Chelsea boots!!!

I live in the southwest of England, near the Atlantic coast (on an estuary, not on the ocean itself).

It’s generally a mild-ish climate. People grow palm trees. I know I complain about the weather – rainy, grey, damp, cloudy, gloomy – that’s our autumn into winter. Mostly we worry about flooding three to four times before spring.

However, the last week and this coming week the temps have been/will be colder than New York City. It’s unfair and appalling. And really really wrong. There have been a few sunny days which has helped but mostly it’s just been freezing and cloudy, and every few days the morning starts with freezing fog. Like in a horror movie. On Sunday, it was foggy in the morning, cleared for 10 minutes, and then fogged over again. The fog makes things even colder and wetter.

The nasturtium have finally failed. Mightily (see pic). I won’t be able to cut them back until it’s warmer though.

I’ve so far managed to do my night time walks but not sure I’ll be able to consistently until it warms up just a bit. Yes, I realise I’m whining. So be it.

Anyway, onward to today’s title.

In January 2022, I wrote a post about trying to find the ‘perfect’ Chelsea boot (https://perfumeposse.com/2022/01/16/chelsea-boots/). Alas, at that time it hadn’t happened and didn’t over many further months of looking. Everything was too big, too clunky, just not right. I own some beautiful heeled shoes. But they sit in my closet. I look at them lovingly but I no longer have the oomph to wear them. It just takes too much energy and focus to walk in 2-3 inch heels. So, everything I wear now is basically flat and I’m always on the lookout for great flat shoes.

So, back in January I had tried Blundstones, looked at Dr Martens, perused lots of sites. Since then, I’ve tried Birkenstocks and maybe something else but it escapes me now. Alas they were all all wrong and got sent back (except the DMs, which I never could get myself to buy – they are now just silly money).

Years ago, I had Clarks Orinoco Chelseas. Which were fine but were never beloved. I did wear them out though.

For some reason, I decided to look at the Clarks site again in the hope they now offered something new that might fit the bill. I’m sure I had looked earlier but must not have seen anything.

Low and behold, low and behold.

There they were. A new offering (maybe it’s been on the site for years and I just didn’t notice it).

Orinoco2 Lane. What a stupid name for a boot.

In any case they are not only exactly what I wanted, they are offered in my size (titchy size 3 UK/5 US). Clarks stocks them in black, olive green, black patent (how pointless) and a really weird cream that no one seems to want as they are deeply discounted.

I got black because … well … that’s what works with my rather narrow wardrobe. They really are perfect – exactly perfect (see pics): not too high on the ankle, opening isn’t too wide, leather is nice, shape is classic, sole is good solid rubber. They fit well (particularly the ankle/heel area), the top of the inner foot is soft and lined, so warm, and the footbed is comfortable. They weren’t cheap but certainly weren’t as pricey as DMs, Blundstones, Birkenstocks, etc.

See, something to make me a happy bunny in the midst of all my grumping about our unpleasant weather.

No perfume today. The overwhelming smell everywhere here, not just my village, is wood smoke. Like, anywhere you go. My wood stove is going almost constantly, as are those of everyone else in the area. I get the dog out in the middle of the day when temps are their warmest and try to discern between different types of wood I am smelling. Mostly people appear to burn pine, oak and compressed woodchip, which burns very hot. Sometimes you get something that smells of aged whisky or even rum.

So, that’s me. I hope your weather is significantly better than here and if not at least you have nice snow. Anything surprisingly pleasant happen recently?

Pics are mine