Last Wednesday 30th November I made a decision. It was arrived at after much thought and I know not where it will take me. For years I've conformed to the social norm of wearing what most would say is appropriate footwear for the occasion, be it shoes or most often trainers. Going barefoot outdoors is out of the question, although women would get away with it because not unlike wearing clothes, women tend to have a far deeper breadth of choice than men. Only in the last two years or so has it been deemed acceptable, in my town at least, for men to be seen in flip flops. To walk around outside, except in the garden or maybe to the car and back, without anything covering my feet would be seen as a little strange at best and downright weird to many.

Even my own family couldn't begin to understand where I'm coming from with this. My wife was most displeased last summer when we were in a pub restaurant and I kicked off my flip flops and walked to the bar barefoot. No one else even seemed to notice but she said she felt embarrassed by it. And my teenage daughters are so obsessed with shoes that for them they are an all important fashion accessory never to be left behind.

This obviously puts me in an unfortunate situation given that if I had the choice I would never cover my feet again. Indeed, I'd much rather my feet are cold than covered. So last wednesday I decided that as far as is possible I would henceforward eschew footwear where possible.

In some areas of my life such as work, footwear is unfortunately a requirement so there's no way I can be barefoot 100% of the time. But I have at least managed to be bare indoors now for 5 whole days. I have also taken to not wearing socks when I'm outdoors, and I've kept my laces undone and made the trainers really loose so as to give my feet as much room to move as possible.

Given that we are now in December and the temperature outside today was only around 3 Celcius, I've spent the last few days with perpetually cold feet except when I've been in bed. To be honest I've really enjoyed it, not least because I've experienced new sensations. Anyway, from what I've read on the few barefoot sites that I've found it seems that this is simply a case of acclimatization as my feet get used to lower temperatures. It will be the same when it comes to walking barefoot outdoors as my feet will no doubt need time to toughen up, although how I'm going to find a way to experience that without offending my wife I've yet to work out.

One thing I have done many times and have continued to do is drive barefoot. I discovered a long time ago that I have more control on the pedals without the deadening affect of footwear and am therefore a far better driver when I've nothing on my feet. This is the one thing that my wife is happy with as she can see the logic in it, although I haven't driven her anywhere since before last Wednesday so what she'll make of me driving barefoot in these low temperatures remains to be seen.

Tomorrow evening promises a new experience as I am going to a football match and I will be wearing only my unlaced trainers with no socks in a temperature not much above freezing. the difference between what I've done so far and tomorrow is that thus far when I've been out without socks I've been on the move which of course generates heat. Tomorrow I shall be standing still to watch the match which means I'll really feel the chill. I can't wait!