Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Heels, Easter, and Old Trains



When I finished my last photo session, it seemed that several photos were missing, and I chalked it up to "operator failure" in handling the transfer from camera to computer.   But the camera simply put them into a new directory, for some unknown reason!  And that's where I found them...still hidden in my camera.  It was of my new Charity Shop outfit with my new heels.  I'm not sure why the directory they were stored in changed, but at least I found them! 





So, I decided to post them today.  Anyone care to comment whether my shirttail looks better tucked in with this skirt, or should it be left untucked?  And what do you think?  Is this a suitable outfit to wear in public?

Last Thursday I stopped at my nail salon to make my appointment for a fill this coming Thursday (I'll get my hair colored then;  I do both salons the same day.)  And I drop in to make my appointments, because the girl who answers the phone has a very thick foreign accent, and I prefer to know it's in the book - for the right time and on the right day. 


Daggonit, wearing heels is a really great feeling.   I think I'm getting hooked on them!

I needed to get some real-world walking practice, since they felt OK the other night when I wore them inside, during the better half's absence because of a planned-for-months hen party. But I obviously couldn't walk very far in them inside the house, and I wasn't ready to risk walking in the basement, where I would have been able go around the stairwell, in a big circle.  If she got home early, I wouldn't be able to hear her till it was too late.  So I put them in the car, and parked about as far from the nail salon as I could, requiring me to "hoof it" in my new heels, maybe a quarter mile.

Clicking along in my heels,  I crossed the almost-empty parking lot (the good news, nobody was  around - the bad news, if someone had arrived, I was definitely stuck out in the open!  Nobody drove in.)  When I opened the door at the salon, the girl was doing a pedicure on a female, but she looked up, saw me (in my heels), and gave me a big smile.  She walked over, got out the appointment book for me, put it on the counter, and looked down at my shoes...   "Pretty heels, Ma'am..."  "Thanks!  I'll see you Thursday!"  "OK, Ma'am."  She knew, but played along.  Then I began the hike back to my car, once again enjoying the new angle my heels forced on my feet, and the sexy clicking sound I was making.  If I were a guy, I'd have turned around to look! 

As I walked back to the car, this time past some store fronts, I noticed that my feet were pushing more toward the front of the shoes, leaving a bit of space behind the heel, which was slightly visible in the store windows as I went by.  I have heel pads to put in, but it just seems like the smooth hose inside the smooth shoes were causing excess slippage.  (The next size smaller, and even smaller plus wider, were both too tight - I tried them.)  I may get those cushions to put on the insole, to minimize my hose slipping, before I even add the pads to the heels.  If it doesn't work, those cute but inexpensive heels may be suitable only for short distances like dinner out,  or for wearing without hose.  But they sure feel nice and look great!

On Easter Sunday, I actually went forward with my plan to wear one of Mom's stirrup outfits and her necklace to visit her at the Nursing Home.  As usual, she was glad to see me, and thought I had dressed up very appropriately for Easter, including my "patent leather flats."  I thanked her, but commented that since I was wearing one of her outfits, the good taste was actually hers. We both had a fun time with that!

Unfortunately, she didn't recognize her old necklace, but thought it looked very nice.  Her only concern was that the nurses would think I was a girl.  I assured her that wasn't going to be the case...and the subject got changed.  (I just omitted telling her that some of the residents already think I'm a girl!)

Eventually our visit ended, and I left.  On the way home (a half hour drive), I took back roads (WAY back roads - saw no cars on the way), so I stopped to try to get a couple of pictures of my Easter outfit.  Two problems:  the wind had picked up - what a surprise!  (It's been windy here almost every day.)  Thirty MPH wind totally destroyed my hairdo in just a few seconds.  And, I don't know where all the cars on this back road came from.  I saw nothing in either direction for a 5 full minutes when I was actually moving.  But within 30 seconds of when I had stopped, gotten out, propped my camera on the trunk lid and walked into the first picture, the parade of cars began.   In this picture, traffic was coming from the opposite direction, but a few minutes later, the direction was reversed!


