Irrigation Get-Up

Irrigating has helped me drop like 25 or 30 pounds just this Spring. There is a ridiculous amount of walking involved, and shovel work. Nothing gets you in shape like hiking up and down a field, shoveling for 30 minutes, and don’t forget the aerobics in between. Up, down, up down, close gate, stand up, adjust gate, stand up. Step and close gate, step and close gate.

Did some thinking lately on my irrigation get-up. In the early spring, when it was cold, I was great with my fleece-lined leggings and Bogs (insulated irrigation boots). As soon as I spent 2 hours irrigating one morning and it was already 70 degrees, I went and bought a regular pair of irrigation boots. Literally. Immediately. Left Winchester (first field that morning) and went straight to Gambles (Ace Hardware)–only place in town for that sort of thing.

I’d previously picked up an on-sale pair at Tractor Supply. They were fuchsia (that’s a dark pink, for you non-knowing color people), with a black plaid design. I thought they were on sale because of the color, maybe people didn’t like the design. Turns out they were so thin that as soon as I stepped on a barb wire fence, they had holes in them. Pretty color, comfortable, cheap for a reason. Irrigation boots that let in water are not really irrigation boots–they went in the trash. (Note; Just found out that Jer’s boots have 3 holes in them, will be getting him another pair soon. He has the high-dollar boots with the metal bar in the bottom–yes, I’m jealous).

Not that I liked the ones that I bought because it was too hot to wear my Bogs. They are just regular irrigation boots, but I was so hot, I didn’t really walk around in them before I bought them. Ended up getting at least one size too small. If I wear anything thicker than micro-thin socks, my feet start killing me about the second field. Hard to irrigate when you are hobbling.

My friend, Faye, calls irrigation boots “irritators” and I happen to agree when they make my feet hurt.

I was going to “invest” in another pair of boots. Jeramie’s reply when I told him I was going to get another pair of boots: “You’ve been through 4 pair in half as many months!” It’s true. I have a pair that has green soles, but the kids put so much mud in the toe of one that I can’t get the boot on and I haven’t taken the time to work on it…. Nick had commandeered those boots, so I didn’t count them, but now he’s outgrown them (yes, the 8-year-old boy has larger feet than I do….and I wore his coat just the other day….but I brought him in this world and I can still take him out!).

Then I found the micro-thin socks helped. Decided that instead of *another* pair of boots, I’ll just go get a pack of socks. Don’t know where the pair I’ve been wearing came from. Maybe one of Nick’s friends? Note to self: little boys, sport weight (?), calf-knee height socks. Yup, if you find an open package of socks in Walmart, that was me. They are still there because they were too thick.

Besides the boots, there are other things to consider for irrigation attire. Pants. Pants are really actually very important. I tried to irrigate in my shorts, but my boots chaffe my calves. Hard to irrigate with raw spots on your calves that are being hit by your boots every step.

It’s in the high 80’s by 10:00 a.m. now. Jeans are hot. Jeans give the best protection against stickers (foxtail, cheat grass seed, thistle, etc.) but they are hot. Another advantage of jeans is they have pockets, so can hold the cell phone in the back pocket.

I’m all about being comfortable, though, so jeans are just too hot. I went and bought a pair of pajama pants and a pair of nurses’ scrubs the other day. As soon as Jer saw the pajama pants, he snorted and made a comment to the effect of “foxtail magnet.”

So it sucks when he’s right. Not only do the pants get foxtail, they hold it like no one’s business. They gather stickers (foxtail) like a magnet gathers metal shavings, and holds onto them just about the same.

Took the Corolla up to Kwiki Tire II (thanks, Ken!) to have them look at it and make sure it was good for a trip to Orem, Utah on Friday. They balanced the tires and knocked the mud out (regular problem with all our vehicles….last time was the duals on the 2006 one-ton Dodge…at least it was a cheaper fix than what it could have been!). Anyway, the 30 minutes the car was in the bay, I was picking stickers out of the pajama pants. Of course, 30 seconds walking through the dry, unirrigated part of Cox’s …. wait, it was the stepping out at Winchesters in my Crocs to take some pictures and then getting out of the car to get in the trunk and put on my irrigation boots that got me.

P.S. Steve (Sue’s husband) baled Winchester today. Eleven and a half bales–more than I thought we would get. They should bale Cox’s tomorrow. (Today, since it is now 12:45 am on June 8, 2016).

Back to the irrigation get-up…

I am one of those people that can’t stand things in my shoes. Can’t stand something poking me. Even have to line up the seam of the toe on my sock just right. Stickers in boots, pants, socks….this is like ants in my pants. I’ve done some pretty athletic moves to get stickers out of places that they shouldn’t be….which is anywhere. There should never be a sticker on me. Period.

Anyway, I will try the scrubs tomorrow. They are a little heavier, but nothing like jeans. Hopefully won’t attract so many stickers.

Back when I was wearing my Bogs, I was also wearing my leggings. Just so happens that my leggings are all fleece-lined. That makes them about as cool as Bogs as soon as the temperature is over 35.

I’m thinking something like these:

Totally would rock those.

Any suggestions? Obviously I’m not really open to fashion advice (how many meme have I seen about Crocs? I *live* in my Crocs…2 pair (bright yellow and a medium blue), both pair bought at Salvation Army, $2 each pair. Yeah, I’m cheap like that. Have bought other shoes, but nothing is as comfortable. I’m stuck with Crocs and irrigation boots. (Although I did get 2 snazzy pair of heel boots the other day–like really sussy high heel…one to make my back feel good [high heels help my lower back not hurt] and the other to feel sussy in. Not that I’ve worn either pair since I got them, just through them in the closet–total cost, $8).

Last but not least, a shirt or something relating to a top must be considered. Not quite as crucial as the pants, since the stickers don’t usually get to the top. But there are other considerations. One big consideration is that since jeans are too hot, other bottoms don’t have pockets–especially leggings, can you imagine leggings with pockets?

So one of the things that I like to consider is the functionality of the top. Again, can’t be something too thick because it will be too hot. Functionality is generally having a place to put a cell phone; and now I’ve found a pen hooked somewhere on my person is pretty handy–to use my ever-present notepad (palm of my hand) to take notes, write down which row number made it, phone numbers, random thoughts, errands, etc. Never know what I will think of in the middle of a field.

After the Corolla was checked out, I took Marion and Rosie to the swimming pool. We had dropped Nick and Charlie off before we went to Kwiki. After the pool, I just put on my pajama pants, socks, and Crocs (waited until Winchester’s to put on the boots). Discovered my swimsuit is nice and cool and works most excellent to hold my cell phone. I’ve tried to hold it in my bra before….but it would fall out when I would bend down to open or close a gate. Bad deal. Cell phones and water don’t mix.

Thought about a sports bra, but they are just too hot. And a tighter bra is definitely out of the question. Whoever invented those torture devices…. but I digress…

So far the swimsuit works the best.

So here’s the final picture, if the scrubs don’t work out:

Funky-pattern leggings with black irrigation boots, and a black swimsuit (at least the current suit is black. If the hold on the top right starts to spread, I will have to be going to a different one….but black is slimming….). Black and white sunglasses (thought they were zebra stripe, but end up being some sort of geometric pattern….$1.50 Walmart special) and a pink John Deere hat complete the ensemble.

Yeah, I have way too much time to think about this stuff when I irrigate. I’m looking for practical functionality. If I can get it in cool, electric colors, even better. Maybe I should look for leggings in fluorescent colors?

Ok, seriously, over 1,600 words about what to wear irrigating! I don’t know if that is wrong or impressive.