Thursday, December 10, 2009

Viagra-Wet Beach Towels-R.M. Williams





Man-I’ve never been happier to be back at Casa Minimus. I’m not a nervous flyer but the weather yesterday was dodgy and the air was thick. I had a bumpy ride all the way back to DC and I’m not a nervous flyer in the least. I crossed the moat and into the house a bit after one in the morning. I remain tucked into bed with strong coffee and three Chips Ahoy cookies to prime the pump before ambling over to the office. No need to rush this morning and the grip of my down featherbed has me nicely swaddled.

Toad insisted early on that I drop the code word verification thing on the comments page and I readily saw the merit in doing so. I don’t mind too much having to type in said code when commenting on posts but it is nice when one doesn’t have to do it. However, I’ve been getting scores of junk comments over the last few weeks-all of them offer great deals on Viagra. This my friends, makes me paranoid. I remember getting junk emails before spam filters and firewalls were so effective and they were all the same things-erectile solutions-credit score improvements and lower interest rate refi offers. I used to think….”damn…they must be mind readers”!

So here’s my deal. I’m not going to implement the code word thingy. I’ll just keep deleting the comments when the spammers send them. As for Viagra-The day I can no longer pass the wet beach towel test, I’ll gladly line up for the amazing interventions that the pharmaceutical industry offers mankind.

I think it was about ten years ago. Walking in Gotham I spotted a great pair of boots in the window of some shop that specializes in Australian goods. The boots are obviously made for all types of weather but the thing that caught my eye was that they looked streamlined enough to wear with dress clothes in bad weather. I’d been searching for something like that. My closet at that time housed Red Wing boots and various versions of our Trad standard-the L.L. Bean blucher. To me though, these really didn’t fit the bill for a foul weather “dressier boot”.

So I’m talking to the guy that runs the shop and he’s spreading Crocodile Dundee lore thick. “You can’t get these boots anywhere else mate. Made by R. M. Williams-single piece of leather-unique to the antipodean realm. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think I’m gonna sell you a pair. And if I do decide to allow procurement-they are four hundred dollars”. This guy was good.

Now I wanted the boots. And in this rare instance, I could almost rationalize needing them. Four hundred bucks is a lot of dough today and was certainly a fair amount a decade ago. My appetite for the boots waned in a nanosecond. E-commerce was evolving at a fair pace ten years ago-even pre Google I was able to find a place called the Stitching Horse Bootery in Australia that sells R.M. Williams boots. The dollar was really strong at the time and long story short-I was able to get the boots for less than two hundred bucks. 

I also picked up a d-ring kangaroo belt at the same time. When I wear it I’m jumpy as hell.

I’d say that the R.M. Williams boots have been one of my all time best purchases. Still holding up well albeit with a few character building nicks here and there. They saw me off to Indianapolis this week-accompanying my J. Press crewneck Fair Isle sweater vest and moleskin trousers. I probably couldn’t have picked better togs for the dodgy weather manifest this week. I snapped this pic at five thirty the other morning before heading to the airport. Not sure what you look like at five thirty so be gentle in your observations. Shut up.

Meg over at Pigtown asked me if mine were Blundstones. Indeed they are not. Now I’m not knocking Blunnies but the R. M. Williams boot is less clunky-a bit more streamlined and it’s the little details that usually sway me. See the difference?


I had some time when I landed at the airport in Indy-which by the way sports a nice new terminal that was almost like a ghost town. Indy-very beige city. It’s a Camry. Ok, I know you are starting to drift a bit-my Adderall hasn’t quite kicked in yet. My R.M. shoddings were in need of a shine so I had one of the Indy airport shinemeisters work a number on ‘em. I wear suede shoes 99% of the time so the proverbial shine stand doesn’t see too much of me.

Guess the airport carpet and you win ten bucks. The Flusser three-two…notch lapel…open pleated patch pockets is a winter time fave. As LFG would say-“It’s cuddly”. Sounds a bit twee but it really is sort of like a blanket. I think every trad wardrobe should include hair of the camel.

Ok…I’ve gotta end this sleep-in sartorial drivel and head to the shower.

Onward-with antipodean kicks.

ADG

22 comments:

Michael B. said...

1.)
I'm not seeing pics on my 'puter.
Is it just me? I was really counting on winning the $10 carpet ID contest. Christmas is coming...

