spring flowers and good food

[chuck123wapati]

I finally bought some real boots. It's been years since I have owned a pair of boots or shoes that were actually built by people, and those were heavy work boots. The last couple of pairs I've had were pretty pricey but just murder on my feet. So anyway, I got on the old YouTube and computer, spent about a week of looking at all the options that I could afford and finally saw a pair that resembled the boots my grandfather wore way back in the 60s and earlier. They were a very light boot, more like an ankle-high shoe, but they were the standard footwear for old farts back then lol. The ones i chose are highly rated on the net and are reasonably priced at 235 bucks. Yeah I freaked out on the price of good leather resolable boots, some way over 500 bucks, the ones I used to buy for about a 100 bucks, so I am giving these a try, and so far they are friggin awesome!!!! Nice and light, and after a week, they fit like a glove. My feet haven't felt so good in over 20 years. My wife was telling me her granddad wore only wool socks with his old fart boots, so I tried that out as well, and wow, nice comfy warm dry feet all day long. I've got to say those old farts knew their stuff when it came to having happy feet. Thursday shoe company Heritage captain boots rock!!!!

[Handstitched]

@chuck123wapati well done  and well  deserved . They look so good and will polish up nicely. There are times when we just love to treat ourselves.

I'm contemplating  buying a new( stetson style)hat  for myself for Christmas.  The brand/ company  i would normally buy from  has now been bought  out by a mining squillionare . They can go and jump.

So I'm going to support another  Aussie made  company instead,  not owned by a mining company, a bit pricey, but so what !

My current  hat is around 10 years  old,  stained badly, smells. and worn out and  has holes in it and was  a prezzy from a former flame and not  a good look at the markets. 

Time for a change 👍

Enjoy your  new boots 👢 👍

HS

[Darren8306]

4 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

heck yeah your on your way lol. It just takes some time to get noticed, then you won't be able to get any relaxation..

 

Thanks man. Great looking boots, by the way. If I had a local cobbler, I would probably be sold. As it is, I still might...

One of the retailers is also an artist, who sits on a board making grant decisions. I've known her for years, and was talking with her about how I figured costs on this batch. explained that my price had enough room that I can buy some more leather, and even some tools if most of this batch sells. She immediately told me about the grants, and said I was more prepared than many applicants. (knowing pricing, time per unit, plans for expansion etc.)

Grant money would leave me feeling like these leather goods weren't good enough on their own. I didn't want to leave an 'artist bio' at the store either...to me, if the wallets aren't good enough without my handsome face or story, then they just aren't good enough.

I'm not deciding immediately, but I'm leaning toward keeping grant money out of my life. I can't help but think they would eventually require me to put a 'made in canada' label, or 'inclusive and diverse', or 'government approved'.

Bureaucrats can't help themselves. Poor things.

[chuck123wapati]

21 hours ago, Handstitched said:

@chuck123wapati well done  and well  deserved . They look so good and will polish up nicely. There are times when we just love to treat ourselves.

I'm contemplating  buying a new( stetson style)hat  for myself for Christmas.  The brand/ company  i would normally buy from  has now been bought  out by a mining squillionare . They can go and jump.

So I'm going to support another  Aussie made  company instead,  not owned by a mining company, a bit pricey, but so what !

My current  hat is around 10 years  old,  stained badly, smells. and worn out and  has holes in it and was  a prezzy from a former flame and not  a good look at the markets. 

Time for a change 👍

Enjoy your  new boots 👢 👍

HS

A new hat is a nice treat and supports your fellow countrymen for sure, that's hard to do but needs to be done. I have always been a baseball cap kinda guy, but last spring I bought a nice full-brim canvas job, kind of Aussie outback style, and I'm getting used to it finally. It's funny how you don't know how close your head gets to things until you wear a full-brim hat.

I also have a nice black felt Cattlemans style that I turned into a gus style with the wife's steam kettle, but I don't wear it much. My dad was a real cowboy, and my mom was a real cowgirl. I've ridden a bit, stacked a few bales, winter fed cattle, and branded and such but not enough to call myself a true cowboy IMO. So I feel funny, and like I don't deserve to wear a cowboy hat, and I really have no idea why. 

Clean up that old hat a bit, not much, maybe sew in a new band and some youngster who has never done a day's work under a hat will buy it for the price of a new hat just so he looks like maybe he did lol. 

[chuck123wapati]

19 hours ago, Darren8306 said:

 

Bureaucrats can't help themselves. Poor things.

 

Yeah, giving you your own money back and then holding your head under water for getting it back. Don't do it, you don't need to; it just takes some time. I don't know how big your community is, but if it has a good local shopping economy, then you will get recognized and trusted before long and have plenty to do. I have a small garage and am constantly tinkering, building, forging, or just farting around with the door open. I will wave at folks who drive by regularly and they will eventually stop just to see what I'm doing lol, then usually leather comes up in the conversation, and a friend is made at the same time, who tells another friend... 

Anyway, I figure I have about two years to learn how to put a new heel on these boots. Then I can be the local cobbler, lol, you could be too, it can't be that hard.  I'm going with mocs or huarache sandals indoors and for leisure. I'm so done with the Chinese crap footwear.