It's a YLF tradition!! I do it every year! And I am still struggling to learn the obvious!

What what what is wrong with me?

I know what is wrong with me. Constitutionally, I am a shoe lady. Mr. Suz refers to me as Imelda. I want all the pretty shoes!

But here, my friends, for my own accountability and your amusement, is my reality...and -- should any be needed -- further evidence that for all my sensible talk of practicality, on some level I am still insisting on buying for my fantasy life and refusing to face facts!

Here is the pattern of my days this year:

Once a week: Walk 2 miles to work. Teach all morning. No office, no locker. No place to leave my coat, even, except the back of my chair. Walk back. Sometimes meet a friend for lunch on my way back. Sometimes go to another meeting on my way back.

2 or 3 additional days a week: Walk to library for research. Walk to campus (as student). Either for class or meetings. Again-- no office, no locker.

3 to 6 days a week: Go into town for errands or to meet friends, on foot. Walk in and out of stores, banks, restaurants, etc. on slushy, snowy, or wet streets. Coat stays on unless I am out for lunch or supper or a show; footwear stays on.

3 to 4 days a week: walk to gym. Coat / boots go in locker during gym.

Every day: spend several hours to most of day working at home.

Once every 6 weeks or so: Go to big city for day trip or overnight(s). Tend to dress less casually but footwear will need to be walkable.

So...this is my reality.

From early-to-mid December (in a typical year) to the end of March or even mid-April (approximately 16 weeks) the weather is wet, icy, snowy, slushy, and often very cold:

I need functional but somewhat attractive, flat or block heeled waterproof insulated boots, with lug or at least rubber/ grippy soles. And slippers for indoors.

• True snow boots like Uggs are too casual looking and too warm. (Though I own those boots and wear them for my regular walks and outdoor stuff and on truly stormy days.)
• Non leather rain boots would make me sweat.
• Most booties are not warm or protective enough and would get ruined.

How many of the right kind of boots do I currently own?

• 1 short pair
• 2 knee high pair (one with a block heel, one flat).

ALL BLACK (not a dominant neutral for me). So that is 3 pairs of footwear for approximately 112 days or almost 1/3 of the year.

How many slippers?

1 frustrating pair (because inside lining always gets bunched up.)

From April to May (approximately 8 weeks), I need:

• Booties.
• Sneakers.
• (very occasionally) a dressier pump.

Often, waterproof is best, because weather can be wet. A bootie that is weather proof will get the most wear, even if I own and love others.

How many booties and sneakers of this type do I own?

2 (blue snakeskin, grey Aquatalia).
2 sneakers.
1 dressier pump.

From early-to-mid June until mid-to-late-September (approximately 14 to 16 weeks) I need, primarily:

• Sandals or open heel or toe styles, or
• (occasionally) sneakers, or
• (even more occasionally) dressier pump style.

How many sandals of this type do I own?

(Currently) 4, though 2 are on their way out due to wear/ comfort issues.
2 sneakers.
2 dressier pumps.

From mid to late September until the mid-to-end of November or early December (approximately 10 weeks), I need:

• Booties (mostly weatherproof because it can be rainy).
• Flat casual boots without insulation.
• (occasionally) a dressy closed pump.

How many of this type do I own?

2 booties (see above)
0 flat casual boots without insulation.
1 dressier pump (see above).

This adds up to about 14 pair of truly practical and usable shoes for all seasons, all 52 weeks --- not counting gear.

How many other fancier, more delicate, dressier booties and shoes -- that is, virtually unwearable footwear -- do I own?

• At least 10. Probably more. I don't even want to look right now.

Argh. More and more I think I need to buy stock in La Canadienne and Aquatalia. And just refuse to look at anything else.

It's true that my summer season (sandal) is almost as long as my winter season. The "shoulder" seasons are (together) approximately the same length. But because they are rainy, even though in theory they would allow more delicate booties, in fact, with my lifestyle, those booties are rarely worn.

Well, that's my observation for the day. Thanks for reading if you got this far.