Busy, busy, busy and shoes.

Well, it's been a busy week, and I've been a bit absent from blogging. As some of you know, I'm in school part time, working on my 4th degree, while also working full time and being half of the farm caretaking team! This can lead to a lack of spare time. I don't really recommend it. Also, we found out on Friday that Kelly's job was being eliminated. The company has decided that it is not profitable enough for them to pay a full time person for the Iowa/Nebraska territory. So, as of Monday, he was unemployed. Then, on Tuesday, one of our new Jacob lambs died for no apparent reason. So, all this has made me a little introspective and quiet.

Still, things carry on and one just rolls with the punches or deals with things as best one can. Things generally happen for a reason, or at least we should learn from their happening, and take that learning forward into whatever faces us in the future.

Still, not wanting to be morose and gloomy, I present you with my new shoes!
Aren't they a trip?! They are remarkably comfortable. I purchased them before Kelly lost his job, so I probably wouldn't purchase them right now, since they are not all that cheap, although the comfort almost makes it worth it. They're called "Five Fingers" shoes and they are made by a company called Vibram. You can see them here. Their website says "FiveFingers enhance your sense of touch and feel, while improving foot strength, balance, agility, and range of motion. Because wearing Vibram FiveFingers is so close to going barefoot, you’ll enjoy the health and performance benefits of barefooting without some of the risks."

They come in 4 different styles, each one designed for a different level of use. Mine are the second level of use. The highest level of use is for rock climbing and hiking and such, but still they have the toes.

I have to admit that the first time I put them on, I felt like the biggest klutz on the face of the Earth. I couldn't get my toes to line up properly with each of the toe compartments. I ended up with 2 toes in 2 compartments and empty compartments as a result. I had to do some careful repositioning. It showed me how unnatural my toe positions are from wearing "regular" shoes. The next time I put them on, I was far more competent.

I think I'd agree that they enhance my sense of touch and also probably do increase foot strength and maybe balance over time. It felt funny at first wearing them, but within a few minutes, they felt more "natural" than other sorts of shoes.

I like the soles - they are nice and grippy and feel comfortable without being clunky. The fabric that the shoe is made from is nice and stretchy and easy conforms to the lumps and bumps of my funny feet!

I think they'd be GREAT for gardening, but I don't want to wear this pair in the garden because they'll get all muddy and grubby. I'll get another pair sometime for that!