Friday Flotsam

By Bev Weidner on April 27, 2018 in Friday Flotsam

FR- two four six eight, who do we apprecia-IDAY.

Hiiieeee!

It’s been a while.

And by a while I mean on this series. Not this week. I skipped last week. But not today. Because I was in L.A. Not today. But last week. Just on Friday. Because I was in L.A. You following? No?

Good.

L.A. was GREAT. Just fabulous. The weather was perfection, the conference was awesome (I killed my prez, by the way. Had rosé on all the tables. Obviously.). Got to Uber into the city alone and do some shopping on Sunset Blvd for YET MORE PAIRS of vintage Wrangler’s. Because a gal cannot own too many pairs of vintage jeans. (stop looking at me like that.) Met up with old friends, ate at INCREDIBLE restaurants. Like, crazy phenon. Edendale in Silver Lake (saw ZERO celebrities), Satdha in Santa Monica (NOT ONE SINGLE MOVIE STAR), and True Food Kitchen in Redondo Beach (apparently Zooey Deschanel had just left. HAD JUST LEFT.)

I’ll be fine.

I have a question.

And I don’t want to be the instigator of a colossal throwdown on my site. Or maybe I do.

But I desperately need to know. . .

When you have people come over to your house, do you make them take off their shoes? Because I feel like this is a HUGE DEAL to some people. Personally, I’m in the camp where the shoes stay ON, no questions. It’s a part of the outfit, man! You can’t take the shoes off. It ruins the whole vibe! And you worked hard on that vibe.

It’s like that one episode in Sex and the City where Carrie goes to her friend’s house for a baby shower, and they make her take off her Manolo Blahniks, and she has a panic attack (rightfully so), and then they GET STOLEN. Straight up SNATCHED. Remember that? Gawn. Yoinked. Buh bah.

I would have died. That is my worst nightmare. Right after having to take off my shoes in the first place.

I mean, I get it if you’re in another country and it’s the CULTURE. But at least let me get a pedi and scrub off all the nasty before I have to parade around with bare flesh paddles.

And I get it, I get it – germs germs germs. OKAY. But I feel like naked, scaly hooves are WAY more disgusting (and distracting. like, who can even concentrate on any sort of conversation with your bony boats out and ruining everyone’s lives?) than a slick pair of nude kitten heels. What about a foot fungus? Or the smell of FEET IN GENERAL? Holy barf, no. Germs are already everywhere. Just mop or sweep or swiffer or whatever. But don’t make me take off my MULES, BRO.

What camp are you in? Shoes off? Or shoes on?

We’ll be okay, I promise.

Maybe.

My c-section scar has been twitching.

You know like, when your eyelid twitches? It’s like that. But it’s my c-section scar.

AND NO I DON’T WANT MORE BABIES BITE YOUR TONGUE.

It’s twitching! Isn’t that weird? I’m a twitcher, though. Everything on me twitches all the time.

One of my favorite places that twitches is right above my ear, like on my skull. My temple! Right there. Twitch twitch twitch. And I like to feel it twitch with my finger. I always wonder what it EXACTLY looks like under the skin. What does a twitch look like? It’s probably much tinier than I’m imagining. And it probably doesn’t have the face of a leprechaun.

But my c-section scar. That’s a new one. It’s like, doing the Electric Slide down there. What does it mean???

This is too much for you right now, I can tell.

Have you guys binged The Chalet on Netflix yet?

OMGGGG. It is nuts. It’s French! So turn on your subbies. (<–no idea why I said it like that.) It’s about a group of friends who’ve known each other for 20 years, and they meet up in a tiny village in the French Alps for a wedding, and get stuck there! But randomly? OR IS IT MORE SINISTER? It’s amazing. And beautiful! And only six episodes.

And the French accents are like velvet melted chocolate on your weak, crumbling soul.

And the dudes are cute, so.

Weekend plans?

I’m headed to NYC on Sunday! Would you believe I get to go into the Food Network kitchens and cook a bunch of stuff on video for you? It’s happening. AND, this is important – I’m washing my hair this morning, so that by the time Monday and Tuesday roll around, my hair is dirtier and cuter. I can’t have CLEAN HAIR ON SET, you guys. No way. It’s a frizz flyaway freak show up there.

We’re going to film down in Chelsea Market, too! Lifestyle stuff. Food stuff. All the stuff. In my NEW SLASH OLD MEN’S WRANGLERS. You know how I do.

