Almost time to put away the sandals and pull out the shoes, you know, those things we jam our toes into. Sandals are the one thing I like about summer.

I have friends who pass on pedicures during the winter months because nobody can see their feet anyway. I'm not one of those people. First, they feel good. Your feet get to soak in warm sudsy water while someone massages them, trims out hang nails, scrapes off the dry dead skin, and in the end, you feel prettier, and your feet feel better too. Throw in the massage chair and I'm in heaven.

There are other good reasons to keep up with the pedicures, even when nobody can see your feet...it's good for your feet and helps prevent fungus from growing. Think about it for a minute. Your toes are very similar in design to your fingers. While we may walk on them, inside shoes they take an additional beating. I have run the gamut with fungal infections on my second toes, and cramming them into a pair of shoes doesn't make it any easier. The lady who does my pedicures has worked hard to get the nails on those toes to flatten out, and she has succeeded. I am not about to let all that work go to waste.

Next spring, once it's warm enough for the sandals come out of the closet, my feet will be ready. No gnarly toenails and no dried up skin. It isn't cheap, but it is oh so worth it.