Boots last week, yesterday, today, tomorrow… what’s on my feet.

My week last week continued as it usually does… work, caregiving at home and with my senior pals, building “that big thing for the kitchen,” and doctor’s visits and a biker’s meeting… same old same old. Here is how I was booted this past week:

Saturday 5 July
Up and outta bed super early… well before dawn. Made sure foods were prepared for my spouse that he can prepare for himself while I was out all day working on a home remodeling rehab project that was filmed for a cable TV show. I wore my Timberland Work Boots with carpenter jeans and a t-shirt that I replaced with one provided by the show.

I worked all… day… long… my part of the work was done by 1900. I then had a crazy idea and went to the local building supplies retailer on my way home to buy supplies to build a bridge. I used a gift card provided to me for helping out with the show. (Trust me, the gift card was nominal, but it was appreciated nonetheless.)

Home by 2000, exhausted, but happy. Checked on my spouse, who was fine. I took off the boots, the rest of my clothing, and showered off the grunge and sweat, then soaked in the hot tub for a while. To bed by 2045. I fell asleep before I even got into bed.

Sunday, 6 July

Up at dawn; I must be crazy or a real morning person (actually, I am both.) Met my senior walking pal for a shorter-than-usual walk — just five miles on another absolutely delightful day, weather-wise (cool for this time of year and very low dew point). I was wearing my usual Chippewa Hikers, jeans, and t-shirt.

When I got home, I prepared breakfast for my spouse, woke him, and enjoyed a leisurely meal with the man I love.

However, by 0800, I was rarin’ to go… switched boots to Chippewa cowboy-style work boots. Assembled my tools, safety gear, and materials, and got to work building a bridge between the hardscape pathway already in our forest to the new patio next to the pond that I built last year. My spouse’s disability makes it very hard for him to get to the patio over rough terrain. The bridge has a sturdy side rail that he uses to support himself.

While my spouse is no longer able to assist me when I get involved in construction projects, he sat with me all day. It was great to have him there to talk to, bounce ideas off of, or just see him smile. Joy and smiles are not that common these days.

We broke for lunch, and I made my spouse’s favorite potato-based pizza. (I had a small sandwich, because I can’t eat what my spouse eats. These dual diets are difficult to manage.)

Right after lunch, out I went again and by 1600, the new bridge was completed! My spouse is very happy with it and I think it turned out quite well. We sat on the patio by the pond, and soon enough, I was sound asleep right there in the chair. My spouse woke me about 1730.

It was warmer, and I was kinda dirty, so I hosed off my boots (and, ahem, had an outdoor shower myself), then took the clothes off and took a real shower — inside with soap. Afterwords, I pulled on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and a pair of socks.

Prepared dinner, then sat with my spouse to watch a movie for a while, then to bed by 2020… I was really tired.

Monday 7 July

Up at oh-dark-30 and pulled on a pair of dress navy slacks, blue shirt, blue tie and black Chippewa ostrich harness boots. For another week, I am Acting… that is, filling in for the boss and others while they are on business travel or vacation. Rode the Harley to work. The Harley missed me!

Worked until 1430, then took off for home to change … vehicles (thought I ditched the tie) and drove my spouse in my truck to a long visit with his primary physician. Tweak here and there on his treatment protocol, but not much.

Home by 1800. We both were not surprised that there wasn’t much that came from this doctor’s appointment, but at least it confirmed what we had been learning from certain test results. However, we both were disappointed.

I prepared dinner for the both of us, though neither of us had much of an appetite. I changed clothes to jeans, t-shirt, and steel-toed Chippewa engineer boots. I worked some more in my shop on “that big thing for my kitchen” and my spouse just lay on the sofa, thinking. We went to bed by 2030.

Tuesday 8 July

Up at oh-dark-30, as usual. Pulled on a pair of dark brown slacks, tan dress shirt, brown tie, and brown Chippewa ostrich harness boots. Rode the Harley to work… many meetings… long day. Home by 1630.

