To the only rain boots I have owned since my ugly childhood galoshes, I will miss you. I bought you because I was utterly taken with the tigers and roses decorating you, designed by the famous tattoo artist Ed Hardy. My reasoning was that I will probably never have an actual tattoo on my body but I admire good tattoo art, and the purchase was further cinched by the fact that I was born in the Chinese Year of the Tiger. Plus, I love roses.
You have decorated my closet for a year, during which time it never rained in San Francisco, although I waited and waited. Finally, the rain gods favored us and I gleefully donned my boots and ventured forth. After a few minutes I realized that my left foot was wet. So wet that when I got home, I was unable to pull the boot off my foot without help. My sock had attached itself to my skin and also required an emergency crew (Flip) to remove it. I thought I must have stepped on something sharp but couldn't find a hole in the rubber bottom.
I took it to a shoemaker to see if it could be repaired. They were expensive, and are no longer available. He flexed the bottom and showed me that it was completely split. "Old rubber," he pronounced with disdain. "But I've never worn them," I said. "I've had them for a year but it hasn't rained here until now." "Cannot fix," he said.
Cannot get money back either. I've had them too long. I'm thinking maybe I'll use them as planters... they'd look good with ivy trailing out of them where my legs used to be.
The Chinese Year of the Tiger began on February 14th, otherwise known as Valentine's Day. It also marked Losar, the Tibetan New Year and most important holiday of all to Tibetans. Unfortunately, those in Tibet were not allowed to celebrate because the Chinese government which took over their country in 1959 remains intent on destroying their culture as innocent people, both Tibetan and Chinese, hang in the balance while the world does nothing. Sadly, this is how most individuals behave regarding the less fortunate members of their own societies who slip through cracks every day. Until everyone realizes at the cellular level that we are all connected, nothing will change significantly. Tashi Delek!* And Xīn nián hǎo!**
* Happy New Year in Tibetan
**Happy New Year in Mandarin
23 comments:
those are the most fabulous rain boots ever! Love them. you should have worn them daily even in sunshine, it would have been a bold fashion statement.
Bummer...wait a year, go puddle splashing and then find out that the dream didn't quite match the reality.
Though I am not sure where you could get it done I know there is a fix fro cracked rubber, they do retread tires after all.
Maybe these folks know how
old rubber? I've worn a cast-off pair of wellies for years and they've not cracked yet. Seems like something could be done. Try another shoe repair shop?
(and if not, I think a planter is a lovely idea. BUT NOT IVY! I hate the stuff. It is so invasive!)
Great rain boots, and would be really cool planters for sure. I would like to see them with plants in them if you do go ahead and use them that way!
If only more people believed in our connected spirits as you do!
Keep them. Rename them as sun boots. Or christen them as high-top sandals. They're cool. As for Tibet, at least Tibet as an eloquent and peaceful spokesman, the Dalai Lama. Would that Sudan would have such a brand-name advocate, so to speak. Or Haiti. Wear the boots well. Or decorate madly.
Doggone no-good rain boots (or wellies as we call them hereabouts)! Yes, maybe another repair shop could find a solution. Purchasers should be able to try them out in a bowl of water before buying. Either that or there should be a long guarantee period.
The situation in Tibet is appalling. Other governments do at least protest about it regularly, but of course the Chinese are impervious.
I have a pair of rain boots and the EXACT same thing happened. I figured it was because, like many of my purchases, they were bought in the name of vanity, without looking to see if they were of good quality. Hey, they had paisley squiggles that I adored!
Happy new Year my fellow Tiger. Sorry about the boots. They were probably always sunshine boots.
I think they are dancing in the rain boots, and I think they should be fixed.
If you must make them into a planter, in order to give them some light and love, then do it, but try another shoe repair store, first.
Happy New Year, lady, in every language, and with the love of humanity as a whole. I wish everyone had a heart as big as yours; wouldn't the world be a beautiful place then?
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
definitely keep those, they are too precious to get rid of. who cares if you can't wear your rain boots in the rain
What a pity about those lovely boots. Really, as others have said, you should be able to get them fixed.
