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On Tuesday we secured our place in the World Cup Final by beating the West Indies by 146 runs. It will be the first time we have been in a World Cup Final since 1993 and is a massive achievement for all the girls.For me this meant an unrelenting list of interview requests which is phenomenal and showed that all the hundreds of people I have contacted over the past four years have been taking notice and are cottoning on to how good these players are.First up were rights holders Sky Sports followed by Sky Sports News and then Sky News. We also fitted in BBC, various national newspapers as well as the Loughborough Echo, the Leicestershire Mercury and other regional press. I’m always keen to continue to provide for the regional press as they cover us year in, year out, so it’s great to reward them when things are going well.By 9.30pm the interviews were just about finished and England had just woken up. Cue 52 more interview requests for the players. This was brilliant even if it did mean a 2am finish for me – a 20-hour day no less! We have managed to fulfil every single one of those requests so hopefully the players and the game are now getting the profile they deserve.Over the past few days I have had so many messages of good luck to pass onto the squad which has been just brilliant. It’s great to see that people back home are taking an interest and really getting behind us before Sunday. Lots of my friends (who know I’m here, but don’t really follow the cricket) have heard the scores and are emailing, texting and Facebooking me to let me know and wish us well, which is awesome. Even my Dad, who’s in Siberia, has been keeping up to date with how it’s all going and has been sending pep talks via text! All greatly received!On Wednesday night after training we had a team meeting and Clare Connor and I gave a brief media session to the players in preparation for what could be the biggest week of their lives.This was made slightly amusing by the fact that Caroline Atkins and I had swapped clothes for the evening as people keep getting us mixed up! I think I’ve got the better end of the deal there – an opening international bat vs a media manager?! While I dressed Shaggy, as she’s affectionately known, in a lovely joules skirt with a white vest top, cardi and white flip-flops, she dressed me in her baggy jeans, a salmon pink polo shirt (salmon is not my colour!) and my running trainers! Needless to say she got the best straw in the clothing stakes!When the players all saw me there was a deathly silence as they were all too polite to say anything, until one of them started laughing and then they all did with huge sighs of relief that it wasn’t real. This is no slight whatsoever on Shaggy’s clothes as everyone kept telling me – they just look a lot better on her! Caroline, on the other hand, got a lot of compliments and even managed to get served at the bar first that evening!The win over the West Indies and the fact that India had beaten Australia meant that our game against the hosts on Thursday had no relevance on our place in the final. However, we wanted to win. After winning the toss and batting we were all out for 161 and they knocked off the runs in 34 overs. This was so disappointing but, as Lottie keeps saying, we’re in a World Cup Final so we have regrouped and are now looking ahead to the most important game on Sunday.Despite the loss, the good luck messages still roll in and everyone is still very much behind us which means so much to everyone here.Today was a rare day off and after my 1am finish this morning I managed a lie-in until 8am. After a quick visit to the gym I started my first round of interviews with Isa Guha and the BBC. That was swiftly followed by Katherine Brunt with various journalists and then I returned to my computer to reply to the emails that had come in overnight.Whilst here I am still trying to keep up to speed with things back home like our PR and media plans for this year’s Friends Provident Trophy, the ICC World Twenty20, and anything else that needs doing.Anya and I then headed out to George Street to find some Ugg boots. Mine were for myself and my boyfriend’s sister while Annie’s were for her sister and her brother’s girlfriend.We eventually found a shop that sold original Uggs after traipsing round hundreds of shops, much to Annie’s annoyance! We rewarded ourselves with pizza for lunch and then a quick stop back to the hotel to catch up on a few more emails and phone calls. This afternoon we headed down to the Aquarium at Darling Harbour following a recommendation after bumping into my colleague Gill Harris in Circular Quay earlier!It was then a quick dinner before returning to the hotel to do an hour’s worth of interviews with Lottie. Another late night with training tomorrow and then the pre-final press conference and photo shoot at the SCG with Lottie again.She’s going to be extremely busy over the next few days!