So follow along in Stories if you want! I’ll take you with me into the city, and into the kitchens and promptly cut my finger off, I’m sure of it. Just you watch.

All I know is that my SHOES ARE STAYING ON.

Know what I mean, Vern?

c-section scar twitching, food network kitchens, taking shoes off, The Chalet

Roasted Carrots and Chickpeas

Monthly Mixtape: Maaaay It Stay Like This Forever

44 Responses to Friday Flotsam

Ali Vizzo April 27, 2018 at 7:46 am #

We always have our shoes off in the house and I always take my shoes off in someone else’s house. I will take an extra pair of socks if necessary. However, I never ask anyone else to take their shoes off. Look at you making videos for Food Network!! How fun and exciting? Can’t wait to see them!
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- Kristi April 29, 2018 at 4:05 pm #
  
  Shoes on girl. I don’t care if you take them off (I had some friends that did it) but I’ve never asked. My floor is so grimey. I sweep twice a day and it’s cheese its and dawg hair and dirt and crumbs and people hair and LEGO and filing for dog toys and I could go on. The ONLY time I forbid shoes is just after mopping and that’s only with my own people. I’m a sock girl in my own house but if you walk around barefoot and get a crumb or coat of hair on your tootsies then that’s on you.
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- Anonymous May 1, 2018 at 7:46 am #
  
  I am the same as you on this, Kristi! I live in Madrid, Spain and it is manners to do it here.
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Simone April 27, 2018 at 7:47 am #

Don't hate me. I would be in the shoes off camp. Especially if the person has carpet and/or if the weather is bad. I think it is rude if people are tracking in dirt and leaves and mud on the carpet. If it is hardwood/laminate/tile, I don't think it's a big deal. But carpet, definitely take the shoes off. I generally always take mine off and if the homeowner wants to say "leave them on" then I do. But I feel like that is the safest bet to be considerate.
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Jill April 27, 2018 at 8:02 am #

I am so strongly against asking people to take their shoes off. I think it’s so rude. When you invite a guest into your house you should not make them feel uncomfortable first thing by asking for shoe removal (and it does make people uncomfortable). I just feel like if you’re that worried about it, don’t entertain. Or host a picnic at a park.
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Caitlin April 27, 2018 at 8:29 am #

Shoes on all the way. Unless someone really wanted to take their shoes off when they come into my home, then by all means, rock out with your sock out (that was terrible; I'm sorry.) Funny story: when I was in college, a friend asked me and my housemates if she could throw a party at our place since she lived with an RA. We said sure, and a bunch of people we didn't know came over to live it up before we headed to a bar. Well, as we were preparing to go, I realized my cute heels left by the door were gone. We searched EVERYWHERE and I was starting to think I had gone crazy when someone said 'oh, those strappy black heels? yeah, some girl left with them.' I was SHOCKED. Also, I'm a friggin size 5, so what are the chances they'd actually fit her? Anyway, I brought it up with the girl who threw the party and she actually said "Oh I bet I knew who took them"--which, I mean, what?-- and had them back to me by the next day. So apparently Sex and the City wasn't as exaggerated as it seemed.
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Liz April 27, 2018 at 9:29 am #

We take shoes off inside our house, and have a big pile of shoes in the entryway to prove it. When people come over they will usually ask if they should take of their shoes and I always say "if you want to," because I would personally prefer that they did but I would NEVER force anyone to or want to make them uncomfortable. One time during a rainstorm cops were called to our house (looooong story) and the entire house was covered with wet bootprints and gravel and leaves and I was steaming mad.
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- AngieB April 27, 2018 at 10:10 am #
  
  This is our practice at our home. My children and I are shoes off all the time. My husband, not so much. I used to ask people, but now I don't. i really would prefer no shoes on my white rug.....no red wine over there either.
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- Turner April 27, 2018 at 12:15 pm #
  
  That’s exactly how we do it (minus the cops.) I also have a basket of new hotel slippers by the door so people can wear them if they want. The house stays SO much cleaner.
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Melissa April 27, 2018 at 9:48 am #

I personally hate to be barefoot, even in my own home, so I am most definitely camp SHOES ON. I get it with the germs but also I don't want someone's bare feet in my house either. Barf.
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Darcy April 27, 2018 at 9:48 am #

