My OGGI Cup Broke.

This is an Oggi Cup, in case you didn't already know. It's just like mine, though mine was GREEN!!! Seriously, what other color would it be for me. You see Donner's car has been running poorly and i thought i'd take matters into my own hands and see if i couldn't do something about it. Afterall, i have a pair of teenage boys that need some practical experience with car maintenance. In the process of this my cup fell off and broke. I know, it's just a cup, but it made me really kinda sad. I can't really explain why, but it really hurt my feelings.

I suppose my reaction to the cup could be, in part, just one more of the things that have been weighing on me since we moved to Amarillo. I mean, my sleep is down, my pain index is up, and my disinterest in my daily life is at an all time low. I've spent days considering why all of these things are as they are and what i need to do to lift myself back into the light. I just don't know. I believe i'm stuck in a trough of depression and i'll be as i am until some triggering event comes along that snaps me out of it. I hate feeling lost, out of control, and lonely. I know it's going to take some time for me to establish a life here, but i'm just not sure i really want to. Don't get me wrong, i am thrilled for Donner and her job, and i know that it is a stepping stone to what she wants to do and all that, but i'm just trying to find my place here, all the while being supportive and fulfilling my role. I'm sure that i'll be fine in a couple weeks and that eventually my place here will be revealed. Until then, i need to be patient and soldier on.

I did find me a cup similar to an Oggi cup at the World Market that is all green. The lid doesn't fit quite the same but i guess it's good enough. Someone once told me to find something good or interesting everyday. Well, while at the World Market i also found that they make candy bars with dark chocolate and bacon. Yes, you heard that right, bacon.

What an odd pairing, but that only reaffirms my belief that there is something for everyone.

Until i write again, Peace be with you,

Dave

So, I Got Cold Feet.

You know i've never been, what a lot of people would refer to as, cold natured. I have often credited the longevity of my marriage, due to Donner being a "cover hog". The truth be told, if i lived alone, about all you'd find on my bed would be a bottom sheet and a quilt for me to sleep against. There would probably be an inordinate number of pillows as well. So, i find it odd my feet should be cold most of the time since the move to Amarillo.

I would be remiss if i didn't lay it right out that i just don't like shoes. The first thing i lose when i walk in the door are my shoes and i only put them on when i need to. As far as house shoes go, i've found them to be less than ideal. For instance, they make my feet sweat. Sweaty feet + time = smelly shoes. Smelly shoes just don't work for me. I have two teenage boys and i just don't abide smelly anything, least of all; shoes. However, i did need something for my cold feet.

I remember when i was serving in the Army, i wore chanklas (flip-flops) or moccasins in the barracks. So, i thought i'd go to the Tandy store and by me a moccasin kit. Easy Peasy, no more coldy feetsy. Much to my dismay, a moccasin kit from Tandy is about fifty dollars here in Amarillo. That annoyed me greatly. I had something in the twenty dollar range in mind. Well, i have a whole bunch of leather here around the house and the pattern for moccasins was ten bucks. The solution was clear. I bought the pattern and enlarged it and did all of the work myself. You know, kind of a skip the middle man type of thing.

Well in true Truculent style, a plain pair of black moccasins just wasn't good enough.
I put my brain to work and thought i'd make the cuff and the toe out of patent leather and add a couple tassels just for grins. That plan was all fine and good until i noticed Tandy had small stingray skins on sale for twenty bucks. So, my next idea, and probably my favorite, was to make them with patent leather cuffs and just the black beaded part of the stingray. Well, when i got the skins home, it became painfully evident i didn't have enough skin to make them that way. As they say, the eyes have it. So, what you see in the picture is what i came up with. stingray toes, patent leather cuffs and tassels and 4-6oz black bull hide for the shoe itself. I still wasn't done. I didn't like the way white insoles looked in them. I thought they needed some sprucing up as well, so i used this muted green paisley and some anti-microbial foam for insoles. What i ended up with is definitely a one of a kind pair of mocs.

Just in case you haven't been keeping score, i still ended up paying about fifty bucks for my house shoes. On the bright side though, they are uniquely mine.

As an aside to my house shoe shenanigans, This has been a long week filled with reflection and prayer. This post is for Gus, Lupe, Johnny, and Trey.

Until i see you again, Peace be with you

Dave