HOORAY FOR panic and pleasure and sweet palpitations! Oh, but it did the heart good to feel the heart flutter and skip a beat and almost stop, before the triumphant roar of those brave enough to look made it race again and nearly burst with joy.At long last – a chance to celebrate.Good news, for once. Great news. News to put a smile on your face, and make you sing and cheer and do silly dances.The sort of headline news that has nothing to do with budgets and pay cuts, unemployment figures and politicians’ expenses.The blessed relief of sporting distraction.It didn’t matter if you never set eyes upon an oval ball or knotted an old school tie. Whether you are into rugby, soccer, Gaelic, bog-snorkelling or tiddlywinks – it didn’t matter.This was a nation responding, admittedly belatedly and in a different fashion, to their Finance Minister’s call to “patriotic duty”. Thanks to the outdoor exploits of a rugby team and the indoor exploits of a boxer, Ireland grabbed the chance to get out there and party.On an exhilarating Saturday that stretched giddily into the early hours of Sunday, we broke through the pervading gloom of the last few months and fell happily into the glorious Green beyond. First, a rugby Grand Slam title after a wait of 61 years, and then, the heroic capture of a boxing world title by a courageous Dub with a great line in patter.Gift. Absolutely gift.We’re not the better of it yet, thank God.Bernard Dunne, who was crowned the WBA World super-bantamweight champion in Dublin after a gutsy display of stamina and self-belief saw him knock out the highly rated title-holder, will be honoured by his native city next week.Yesterday belonged to the rugby players.Coach Declan Kidney’s team, led by captain Brian O’Driscoll, arrived home at lunchtime and were met by a huge, adoring crowd at Dublin airport. It was a foretaste of what was to come.Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who has wisely kept out of the limelight during the celebrations, leaving the players to bask in the glory, called into the Mansion House from Government Buildings, where discussions on the economic crisis are ongoing.The Taoiseach, who loves his sport, stood back and applauded with the rest of the guests as the players entered The Round Room. He met the players and looked on proudly as his youngest daughter Meadhbh had her photo taken with O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara.Social Welfare Minister Mary Hanafin, had she been in a line out, would have been penalised for barging as she elbowed her way through the throng to sit beside O’Driscoll and the trophy.If O’Driscoll thought it was tough on the pitch, he didn’t reckon on the determination of Irish female politicians. He was sandwiched by Senator Ger Feeney and Cllr Deirdre Heeney, clinging to the trophy for dear life as the rhyming public servants smiled for the camera.Outside, the crowd waved their green flags and waited for a glimpse of their heroes. Finally, the players emerged from the Mansion House to deafening roars of approval, walking a green carpet and a guard of honour of flagbearers and drummers.Coach Declan Kidney, meanwhile, had a few words with Brian Cowen back inside. Was the Taoiseach asking him the secret of his success? Our IRFU man said that Kidney told his men at half-time that they had been doing everything right, and if they kept that up, the scores would come. “Keep doing what you are doing,” he told them.Not, perhaps, the sort of advice to be giving to Brian Cowen.Jerry Flannery’s mother, Jane, was waiting for the son to appear. “I was at the match — there were the Horans and myself and the Hayes. We stayed seated at the end and I swear to God, all the Welsh in front of us stood up. We couldn’t see a thing. Then we heard the roar. We thought it was the Welsh roaring, at first, then we realised Ireland had won. There were hugs and kisses and jigs all round.” Jerry is one of the many walking wounded on the team. “He has a big, big swollen eye. He needed five stitches,” Jane told us, as her son mounted the steps to the platform.She looked on in delight, a proud Irish mother. “And his hair not even combed.”Brian O’Driscoll’s girlfriend, actress Amy Huberman, held his nine-month-old niece Aoife in her arms. “I had her on my knee during the game and she hadn’t a clue what was happy. Thank God, she was a great distraction. When it was finally over, and I realised we won, I couldn’t stop crying for an hour.” Tommy Bowe sang a verse of The Black Velvet Band. At the first sighting of Brian O’Driscoll, the crowd burst into a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole.” There were high-pitched squeals from the sizable contingent of teenage girls in Ugg boots whenever Ronan O’Gara said or did anything. Then the ticker-tape exploded out of machines at the base of the platform with great gusts of tinselly green. The wind caught the paper and it rained down on the crowd.Sure, it was only a game. Just 80 minutes of diversion. But it was great, and it gladdened the heart and the next few weeks at least will be a little easier and the memories will remain forever. By jingo, isn’t patriotism great?

