The Bangles lighten up a blustery morning.

When I went outside to get the paper this morning -- and how did that become my job, I wonder, since it's been The Boy's job for the entire time that The Boy and the morning newspaper have both existed? -- it was freezing rain with a slushy, crummy mix of leaves and wet forming on the sidewalk and driveway. That same mixture will be on the roads, the sidewalk, and grass, and in my shoes, too, not long after that.

I do two things to combat the onrush of slush: One, I get out my old "Bangles" cassette tape, and two, I get out my Frye Boots, the ones from Sterling leather. They're tough, they're sturdy, they're comfortable and warm and waterproof and have good grip, and they look great when I walk like an Egyptian.

If you want your own, check out the entire selection at Sterling Leather -- www.sterlingleather.com -- and get a pair for the wife and kids, too. After all, doing a proper Walk Like An Egyptian takes four people. And they'd better be able to whistle.