Klompen

The last time we were in The Netherlands, I almost brought home a pair of wooden shoes. I ended up deciding not to because they would take up so much room in the suitcase, and I figured that I wouldn’t really use them that much so it just wasn’t worth the effort.

Today was Presidents’ Day and our local thrift store had a 50% off sale to “celebrate” the day. Being Dutch, we couldn’t pass up such a sale so we were there right after the doors opened. Linda found a pair of Klompen in the “appliance and decorative items” section – which was exempt from the 50% off sale. I tried them on and they fit a bit loosely, but enough that we figured it was our duty to rescue them.

We tried to convince the cashier that there were really shoes (and therefor should be 50% off), but she never took the hint. Since purchases at this store benefit Big Brothers & Big Sisters, I don’t feel too bad about paying the full price, but the Dutch in me feels slighted.

When we got home, I tried them on with the hand-knit socks that I had purchased in Staphorst – the Klompen fit like they were made for me!

Although I’ve often tried on wooden shoes, I’ve never before worn them for any length of time. I did not expect these to be uncomfortable, but I was quite surprised to find that they were very comfortable! I ended up wearing them most of the afternoon, and would often find that I had forgotten what was on my feet. Of course, I’d get reminded very quickly when I got out of my chair and my feet almost slipped out from under me!

So, I’ve finally got my own Klompen and I think they are my new favorite shoes and I’ll be wearing them just about any time I need to put on shoes for a trip outdoors for things like putting out the trash or getting the mail. Since this blog is the “Wooden Shoe Journal”, maybe I’ll have to wear them whenever I write a post.