and i put some new shoes on

I had a great
time shopping yesterday and, as promised, I got myself some new boots. So, out go the old ones and here they are, my beloved Peter Storms, waterproof (well, mainly), once grey and pink. They served me well for a year or 2. Granted I didn't do more than your average and garden-variety dog walking in them, but apparently I did plenty of that and here is the proof.

In these boots I learned one very important lesson: don't shove your feet in without loosening the laces properly! Very early on I crushed the rear ankle support on one of these boots with my heel and it never recovered so they were never quite as comfortable as they should have been.

Another problem with these boots was the size. Well, the problem was more with my feet, really. I seem to fall between sizes no matter what brand I try. I had a similar problem yesterday. When I was trying on boots I fell in love with a pink suede pair that were snug and perfectly comfortable. Then I put on my extra pair of walking socks with them and they were a bit too snug. It was disappointing - and, yes, I do know they wouldn't be pink for long, but they were cute, I loved them. However, they weren't available in a larger size so here are my new boots.

Chocolate brown suede Hi-Tecs. They've got big, chunky soles and feel great, although I'm a bit concerned that in terms of size they're a little on the generous side. So what's better? A tiny bit too snug so that my big toe feels somewhat bruised after a downhill walk or a little too big so that my foot moves inside them? After having the former in my old boots, I went for the latter with the new ones. I figure I can fill up with socks if necessary. So I'm now feeling great in my new super-soft walking socks (as recommended by one of my books) and my new, roomy boots. My blisters feel better already too.

So I was wearing my boots around the house to begin to break them in. I had them on with 2 layers of socks - a thin "liner" sock under a heavier wood mid-weight walking sock. This is a very comfy trick I read about in one of my books. They suggested it helps with cushioning and comfort and also with wicking away moisture. And I do like it. So, in my two pairs of socks and new boots I was vacuuming the house this morning when Mr J and I suddenly decided to take all the dogs out for their walk before the threatened rain arrived. In our haste I forgot to change into my old boots. And now I've got the beginnings of rubbed spots on my heels. *sigh* Such a rookie mistake! Anyway, we cut short the 7.5 miles I had planned for today and just did our normal circular walk along the back roads and through farmers fields where the Lappies get a good run.

And now I think I'll strategically place some plasters on my feet so that I can wear my new boots for doing the laundry later. Do you suppose that's what Mr Hi-Tec intended?

Distance - 2 miles
Time - 45 mins
Dog(s) - all
Weather - mainly sunny
Could I do another 5? - In my old boots, yes