San Geraldo has big feet. Very big feet. He wears a US size 14 and a Spain size 49. His feet are wider than they used to be. It’s nearly impossible to find shoes his size wherever we’ve been in Spain. The only ones we’ve found have been hideous. And the width now makes it a nightmare. Ordering from outside Spain means he would have to pay huge customs/import fees (almost the price of the shoes). So he ordered two pairs of shoes online from two very good US companies and had them delivered to My Mother The Dowager Duchess’s apartment. (Click any image for the big picture.)
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| WHAT’S BLOOMING IN THE DUCHESS’S KITCHEN. AIR PLANT SHE BOUGHT NINE YEARS AGO IN SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA. |
The first pair of shoes arrived the next day. San Geraldo was thrilled since that was the pair he needed for the current NY weather. He tried them on. Left foot first. It was perfect. He happily picked up the other shoe.
He felt like one of Cinderella’s wicked step-sisters.
He couldn’t cram his right foot into that shoe no matter how hard he tried. He took the shoes off and placed them side-by-side on the floor. His “feets” were no longer too big (as Fats Waller would say). Only one foot was.
The shoes were from REI. He phoned. No problem. With huge apologies they immediately sent out a new pair, which will arrive today. I just hope they’re not a matched set for the ‘pair’ he already received.
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| ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER. |
Other than that, all is going well here (except for the weather). The Dowager continues to return to her old (young), fit, self. We’re hoping she’ll get out of rehab soon and get back to her friends and her regular routine. I’m eating better now that San Geraldo is here. He makes sure I have dinner and, last night, he cooked up a huge pot of chicken soup.
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| SAN GERALDO’S LUNCH AT WENDY’S FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT. THERE’S A BAKED POTATO SOMEWHERE IN THERE. |
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| A LARGE ROOT BEER. FREE REFILLS AND A SOUVENIR ‘CUP.” AND WAY TOO MUCH TO DRINK. |
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| MY LUNCH. GRILLED CHICKEN SANDWICH AND FRIES. UNFORTUNATELY, WENDY’S WAS THE ONLY PLACE NEAR REHAB WITH SEATS THAT DAY. |
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| MY CHOCOLATE EGG CREAM YESTERDAY AT PARKVIEW DINER! (MILK, SELTZER, CHOCOLATE SYRUP.) |
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| MY MONTE CRISTO. FRENCH TOAST, HAM, TURKEY, CHEESE, AND… |
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| … ENOUGH MAPLE SYRUP TO GO FOR A SWIM. |
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| SAN GERALDO SNOOZING AT REHAB (THE DOWAGER DUCHESS’S REHAB). HIS CHEEK IS PUFFED BECAUSE HE’S SNORING. |
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| THE VIEW FROM THE DOWAGER DUCHESS’S NEW ROOM. CONEY ISLAND’S PARACHUTE JUMP RIGHT OF CENTER IN BACKGROUND. |
But, back to Cinderella … and shoes.
