I’ve got the Wellies

It’s taken me over a year of living in the countryside to finally get around to buying a pair of wellies. Wellington boots – named after the first Duke of Wellington – are great. I bought mine late last year, just before the heavy rain and flooding which came up to our (back) doorstep (there’s a stream at the bottom of our garden). During this last week of heavy snow I’ve barely taken them off.

Wearing wellies is the nearest I’ll get to being a superhero. In them I feel invincible: I can walk on or through any surface nature throws at me – mud, water, sleet, snow, ice – without feeling it. Most superheroes wear boots too.

The only quandary was – what colour to buy. Controversially, I went for green. I know black’s more subtle but I figure if you're going to wear boots, and live in the country, you’ve got to do it wholeheartedly. Green is: yes, I live in the countryside; no, I don’t care what you think of me; yes, I may well be a farmer, what about it?