Eslocura,
I'm considering it. I really, really love them.
Mark,
I asked the second shoemaker about tire repair kits but he said the area was too large to be patched. I was even thinking I could do it myself once I knew where the hole was, after pouring water into it to see where it leaked. Of course I was assuming it was a small hole.
Your link offered a lot of services including adapting shoes for unique feet, but not what I need. Thanks, anyway.
Bob,
Yep, old rubber. The second guy was quite dismissive of me.
I love ivy's invasive energy, kind of like a house pet. And I wasn't thinking of POISON ivy, you know.
Babe,
I do love using things for something other than their intended use - what I think corporate types call "repurposing," but it's disappointing that these didn't work out as rain boots.
I believe we are all connected, but in some cases I'm not very happy about it.
Pawlie,
Yes, HH the Dalai Lama is most eloquent and evolved, but don't forget he has also been in exile since 1959.
Maybe I could wrap a plastic bag around my left foot inside the leaky boot. Women have always done crazy things regarding shoes out of vanity.
Nick,
Biggest dog and all that. It's a tragic situation in Tibet.
I bought the boots online, no tryouts possible. I spoke to someone at the company which sold them to me and they said it sounded like a manufacturing defect and gave me their phone number. The maker has never responded to my message.
Maria,
Ohhhh, paisley squiggles. I totally understand. The boots are rubber - how could they possibly be of good quality? (I'm hoping tires are exempt from this sweeping generalization.)
Calvin,
Et tu, Brute? The Tiger personality description is amazingly similar to that of my Western astrology sign, Cancer. What is yours?
They are definitely sunshine boots because they make me happy.
Scarlett,
I'd really rather keep them as boots. They are SO cute. I would buy them again if possible, but they've been discontinued. Just plain hunter boots would be so boring after these.
Happy multilingual New Year to you, lovely one.
JustYou,
Your logic cannot be disputed.
Thanks for stopping by. Your ring is gorgeous!
Ian,
With so much encouragement, I'll try again.
These are awesome rain boots.
Hell's bells. Cannot fix? How about a squirt of shoe goop in the split combined with a waterproof insole on the interior? You've nothing to lose.
(Expert repair advice written by the woman who is currently having to lift the cover off her toilet tank in order to flush, because she's too lazy to replace the flapper valve holder.)
Warts,
Or maybe I could superglue them to water skis and buy a speedboat.
I tried to copy and paste a picture of an outhouse door with the little moon cutout for you, but it wouldn't paste in the comments box. I can't do italics or links here either.
The place where you have kicked those boots off and left them is absolutely beautiful. I like your house, I like the plants, I like the sunshine, I like the rug, I like the way it feels.
****My reasoning was that I will probably never have an actual tattoo on my body...****
Why not go for the tattoo? Seriously.
The situation fro Tibetans is so sad to me.
Love those boots, by the way - this Tiger needs a pair!
Another thing we share... I am also a Tiger girl. I swear, we will one day find that some limbs of our family trees are connected.
Love the boots! Keep them. You'll find a wonderful use for them.
Mischief,
You are welcome to come and have coffee or tea with me here, especially if you'll show me your tattoos.
Katrice,
Yes, you are my long-lost sister for sure. Our similarities far outweigh our differences.
And I haven't given up on the boots yet.
UH! I'm heart broken about your boots! I think they would look lovely with ivy growing out of them - you're so creative!
Ok. I have given this some thought.
Necessity is the mother of invention, no? Yes. SO. How about rubber cement? Slather it on the inside, let it dry, put some Dr. Scholls pads in for comfort and then walk around in your bathtub with 4 or 5 inches of water and see if it worked.
Let me know how it goes.
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Claudia,
I guess you win some, lose some. But I really hate to lose these.
Scarlett,
I bought a tube of Shoe Goo the other day to see if I could fix them but haven't yet. Today would be a good time as it's raining again. If it doesn't work, I'll get out the rubber cement.
I'll be anxiously awaiting the outcome.
*grin*
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Scarlett,
You'll be the first to know!
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