bring my babies back to me safely.

Well, I did it. It's been needing to be done and I did it today.

I took my Lucchese Black Cherry Hand Stitched Classic Cowboy boots in to get them fixed. Not, um, fixed as in neutered, but having the soles fixed. (And if these boots could have babies I would definitely let them mate, because the world can only be a better place with baby Luccheses running around.)

I was a little nervous about taking them to a non-Texan shoemaker because damn, these boots are my babies. I've worn them in many many countries. To many events. I wear them every time I fly back to Texas. They are, as the song says, made for walkin'. They hug my feet like little leather lovers. They've even gotten me asked out on dates. (I said no, because the boots (and me) are married...) They are bar none THE most comfortable footwear I own, plus they go with everything. Skirts.... both long and short, pants, dresses, whatever. They ROCK. What if the Norwegian guy messes them up? I mean, these are the essence of Texan. It would be like asking a Texas tailor to make a bunad...there are some things that just need to be done locally.

But my babies needed some lovin'. And I knew that if I wore them in the state they are in I'd be messing them up. I haven't worn them this winter (leather soles + snow = Karla on her ass). But spring is here and it's boot time! So, I gritted my teeth and went to the shoe repair shop.

Immediately as I walked into the very old school, Geppetto-like shoemaker shop, I knew my babies would be ok. This shoe maker shop is very old fashioned, the door is in an alley off the road, and it just feels like the guy knows his shoes. I also loved him on sight because when I walked in with my boots he just smiled and gave me the appreciative grin of someone who knows good shoes when he sees them. I hung on to them a little harder than was normal, he kind of had to wrest them away from me, but he stroked the leather and oohed and aahed at all the right places, so I think that my babies have a good doctor to make them better. We talked shanks and toes and heels and walking patterns, leather and stitching, rubber vs leather bottoms, and I think this particular "skomaker" is the man for the job. I was even a little verklempft. It was a meeting of the ...soles.

So, next week I'll get my babies back with a new heel and a fixed up leather sole. It's spring and once this endless rain stops, it's walkin' time! And I need my babies to walk proud and tall....