2.)
When posting comments I have to "Choose an identity"- Username/Password, etc., so if I have to punch in a code to save you from the daily reminders that one day you're going to need chemical help to keep your steel rod from turning into a slinky on it's way down the Casa Minimus steps, it wouldn't be a big deal for me. I'm just sayin'. Shut up.

ADG said...

Michael...the pics should be up now. Slinky....that's funny!

Michael B. said...

Hey, NOW I have pictures. That was fast. Carpet's at DCA - Reagan, right? PM me for where to send the 10 spot.

"Okay kids, there's money for Christmas!"

Toad said...

Whatever the weather its good to have ya to home lad. Well shod.

Memphis88 said...

I don't know if it's just coincidence or the fact that I desire many kinds of shoes, but you keep making posts about shoes I really want. I need a pair of boots and RM Williams are my top choice when I finally pull the trigger.

Anonymous English Female said...

ADG - RM Williams are so cool. I remember trying on a pair when I bought a Driza-Bone wax full length in Perth WA. Perth is about the last place in earth you'd need a Driza-Bone - unless you want to keep your bikini dry while paddling in the Indian Ocean - which would explain why I got it half price. It's a far better design than my Barbour Burghley, although no-one does green quite like Barbour.
Wet Beach Towel Test ?! Just when I was beginning to doubt your redneck credentials...

Patsy said...

I do like those Williams boots, but I think I'll peruse the Red Wing site - the husband is in need of motorcycle boots - you liked the Red Wing?

These are the current dress/work boots: http://www.sheplers.com/mens/work_shoes/050a58.html

Mrs. Blandings said...

Wet Beach Towel test? Being a dicey sort of red neck kind of a girl myself, it seems like the kind of thing I would already know.

I have been getting a lot of spam myself, though most of it is Chinese. In a gesture of solidarity, I'll turn off word verification as well. It bugs me.

btw - a local used book shop has boxes of VF prints for as low as $15. Let me know if there is anyone you are on the hunt for. You know, prints, not soccer side lines.

James said...

I haven't been to a shoeshine stand in years. What a wonderful way to wait for a plane. They are rare in my neck of the woods. Another causality of our modern world, Sigh!

DAM said...

I was going to say DCA, but since Michael B stole my thunder he'll get the 10 bones.

LPC said...

I could COMPLETELY tell the difference between those two pairs of boots.

Anonymous said...

I like the kangaroo belt.

Kathy said...

I'm glad somebody else wasn't shy about asking what the wet beach towel test is.

Oler in Baltimore said...

Talk about reading your mind - I saw those boots in one of your previous posts and have always admired the style. I work in construction and have never cared for those typical yellowish ones you always see. So I put it on the Christmas list and then you go and offer up a place to purchase them at a bargain - thank you very much for the tip.

Brian said...

Glad to see you made it back safely. I'm going to have to remember the wet towel test.

Anonymous said...

Forget about the boots, I want a "cuddly" coat made out of that material.

Pigtown*Design said...

wow... now that i am edumacated, i know the diff between blunnies and williamses.

i had a pair of black rubber paddock boots like that and now i have a pair of black leather ones. they're great all 'round boots for cold (like today) and wet weather.

Ron A. said...

I love the RM Williams, and, ironically, have been looking to purchase a pair. I have Blundstones. They're great, but "rustic" -- not sleek like the RMW boots and definitely not nice enough to wear with nicer clothing. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like there are many U.S. sources for the RMW boots (apart from the extremely overpriced versions available from Ben Silver and JL Powell). I'm a bit reluctant to order online from an Australian website (more concerned that my order would get lost in cyberspace than of internet fraud -- it looks like there are a few reputable Aussie sellers). Great blog, by the way. I'm an avid reader, but don't believe I've posted a comment here before.

Summers Cottage said...

I'm curious... if Indy is a Camry, what kind of car is Alexandria?

ADG said...

Oler…You are welcome.

Brian...No buddy-you don’t need to remember the test-you need to go ahead and take-get a baseline reading.

Anonymous...Well then get yourself one.

Megtown…yep. We got some cold weather down here too.

Ron A...Thanks for the comment. They were shipped to me-I think-via DHL and it wasn’t a problem at all. BTW I think that all of the Powell stuff is off the hook expensive. Too much for me.

Summers Cottage...Good question! As I sit here amid 18th century buildings in Old Town Alexandria, I’m channeling something like an old-well kept Volvo sedan-high miles but still anything but Camry in its presence. How’d I do?

RHW said...

Which RMWilliams boot style is yours?

ADG said...

RHW..I think mine are the B586 Gardener Boots