We have vinyl plank tile in our entire house, so shoes on are NO PROB BOB. :) We live on a cattle ranch, and I specifically have zero carpeting in our house because shoes track in so much crap (literally) at our place, and vinyl plank makes clean up easy peasy. Now, if I were at someone else's house, and they had carpet, and I had dirty shoes, I would totally take them off. I think that's just considerate of a guest. :)
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Julie Gransee April 27, 2018 at 9:49 am #

So glad to hear that I am NOT the only one who would rather have shoes touching the floors of my house than feet! Not only are they part of the outfit, but the material that shoes are made of are just so much less likely to hold onto the germs than the material our feet are made of. Our feet are porous, moist, warm, and spend a lot of time in dark places (shoes!). That's basically heaven for bacteria and fungus! We should start a campaign... #keepyourshoeson
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Chris April 27, 2018 at 10:02 am #

We're a shoes-on house. To me, the floor is the ground, where dirt lives. We have two large indoor dogs. My house is clean and tidy, but our floors are honestly filthy most days. But it's THE FLOOR. I don't eat off the floor, I don't lick the floor, and I honestly prefer not having my bare feet on anyone else's floor for multiple reasons.That said, I don't get upset if someone asks me to remove my shoes in their house. After all, it's their floor. If they want my nasty feet on it, that's fine with me.
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Ashley April 27, 2018 at 10:06 am #

I think it's polite to take shoes off in someone else's house if you notice most others don't have theirs on, BUT I'm strongly against asking guests to take shoes off. I think that's the one time you just suck it up, even if you're strictly a no shoes house. I try to plan my footwear accordingly if I'm unsure of someone's stance on it, just to be safe. :) (ie- never gonna go barefoot at someone else's house, ewwww)
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Denita April 27, 2018 at 10:11 am #

I have dogs, it would make zero sense for me to require guests to take off their shoes in my house...but I'm also a barefoot outside girl, so apparently ground germs just aren't a thing I worry about? Come over, make yourself at home, shoes on or off is your preference. I get that some people are not fans of outside germs or much better housekeepers than me and part of them being much better than me is having rules that they follow, if they want my shoes off, I will take them off...but then they have to deal with my potentially stained socks if I am wearing socks or my un-pedicured "bare flesh paddles"/"bony boats". I always wipe my shoes off on the door rugs outside and then inside, even if removing shoes....be warned.
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Jennifer C. April 27, 2018 at 10:42 am #

Shoes on! I don't care if people want to take them off at my house but it's not a requirement. I absolutely hate going to people's houses where I have to take my shoes off. I hate being barefoot and my feet are always cold! I'm always so uncomfortable and can't wait to leave.
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Jessica April 27, 2018 at 10:43 am #

Oh man, I am so glad that there are people out there who feel as strongly as I do on this subject matter! As a guest , A GUEST, in my home I want you to feel comfortable and welcome. I don't think I have ever asked anyone to take their shoes off. Leave them on or take them off, your decision. I will say that we have zero carpet (other than rugs) in our house and that makes it so much easier! I take a lot of pride in my home and I totally get it when others do as well so if it were raining or snowy or mucky out I wouldn't think twice about taking them off but even then, at our house, as long as they wiped their shoes thoroughly on the rug I don't think it's an issue. I have a friendship that has been skating on thin ice over the last few years and recently, I went to her new house to check it out. It was a fine day, not a drop of moisture in sight, they have all hardwoods and I was wearing cute boots. I kept them on. Wrong decision. I got dirty looks from her and her husband and was promptly asked to take them off. I will never go there again. Period.
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Krysten @freshfitkitchen April 27, 2018 at 11:25 am #

Would never Ask someone to take off their shoes . I’ve seen every episode of sex in the city at least half dozen times and that episode gives me chills!! Lol. I just think that having a rug for people to wipe their shoes on is fine. Also no matter how polite you say it , it just feels like you are telling people they are dirty . It’s germs and dirt . It won’t kill anyone.
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Sara April 27, 2018 at 11:32 am #

We never wear shoes in the house, however, when people come over, I would never ever ask anybody to take their shoes off. I think it’s so rude! If they take them off that’s fine but I would never ask. It does gross me out having dirty shoes all over the house so I will clean after. What’s terrible is when you go to a party and they ask you to remove your shoes. Like just don’t have people at your house then. Especially if its a fancier party and you’re dressed up.
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Amanda April 27, 2018 at 12:48 pm #

We don't take off our shoes or ask other people to do so. I actually don't walk around without shoes at home.
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Emily of The Three Bite Rule April 27, 2018 at 12:51 pm #

