In which I finally make peace with my shoes

After my second week of ballet class, it came time for me to buy my shoes.  My teacher asked for my size and went one size up and the next week, I had my very first pair of pink leather ballet slippers.  Waiting for them to arrive was like waiting for Christmas.  No longer would I have to do the barre in my socks, I would look like the other girls, and I would be COMMITTED.  And I'll be honest, I have a think about having all the right kit.

When they arrived, instantly had them out of their bag, and slipping them on. The elastics were still to be sewn on when I arrived home, but something wasn't quite right.  They had quite a bit of extra room at the side near my pinky toes.  Even when I tightened the drawstring, nothing, they refused to take on that lovely rounded look that the other girls' shoes had.  Oh well, I thought, I'll get these home and get this elastics on and that will sort that right out.

Well, it didn't, and despite my attempts to tighten, tug and pull my toes up close to the top of the shoe, it just wasn't working.  And I'd come to blame my shoes for my unsteadiness.  I mean, come on, I know I'm new, but having shoes that felt too big were of no use to any one!

When I started my dance base class, my teacher required us to tuck in the drawstrings or just cut them off.  Being a good ballet student who wants to over achieve, I cut the cords.

Until tonight, when I noticed that the shoes were super loose and the drawstrings were no where to be found.  Grabbed the first shoe, dug them out and managed to tie them a wee bit tighter. Phew, onto the next one.

They were lost in the shoe and I went into distress.  I was phoning Jon, asking him when the dance store closed and omg I need new shoes by tomorrow, this a complete disaster, I hate my shoes, they're ruining my dancing and therefore my life.

Well, dance store isn't open at 7pm and I'm not going to get new shoes from my very favourite website by tomorrow for my other class.

So it came time to try and find the drawstrings.  Out come the scissors and I'm cutting into the shoes to try and dig them out.  Well, now I find them but my shoes are all cut open and looking like a right mess.

Armed with nothing more then a needle and some minty floss, I'm stitching them back together like a backwoods doctor.  They aren't pretty, but they are fixed.

Decided to go on a head and sew the strings down so I can never lose them again and when I slip on the shoes, they're perfect.

Nearly three months of hating my shoes, I try them on tonight after spending nearly 2 hours repairing them, and they fit like I had hoped they would.

I'm feeling very content, had to force myself to take them off, finally pleased with them.

Maybe they just wanted some love?