I was planning to go to a meeting at the fire house, but my spouse was having a really bad day, so I called a friend who would be there and told him that I couldn’t come. I changed quickly to soft clothes and poured myself into caregiving. He had a really… bad… evening. Fortunately, the bright side is that his situation did not require a return to the hospital emergency room.

I finally got to bed by 2300 and was assured that I could go to work the next day and leave him on his own.

Wednesday 9 July

Struggled to rise at oh-dark-30, but reset the alarm for another half-hour of sleep. When it went off the next time, I got up, dressed in nice khakis, blue shirt, yellow/blue tie, and a new pair of Tony Lama Signature Series Cognac Caiman dressy cowboy boots (See related blog post).

Drove the truck to work — strong storms forecast for later, plus I was dead tired. Had a busy and productive day at work. Home by 1600.

The spouse was better, thankfully. I changed to jeans, t-shirt, and socks. I fed him dinner, and he ate well. But by the time dinner was over, it was raining, so no going out. My spouse watched watched a show that he had recorded on his Tivo while I worked some more in my shop on “that big thing for my kitchen.” To bed by the usual 2030.

Thursday 10 July

Slept better, and up at the usual oh-dark-30. Storms still in the forecast, so no Harley again… pulled on black dress slacks, blue shirt, maroon tie, and Lucchese Classic dark brown goatskin dress boots. Yes, it is perfectly okay to wear dark brown boots with black slacks. No one noticed!

Meetings, certifications, budgets… all day long. Home by 1630 again. Man, I miss the boss!

Spouse was bright and cheerful. I changed to jeans, t-shirt, and lug-soled black Frye campus boots. Prepared dinner and watched my spouse eat quite well!

After dinner, I drove the truck to a meeting of my motorcycle club. It poured rain the entire time, as well as on my way home. Not a night to ride the Harley, even if it were to the motorcycle club meeting!

Home by 2055. We both went to bed.

Friday 11 July

Ahhhh… Friday! My favorite work day of the week! And payday, too! Since all my bills are paid, I put 95% of my net pay into savings. The other 5% I keep for cash to spend on groceries and personal small stuff. Since I don’t eat out or go anywhere, the cash I need for two weeks is rather minimal. I do not use a credit card for small purchases — cash only. I also do not have or want a debit card. Cash works just fine.

I wore clean denim jeans, blue shirt, and a cleaned up pair of my Chippewa Cowboy/Motorcycle boots. Hopped on the Harley and arrived at oh-dark-30.

Had a great day at the office, and even was able to leave on time for the first time this week. Home by 1545.

The spouse was in good spirits. We sat on the backyard patio for a while, then I prepared crab cakes for dinner. Yum!

We returned to the patio again for the remainder of a soft, quiet evening together. Ah… just what I love — holding the hand of my spouse and enjoying backyard tranquility.

Went inside as it was getting dark. My my, it was late — 2100! Time for bed!

Saturday 12 July

Up before dawn, and a grueling 10-miler with my relentless senior walking pal. As usual, I wore the usual Chippewa Hikers, jeans, and t-shirt.

Home by 0700. Showered and changed to clean jeans, t-shirt, and my new Tony Lama Caiman cowboy boots. Prepared breakfast, then drove the spouse to a dentist appointment and then grocery shopping afterwords. Home by 1100.

Disappointed that the dentist’s office screwed up the schedule, we had to return at 1500. In between, I prepared lunch, changed boots to Justin work boots and worked more on “that big thing for the kitchen.”

Showered, changed to clean jeans, another t-shirt, and this time, Black Jack white/black python cowboy boots. Drove the spouse back to the dentist.

Home by dinnertime. Prepared chicken on the grill.

After dinner, I changed boots again to my Timberland Work Boots and put another two hours in the shop, working on “that big thing for my kitchen.” Happy that all of the cutting, mitering, joining, and construction is over on that thing — now, sanding and finishing with stain and protective coatings remain (before assembly and installation on 21 July! Can’t wait!)

To bed by 2030.

Life is short: wear the right boots for the right application!