Living purely for pleasure now...

Or – how to accept, live in the moment – and say “Yes” sometimes.

Portrait of the artist as a Foot Model! Photo by Carmen Blike.

I have only ever had one pedicure in my life – and that is one too many! I did it to please my Brazilian daughter-in-law for her Big Brazilian Wedding, six years ago, and that is four hours of my life I will never get back.

So, when Natalie called, looking for models for a training Pedicure workshop, I hesitated…

My feet are wide, calloused and functional. I hate varnish and slopping around in sensible sandals, with nothing to embellish the toes or attract the eye has served me well up to this point in my life. On the other hand, Natalie is a friend – she is very good at what she does – and I need to be a bit more of a “Yes” woman now – I’m not embracing experience as much as I used to and it’s showing in my work…

I pitch up at the little parlour – just around the corner from my own studio – at 1.30, having made sure to do a good few hours of paperwork before lunch to atone for this frivolous two hour pause in my working day!

Carmen is there – she is the other foot model – and I am happy to see her back from her travels. Two trainees work on her feet (dainty, smooth – already painted…), whilst Jody gets my cheesy offerings all to herself. She is gracious. We have Wales in common.

The session lasts a couple of hours – what are they doing down there? Warm under a blanket, I fight dozing off – feel superior when I hear Carmen snoring – then remember her jet lag and that she, at least, has an excuse…

It’s over. My feet are re-born and tipped with coral. Carmen sports scarlet. We are handed floral tea and thanked as we edge our new feet into old sandals – but it’s us that should be thankful – a free beauty treatment with banter – it’s a gift!

We are told to walk slowly home – the varnish will not harden properly for an hour. There is nothing for it – the only option at 4.30 on a Tuesday afternoon is to perch, carefully at a café table, toes protected in the shade – and catch up over a Spritz!

When the waitress brings the glasses of orange alcohol to the table, she announces that they have been paid for by – him. She points to a man sitting opposite – he acknowledges our grateful smiles with a nod.

Later, as we pass by to thank him on our way home, he says:

“I just think you make a beautiful couple – it’s my pleasure. By the way – who does your nails?”