Today I got a new pair of walking boots. Here’s a picture of them:
OK, maybe not; but they might as well be. You see, my new boots are blue.
When I posted the photo of the Dales Walk team last week Phil commented that he thought that we all looked a little drab. But in truth it’s all a matter of perspective. Sure, to his Hawaiian shirt wearing garish American eyes we were a mite subdued. But to our muted English sensibilities we were positively resplendent. Some might even argue that we had gone over the top. Just look at Craig’s turquoise anorak for a start; he always was a bit of an extrovert.
Every pair of shoes, boots or trainers I have previously owned have been either brown, black, grey, or if I was feeling particularly daring, a combination of all three. In the stuffy and repressed world of Dan colored shoes have always been the domain of women, childen, and people wo consider themselves “wacky”.
So why my sudden leap into the world of lurid footwear? Well for a start the boots were half price. Down fifty quid from a hundred – always a bonus. And also the size I wanted was just sitting around in a box in the shop which meant that I didn’t have to talk to the sales assistant. I have rather large feet (12/13) and shops often don’t have the shoes I want in my size. This means I have to repeatedly ask the staff to ferret around the back room to search for something that fits me. This uses incredible amounts of my human interaction reserves, and as a result leaves me too traumatized to speak to any other sales assistants or call center operatives for at least two months.
But the main reason I chose the boots is that I have always had a tendency to use the same pair of shoes for every single occasion. In fact, up until this morning I only had one pair of shoes – a remarkably comfortable but shabby pair of brown mud splattered trainers. I’ve had them for around 9 months and during that time I’ve used them for walking, lazing round the house, work, and even going to a funeral. But these new boots are meant for walking only, The Dales Walk to be precise, and, while I need to wear them in, I don’t want to knacker them before we set off. However by being blue there isn’t a chance in hell I’m going to wear them anywhere that I don’t need to, thereby maintaining their pristine nature for when I need them most.
Pure genius, even if I do say so myself.
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2 things Mr Daniel.
1 – I THINK you should have bought 2 pairs of shoes. I’ve made many failed attempts at half marathons and the general idea is that two pairs are better as you can break in the two at the same time.Therefore swap and switch if needed.
2 – Don’t you EVER pull out of a comment on my blog, you are a fine man and regardless of the popularity or unpopularity or your comment I trust you to be honest and truthful. Nothing else can or should be asked.
Xbox4NappyRash’s last blog post..An immaculate conception?
Blue shoes? They’ll throw you out of England!
Whit’s last blog post..The Honea Express Review: Rockabye- From Wild to Child
What? No pics of the shoes?
And yeah, what’s up with holding back on Xbox? You had no problem alienating my readers with your vicious attacks!
(I’m just kidding)
Ed (zoesdad)’s last blog post..Zula’s Lazy Cobbler
I want to see the shoes. Do they curl up at the ends?
Jo Beaufoix’s last blog post..Beloved
You’re a loose cannon Dan. I hope Dales Way is ready for the likes of you and your overstated footwear!
Jeff’s last blog post..It’s a bit drafty in here
Bearing in mind all that lovely Slawit mud, they won’t stay blue for long.
Rol’s last blog post..Book Meme
Wow…what a risk taker you are with your blue boots.
jason’s last blog post..Rollin’ With The Punches
Hayley’s walking boots are also blue. It’s not so much the new black. More the new blue/brown/black combo.
By the way, I put an RSS feed on Life Begins about 24 hours after you told me to! (In fact two feeds: one for comments and one for posts.) So I demand promotion back to your Google Reader list!
Steve’s last blog post..Snippets
Walking boot and trainers?
¿Qué?
Donna’s last blog post..Swing vote
Personally I would send you a few coppers for wearing the red and yellow ones. You would even get on the local News wearing them. Think of the publicity.
Gail’s last blog post..Keesha and Freya
Are you sure that the boots you have show are SPECIFICALLY made for people working in the circus or doing clown work? I just can imagine them working unless one were to put on a rubber nose. But then you may as well dress as a clown.