bookmark_borderHeaven’s just a place on earth?

A few months ago, I was chatting with my loved one about some of the things we remember from childhood and I shared a few memories of the bible stories we had kicking around my house when I was a kid. You know, the ones with pictures of people leaping out of graves? No, not like this. I wasn’t read zombie stories…

The images I recalled were of ecstatically happy (and not at all undead looking) people literally jumping out of the ground in the cemetery — which I realize would be hard for most of you to imagine. So I decided to see if any of the drawings were online.

Alas, I could not find any with people actually coming out of graves —  I guess the Jehovah’s Witnesses scrapped that scary stuff. All I could find was drawing of people looking really, really happy in cemeteries. The resurrection business is now merely implied.

No, I am not kidding. All from the Watchtower.

The other drawings I remembered were of the earthly paradise — where people (well, only the good ones) lived in peace and harmony — not just with each other, but with animals, too. All kinds of animals.

Ah, paradise.

There were lots of pictures of Armageddon online, though. Got to make sure the faithful know what’s coming.

You can run, but you can’t hide.

Aside: I’m not a Jehovah’s Witness (obviously) and nor have I ever practiced the faith, but they did figure rather prominently in my childhood.

bookmark_borderUgly? Maybe, but ever so useful!

Everywhere I look there are people stomping around in salt-stained boots. Shoes, too — but some people just don’t dress for the weather and this post is not about them and their lack of planning or common sense.

Poor salt-stained boot lady. Her boots are a mess.

I take very good care of my footwear and I actually don’t have any salt stains. I give my boots a good vinegar rubdown nightly.

See?

Boots look very nice, right?

But look at the heel! It’s a horrid mess. And no amount of vinegar treatment will fix that. Believe me, I’ve tried. And tried.

I know that I could wear proper winter boots. This has been suggested to me my many people, including my wise and patient loved one, who puts up with my fondness for footwear and my lack of interest in boots like these:

Cute. I agree. Very, very cute!

But I hate carrying my shoes around with me. And now that I walk about 4 km each day, it would be even more of a pain to lug even more stuff with me in my trek across the city.

But I found a solution!

You’re not serious? What the hell are those?

They are “overshoes“— that’s right, they fit OVER my stylish footwear of the day. Genius!

Needless to say, they are hard to find (wonder why?) but soon I will be the queen of protective —  if unfashionable — footwear.