| On the threshold of the palace [message #11778] |
Thu, 19 February 2009 18:22  |
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 AJLR
Messages: 2564
Registered: September 2008
Location: England, UK |
Senior Member
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On the threshold of the palace
"Never let a computer know you're in a hurry."
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11790 is a reply to message #11778 ] |
Thu, 19 February 2009 18:54  |
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Reason number 5 to have dogs: sprawling together.
Hurrah, a story! Thank you and Peter for sharing. :)
Smooshes!
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11792 is a reply to message #11791 ] |
Thu, 19 February 2009 18:59 |
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...and Dirzhan sounds ripe for some serious adventures. Lovely taste. Thank you both!
Someone says "pie" and we all go on alert, like meercats. "Pie? Where?" - Blackbear
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11798 is a reply to message #11778 ] |
Thu, 19 February 2009 20:18 |
skating librarian
Messages: 570
Registered: October 2008
Location: Vermont |
Senior Member |
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Cool ... both the photos and the tantalizing bit of story.
How long will we have to wait until it sees the light of day in the form of a book? Or is Peter going to do something radical like e-publishing?
"Winning a war is like winning an earthquake" Jeanette Rankin
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11799 is a reply to message #11778 ] |
Thu, 19 February 2009 20:26 |
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Shoes on the furniture! Shoes in the house. My Canadian self flinches, but I have heard that that's the way U.S.ians roll. And who can fault them when they do it so urbanely?
Love the blogging approach to the story! Any idea when you or Peter are going to start twittering? 
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11805 is a reply to message #11778 ] |
Thu, 19 February 2009 23:34 |
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There were no footnotes!!! I... don't know how to handle this... the entry feels incomplete somehow...
Scosborne, I'm usually barefoot when at home or in the homes of close friends, despite being American.
"The center of every man's existence is a dream. Death, disease, insanity, are merely material accidents, like a toothache or a twisted ankle. That these brutal forces always besiege and often capture the citadel does not prove that they are the citadel."
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11813 is a reply to message #11812 ] |
Fri, 20 February 2009 08:41 |
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AJLR
Messages: 2564
Registered: September 2008
Location: England, UK |
Senior Member
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We have two shoe-colonies in the house, one in the front lobby where our own 'going out' shoes are removed/put on (guests do as they please, obviously), and one just inside the kitchen door for the change from indoor footwear to garden footwear. I'm less rigid with regard to the need for garden footwear than Ray is - I tend to think that mud, grass cuttings, etc, won't stick to my indoor flip-flops if I don't allow it. Ray, however, is the one who washes the kitchen floor...
It sounds as though one would be summarily executed in Dirzhan if one tracked mud into the palace! 
"Never let a computer know you're in a hurry."
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11816 is a reply to message #11811 ] |
Fri, 20 February 2009 10:04 |
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This is all very interesting stuff about shoe-removing protocol in the U.S. My main source of information about it is from a New Yorker and her NY state partner who moved to Canada and, in the first years after their move, blogged a bit about the differences they found in the two countries. I was reminded about it again recently watching an episode of This Old House, where the hosts were asked to take off their shoes by the homeowners. It's always such a given up here.
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11858 is a reply to message #11839 ] |
Fri, 20 February 2009 22:04 |
skating librarian
Messages: 570
Registered: October 2008
Location: Vermont |
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I always figured that it had something to do with zen or yoga ... or something Japanese
Recently I ready that 80% of the dirt in houses is tracked in from outdoors. It said nothing about how much is created by pets...
Living in a rural area one can see how it would become second nature, but I have a hard time breaking old habits. It's funny, my extra fastidious parents have never shown an inclination to change footgear unless they were wearing snow boots.
Although one is expected to wash ones feet before coming in from the beach.
I wonder about the influence of wall to wall carpet and expensive rugs ...
Its a mystery!
"Winning a war is like winning an earthquake" Jeanette Rankin
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11871 is a reply to message #11820 ] |
Fri, 20 February 2009 23:25 |
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Diane in MN
Messages: 2728
Registered: October 2008
Location: Twin Cities, MN, USA |
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| Mrs Redboots wrote on Fri, 20 February 2009 11:22 |
And oh, how I am squeeeeing about the story extract. Nigel sounds like a wonderful character (like my absolute favourite of Peter's people, who is Princess Louise from King and Joker, and does that date me, or what?).
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Oh, I like Louise too! King and Joker was the first book of Peter's I read and put him firmly on my list of writers to watch for.
[Updated on: Fri, 20 February 2009 23:40]
"The point of books is to have way too many but to always feel you never have enough . . . " Louise Erdrich
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11875 is a reply to message #11838 ] |
Sat, 21 February 2009 00:02 |
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| Robin wrote on Fri, 20 February 2009 20:00 |
WEATHER. TEMPERATURE. SEASONS. Good grief. I am NOT going barefoot when the ankle level draughts are FREEZING.
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My inner sense of what is proper tends to be rather backwards - I like wearing boots in the summer with my shorter skirts, but not so fond of them in the winter unless it's raining*... I really like to wear my trusty flip-flops all year round, though. I've had friends scold me for wearing flip flops in 30 degree(F) weather before...
I don't really live in a place that gets exceedingly cold, though. And, when it is cold, I don't like to leave the house.
*there is nothing worse than wet feet! Boots please!
"The center of every man's existence is a dream. Death, disease, insanity, are merely material accidents, like a toothache or a twisted ankle. That these brutal forces always besiege and often capture the citadel does not prove that they are the citadel."
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11894 is a reply to message #11857 ] |
Sat, 21 February 2009 09:26 |
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The forum ate my initial comment.
I usually kick the shoes off soon after getting home, since fluffy slippers are infinitely more comfortable -- but I'd probably not do it if guests were expected! It would feel rude, since they'd be unlikely to come with slippers of their own, and I don't exactly have a supply for visitors.
My experience is that up here/over here in Canada, we do exactly that - bring our own pair of slippers! If we don't know the people very well, we might double up on socks ahead of time or just deal with the cold feet. If you know you are going to someone's house who is not the best housekeeper, you would probably just put on socks before you visited them as a precaution. But floors generally aren't so bad (unless the person is a real slob) because shoes aren't worn inside to start with.
I've been thinking how odd it might be to someone not used to default shoe removal to go to one of those big university house parties and see everyone in their sock feet. But that's what we do. Imagine a frat party where everyone takes their shoes off at the door.
In the summer, if you go to a barbecue, Canadians will take their shoes off at the front door, walk through the house, and put them on at the back door before going out on the patio. We would only keep them on after asking permission or being invited.
Update #2: I found the blog post about this. It's here. The comments are interesting, at least, I think so.
[Updated on: Sat, 21 February 2009 11:00]
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| Re: On the threshold of the palace [message #11895 is a reply to message #11821 ] |
Sat, 21 February 2009 10:59 |
kfoster2047
Messages: 138
Registered: January 2009
Location: Charlotte, NC |
Senior Member |
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I'm with Shalea - barefoot as soon as possible - winter or summer. (I don't like slippers or socks, they make my feet hot, and I sneer at ankle drafts. ) I never expect guests to take off their shoes but many of them do when they realize that you aren't wearing shoes.
Actually the one exception to barefoot in the house is long periods of on your feet kitchen work - such as Thanksgiving - and then I go for my crocs. They don't look good but they sure help my back.
[Updated on: Sun, 22 February 2009 09:28]
Karen
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