Boots

I thought I'd put on some more of my boots, because I love them so much.  And to talk about boots in general.

   I saw these boots in one of the many boot stores in Gatlenburg while we were on vacation.  I absolutely fell in love with them.  They are gorgeous and Ariat's, which is a really good brand.  So I know the leather is quality leather.  If you care about the leather quality of your boots, basically a good thick leather and lots of give to it is what you are looking for.  Compare the thickness to other boots in the store, and press your finger on the leather and rub it to the side.  It should move.  It shouldn't be stiff.  It should have give, basically.  It's kind of hard to explain.


   So anyway, I saw these in the store.  I have a fairly wide foot, so occasionally I have to buy wides.  I figured these would be wide enough because the toe does not come to a point.  But when I put them on, they didn't fit!  You can imagine my disappointment.  The store said they didn't carry wides.  But this other store might.  So after first looking all over one store where they had a boot sale, and them not having it at all, we went to the store he suggested in the mountain mall.  While there my dad found a pair of alligator boots that had the color he was after.  They didn't fit at first so the a salesperson put an insert in them and they fit.  Then the saleswoman kept going on and on about how inserts fix everything.  So when she was gone we joked: "Get an 11 and put an insert in it!  It'll fit!"
   Helen found a pair that she liked, and they didn't fit (not even with an insert).  She already had some boots anyway, and doesn't even wear them that often.  So it's not like major loss.  At least I don't think she thought it was.  I found the boots I was looking for and asked if they had wides...drum roll please...they didn't have wides for it!  It turns out that Ariat doesn't sell wides for that boot so I would never find it.  Ever.  But!  Both my dad (who has had boots for years) and the owner of the store said that boots should be snug.  They loosen out a lot as you wear them.  So the owner steamed them for me and I walked around a little.  (The steaming is for loosing them up faster.)  And she steamed them again.  I got to the point wear it fit my left foot perfectly.  My right foot was still kind of tight at the toe.  So she steamed the right foot again.  It still felt too tight.  Dad and the owner lady said they would loosen out.  Dad said what he did once was poor hot water in the boots in the tub.  So they were wet inside and out.  He wore them all day, and they shrunk and expanded to exactly fit his foot.  So, I decided to trust them.  The fact that I did NOT want to give up those boots might have had something to do with it.  :-)
   So far, I have not tried the hot water.  I want to do it sometime I'm going to be walking around all day instead of sitting and doing school all day.  But I still love those boots.  I don't think anyone on earth has better boots.  I don't even know that it would be possible to ever make better, more amazing boots.

I love them!

I love them so much!