Sign of the Season

The calendar may not agree, but as far as I'm concerned, Winter has arrived.

If you've read my blog posts, you may have learned about my not-so-elegant hands.  They're often on the rough side, occasionally marked with scratches, scuffs, and scars.  I don't tend to my cuticles or paint my nails, unless it's to slap on a quick coat of clear polish on my way out the door.  I've actually been known to apply it while sitting in the driver's seat, with the car running - parked, of course.  That's the extent of my idea of "prettying up" my nails and hands.

In Big Creek, as with most of the country I suppose, temperatures are dipping, winds are whipping, and moisture dampens the air.  It seems only logical to me the moisture of the wet seasons should bring greater moisture to individuals, as well as the earth.  I'm not sure I'm aptly conveying my perplexity here.  In my limited mental capacity, I see it this way:  Summer = heat, heat = dry, dry = chapped.  And yet, how is it that Winter = rain, rain = moisture, moisture = chapped?   Rain is, after all, wet, right?  I'm sure there is some perfectly logical explanation for this but I do not know it.  Frankly, I'm not convinced I need to know.  What I do know is the consequence of winter weather conditions:  Split skin. 

The picture above is typical of what I suffer during the cold season.  It's nearly always on my thumb (probably the most frequently used digit) and on my right hand; yes, I'm right-handed.  As I've already noted, I often have scratches and scrapes; these heal relatively quickly, or at least do not greatly hinder my ability to complete everyday, simple tasks.  Cracked skin on the tip of my thumb, however, does not heal quickly, despite treating liberally with lotion during daytime hours or with Neosporin ointment and a bandage each night.  These darn splits can afflict me virtually unceasingly for the entire winter season.  Invariably, it seems one is no sooner healed than it will split yet again or a new split will occur adjacent to the previous one.  And I have yet to figure out a preventative or corrective measure.  If you have any tips, please feel free to advise.