The Shoe Princess's Guide to the Galaxy (37 page)

1. You didn’t actually do anything (with Ben or Marco).

2. Ben’s a young, hot-blooded hunk who’s only interested in flings with desperate housewives. He should be cloned, not castigated!

3. There’s nothing to be gained by telling Tim (you were only tempted in the first place because he was off with the pixies; plus, you said yourself that you barely even give Marco a second thought these days).

4. There’s also nothing to be gained by telling Fi (again, no harm done; plus, we don’t want to spook her – thankful as we are that she’s back together with her Mr Right).

And anyway, Ben’s magic certainly worked on our little Liz, didn’t it! You see, he DID sleep with someone that night at shoe school – only not me. (I’m almost insulted.) Just goes to show, you can never judge a girl by her cream kitten heels. Maybe the odd illicit fling isn’t that bad, after all? It certainly gave Liz back her spark – and she and Harry went on to make babies soon after it too. (It’s so sweet that you and I are the only people on the planet that know about it ... and sworn to secrecy!)

       
Big news is that I’ll be back in London in the new year – minus lover. (He’s been head-hunted – moving with the family to Switzerland.) Let’s do lunch on one of your work days at Ogdens – Carluccio’s and quick whizz down New Bond Street sound OK?

       
Congrats again, you clever shoe princess, you!

       
R xx

From:        Jane (home)

To:                Liz (work)

Subject:        Honoured

Dearest Liz

       
Was lovely seeing Rachel, wasn’t it? She hasn’t changed a bit. (Though don’t know why I expected her to have.) Am so very honoured to be asked to be your birth partner. And do think you’re right – best kept as ‘secret women’s business’. Harry would most definitely faint! Can highly recommend the Gladiator soundtrack for giving birth – much more warrior-woman strength required than dreamy old Enya (but you’ll have to take my word on this one). Thrilled that you loved your bespoke mum shoes, too.

       
Chat soon, and take care

       
Jane

       
xx

From:        Jane (home)

To:                Fi (work)

Subject:        Happy One Year (or thereabouts) Anniversary

Dearest Fi

       
Hoorah – you made it! Warmest congratulations to you and Marco – a truly deserving couple. Can’t wait to hear where he’s whisked you off to for your surprise candlelit dinner this evening – he’s such a romantic. I wonder if I need to start looking for a hat sometime soon  ...

       
Just wanted to thank you again for giving me those Salvatore Ferragamo shoes (Kate would never have appreciated them, anyway) for my big interview with Ogdens. They certainly were my lucky charm.

       
Glad to see you’ve made friends again with heels and hair dye, too. Though I must admit that the yoga was the best thing to have come out of Tim’s time in Bangalore ... he’s even got me doing it now.

       
Jane

       
xx

From:        Sophie (work)

To:                Jane (home)

Subject:        RE: Day Dates

So pleased that you liked the day-dates idea – and that you weren’t offended by my suggesting it. A girlfriend of mine put me on to the concept when I went back to work, so thought the least I could do was pass on ‘the knowledge’. It really is ingenious though, isn’t it – baby-free daytime dates with your husband during the week, when you’re both awake AND in a good mood. A sure marriage-saver! (I think the babysitting fees should be 100% tax-deductible.)

       
Am feeling especially tired these days, of course. Had seriously forgotten how exhausting early pregnancy was. Plus, can’t just lie down now and rest when I want to, what with Hugh to run around after etc. Have just negotiated with work to cut back to 3 days per week, after the baby’s born. As James got a pay rise, think it’s feasible. Plus, I haven’t been able to get my chargeable hours up this year on 4 days per week, so thought I may as well downshift – as suspect life’s going to be a little busier from now on. (Am emotionally coming to terms with not making partner ... for time being. Let’s just hope I don’t end up in the photocopy room by the end of next year.)

       
At least glad I won’t have to juggle double buggy down moss-covered steps to Mary’s clinic with bub number two. Popped my head in the clinic door yesterday on my way home from work, and caught Mary setting everything up now that the building works are finished – she was on cloud nine. You do realise that we’re going to have to have a gala champagne-opening now!

       
Best get back to work ... Huge congrats again on the job.

