All is not lost. There is still cause for rejoicing in the world. I have the boots I wanted, after some years of admittedly desultory searching.

They fit exactly as the old ones did, if you allow for six years of leather stretching.

Ahhhhhhhh.

[Update:] Oh, and at dinner tonight I heard my first-ever Thai cumbia. It kinda worked. Thai music is, in my experience, the music least like that of any other country.

1. 
   Thomas Ware 2005 10 18 at 1:29:31 am

   Red Wings — ‘The fittenist boots I’ve ever owned’. Sixteen inche tops, caulks (oft pronounced, the damned fools, ‘corks) when the spikes wear out have ‘em Vibramed…

2. 
   susurra 2005 10 18 at 2:35:52 am

   I’d vote Balinese for that poll.

3. 
   nina 2005 10 18 at 11:28:28 am

   Where did you hear a Thai cumbia?  And did you dance to it?

4. 
   Sara 2005 10 18 at 11:38:42 am

   Mazeltov.  :)

5. 
   dread pirate roberts 2005 10 18 at 12:20:40 pm

   nice pose. and they’re so pristine looking. i can’t even put on new footwear without scuffing something.

6. 
   Stephanie 2005 10 18 at 2:42:26 pm

   Sexxxay!

7. 
   Chris Clarke 2005 10 18 at 2:45:32 pm

   I just kicked a filing cabinet really hard, and they still look great!

8. 
   Charles 2005 10 18 at 3:06:04 pm

   “I just kicked a filing cabinet really hard, and they still look great!”

   What’s webspeak for laughing out loud?  LOL?  How did the filing cabinet look afterwards?

9. 
   Fred Levitan 2005 10 20 at 1:23:43 pm

   Chris — Where did you get them, and what’s the model number please?  I need to replace mine as well, and yours look like the exact same or very close to the pair I’ve had these past ten years.  The closest thing on the Red Wing website looked like model 899, but the color was different, so not sure they are the same.  Any assistance most grateful for would I be! Thanks, Fred