T and I do a lot of…negotiating. Take, for instance, a conversation we had last night:

T: So, I was wondering…could you whip up a batch of that foot lotion you made last year?

Me: Sure. If you make both meals tomorrow AND clean up the kitchen.

T: (while crossing his fingers behind his back) Yeah, sure!  Great!  So, you’ll make the lotion?

Here’s what’s really going to happen: T will make sure the kitchen stays clean and he’ll grill up some steaks.  The steaks are a pretty normal course of action, especially since it’s Sunday and we’ve got a fresh quarter of beef in the freezer.  The two meal-deal responsibility, not so much, but now that the balm has been made, he’s promised he’ll keep the kitchen clean.  For a half-hour’s worth of work plus my own jar of balm, I think I’m getting the best end of the deal.

If you’d like to try your hand at the balm, here’s the recipe that I use. I’m no longer 21, and my feet do need TLC frequently, but this balm keeps my heels smooth and rosy-looking without the expense of a pedicure, which is a major plus in my book.

Plus, when you get the ingredients together, you’ll find that you’ll have plenty of leftover for some of my favorites: non-petroleum jelly and body butter cream…which works great on Small Child’s skin, especially during the winter.