it's 5am... i've been up since a lil before 4. yes, the steroids are finally kickin' in. use of the legs are returnin' although the numbness still resides in the feet, down the outer part of my calves. the boa constrictor that's been livin' in my lower back is now more of a dull, annoyin' ache. some improvement is better than none and i'll sure take it!
tryin' not to wake the folks in the house, i found myself doin' the chore of ironin'. dunno why some see it that way. it's somehow relaxin' to me, especially on new jeans. seems to be an art to fixin' the things the manufacturers have screwed up. if yer familiar with Wrangler, ya know exactly what i'm talkin' about.
ya purchase the stiff things, turn 'em inside out, wash 'em in vinegar water a few times to set the dye. turn 'em right sided, line everythin' up jest so. fold 'em like they'd be pressed, toss 'em in the dryer & cross yer fingers that the legs won't turn funny, the inseam will lay in perfect unison...fer 'em only to come out lookin' as if they've been wadded up & shoved under the sofa cushion durin' a family reunion.
great disappointment, dispairin' sighs as one looks upon the streaked denim ~ oh wait! one pair came out in perfection, wonder how that pair snuck through their quality control? these go neatly in the hubs closet, to be worn with pride. the others? well, they take some tricky ironin' techniques, lots of steam and much patience. a whole hour to iron out 3 pairs.
yes, i know that Wrangler has a year warranty on their clothes. these things however aint considered a manufacturin' default nor defective denim. jest "one of those things that happens when usin' natural fabric", denim is cotton ya know. quality of said cotton, length & strength all determine a good fabric. perhaps their buyers aint payin' that much attention to that detail? grainy dye on some, others the deepest of blues - all only visible after washin'.
i've been doin' battle with Wrangler, Justin, Roper, Levi, jest to name a few of my fav's fer years. i do not comprehend why all their clothes are manufactured in foreign countries and sold at the same price they were when made in america. they tell me it's cheaper. perhaps it lines their pockets. me? i'd be ashamed to have my "label" on shotty made goods bein' sold fer more than their worth.
it's not jest the jeans. it's the boots, the shirts, the jackets, socks, underthingies ~ seems not much is made here anymore. i purchased a pair of Justin Gypsy boots. i could no longer wear my ropers (my ostrich finally bit the dirt thanks to a boot repair fella who buffed black boot polish into 'em with an electric buffer, which in turn dried 'em out & they cracked), swellin' in the feet & ankles was an issue. i needed a pair of boots to ride in. i researched 'em, folks bragged at their comfort and feel. what the heck? ordered a pair.
they arrived 3 days later, much to my surprise. they are cute (not that i purchased 'em fer the "cute factor"), they feel like puttin' on a pair of house slippers. there's no "break-in time". they have a big, round toe. midcalf, and the are somewhat wide from the ankle up - perfect fer that swellin'! although, they didn't look like a "pair" of boots, one was the smooth, shiny black as advertised. the other? well, kinda dingy and with a slightly different texture to it? the horses don't care & i'm sure not a fashion diva, so kept 'em coz of the comfort factor.
when my dad (rest his soul) was 1st diagnosed with lung cancer and i made the trek back home to the hills (aka, middle tennessee), the 1st thing he said to me when i arrived at the hospital was "gal, what the hecks wrong with yer boots?" i explained it to him (yes, i jest drove solo 1300 miles in ice & snow with huge chunks of interstate missin', but the boots were his priority). he had a master plan before i could even get my jacket off. "when ya get me home, i'll dye 'em to match", he says.
after a couple weeks of workin' on him (pneumonia had crept into his lungs, hence how they found the cancer), we got to take him home. he jest couldn't wait to "fix" my boots. drug out the dyes, moved all essential equipment onto his big, covered porch and he set to work. he took the "dingy" and slathered it in black dye. we waited patiently, he buffed, spit, polished, buffed some more, spit some more.... yepperz, he got it to shine like a dime but he still wasn't happy coz it was that ebony to match the other. he pondered his plan of action...
yes! the only solution was to dye the other gray. and so goes the process of above, and with much better success. they almost looked as though they were a pair! when i felt it was safe to come back home, i was sent with all sorts of gadgets, dyes, polishes, clothes, electric buffer to tend to these now "new dime" shiny boots.
there's only one really big problem here. the uppers on these boots are leather. the rest? well, "manmade materials" or course! i've spent much time tryin' to keep the appearance my dearly departed dad had created. it's impossible in this desert climate i fear. there's no grass or humidity to aid in keepin' every speck of dust to stickin' to 'em. they are akin to a "cow pattie brown" after bein' outdoors. it's to the point of i jest hose 'em off 'fore i come in. let 'em dry and start tryin' to regain that "shiny and well tended" look once again.
why didn't i return 'em? comfort... i'm a sucker fer comfort. would i purchase another pair? i keep tellin' Justin that i will, when they are made in america.
these boots'll stay with me the remainder of my days as they are the last "thing" ever done with my dad ~
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