Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

I’m hiking in Italy the middle of April and decided the hiking boots I’ve had for five years deserve retirement. They’re frayed on the inside, and they’re heavy. They also leak at times.

So today Earl and I went shopping for new boots, which I want to break in before my son and I take to the Amalfi Coast in two months. I’ll need to wear them enough before then so that they don’t feel new as we hike four to eight miles a day. I’ll need great socks too.

And I found both at a local sports store. It took a while, since my feet are small, but the clerk finally located something I could wear in the youth department. He also trekked all over the store to find the right socks too.

You might think socks are socks, but that’s not true. Really good insulated socks are invaluable. They cushion your arch and your ankles; they keep your boots from chafing. They keep your feet warm.

Within an hour, Earl and I left the store with my new purchases. I had both a pair of new socks and the new boots on my feet to start the break-in process, with the footwear I entered the store resting in a box. The clerk understood.