These Boots Are Made For...

• Walking

Here they are, my serviceable, comfortable, easy-to-zip-up winter boots, looking a little used , or abused maybe, although I did give them a good rub down. These boots have been my loyal friends for five months and have kept my feet toasty and dry throughout this long, snowy winter. In these I have tramped through snow paths to my neighbour's house, sat in an icy arena watching skaters dance, rushed from condo to car to grocery store, tiptoed through slushy puddles, and walked the new streets of our lovely neighbourhood here in Dreamland, Ontario. They have served me well but I am thrilled to pack them away until next winter.

• Stepping Out

These snappy little numbers take me to church, to dinner, to dancing, to anywhere I want to be a little dressy but still have boots on to keep my feet snug, warm, and dry. They are a bit of a problem on ice as the leather soles are quite smooth but my guy takes my arm and I am doubly blessed. Into the closet with them, too!

• Wild and Crazy

Every once in a while I step into these babies with my jeans and my cowboy hat and climb up onto my stallion for a wild ride. Well, actually--not. But I do like to prance in them now and again. The downside is they are really noisy so people can hear me coming for miles.

• Cross Country Skiing

My cross-country ski boots look almost new--because they are! While we enjoy the skiing, these old bodies rebel at being forced out into the cold. This is a problem because we need cold for snow for skiing. Anyhow, these guys are pretty high tech, so much better than the first ones we bought over thirty years ago. These are almost like a runner but have a lace-up inside, covered with a zipper part, all of which keeps the snow out. They latch easily onto the ski bindings on the skis, unlike the old ones which necessitated bending over and contorting the body in unseemly and ungainly ways before we were ready to ski.

Today I have been saying goodbye to my winter boots and, by implication, joyously saying hello to my summer sandals. Oh, take a look at last summer's shoe frenzy, too! So these boots are walking to the storage closet and summer sandals are stepping out!