How I found out my dog was smarter than me

Or at least more frugally-minded.  Is that right?  Or Frugal minded.  Or cheap.  Whatev.

Our lack of Shoesday posts can be chalked up to one of two things. 
1. We have had it up to HERE with the shoe cults, or
2. We are lazy.

I will take 1 AND 2 for the win Alex. 

I haven't quit shoe clandom yet, but if I don't drink the kool-aid soon, I imagine they will off me sooner rather than later. 

I bought a pair of shoes in July because I didn't follow the rules.  Because the rules were so super clear shoe selling people!   Which rule? The 5 days no takesies backsies even if you ask for a new selection pay up now bull crap.  That rule.  CoughNigerianScamCough.  What, wrong country?

I thought I actually liked them.  They went with outfits I didn't already have a designated shoe for.
I wore them to work twice and both times I came home with unfortunately putrid smelling wet feet nurturing blisters that resembled oil coated dead jelly fish in the Gulf.  But I wanted to like them.  I really did.  So much that when I cleaned out my closet, (well let's just say I picked up the crap on the floor), I refrained from tossing them in the Give Away pile. 

Then one evening as I recovered from a terribly hard day of playing on the interwebs and emailing Gina, as I stalked people through Facebook and watched a rerun of Bones for the 4th time, I heard this weird scraping sound.  Scraping like fingernails on rubber.  Cause you know, clearly you are annoyed daily by that sound...

And there was Blue chowing down on the heel of my shoe.  I would take a picture, but I left my camera at my in-laws.  Likely story, I know.

And that was the last pair of shoes I have bought from the Bieber Lover and the Other Shoe Gang.  And the last one I intend to buy. 
I know, I know, the cost of gas driving to the shoe store plus the shoe prices and often sparse selection of non rubbery, non-velcro including shoes surely will cause me to eat my words.  And you might be right.  But I am officially on sabbatical from online shoe buying. 

And also in the market for a rubber based toy for the dog.  We are now down 1 pair of shoes and 2 garden hoses.  Also a rug and 5 rubber balls.  And a partridge in a pear tree.

Suggestions?