The minute it gets cold outside…the rubber hits the road.The popular UGG is everywhere.Mary Schallenhammer has several pair of UGG boots.She says she loves them and admits she likes wearing what’s “in.”"Of course you have to have all different lengths,” she said. “Yeah it’s part of what we are into right now.”But Mary also loves high heels…Philadelphia podiatrist Edward Chairman says that passion for fashion led to Mary’s surgery for bunions and hammertoes.He says women looking for relief by pouring their dogs into a pair of UGG boots are in for a surprise.“They put their feet into UGGs soft roomy they’re happy campers,” said Dr. Chairman.Women, I bet you have a pair of UGG boots in your closet right now.Well guess what…a local foot doctor says they could be bad for your feet.So what’s the problem? “After a few hours they start feeling tired, their feet are tired they’re aching and they don’t know why. The reason it’s aching is because there is zero support in the arch area,” said Chairman.Dr. Chairman says that lack of support flattens the arch and puts stress on the foot.He says even women with healthy feet complain of pain if they wear their UGGs too long.   The company says UGG Australia has been around for 30 years and has not received a complaint about arch support or comfort.They say the back of the heel or heel counter offers substantial support and the sheepskin insoles are comfortable.”They also warn of numerous UGG knockoffs that don’t offer the same features.And don’t think Dr. Chairman wants you to toss your UGG boots aside.”Absolutely not! I think they’re wonderful, you should wear them but wear orthotics in them,” Chairman said.Orthotics are shoe inserts that help align the foot.He says put them in your UGG and problem solved.”It’s as if someone is helping you lift your foot while you walk,” Chairman says.You can either buy expensive custom orthotics or ready-made cheaper ones you can find in any drugstore.

ugg boots should not be worn in extremely damp or muddy conditions (so you probably shouldn’t plan any snow-trekking or off-road hiking in your UGG boots). Even though ugg boots are designed to keep out dampness, sheepskin does absorb moisture and mud more readily than leather. By keeping your UGG boots out of mud and water, you’re ensuring the longevity of your ugg boots so you can wear them year after year.Since you’ll likely be wearing your ugg boot almost every day, it’s good to know that UGG boots and shoes will match just about anything! For women, pairing your UGG boots with skinny jeans tucked into them is the ultimate cold-weather style. Also, wear your ugg boot with a knee-length skirt (or higher/lower depending on your preference) and either tights or bare legs for a casually chic look that goes from day to night in a breeze. For men, uggboots and shoes look great with your normal style of jeans and can easily be matched up with anything from a t-shirt to a button-down top or a sweater. With so many colors to choose from, you’re sure to find a pair of ugg boot that will look great no matter what your style is. But don’t worry about only being able to wear them in the winter – with sheepskin’s temperature control, you’ll be able to show off your ugg boot any time of the year!

“THIS is Australian,” says the salesgirl. “See here on the label? It says ‘Designed in Australia’.” She is holding a leather handbag and letting me see only the top half of the label. The bottom half is obscured by her red-nail-polished thumbnail. I look at her. Her thumb moves. “Made in China,” says the label. She laughs. I can’t tell if it’s a guilty or an embarrassed laugh. “All our stuff’s made in Australia, to an extent,” she says. “I mean, most of it’s made in China – but we’re a wholly Australian company. “It’s all designed here.” We’re in Pitt St Mall in Sydney at 2.45pm and I’m conducting a little experiment: If I wanted to spend my $900 stimulus payment locally, could I find Australian-made goods worth buying? Will I end up with nine pairs of ugg boots? I hate uggs. In every shop, I ask if there are any Australian-made goods. On every occasion I’m greeted with some degree of awkward throat-clearing or defensiveness. “Oh, yeah, I know what you’re saying,” says one saleswoman. “I like to spend my money here too.” Staff tell me there’s no Australian content in Hype, Witchery, Nine West, Esprit, Just Jeans, Oroton, Emporio and Strandbags. At Surf Dive ‘n’ Ski, they’re selling green-and-gold thongs bearing the names Surfers Paradise, Bondi, Cottesloe, Maroubra. All made in Brazil. How about the flower stall? “Ah, these ones are Singapore orchids – from Thailand,” says the florist, holding up flowers so blue they’re almost neon. Laughing with an apologetic air, she adds: “Some of the others are from Africa.” In the 19 stores I visit, only seven have any Australian-made content – that’s 36 per cent. Only one, Jurlique, is all-Australian. A shop named Glue has an Australian-made Backstage dress for $119.99. Portmans has a healthy stack of local clothes and at Soul Pattinson