Living in Glass Houses and Other Trials

When my grandmother was eighty years old, she was given a lovely hand-knit shawl.  She tucked it away in a drawer and steadfastly refused to wear it.  Her reason:  It made her look old.  Shawls were meant for old ladies.  Her daughters were aghast and I was amused.

I have a couple of shawls that I wear when I need an extra layer of warmth.  I feel a touch smug as I think I don't have a problem with looking old!  The sad truth is that I live in a glass house, and there are things other than shawls that I won't wear for the same reason my grandma wouldn't wear a shawl.

One of the first things on my "to-do" list when we return to Arizona is to find a good doctor specializing in foot problems and see if he can help me.  I could hardly hobble out of bed this morning with both feet in pain.  I waved goodbye to Melissa, Derek and SK as they pulled out to go in search of castles and ghosts.  They did a significant amount of walking today and I couldn't do that.

They visited the famous old fortress/castle known as Hamlet's Castle.  It is quite spectacular....and must surely be haunted....the dungeons and old cold rooms would make a fine place for a ghost to hang out.  They were also going to the Frederiksborg Castle where Carl Bloch's paintings of Christ reside.  I am certain that it is not an exaggeration to say that they probably walked a half a mile or more just to get to the front door of each castle.  And in total, Melissa said they walked over 7 miles.

After Melissa, Derek and SK got home, we walked all of a few hundred steps across the street to a sweet little Turkish restaurant that is excellent.  They stopped at Teresa's bakery today and came home with more pastries.  As much as I love Danish pastry, I don't think I could eat a single bite more.  This is a terrible combination....sitting all day, and eating great food.

I have mostly stayed off  my feet trying to get them ready for the day tomorrow.  We are going to the old Danish village....and it should be enormously fun....but it is a sprawling little village requiring a small hike between houses and I am certain we will put several miles on our shoes by the time we are finished.

In the evening, I am looking forward to going on a walking tour of Copenhagen with our sweet Mette and her husband (she teaches our little Danish class).  It too will be a fairly good walk.  I hated to miss the castles today, but I hope that it will allow me to enjoy tomorrow.

I am wearing some good high quality walking shoes....and it helps....I wear them even in the apartment.  They are not pretty but they help.  I know I will never wear pretty shoes again.  And I have a feeling that it won't be long before I am wearing big clunky black shoes (even with a dress) that will make me look old.....I am not sure I can handle that!  But it would be a choice of keeping them in a drawer or walking......I guess if that is the choice, being able to walk is worth looking old.