I was truly flattered by the number of driver that stopped to ask "Is everything all right, Ma'am?"  Five cars, some in each direction, in the first two minutes.  By that time I figured it was hopeless, with my destroyed hairdo and the heavy traffic on this narrow road.  Of course, I thanked everyone who stopped, and in my best femme voice (none too good) told them that everything was all right - always good to be polite!   And as the last car pulled away, I got in mine and moved on...


Now for a taste of something totally unrelated to skirts, dresses and heels...    

The location:  Aberdeen, MD on the Pennsylvania Railroad (now Amtrak) Northeast Corridor.  The locomotive looks like southbound former PRR/Penn Central 4866, making short work of a passenger train.  The date - I really don't know for sure.  Most likely it's from the winter of 1974, the only time I did a lot of train watching in that area (unfortunately I wasn't in dresses back then!)



And another rail oddity - a Turbo train in service.  This was taken in the early 90's in upstate New York...possibly Rochester.  Turbo trains were retired in the 1990's, and have been (or are in the process of being) scrapped. 

  
It really is OK for girls to like mechanical things, as well as the softer side of life!  But in retrospect, how I really do wish I could have ridden one of these antiques en femme...

8 comments:

  1. It is so wonderful that you have the ability to go to a salon for both hair and nails.
    I am also happy that you are doing so well in your heels. There is really something special and affirming about being in heels. Unlike you I do not own any woman's flats. It seems that every time I set out to but a pair of flats I end with with another pair of heels. I think that my size in woman's shoes would be 11.5. This size, however, does not exist in woman's shoes. Most size 11 are too small and most 12s are too big. I always wear hose with my heels and it is the nylons that let me squeeze into an 11 but make my foot slide in a 12.

    Over the years I have noticed a disproportionate percentage of TG/CD folks have an amazing pre-occupation with railroads. I have no idea why this is the case but it really seems that there is a connection between crossdressers and train enthusiasts.
    I harbor the goal of taking a long railroad trip while fully dressed. every year my wife and I take the Autotrain from Lorton Va. to Sanford Fla. for a week of winter warmth. I would love to do that trip dressed as a woman.

    Pat

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    1. It's always good to hear from you, hon!

      Truth be known, I've been having my hair colored for over 20 years. Without it, I'd have been "salt and pepper" on the top of my head (more salt than pepper), and gray on the sides and back, for all these years. Since I'm not prepared to "look my age" - yet - long live hair color!

      Interesting analysis of heel sizing...I may be in the same boat as you are! I may need to grin and bear the size 11's, which are a bit too tight, in order that they not gap/slide in the back. Open toes may help, but I always wear pantyhose, so that could be an issue. And toes hanging over the end of a shoe just don't look right to me. I'll try 11's again next time I'm near a Payless...the things we have to endure in order to look pretty!

      If there's a connection between being a train enthusiast and liking to dress as a woman, I might be in big trouble... My affinity for trains goes back to the time I was about 5 years old, watching them from the window at Grandma's house. And I can remember trying on Mom's shoes as a 10 - 12 year old (more clothes as I got older.) Hmmmm...food for thought, for sure!

      I share your goal of doing a long train trip completely en femme...not androgynous, as I now am every day. I've done the androgynous bit for a long time. But for the moment, I'd have to be traveling alone. (And I do have something on that order, already in the works.)

      Is Auto Train as nice as it looks like it would be? That'd be the only way I'd want to drive to Florida. Have done the I-95 bit once. and that was one time too many. Those roads are boring, trucks are bullies on wheels, and the other 4-wheel drivers are lunatics. Much safer on the train...leave the driving to them.

