What Summer Means to Me

To me, summer is dirty feet.  

I absolutely cannot keep my feet clean in the summer.  I am one of those people who loves to walk barefoot. I always have.  And, thus, I have always had dirty, filthy feet all summer.

When I was a kid, I would be all over the neighborhood sans shoes.  My mother made me wash them before dinner - though I don't know why, we didn't eat with our feet in my house - and inevitably I would get in trouble again for leaving nearly black washcloths in the bathroom.  Still not sure what she was on about there, I was doing what she asked.

Today I tend to get the ring-around-the-heel, and no amount of washcloth application will get it out because that dirt is delicately ground into my skin now.  I need to soak and scrub my feet clean a couple times a week.  I only go barefoot around the house, not outside anymore (rocks, chicken poo, pine needles, etc.), but that is plenty good enough to get my feet dirty.

I have a particular pair of pink flip flops I wear when I walk the dog.  They have soft, spongy, foamy soles that keep wet once they've gotten wet, and often that helps keep my feet fairly clean.  It's usually not enough, though, and I still have to go at them with the pedicure cheese grater thingie.

I was looking at my feet at work the other day, cleverly disguised in nice sandals, and I saw that light ring - I can get away with one more day without scrubbing, but not two - and that's when I realized that this is what defines summer to me.  Not home grown tomatoes, not swimming pools, not fireworks. 

Just dirty feet.

Things I've Gotten Recently & Love

DHC CoQ10 Gel Moisturizer

I first picked this up as a sampler (DHC includes samples in every catalog and you can get 4 samples with every order), and loved it so much after 4 morning uses that I bought a tube. Not sticky, definitely not greasy, just perfect.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

The thought of rubbing oil on my already oily face didn't make sense, but again I got this as a sampler and loved it. My face is smoother by far. The only thing I did notice is that unless I use a toner to remove the residual oil I do get breakouts, but I should be using toner anyway. In short, between these two products I can't stop touching my face!

A Year with Rumi: Daily Readings

My friend Angie invited me to a Rumi Festival in December (?), and it was wonderful (thanks, Angie!). I had been meaning to get a book or two of Rumi's writings, and while people were milling about I went around picking up people's books and writing down the titles. This seemed like the best one for me. A poem a day. Perfect.

When Wanderers Cease to Roam: A Traveler's Journal of Staying Put

This has been on my Amazon wish list for something like two years, and I'm SO glad I finally got it! Beautiful art, fun writings. It is a difficult book to describe. It is written by month as the author talks about the 10 years she has Stayed Put on some small village town on Long Island. She mixes in how Januaries are there, for example, while reminiscing about Januaries she's spent elsewhere. I was concerned that getting and reading this book would make me want to travel more, because I am a wanderer at heart and it is killing me staying-damned-put for this long. It is actually quite the opposite as it is making me look at things differently and not feel so trapped. This is a great book.



Vasque Velocity VST Trail Running Shoes (For Women)

My new walking sneakers (mine are in blue), purchased from Sierra Trading Post. If you sign up for their emails (and yes, they do send a LOT of emails), you can get up to 80% specials, which is how I got these babies for $37 when they retail at $110. I also got 2 tank tops for $1.79 each. You need to sign up for these deals, people. The sneakers walk like clouds.