Every winter I am inundated with exclamations of “Where are your shoes!?!?” anytime I am out and about in public.  Well, mine are on my feet.  You just might not consider sandals or flip flops appropriate footwear at the end of December.  Or January or even into February.

Hello, my name is Tracie and I have hot feet.  To the point that I don’t wear what normal people consider “appropriate footwear” anymore unless it’s extremely cold.  Over the last decade I have pin-pointed some things that can tip me from being my normal, level-headed and calm self into a foaming at the mouth, shrieking, unhinged shrew.  Stuffing my feet into shoes that make me feel overheated can do it every single time.  So to save humanity and myself the humiliation, I will just wear my sandals into February thank you very much.

First, before I start getting emails about this let me explain.  I am not talking about going skiing for four hours and wearing flip flops while I do it.  I’m also not suggesting that I would be happy and comfortable standing around the Salvation Army kettle ringing the bell in 30 degree weather for three hours in my sandals.   What I am saying is that when it is 30 degrees and I leave my nice toasty warm house to get into my nice toasty warm car to drive to a nice toasty warm store, I am going to wear my flip flops.  ESPECIALLY if I have to fight with the people at WalMart for aisle space while they have their family reunion on grocery shopping day.

Secondly, I keep blankets, an extra pair of shoes and socks in my car in case of an emergency.  I don’t want to be stuck on the side of the interstate for hours and get frostbite either.  Although I don’t know how that would be possible.  The last time my car stopped working, I called Denton and even though he was an hour away, he rescued me in less than 45 minutes.  In broad daylight.  I didn’t even get frostbite or have to resort to putting on my real shoes.  It was the battery, by the way.  If those goofy (but nice!) men at the Exxon had just stopped trying to HELP me, I could have had my car jumped off and went about my day without all of the drama.  Ahem.

I have had many, many people suggest to me that there are multitudes of reasons for this phenomenon and that I should have testing done to correct it.  Or I can just wear my flip flops and be comfortable.

Our highs have been in the low 30’s for the last ten days or so.  I have worn my flip flops and ran in and out of the cold the few times I left my house and been very comfortable.  It’s 3 degrees right now though and our high today is 19*!  I have to go grocery shopping, so I think I’ll dig out a pair of my “normal” shoes today.  So, maybe, just maybe 3* is the magic number.  I think that’s what I’ll start telling people when they ask me how cold does it need to be.  Three.  Three degrees should do it.

Now I need to know.  Anyone else out there who detests their feet feeling hot?  Do you refuse to wear “real shoes” too?  Inquiring minds want to know!