      Hugs,

      Mandy

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  2. I think that in a former life I was surely a woman. I also think that in a former life my wife had some significant connection to trains. She is the true train lover in our family.
    We really like the Auto train. They have a coach section where you sit in a large seat. We have not done coach. They have three levels of sleeper car and we have enjoyed all three although we usually take the roomette since it is least expensive.
    We drive to Lorton and get there around 1 PM and then go to a local strip mall for a nice lunch. They like all cars loaded by 2 PM and passengers board at 2:30. From 3-4 there is complimentary wine and cheese in the lounge car.
    Dinner is served at 5, 7 and 9. Menu will include a beef, chicken, fish and veggie entree along with salad, dessert and wine. They show a movie. Breakfast in the morning and then arrival in Sanford, Fla between 9-10 AM. You then get you own car. You just take a small bag on the train but you can pack your car to the gills.
    We like the entire experience and I am working on my wife to see if she will let me do it en femme one of these days.

    I am more of a car person. I probably put on 50K miles every year. I run 4 cars, one for my wife and 3 for me. I picked up an old 1992, 968 6 speed. Dressed in 4" heels last night to go to a local karaoke night at an LGBT bar. I have to ride the clutch backing out of my 200' uphill narrow driveway. I thought my calf would explode.

    Pat

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    1. Sounds like a wonderful way to get there.

      I'm the train person in the family, though the better half enjoys it "to a point." It's great transportation, and much better than flying. Now we just have to figure out a reason to go to FL...but I don't know how comfortable I'd be handing the keys to the antique to some stranger. The '91, well, that would be OK. It's my "summer driver."

      I bet your driveway would present a challenge for anyone in heels who drives a manual transmission!

      For me, the "en femme" part of life is still "up in the air" due to serious medical issues the better half is experiencing. Imminent transition (she talked about it a while back) is still on hold...she's having trouble getting things straightened out health wise and doesn't communicate very well right now. I'm not pursuing it at this point.

      But when I'm alone...I'm trying to develop some feminine skills. Dinners out on car show weekends make great times to try new things...and that's in the plan.

      Glad you're able to get out en femme from home...do you actually sing at the karaoke bars? My problem would be my voice. I have a couple songs I could try, but it would be my male voice and that would be a problem! (Femme voice is not my strong point yet! In fact, got a long way to go...)

      Have a good weekend!

      Mandy



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  3. Mandy i see you also like trains with me it has allways been anything mechanical with wheels.
    we have in nj the oldest lynonel shop in the usa built in 1932.
    i frequent this shop.
    i see am-track stripes on the first photo.my parents and i traveled via am-track several times so i can appreciate the photos.
    i haven't played as much with my car toys lately but there was a time that dad and i took them out at least every other week.when my mom got sick (an RN that dad and i took care of for 3 years at home with lung issues.) our attention turned to her care.
    we are both lucky in our families being so accepting of us.
    your out fit is good and i was wondering since you mentioned it what hair color you were planning on. perhaps a honey color with your completion might be nice. ether way i am soooo jelious of the amount and length of your hair!
    thank you for shareing your story.

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    1. Hi Diana,

      Thanks so much for commenting...I always like to hear from my readers!

      I may have been to that train shop a few years back, if it is in a little stone building...can't remember the name of the town, though...bought some train stuff there! Good place to deal.

      Glad you have helped to support Amtrak...it needs all the support it can get! Without it, some of us would be seriously limited in travel options, since we refuse to fly!

      My hair color is supposed to be a dark brown...but it nicely fades to a lighter brown (dirty blonde) the last week or two before I get it colored....and the better half does not approve. So it just isn't discussed. And, I avoid blonde jokes at that point in the hair color cycle...

      We have been dealing with medical issues for a while, thus I haven't been posting much lately. And I'm having computer issues right now...so if you would initiate an email to me, please use the following address hidden in plain sight below, on yahoo.com Needless to say, I avoid making it look like a real email address, to avoid spammers and email-address-harvesting programs. Use my full name (Amanda Nicole Sherman) with NO spaces or capitals, and add the yahoo suffix above. That should work! And I'll respond by return mail as soon as I receive it.

      Thanks for your understanding, and hope to hear from you soon...

      Hugs,

      Mandy

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  4. ps mandy what kind of car toys do you have feel free to e mail me.

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    1. It's a 1967 Buick Gran Sport, 2 door pillar coupe with small block V-8. Hope to hear from you by email!

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