pharmacy, there’s Le Tan, Sukin skin care and Nude by Nature makeup. At Sussan, everything’s made in Asia except the nail polish and the lip gloss. Then I get to Borders and it seems a gleaming ray of hope. Of 28 books on the new-release shelves by the door, only five are printed overseas. It’s an array of Australian-made words. Even the latest books by British authors Jeffrey Archer and Alexander McCall Smith are printed here. I’m delighted to discover such a beacon of localism, right here in the American chain store that locals love to revile. Borders can’t be that bad, if even the foreign books are Australian-made, can it? But that situation exists only because of protectionism: a long-enduring ban on the parallel importing of books, which the Government is now considering axing because it keeps prices artificially high. So in this little shopping strip we have a perfect encapsulation of the Australian economy. There’s a bit of manufacturing, a bit of protectionism, a fair amount of free trade – and an awful lot of embarrassment. “We used to make it here but it’s just too expensive now,” one young salesman informs me. “It’s all Australian ideas, though.” And that’s the crux. It’s just the reality of our modern economy, right? Australia is no longer really about making things. Manufacturing is 9.2 per cent of our gross domestic product. Mining is 10 per cent. Agriculture is 2.6 per cent. We’re a services-dominated nation: retail, finance, law, tourism, education, transport, construction, hospitality. The Pitt St shop girls are the economy, even when selling Singapore orchids from Thailand. So why all the bashfulness? Well, here’s one reason: The shop girls know as well as I do that it’s very hard to be sure about the conditions in those Chinese factories or Thai hot-houses. Are they as good as in Australian factories? Do the workers get holidays? Are they paid fairly? AussieBum underwear founder Sean Ashby is still horrified to recall the time he visited a Chinese manufacturer who wanted his business. The showcase factory was clean, brightly lit and staffed by apple-cheeked employees taking regular tea-breaks. Then he saw the real factory out the back: dirty, dark and stacked with bunk-beds. That’s one of the reasons it’s cheaper to manufacture offshore. That’s why Ashby keeps his production in Sydney. And that should be the issue that concerns us. I don’t care if products are made in Bangladesh or Bankstown as long as they’re made by people treated decently. We can’t make everything here, or stand alone against the tide of globalisation. Protectionism won’t protect us forever. But we can be inquisitive about what we’re importing. We can look beyond the embarrassment and think about how things are made. We can read labels and ask questions in shops. I haven’t spent my $900 handout yet. Turns out half the ugg boots are made in China anyway. What a relief.

SOME things remain constant, even in hard financial times. A fashion festival will attract a certain cast: preening, glossy haired princesses with vacant stares and glistening lips; ageing madams eyeing off the flawless catwalk colts with pursed-lip longing; flashy spectators who have piled on every fashion trend at once — sequinned cape, ruched shiny leggings, trilby hat. Less is more anyone? And, of course, where would any fashion festival be without some multinational exploiting the target audience and spruiking a 97 per cent fat-free product. Skinny Cow anyone? (It’s an ice cream.)Thank goodness for moments of levity and catharsis — and there were some as the Melbourne Fashion Festival drew to a close at the Docklands yesterday. The festival’s final show, staged by budget department store Target, bristled with the sheer joyousness of acrobatics, dance and youth. If there was a lesson to be had, it was that in the end it’s not so much the clothes that maketh the man (or woman) but his (or her) dance moves. One young break dancer, Aron, busted some show-stealing moves, wearing nothing too directional, a baggy T-shirt, baggy jeans.The two Target catwalks shows were a mish-mash of styles and influences plucked from bygone eras, and reprising recent trends: ’70s peasant, paisley blouses teamed with denim shorts; shiny leggings with disco-style off-the-shoulder tops; bottom-skimming micro-mini dresses with vivid tights; skinny jeans teamed with tasselled boots and check flannel shirts; ugg boots and trackie-dacks; sexy secretarial looks with pencil skirts and cinched waists; a muted palette of grey and black set off with vibrant accessories.”The thing with fashion at the moment is diversity, there are so many things happening, so if you’re into all black linear, you’ve got it, if you want bright pop bold you’ve got it, so there are all these counter trends,” festival director Karen Webster said. “But … I’ve noticed most of the week is that fashion is dressing up again. I think this is one of the things that have come out with this whole current economic position, is that people are wanting to feel good and look good.” I like uggs .

