Saving Karen's Sole

After a long hiatus of binge watching Sunday services at Petersburg Lutheran Church on Facebook due to covid concerns, Karen and I have returned to in-person appearances.  And, despite our masks, people even recognize us.

Thus this morning Karen opted to put on her Sunday best — a beautiful brand newly acquired, 50 cents at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, imitation Dansk leather shoes.  They dazzled as she dashed through the rain from our red Honda CR-V to church.

Of course, thanks to her husband, arriving a tad late in a bit of a rush Karen failed to notice the shoes were not waterproof like the red-rubber boots people often wear to church on these soggy Sundays.

Nor did Karen glance at her feet during most of the service until….her feet felt strange as she prepared to go to the front of the sanctuary for Communion.  It seems her pair of imitation Dansk leather, 50 cents at the Salvation Army Thrift Store shoes were made for a climate approximating the Sonora Desert.  Apparently the addition of water to the glue on both soles dissolved the glue.  Both soles dangled like bats hanging from a cave ceiling off the balls of Karen’s feet.  Pieces of the soles littered the floor under her pew.

At that moment seconds before she needed to rise and go forth, before I could say “go barefoot,” Karen gestured to our friend Carol sitting next to her.  Like a magician in an "America’s Got Talent" variety show, Carol pulled a pair of red shoes out of her handbag which, similar to Cinderella in Grimm’s fairy tale, fit Karen perfectly.  In a flash Karen slipped them on and stepped up to the Communion table like the princess she is to me.  Alas, the congregation lost the chance for a memorable public display of the "holiest" soles ever to grace Petersburg Lutheran Church.

Lacking any photos of the event, here are a few photos Karen took this winter that are one way she shares the beauty of God's creation. 

Female Bufflehead

Abstract Ice Pattern

Red-breasted mergansers.  Could they be saying grace before their next meal?

Common loon with shrimp dinner

Sitka black-tailed deer

Hello!