New Boots

So I decided that now my badging activities are done (save for actually getting the badge and the dosimetry), I decided that I needed a pair of boots.

This wasn't something that I was going to undertake lightly.  As with everything else in my life, I go by what I've heard about something and what I've researched about something.

I selected some Red Wings.  I'd heard nothing but good things about them and I figured that if I was going to end up wearing them for the next month or so, I might as well splurge on something worthwhile.

Composite Toe Boots

I went with the composite toe.  I decided that taking my boots on and off at every checkpoint, could get very annoying very quickly.

I searched for a retailer online in the area and found one not a mile from my hotel...how oddly convenient for the size of the town I'm staying in.

It's owned by this super old couple that I'm pretty sure do more shoe repair than actual shoe sales, but they had the boots I needed.

Now, I don't know how many of you know me all that well, but I can be pretty gregarious if the mood is upon me.  So I walk into the store with about an hour to kill before the free drinks I posted up before, and end up chatting with the lady about my need for a boot without a metal toe.  She proceeds to tell me that she's got several and scurries (yes, scurries, she was very small) into the back room and proceeds to bring me every boot with a composite toe in the shop.  Which compared to their display was actually quite exhaustive.  We settle on three for me to actually try.  The other brand they carried was Carolina boots.  I'd never heard of them, but they seems a bit too tight in the ankle and a bit too loose around the foot.  So I stuck with my original thought and got the Red Wings.

Then came time for the price.

Here's the thing. Old ladies love me.  I don't know what it is, but they do.  I mean really.  This past weekend, pre-flight, I went to a festival back home with my Aunt and we're were getting to the end of the night and I was trying to burn through the rest of our food and drink tickets.  So I meander over to a bakery booth and ask the woman (who's probably 90) if the chocolate brownie looking things are good.  She says yes, all the items are good.  I said are they really three dollars, she gives me this odd grin and walks to the end of the booth and just hands them to me and says take it, you'll love them. (This concludes my pre-flight portion, I know it's lame but the rest of it was just drinking with the fam at the fest and then my Aunt's version of a cook-out with out actually "cooking out".  Still good food though.)

Back to NJ now, the woman, looks over her shoulder at her husband, sees he's busy and then looks at me and says that she's going to give me 15% off for coming in today.  I think sweet, what a bargain, then...BOOM...she rings it up and it's $152 flat.  Turns out there's no sales tax on clothes in NJ.  Awesome.  Now I just need to buy some big, thick socks.  Can't really wear my boots with ankle socks, I imagine the chafing would be unreal.

I just hope that I don't get one of those weird sock lines that people get from long, frequent boot usage.  My legs are way too hairy for all that action.

I'm off to Wilmington tomorrow.

Hasta.

P.S. Not sure if I mentioned this before but I'm probably going to be out here for about 9 weeks at a minimum, but I don't think that count starts until Monday....Super.

At least from Sunday thru Thursday I can get 4 free drinks a night from 5-6.  It should help me cope.