h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This weekend I bought my first pair of shoes in fifteen months. Pair of trainers. Finding shoes to fit me is not fun, as my last trainers I bought, a new balance pair, were marked "US 14, Uk 13 1/2".

With the result that a UK 13 are to small, 14 are clownshoes.

I also have thin feet, so that many shoes which are long enough are also too wide.

But a pair of size 13 reeboks from the JJB Sports on Sunderland Enterprise park fit, and so now I don't have to wear my fifteen-month old, scruffy New Balances to the gym.

Whicxh I'm sure will be a great relief to anyone else who sues the rowing machine...

Same routine for me everytime I go to get my sneakers (trainers). *New Balance 12s wide, please.* At which the sales person says, *Oh, I think I'll have to order those in*.

At least I won't sink while swimming, all I have to do is move my great white whales in a paddle motion.

*Sues the rowing machine*? Got me there....

Do you like the New Balance ones? They're my favourite and have the added bonus of supposedly being the best in regard to the environment, country of origin, etc.

The New BAl;ance are great. I got them in Boston when i was on holiday there- i was in a sport shop and I thought- well, Americans are generally larger than Brits. So maybe they'll have something to fit.

So I asked if I could try thirteens- awful. Asked for fourteens-perfect!

Problem being the size was given as UK 13 1/2. They don't do half sizes in the Uk that big. So the only NB I can get over here are 13s- just right on right foot, too small on left, or 14s- bit big on right foot, clown shoe on left. While the NB, and these Reeboks I just bought, are perfect on the right foot, and leave a little breathing space on the left.

The most annoying place i tried was this shop, called "priceless Shoes", which I wouldlike to rename "Worthless Shoes"- which had a sign saying "sizes 11 and 12 on request"

11 and 12 on rerquest? they're sensibl;e sizes!

It's the wide part- EE. That's the problem for me, I could get half sizes readily but they aren't wide enough in NB (by the way, the first thing I thought when I read that was *He bought them in New Brunswick??). Reebok seems to make them wide enough in a regular size but I try to stay away from leather.

Off to work, btw, *see* you later.

I hate shoe shopping too. And it's worse being female and having odd sized feet.

Nice pair of heels? No, sorry, not in your size.
Nice pair of boots? No, sorry, not in your size.
Sandals? Nope.
Trainers - yes, just barely in your size, but you still have to buy a size 8 for your size 6EEE feet because usual size 6 shoes are too fing narrow.

*so depressing* So I stil to my Vans: the big sizes are still small looking.

"stil"??? STICK, was what I meant to say.

"it's worse being female and having odd sized feet."

Years of my sister searching for size tens told me that.

The advantage of long rather than wide feet, i guess, is that sandals do fit, as there's no restriction of the toes. I wa sactually looking at Sandals in Debenhams the other day, but couldn't believe the prices they were charging for something with so much less material than a normal shoe!

Did you buy two pairs? I always do when I find a pair I like cause I know I'll never find them again.

My, my...you fella's have big feet.

Why don't you jusss do like moi` & skip the shoes?
Even though I've lost count of how many pairs, colors, etc. I actually own...they all look new.
Wish you could have seen the look on my mail-man's face when he caught me walking outside my house barefoot, in the snow.

*glances down at his plates*

Hmmm, size 7 and a half.

Never mind, it's what you do with it that counts...

B

Oh, B, there was a picture in the Indy yesterday of an exceptionally overweight man, in shortsd, on scales. Weird thing was he had your head.

Which one?

B

Well, unless the two of us got drunker than i thought iN Derby or London, the one I've seen!

As opposed to the one you haven't.

Pandora, you know what they say about guys with big feet and big hands..........big shoes and big gloves...

Master B and Egon, I am once again hurt that there have been no meet ups in and around the upper left part of North America. If you want to come over, I'll buy the first and last round.

Zoomer, if you want to buy the plane tickets as well, just name the venue...

Alas, monetary deficiencies prohibit such largesse.

But if you're ever in the neighbourhood!

Well, if i ever improbably find myself in british Columbia, I'llc ertainly look you up.

btw, the venue would be on the patio of Riley's Cafe any time between April 15thish and September 15thish late in the day watching the boats come into harbour under the bridge that frames the sunset. Beer on tap is Granville Island Hemp Ale, Stella, Heinies, and Okanagan Pale Honey Ale. Snacks would be local smoked salmon, quesadillas, and raw oyster tequila shooters.