The Chosen Boots

I've been in denial for many years now...not to buy winter boots because I didn't NEED them...I bought a pair when I first moved to Waterloo many moons ago (1997) and they were the biggest waste of $120 I had ever spent...those f-ing boots gave me more blisters, I could hardly get my ankle through them because the tongue is sewn up, etc...I just HATED them. So I fought getting boots ever since then...and here I am, many years later, many days of wet and cold feet later, contemplating buying boots. And now that I'm a grown up, I need to consider nice enough boots to wear with my skirts...I got away with hikers the past few years, but now my skirts are getting dressier, and I need something else. So I spotted my friend Mel's boots, which are the latest "shearling boot" except not genuine sheep inside, just suede outside. Which is fine with me because I figure the real sheep will be more expensive. What I didn't expect was how MUCH more expensive.

I live in a small town, so we are lucky that we even have a Wal-Mart, which is usually the first place I head...I am so cheap about some things...And alas, they have very few boots to pick from and they are ALL black, and the closest is granny boots with fun fur at the cuff of the boot...great. Now WHAT? So I head over to Bargain Giant...NOTHING there. So I look at the ONE shoe store in town...no boots to speak of really and the sales girl was too busy chatting with friends to even inquire if I needed help.

Then I went to Sears and the shearling boots were on the cover...great, how much are they? $199.99, on sale for $99.99...holy F***!!!So I paw through all the catalogues there, only to find that all boots that even resemble the shearling boots are $99 and up...dammit.

So I gave up yesterday.

Today I just wandered over to the mall after work and a drink out at the tavern and lo and behold, I spotted Marks Workwear House, where I had bought my new hikers earlier this year before heading to central America. And GAZOOKS! There in front of me was the coveted shearling boot!!! And the price was $69.99 marked down to $48.99. The outside is genuine suede, and then man made sheepskin inside. So I tried them on, wonderful, great, lets pay for them and the sales gal rung them in at $39.99, but described as two-zip black boots, and she couldn't ring them in to say anything else...so she had to give them to me for that price...whoo hoo! I wasn't going to be the one to suggest taking ANOTHER pair and trying that tag...so I left, happily with my boots!