I hate being asked to take my shoes off. I get why people ask, but I feel like there's a difference of normal-just-family-at-home take their shoes off, but adult guests? Don't invite them if you can't vacuum/sweep/mop afterwards. I have dogs so I think I assume floors need cleaning. I live in New England so it is customary to leave boots by the door. I did appreciate somebody's evite that somehow adorably mentioned to wear cute socks since everyone will leave shoes by the door. At least I knew!
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Deborah April 27, 2018 at 12:59 pm #

I would never ask - but - if someone didn't voluntarily take them off - well - you may not be invited back. LOL I grew up in Western New York. We got snow 10 out of 12 months practically - so taking shoes off was required. PLUS - it definitely goes back to cultural upbringing. My Polish Aunts and Grandma had plastic on their couches for goodness sake! They took cleanliness to a new level! Also - growing up with sever allergies and asthma - keeping a meticulous house was really a matter of breathing - so my mom would always ask folks to remove them if they didn't already do it on their own. Now - i usually take my shoes off - but - i have a couple of 'outlaws' who have disgusting houses... so i keep my shoes on because stepping on crumbs, furballs and who knows what else is just gross!
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Anna April 27, 2018 at 1:23 pm #

I always ask visitors to remove their shoes. I have OCD (the real kind, not the fake kind everyone thinks they have) and people wearing shoes in my house is a huge trigger. I like knowing my home is clean and that if someone stepped in dog crap and then came into my house (which my MIL did once) that it won’t be tracked all over my house. I keep a basket of fuzzy socks by the front door for guests so they won’t be barefoot if they don’t want to be. Plus, who likes to clean before and after people come over? I don’t have time for that.
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- Rach May 3, 2018 at 7:15 pm #
  
  So you come right out and ask at the door?? What do you say ? Or how do you ask?? I drives me crazy when people just give a half wipe and just step in I don’t care what people say there nothing nice that barefoot!!
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- Rach May 3, 2018 at 7:23 pm #
  
  Funny I had a girl friend who had hardwood and cream colored carpets she made made everyone take off shoes at the door no excuses you were either barefoot or or standing at the dirt looking in !!! Any one ever come across anybody that insistent?? Funny Anna you sound like shoes on inside is not an option!! Lol !!
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Lindsey April 27, 2018 at 2:17 pm #

I heard something once about how dog poop particles can be found on virtually anyones shoes, so when we had twins crawling around on the floor I was like HELL NO. Shoes are left at the door. I never ask guests to remove them but it irks me when they don't.
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Tara April 27, 2018 at 2:39 pm #

We are shoes off at our house but never ask or expect people to take theirs off when they come over. Lots of my friends are Asian so no shoes in the house isn’t a big deal in our neighborhood. As for at others’ homes, I go with what the host is doing. If they have no shoes, i take mine off.
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Tara April 27, 2018 at 2:40 pm #

We are shoes off at our house but never ask or expect people to take theirs off when they come over. Lots of my friends are Asian so no shoes in the house isn’t a big deal in our neighborhood. As for at others’ homes, I go with what the host is doing. If they have no shoes, I take mine off.
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Jess April 27, 2018 at 3:51 pm #

Shoes on in the house grosses me out beyond anything. People walk through all kinds of crap outside. Have we not all been in a less than desirable restroom? I live in the city and there is no way I would bring that in my house. And homes where people wear shoes indoors, sorry, but their floors are always dirty. It’s just so unsanitary.
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Laura April 27, 2018 at 4:03 pm #

I don't ask people to take off their shoes but almost everyone automatically does because we have a pile of shoes by the door of our house all the time (all of our friends are the same). I think this is super weather dependent as well as when its rainy you don't want to track wet footprints around some else's (or your own) house. In the summer when its dry people tend to leave on sandals or cute heels for parties so I think its somewhat weather dependent. Also, who wears shoes inside all the time in their own homes?! Feet have got to breathe! I will say I would feel SUPER weird wearing shoes at my friends houses. Your friends want you to be comfortable and how do you curl up on their couch to chat with shoes on?!
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valerie April 27, 2018 at 4:56 pm #