You probably spent quite a bit of money on your ugg boots, so it’s important you take care of them properly to ensure they last for a long time. No one wants to run around in a pair of boots that look dirty and ratty, so here are a few things you can do to make sure your UGG boots keep that brand new look for as long as possible.Start by making sure you take advantage of the ugg Water & Oil Repellent that came with your boots (sometimes called the UGG Protector spray). Pre-treat your boots before you start wearing them. Doing so will help to waterproof the exterior and will protect the sheepskin from light weather (rain and snow) or oils. You still shouldn’t wear your boots out in a blizzard, but they’ll be protected from natural wear and tear.Do NOT wash your ugg boot. If you should find they’ve been stained you should attempt to spot treat them before you do anything else. You may need to scrub the entire boot if spot treatments do not work, but this is not something you should do on a regular basis.If you do decide to wash your uggboots you’ll need to start by dipping them in cold water. You’ll then use a brush to gently scrub the exterior and then rinse the boots again. Always use COLD water. Warm water will cause the wool to shrink more than usual.Make sure you stuff your boots with paper towels or newspapers and place them in a warm area to dry. Never put your boots in front of a direct heat source (like your heating vent) or in direct sunlight as this type of heat will cause excess shrinkage as well.Treat your UGGs kindly and they’ll last for a lifetime. Use the UGG cleaning and repellant solutions as often as necessary to ensure you’re safe from the elements. Otherwise, have fun!

It strikes fear into the hearts of most business owners, but the recession does not scare Nancy MacMullen, the Island cobbler. Nancy MacMullen.A look around her Oak Bluffs workshop will tell you why: always cluttered, it is overrun these days with queued shoes. Ms. MacMullen, 56, is operating a two-week waiting list before she even gets a look at your footwear. Same goes for jackets, luggage sets, golf bags, deck chairs and die cups. “People are fixing things rather than buying new stuff,” she said, perusing the frayed zigzag stitching on a child’s Ugg boots. “Yeah, business is going well.”Ms. MacMullen provides a broad rage of services at The Cobbler Shop — its motto: saving your soles one shoe at a time — which are very tricky even for the most dedicated penny-pincher to accomplish with do-it-yourself skills.“You can’t repair shoes yourself unless you use duct tape,” she said. “And something like a zipper, or a new slide, people just don’t have that lying around. I’ve got all the tools. I have the cement and the thing that fits inside the shoe and clamps it down.”Looks like many islanders are wearing only socks.Mannequins are dotted around the workshop, next to Singer sewing machines, laces, chisels and thread spools. On one workbench is a pair of glossy black patent leather boots which Ms. MacMullen is trying with little success to de-shine. She works with Landis industrial lock and chain stitching machines and uses a curved stitch for parts, since she can no longer get someone to come and repair the old-fashioned equipment. “They want me to take off the head and send it down to New York. Yeah, right,” she said. As long as people have shoes on their feet (something this reporter’s father, who grew up during the London Blitz, regularly tells him wasn’t always so), Ms. MacMullen will have a viable business.But in her experience the Vineyard is a particularly target-rich environment for several more reasons. Heel to toe, and when she is done they’re just like new, without breaking the bank.“Cobblestones and bricks are my friend,” she said. “New Yorkers aren’t walking on Edgartown streets, getting the leathers all scraped. In New York city they have these places that say, ‘Instant shoe repair.’ They just take off the stiletto and pop a new one in,” she said. “Plus, you can’t go to Wal-mart here and buy something new. And then, of course, people have their favorites.”Over by one of the four stitching machines she picks up a worn-out leather boat shoe with several patches on the sole.“This shoe is perfectly good, it just needs to be restitched. They have been in four times. People wear their shoes to death, they’re flopping off,” she said.Then of course, they don’t make shoes like they used to. “They’re cutting costs with the materials. More lightweight manufacturing,” Ms. MacMullen said. “I think these designers make shoes for carpeted offices in office buildings.”Tools of the cobbler’s trade.But she admits that business hasn’t always been this good. When Ms. MacMullen took over the shop in 1981 and later moved the business from downtown Oak Bluffs to its present workshop, she was hurt by a decline in the use of leather shoes. “It used to be slow months in the winter,” she said, which is why she decided to expand her business to include clothing and other repair work. Now she says there are reliable cycles to her business, cycles that mirror somewhat the rhythms of a resort Island in New England.“It gets really busy in the fall, with people pulling out their shoes after summer. Christmas is hectic, then in January people get their suitcases ready,” she said.Ms. MacMullen closed last week for a trip to Boston, and the workload waiting for her on her return was formidable. “It’s hard for me to catch up,” she said, noting that she hasn’t even gotten through all the messages on her machine. Then she added with a smile: “People have to be patient.”  