       
Sophie x

www.ShoePrincess.com
 
The awards for the most impressive SP Shoe Cupboards:
 
1. OK let’s get the obvious out of the way: any woman who works in an executive position in a fashion house, magazine/media company, or just happens to own a shoe empire. Her bespoke Aladdin’s cave of shoes is the envy of all SPs.
2. SP of Amsterdam who keeps her suede shoes in her double oven. Well, shoes are more important than food.
3 SP of Notting Hill who converted her loft into a walk-in shoe cupboard. Complete with a claw foot-bath and chandelier in the middle of the room, and original Andy Warhol shoe art on the walls. My personal idea of heaven!
 
If the Shoe Fits
 
SP and nursery teacher of Cardiff agrees with recent studies that suggest our personalities are largely formed by 3 years of age. Naturally, she needed to look no further than the shoes of her pupils for confirmation  ...
 
Junior Shoe Princesses
 
Fairy Princess Sparkle
– only wears pink, shimmery shoes; often shy; loves to dress up; highly imaginative play.
Funky Girl
– trendy boots / trainers in bright colours; high energy levels; adventurous; inquisitive; talkative; can be fiery.
Earth Mother
– black / brown boots or trainers; capable; physical; strong sense of duty; little fear.
Hippie Chick
– flip-flops and sandals no matter the season; intuitive; caring; prone to going off and doing own thing.
Prefect
– Mary Janes with socks/tights and matching sunhat; organiser; facilitator; good at tidying up / breaking up fights.
 
Junior Shoe Princes
 
Superhero
– socks or no shoes, as more interested in superhero costumes; strong sense of self and world around him.
Clubber
– trendy trainers with orange neon laces; quietly confident; artistic; observant.
Euro Prince
– classic upmarket imported leather shoes; sophisticated; knowing; calm; articulate.
Sneaker Freak
– white trainers; likes to conform and be part of the gang; loves ball games, comics, Lego and wrestling.
Sandal Boy
– extremely practical; loves nature and all things outdoors; kind, caring and sensitive.

33. A Clean Pair of Heels

From:        Jane (Ogdens)

To:                Aunt Margaret (home)

Subject:        Merry Christmas

Dear Aunt Margaret

       
I’m very conscious that tomorrow is the 1st of December, and your family Christmas card will be in the post, without our reply to your email. I do apologise. It has certainly been a hectic year, with much change in the Meadows household.

       
The most important event for us has obviously been the welcome arrival of our dear little Millie – who is actually 15 months old now. She is an adventurous, curious and happy little girl, and is without doubt the absolute light of our lives. She’s just started walking and has almost got the hang of sleeping through the night – thank goodness. (But is prone to the odd 3 a.m. play session in her cot!) Am afraid that she is her mother’s daughter, as her first word was ‘shoe’.

       
I’ve recently taken up a full-time position with a large department store in the West End, and am enjoying it hugely. While Millie has been particularly lucky to have Tim at home caring for her, as well as doing 2 days a week with a local childminder. Tim is currently assessing his options for work – having been one of many redundancies at the bank this year. It has been quite eye-opening for both of us – experiencing life in the other’s shoes!

       
I’m sure there are more challenges ahead for us in the new year, but we are looking forward to them, surrounded as we are by, and very thankful for, our loving families and friends.

       
With all our love and warmest wishes to you and your family for a happy and healthy festive season and year ahead

       
Jane, Tim and Millie

       
xxx

It certainly has been interesting being in Tim’s shoes ...

       
And while I’m enjoying working at Ogdens more than words can describe – it really is my dream job of a lifetime – it’s quite pressured too. As I’ve been putting in some seriously long hours to get all my plans (which I sold so well in the interview) up and running. Marco is officially signed up with us, by the way, as our hot new shoe/boot designer; and I’m going to Milan with him soon to look at factories for my mum shoes. There’s also talk of work sponsoring me on an Ars Arpel short course – but am putting this on the back burner for now, as I can’t get my head round leaving Millie for any longer than a day, just yet. Though I’m sure I’ll have to do it at some point. At least I’m being given loads of resources to put my super shoe strategy into action – which is lucky, as the sales targets I received today from the MD are
fearsome
.