My skin is as smooth as an infant's buttocks...

...not necessarily TMI for a Monday - I'm talking about my the wholesome, G-rated (unless you're aroused by such things) skin on my feet.

Around Christmas-time, a visiting relative bequeathed to me a gift pack of Burt's Bees skin products that were too liquidy to get past TSA at the airport. Within this bag was the Peppermint Foot Lotion.

"Hmmm, appropriately festive," I thought and began slapping it on my feet before bed (Hint: cover your feet with socks afterwards or else you will fall on your ass on a tile floor).

Imagine my surprise when I tried on some strappy sandals this weekend in preparation for spring and - for the first time ever - found spring-worthy feet.

It has been a long *ahem* walk from my first pedicure, where my raggedy toes freaked out a young pedicurist.

"You Americans are very hard on your feet!" she exclaimed politely and razored away. But behind her smile, I knew she was thinking:

I did not travel all the way across the world's largest ocean for this. Your scaly heels are not the American dream - they are a human rights abuse.

Thank you Burt, your bees and your magic peppermint. (Apparently these ingredients are wholesome enough to eat. I did not try this; I still had some candy canes left from Santa's stocking. But good to know when packing cosmetic gear for a backpacking trip.)

Welcome springtime and sandal weather!