefly! I’m going to be a little busy in the summer months, so won’t be posting that much on here, not until all my decorating is done! I didn’t realise we matched our posts to last July, but now you’ve mentioned it… yes you’re right. Wow time is travelling fast, it doesn’t seem that long ago!
It is a lovely serene picture of my Mum – a favourite of mine. I always feel looking at that photo she’s walking out of a scene of an old black and white movie!
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear your Mother is gone, that must be so hard for you. It took me a few years to adjust. I’d often think to ask her a question… “How long should I cook a chicken for?” “How do I get this yarn off the needles? I can’t remember!!” And of course, she was no longer there. Silly little things like that would get me real upset.
I can imagine you with that saree, wow, that sounds such elegance!!! Girls do seem to do that a lot, it’s very much fantasy though. A bit like those wannabe doctors you were explaining… being our mothers, with clothes and shoes, and lipstick, all seemed so easy. Little did we know!! 😉
Thank you so much Bindu, always lovely to hear from you, and to read your inspiring poetry! 🙂