AuburnChick's Adventures

After the first two days of adventures, we decided to stay local.  The driving for hours had been taxing on Rooster and N, so we gave them a reprieve.

While they slept in, I got up and worked out, determined to stick to my routine.

Everyone was still sleeping when I got back – probably the only smart ones of the bunch.  Ha!

Since we’d decided to stick close to home, we weren’t in a big hurry to get out and about.

I think that this was the day we ate sushi for lunch.

Later, we ventured out, first to Fleet Feet, a shoe store that I was super excited to visit.

I’d read, in my Hogwarts Running Club’s Facebook group, about the amazing (and free) foot analysis that the store gives each customer.  When I’d researched locations, I’d discovered that there was a store close to the kids, and N was very agreeable to doing this with me.

What they do is have you step on a machine that takes a 3-D scan of your feet.

I wish I’d gotten a picture of the machine.

It took less than a minute.

Then, the gal, who I found out was the store manager, sat down with me and showed me the results on her iPad.

Take a look . . .

Is that not the coolest thing you’ve ever seen?

Not only do you see what your feet look like, top to bottom and side to side, but you get a lot of other information, like the length of each foot, the width of different sections of your foot (this will be helpful for sock knitting), and the amount of arch in your feet.

I’d always known that one foot was bigger than the other, but I’d kind of forgotten that my feet were wide.

The gal suggested that I go up to size 8.5 shoes.  Say what?  I usually wear 8’s, so this was interesting.  She also told me that I needed to buy wide shoes.

Y’all, this is plain old embarrassing.  I grew up in the South and went barefoot from May through August.  I know that’s what made my feet spread out, but I’ve been living with horse blinders on and NOT buying wide shoes.  Guess that’s why I’m having some other issues now.

The gal also told me that . . . get this . . . I have bunions.

Wait, what?

Yeah.  I had no idea what they were except that two people at my school have had surgery for them and have had to be in a boot for their surgeries.

Y’all, I flipping have bunions.

I.

Feel.

Old.

See those knots below my big toes?  I thought those were normal.

They aren’t.

I’ve done some reading about them since, and if you don’t treat them, they will affect your toes and will push them into the other ones, thus disfiguring your feet.

Sigh.

What was also interesting was the view from the top.  Can you see my right ankle and the swelling that’s still there.

Sigh.

The gal looked at my shoes and the inserts I had in them.  She told me that I’d bought super good shoes, and that it was great that I was using my inserts . . . Happy Feet . . . which my first physical therapist had recommended given the pronation in my feet.  Her only suggestion was to get wide shoes the next time I make a purchase.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have a pair of ASICS in my size, wide variety, for me to try on.  I’ll do that the next time I’m at the outlet store near me.

I did wind up buying a new pair of Vionic flip flops.  They were so comfortable, and she gave me a little discount, so there was that.

Oh, and she emailed the link for the scan, so I can have access to it whenever I want.

I highly, highly recommend getting a fitting at this store, if you have one near you.  Some locations have customers run on a treadmill to analyze their gait.  The store I visited was too small to offer this service.

After we left the store, we headed toward Rooster’s base.  N works there too.  I’d told them that I wanted to see where they worked so I could picture it in my mind when we chatted.

Rooster took us the back way – the scenic route – and it did not feel like we were in California.  I could have sworn that we were driving on back roads in Alabama . . . except for the “hills.”

He took us to his squadron, and we got to meet his boss and another guy who happened to be there . . . on a Saturday . . . because the Air Force never sleeps.

We got to see Rooster’s closet of an office – I’m not exaggerating.  We also got to look at the different awards his squadron has won for their skill.  It was an impressive array and made me so proud.

As we drove around base, we got to see, from a distance, the plane that he flies on, and I was struck by its size.  I guess I’d always envisioned the type that had carried us across the country to visit our kids.  We also got to see another BIG plane (the name of it escapes me).

Y’all, I am a student of history and have read a lot about the planes and ships that have shaped our country’s military history.  I was in awe.

N took us to see where she works.  She has the privilege of caring for children who’s parents and grandparents have medical appointments on base.  Each Air Force base provides this service, which is so fabulous given that most people are stationed far from family who could lend a helping hand.  N has a tender heart for children – another thing to love about her.  ❤

We visited the BX and another store in the base’s mall.

I picked up a couple of things . . .

I love this little shot glass . . .

I didn’t take any pictures on the base.

I did take some video of our drive back . . . those country roads called out to me.

Dinner was very chill.  Rooster and N ate leftovers, while the Mr. and I ordered something from a Chinese restaurant.  We took N’s car, and boy was that an adventure.  Ahem.

When we got back, I settled in for some knitting.  Gus was very curious . . .

That ended Day 3.  We had another big adventure planned for the next day, so an easy day had been a MUST!

Filed under: Vacation | Tagged: Fleet Feet, Vacation | 1 Comment »