We have been to the coast. Not, I should add, for the last month. Just for the last weekend. We drove down the Clyde on Saturday evening. I had packed hurriedly in the morning before spending the afternoon at work. I was quite proud of how efficiently I had packed, quickly pulling t-shirts and swimmers out of drawers and off shelves. Remembering essentials such as the mobile phone chargers and the medication. Convincing Mr M to pack his own bag of toys, books and essential dvds. Yes, the packing was easy.
But when we arrived at the house at the bay, I kicked off the 'work shoes' and went looking for my black leather thongs. Alas, I had packed two completely different shoes: one a slip-on sandal, the other with a fully enclosed toe. The only good thing about them was that there was a right foot and left foot. Mr M thought it was very funny, Mum having odd shoes to wear.
So on Sunday morning we went to Kmart and I spent the grand sum of $3 on these lovely blue thongs (actually, it was more than $3 because I was convinced that a four-year-old's life wouldn't be complete if he didn't own a pair of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shoes).
I can't remember the last time I owned a pair of rubber thongs. I've been thinking about it on and off since Sunday morning. I do recall owning a pair of 'slaps' (I think that's what they were called). They were like thongs but had a cane insole and the straps were made of stuffed velour sausages. I think I thought rubber thongs were a bit uncool, a bit unsophisticated. And 30 years ago, they were available only in pretty ugly colours. So I stopped wearing them and resorted to happy shoes and various flip-flops since.
I have been entranced, though, by my pair of little blue thongs. Looking at my feet with their flash of aqua makes me feel cheerful. They are such a change from my normal black footwear. They are frivolous and summery and lazy. And they look like the sea on a warm November morning.
