I wear boots all day every day. Following is a list of the boots that I wore during the last week.

Monday 5 May
Work-work all day. Rain threatened; I drove my truck instead of my Harley. Got there at the usual oh-dark-30. I wore Black Jack blue/cream python cowboy boots with navy slacks, blue shirt, contrasting blue tie. Meetings. Many meetings.

When I got home, the rain was over. Changed to leather jeans and lug-soled Frye boots. Rode the Harley on some errands, dropped in on a senior pal, and got home by 1730 to prepare dinner for the spouse and myself.

After dinner, boots off, snugglies on… did community work on my laptop while the spouse watched drivel on TV. To bed by the customary 2030.

Tuesday 6 May

Work-work all day. Rode the Harley for my commute at the usual oh-dark-30. Wore lug-soled Champion Attitude burgundy/black ostrich harness boots with black slacks, grey shirt, no tie. My meetings were all by conference call — thank goodness they were not video-based.

On my way home, I ran some errands then arrived home by 1700. Changed to Justin square-toe boots, jeans, and t-shirt. Prepared dinner for my spouse and me, then did some housecleaning after dinner.

Went to bed at the usual 2030.

Wednesday 7 May

Rain threatened again… drove to work in my truck at the usual oh-dark-30. Wore Dan Post black cherry vegas-cut wingtip cowboy boots with dress khakis, light blue shirt, burgundy tie. Meetings. Director’s Meetings. Lovely.

Home by the usual 1545. Changed to jeans, Rios of Mercedes cognac ostrich cowboy boots, t-shirt, and just hung out at home with the spouse while I prepared dinner. We retreated to our usual basement hidey-hole for the evening. Fortunately, TV was off. We read aloud to each other. To bed by the usual 2030.

Thursday 8 May

More rain, more truck commuting to work at oh-dark-30. Darn! The rain cleared by 0730, but I was already at work for two hours. Wore Lucchese Santo Oklahoma cowboy boots with tan slacks, blue shirt and my “lightning” tie (hand-painted gift). Met many of the local TV weather broadcasters at a meeting. Interesting. Thanked one of them for the “lightning tie” which he had given to me as a gift about 20 years ago when I spoke at a conference for an organization that at the time, he was serving as President.

Left work early. Drove home, changed to clean denim jeans, black Nocona bullhide boots, unadorned plain golf shirt, and took my spouse to see a doctor who is supposed to be one of the absolute best in the field for the narrow specialty of treating my spouse’s illness. Five hours… full five hours, including an EEG. We could actually see how the toxins from the disease organism affect nerves and the brain. Great visit… we have restored hope. We’ll see how the new treatment protocol works.

Home in time to be in bed by the usual 2030.

Friday 9 May

Clear skies; rode the Harley to work at oh-dark-30. Wore brown Chippewa ostrich harness boots, brown jeans, light tan short-sleeved shirt, no tie. No meetings. Great catch-up day with the boss, preparing to serve as his “acting” while he is on travel all next week.

Home by 1545, as usual. Caught up with the spouse a little bit, then parked the Harley and moved my truck back into the garage. Then realized with rain predicted for Saturday and that I’ll be on a motorcycle ride with cop buddies on Sunday, I had to mow the lawn. Changed to grubbier work jeans, Timberland work boots and knocked out the lawn-mowing in the usual half-hour. Came inside, took a quick shower, pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and prepared dinner. Barefooted.

After dinner, my spouse and I spent about an hour going over the household finances and investments, making a few tweaks, and ensuring that everything is paid in full, the emergency fund was adequately funded, and anticipated bills were covered. My spouse already had planned where to take money to pay this doctor’s bill. That specialist charges a princely sum and he does not participate with any health insurance plan.

We sat and talked until bedtime, the usual 2030.

Saturday 10 May

Rose at oh-dark-30 to take a six-mile walk in Chippewa hikers with my senior walking pal.

Home by 0645, showered, and changed into leather jeans, t-shirt, and black Double H western work boots. Prepared four-flour waffles for the spouse, then took off to meet some senior pals to take them grocery shopping. Twice.

After the thrill of shopping with 7 old ladies was over, I returned home and prepared a potato-based pizza for my spouse for lunch.

After lunch, I changed into camo BDUs, which I wear as dirty work clothes. I pulled on my oldest, mud-gaffed engineer boots and went out to work on the pond and try to figure out where our tadpoles went. There is a muddy area next to the pond which I filled with dirt and gravel. Hopefully it will dry out and firm up. But the boots… well… dirty again.

Went on an afternoon jaunt to look for more tadpoles… dirty boots work great for that. Success! I found at least a dozen. This summer: ribbit! ribbit!

Came back home to find the spouse fast asleep. Kept quiet; let him rest. I shined up my lug-soled Dehner patrol boots for tomorrow.

Prepared dinner for my spouse and myself, then snuggled with the man I love for the rest of the evening… in socks and shorts.

Life is short: wear boots every day!