I would NEVER ask someone to take their shoes off. I personally wear slippers or flip flops around my house because I cannot stand walking around in bare feet and I don't want to wear my shoes in the house because it's not that comfortable. But I have a friend who insists people take their shoes off by their front door, and I cannot stand going over to her house because of that. The first time it happened I was totally unprepared and so I had to walk around in socks with jeans on that were too long for sock feet but PERFECT with my heeled boots! I'm not bitter or anything. Now if I go to her house I bring my indoor flip flops, but I still don't agree with the house "policy".
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Becky Zea April 27, 2018 at 4:59 pm #

In Minnesota we always take our shoes off because our climate is so messy, But when I visit relatives in Arkansas they think we are weird for taking our shoes off at the door. I would only ask someone to take their shoes off if they were tracking in mud.
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Cheyenne Crennan April 27, 2018 at 5:13 pm #

I'm so not into peoples like bare feet on my floor. I strongly feel like its gross-er? to have your skin food on my floors and I can vacuum or mop but I cant unsee your barefoot on my floors. If you stepped in something just like tell me, or something ... LOL
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- Cheyenne Crennan April 27, 2018 at 5:14 pm #
  
  Aha I meant skin foot, but apparently autocorrect isn't into your bare feet either
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Amanda W. April 27, 2018 at 7:12 pm #

It’s hard for me to concentrate on just chilling with the people who are there if they are tracking around the DISGUSTING CITY DIRT AND GRIME AND DOG CRAP AND GERMS all over my floors! I have an immune system disorder and am highly sensitive to these sorts of things, so it’s hard for me to enjoy when I know I may get ill later. All that said, I don’t ask for shoe removal. I just leave a pile of shoes by the front door and hope they get it. Most people do. Those that don’t, well, it’s a hard night for me.
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Nicole April 27, 2018 at 7:39 pm #

I hate shoes on!!! Im always telling my boys STOP touching the bottom of your shoes and putting your hands in your mouth, you are eating other peoples poo and pee.
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Maria April 27, 2018 at 11:11 pm #

All I can say is I'm so glad I live in a country where shoes off is the norm. No issues, no discussion, no angry camps. But I still learned something when we visited Japan: not only are you expected to remove your shoes before entering a home (well, duh) but apparently you're supposed to take off your shoes before you step into a dressing room too. Didn't know that. And now I do.
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Adrienne April 28, 2018 at 6:13 am #

Shoes off. And my guests shoes come off too. I don’t care if it’s a boob thing to do. Public restrooms, airports, dog poop...shoes walk through a lot. I have young kids who crawl/lay/eat off my hardwood floors, so you’d better believe your soled germ mobiles are coming off before you come in.
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Jacquie April 28, 2018 at 10:42 am #

Shoes ON!
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Jessica April 29, 2018 at 9:12 am #

My BFF prefers people to take their shoes off ON HER FRONT PORCH. Not inside the house. Outside. And leave them on the porch! I think she has calmed down a little on her rule because people give her weird looks. Anyway, we don’t care what people do at our house. We have 2 slobbery basset hounds that track in dirt from the back yard, so I always say just protect your feet and leave the shoes on. And maybe just don’t eat off the floor?
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Klara Donovan April 30, 2018 at 12:15 am #

I am extremely late to the shoe party but I have to comment anyway. In my early 20s I had a friend who lived with her parents, and we used to have regular big group hangs at her parents' house because it was huge, she was an only child, and her parents just sat in their retreat drinking wine so nobody was cramping our style. Not only did we have to take off our shoes on arrival BUT we had to put on a pair of manky, a-million-people-have-worn-them-before-us SLIPPERS. No shoes, no bare feet, no socks. Just their horrible old mass-produced dollar-store slippers. Ugh. And I mean. They had a dog inside anyway. It was DUMB. So glad she has since married and moved out. Thankfully, there is no shoe removal required at her house.
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Magz May 1, 2018 at 12:54 pm #

Depending on how close the relationship is, I might decline invitations if I know I'll have to take my shoes off. ESPECIALLY if there's a lot of carpet. Just thinking about the friction of socks on carpet (much less feeling it) makes me feel like barfing. Also, looking at other people's feet makes me feel like barfing.
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PabloLon May 3, 2018 at 8:49 am #

I apologise, but, in my opinion, you are not right. Write to me in PM.
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Rach May 3, 2018 at 7:53 pm #

Shoes off barefeet are are way cleaner than any shoes being worn in either step in barefoot or stand at the door looking in !! IM sorry and is there no crime in keeping your feet pedicured?? You never know who’s going and the open the door barefoot glance down and say “shoes off please “!!
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