Posted by GOLDGIRL/CA on 2/17/13 5:28pm
Msg #456291

Who's kidding who?

Last summer, I bought a 10-pack of white anklet type socks that I put on when borrowers asked that I remove my shoes. No way am I walking around somebody's house in my bare feet (for several reasons). Anyway, I always put on a new pair at each house, cos guess why? The previous pair picked up too much dirt that even Tide and bleach can't remove, and no way am I putting on a grimy-looking pair of socks (even if they have been laundered) in front of the borrowers.

Moral of this story is buy black pedis.

Not to mention the fact that do these people not realize how dirty their floors are while pretending that things are all clean and sanitary since they don't allow shoes inside? Paleeeze.

Reply by ToniK on 2/17/13 5:42pm
Msg #456292

I have been in homes where people ask me to remove my shoes and the carpet is so filthy, kid sipy cup stains, spaghetti stains, dark black stains, pet stains. Im like really?

Reply by CarolF/NC on 2/17/13 6:02pm
Msg #456293

LOL

Just make sure you have stinky feet and tell them you had back surgery and can't bend over so would they mind removing them for you. Maybe they will let you keep hour shoes

Reply by sueharke on 2/17/13 8:36pm
Msg #456307

Re: LOL

I tell the truth that I have foot issues and cannot take off my shoes.

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 2/17/13 10:54pm
Msg #456317

This request happened to me last week

The borrower had booties for me to wear and when the sat down on her stairs
to take my boots off is when I discovered I had a black boot and blue boot on.

Nice!!

Reply by ananotary on 2/17/13 7:37pm
Msg #456301

I had one give me hospital booties to put over my shoes.

Thank Goodness because it was the one time I chose to wear cute heels that had ankle straps and would not be easy to take off. That was a reminder to wear slip offs only. Lol!!!

Reply by Robert522TX on 2/17/13 7:47pm
Msg #456302

Re: I had one give me hospital booties to put over my shoes.

Omg! It would really crack me up if I had to remove my shoes!

Reply by CarolF/NC on 2/17/13 7:54pm
Msg #456304

Gold girl try the construction booties like PGE,

Construction people use. You can find at HD or Lowes.

Reply by parkerc/ME on 2/17/13 9:04pm
Msg #456308

Other foldable shoes

For a cruise I'm going on in 2 weeks, I bought a pair of those foldable shoes that have the little pouch to put them in (to wear in the cabin instead of house slippers). Based on this discussion, I think I'll now start throwing them in my purse when I go to signings. Would avoid getting my nice clean socks dirty.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/17/13 9:29pm
Msg #456310

For a variety of reasons, I won't take my shoes off in an unfamiliar place anymore. I carry pairs of shoe covers with me that I got from Uline:

http://www.uline.com/BL_976/Shoe-Boot-Covers

I keep each pair in a little baggie and then toss them when I'm done. It's fairly rare that I need them, though... but when I do at least I have them on hand. That has always been fine with people because I'm not purposefully being disrespectful. Of course, I also always have spare socks and knee-highs in my overnight bag** if I really need them.

The ironic thing is that I actually hate wearing shoes myself and don't wear them in my own home... thought I don't ask people to take off if they come to mine. I've got 4 pets... as clean as I try to keep the place, I wouldn't dare expect people to go barefoot or in their socks in my house if they didn't want to. I just don't even mention it because I don't care.


**Because my drives are usually pretty long and I live/work in a rural desert where services can be hard to come by, I have a full 72-hour bag packed in my car for survival purposes, but also has professional changes of clothing in case I have to stay somewhere overnight, or if I need to change after needing to "detox" after visiting , for example a home of a heavy smoker.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 2/17/13 10:08pm
Msg #456312

In the thousands of households my signings took me to,

because I wear Danskos with socks, I took to turning around at the door, and showing my 'treads.' If it was raining/muddy, I just assumed, and slipped them off automatically. Knee socks were a "gotta love sales" part of my budget; I like wacky-wonderful 'hosiery.'

I used the footies once, but the disposal thing was inconvenient for me. Even packed my silk Chinese slippers for a while, but after a few fur-faces, they got ratty, so kept with fun socks.

To me, Respecting the Camp is a universal survival tool, to use a metaphor. It takes so little to be a good guest, doesn't it? Regardless of the size of the fire...

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/18/13 12:04am
Msg #456320

Carpet man told me years ago that the secret to keeping carpets in good shape was to keep bare feet off of them. It works...oh yes it does.

Reply by snowflake/PA on 2/18/13 9:36am
Msg #456331

I keep a pair of sports socks and also a pair of slippers in my briefcase. I also wear "slip on" shoes to closings in case I am requested to remove them in the borrowers home. Has happened several time and I thank Not/Rot for all the tips --- I, too, will not walk barefoot in someone else's home.

Reply by jba/fl on 2/18/13 11:49am
Msg #456359

Thankfully I wore cool socks this am - had to slip my shoes off and this conversation immediately came to mind.

Reply by Shan/CA on 2/18/13 1:55pm
Msg #456370

I tend to wear flats because I am 6'. I keep disposables in my briefcase just in the event I am asked to remove my shoes. I totally respect that, because we don't wear shoes in my home. I will not under any circumstance put on something a borrower offers, not going to happen!

Reply by Barb25 on 2/18/13 4:57pm
Msg #456411

I think you should wear the white anklets

and leave them with the borrower when you leave.... Hmmm

Can you add that as an expense like tolls?