Braving the cold winter weather, Sarah Jessica Parker was spotted out in New York City earlier today (February 6). Dressed for the chilliness, the actress bundled up to stay warm in a knitted hat, navy blue parka, jeans, and some cozy UGG boots as she exited her Big Apple abode.In related news, New Line Cinema spokeswoman, Candice McDonough, has confirmed that SJP’s “Sex and the City” will have a sequel – due out in summer 2010. The movie will again include her three co-stars, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, along with writer-director Michael Patrick King.Talking about the movie, King is keeping fans guessing, stating, “I’m very excited to work with these amazing actresses again and would love to give everyone more information about this sequel..but I’m busy with my ‘Sex’ life.”

The chill of winter weather has made its presence known to the University’s campus and many a student has obtained some sort of sickness. But one winter problem that plagues the college campus is not biological at all. It is material in nature and a visual nuisance in need of extermination: the Ugg boots.This sickness begins when the Georgia temperature starts flirting with the 50s. And at the turn of the millennium, someone, the Antichrist perhaps, decided to bring the Ugg boot to Hollywood. From there, madness spread. I’m more perplexed by the “fashion” status of the Ugg boot than I am Scientology. Honestly. A few years back, the disease hit Georgia and spread more fiercely than kudzu. These horrible boot/suede/fur fusion footings have become a mainstay, it seems, on the University campus. But I ask you today to quarantine the afflicted parties and cleanse the campus of these God-forsaken shoes.Originally invented to warm the feet and calves of the Australian surfer, the Uggboots is composed of a soft sheepskin suede outer and a shearling lining. Its roominess and lightweight design are very popular comfort features. And I understand how nice a lightweight and warm shoe must be for winter weather. But God, they are so ugly. Find something else. Please!Ladies, I know they may be comfortable, but you must stop. As soothing as they must be to the soles, they are far more unattractive. If you just don’t care how you look or you’re not trying to attract the opposite sex, then wear them out. But Valentine’s Day is coming up, and if you aim to have someone to share it with, I would donate or burn whatever Uggs you have. I have yet to meet a fellow male who has even thought about saying, “Ya know, I kinda like ‘em.” It just won’t happen. More power to the Australians for their sheepskin ingenuity, but leave it for the Aussies and the swimmers, and only them.I admit, I’ve seen a few outfits that incorporate Uggs and actually work. But in my time here, I can count those instances on one hand. What’s more, you girls can’t arrange a decent outfit to go to class in! Sweatpants, leggings, or the bare leg are not appropriate parings for your Ugg-ly outfit. And the Uggs and exercise shorts ensemble? Honestly? Do you own a mirror? Is it full length? And for those of you who reach for your Uggs when it’s 75 out, I have no advice for you because you’re simply too far gone.Now, technically, the Ugg is a unisex shoe. So to you ladies and you few brave gentlemen, please wear your horrid shoes with caution. Or better yet, don’t wear them at all. I need to love life and find confidence in my generation. You girls are making me doubt our future as a society. So, please, keep the campus out of attire agony and opt for a better boot.