Two shoes for the price of one

A few weeks ago, I was at the dining table having mashed cardboard for breakfast.

It may have been oatmeal, but then there's not much difference between the two.

Mudslide was doing the usual sunbathe, frolic, lick, sunbathe routine. But when I next looked at her, she'd added another step: sunbathe, frolic, tear outer layer of microfibre low boot to shreds, lick, sunbathe.

So for the past two weeks I've been wearing the same pair of shoes to work every day, and sometimes to church. Don't even get to variety, we're talking "no chance to air" and "shoes reaching their last legs soon". (Imagine, shoes with legs!) (No need to imagine if you don't want to!)

Tonight, I did something very rare. I devised a mission: to search, to shop, and not to return unless a pair of footsie protectors returned with me.

When the first pair didn't fit, I almost did the typical Ren thing: put own shoes back on and bolt out the door immediately. But I couldn't, because my one and only pair of work shoes really is looking down at heel (hurhur). So had no choice but to do another round of the shop. Found interesting pair of espadrilles with cotton webbing for straps, which I'd glanced at and passed over earlier. Decided to try it.

Wonder of wonders, they fit (if you don't count a little of overhang on each side thanks to some broad-footed ancestor up in the family tree) and looked better than any of the other pairs I tried. They were right on the money, literally; the price tag stated exactly what I'd budgeted. So before my trademark second thoughts had a chance, whipped them over to the cashier and took out my wallet.

And Hallelujah, if they weren't half price because they were the last pair left!!!

I may seem to be blowing things out of proportion, but I've learnt to give thanks in everything, good and bad. Not to say I give thanks for everything, because anyone who gives thanks for a durian on the foot, for instance, is asking for a one-way ticket to the looney bin. But, once you know how it feels not to be able to afford lunch, you become grateful for every cent saved unexpectedly.

And so for the shoes, and all the other blessings literally falling all over me, I say "Thank you, God, and hope you like the picture."