Cleaning boots

After any week away there is a lot of cleaning up to do. One of the jobs today was cleaning my boots and giving them a good coating of leather treatment. We went over some very damp ground on our last trip. Not only were the boots squelching a couple of centimetres into the marsh, but the long grass we walked through was also totally soaked - a tough environment for footwear, and one boot let a little water in. Hence the thorough application of dubbin now.
In my picture one boot is done. I'd just started the other when I had the idea for the picture.
I really like applying leather food. I use my hands because it warms the fat and you can feel how much is needed. It turns a chore into a sensual experience! Once a boot is coated I leave it a while and when the dubbin has soaked in I give it a brief rub with a cloth to add a little shine.
Next weekend we have another trip planned, an opportunity to try out some of the changes we have made, and another two or three nights of “van life”.