They also provide a good quad workout if you do a lot of stairs in them.

I mentioned that I was seeing my friend Jennie last weekend.  Anytime Jennie and I get together, only one thing can happen: shopping.  We are particularly good (dangerous?) shopping friends since we always encourage each other to buy anything that we are even considering.  Extremely helpful of us, right?  This was never more true than when we were in college and had no money.  One of us, in order to ease the guilt of having spent more than was probably advisable, would convince the other to buy something of equal or greater value.  This was to the extent that Jennie's mom actually had a nightmare about us shopping together and buying tons and tons of sweaters.

One time we decided that we should do something different for once and we went camping.  Let's just say that it did not go well.  There was rain, a leaky tent, and a raccoon stealing our food.

So on Friday, we returned to our natural habitat, the mall.  We were remarkably fiscally responsible despite having more disposable income than we did in the old days.  What we did both discover were these shoes at Sears:

They were very reasonably priced and are surprisingly comfortable.  And yes, I bought them in both black and brown.  Any bets on how long it will be before I show up somewhere wearing one of each color?  Before you put your money on anytime terribly soon, you should know that I managed to own identical boots in black and brown for several years without wearing a mixed pair out of the house.  Then again, that probably just means that I'm about due.

Don't worry though, Jennie's Mom.  We didn't buy any sweaters at all.