Shut up

Don't know about you, but it's so windy these days, it's not making much sense keeping windows open. So, despite my mind screaming, "No, no, NO!", I unwillingly and with a huge sense of pathos, close the doors on my beautiful terrace and draw the little living room window shut. Because if I don't, all the spare leaves flying merrily about outside come to rest on my living room floor.

And whatever my depth of feeling about the terrace and the adorable plants on it, I cannot allow the living room to look like a trash can for leaves that nobody loves.

Dusting and regular wiping of surfaces commonly used around the house is of the essence in the monsoon. Shoes leaking from all orifices and generally smelling really nasty (to put it mildly) are banished to the terrace to dry up and think about their respective lives. If you don't have a separate drying area for clothes and shoes like I do, you'll have no choice but to clean up the offensive garment or shoes with detergent and a sturdy wire brush. Be sure to clean your hands out with disinfectant and scour your toenails and feet with a fine brush and bodywash.

Another useful tip, if you're looking to disinfect feet and skin on your legs after you get home, is to rub lime juice over it. This takes care of germs and odours, but do follow this up with a mild soap that will soothe already wet and puffy skin. Be sure to wash with warm water, if not hot water, and dry your feet immediately. Follow up with foot powder. If you have skin injuries owing to shoe bites, apply fresh aloe vera on the area and leave it open to heal. You may also opt for something like Soframycin, but creams keep the area wet, thus delaying healing.

Once in two weeks, get your feet professionally cleaned at the salon. They do this as part of a pedicure anyway, so do opt for one. Keep toenails short this season, and try not to paint your nails because you won't know when your nails are grimy and in need of a scrub.

Hair is another worry this season. Dry your head the moment you get home, and don't muck around much with fancy-ass shampoos and sprays and the like. Invest in a mild, daily-use shampoo and conditioner, and try not to wash your hair every day. A good idea is to get a trim or keep your hair as short as you can manage.

And while you're taking care of mind and body, sleep early and rest well. The season tires you more than you know, so take care.