I am no longer 18. What I mean by that is...I can no longer be in the sun without sunscreen. When I was young, I could get and keep a tan in a heartbeat. Burn? Who me? What's that? I grew up in Jackson, MS in the late 70's, early 80's and moved to Birmingham, AL in 1984. What I'm saying is...I'm used to hot sun and humid air. To prepare for summer back then, I would grab the Crisco Oil or Baby Oil, a blanket, a boom box and climb on the roof. I would cover myself in oil and relax for hours. Yes, hours. And I would turn a nice golden brown. Every time. By the end of summer, I looked Native American, even though I barely have a drop of that in me.
This weekend I had a couple of hours that I didn't have something to do, somewhere to be or someone to take care of. So I went to Mom's to get some sun. I spent 2 hours in the water. One on each side. I used sunscreen on the front...OK, it was only a 4 SPF, but that's better than what I ususally do. On the front I got a little pink. Not bad, just a little color. But the back. Well, I was alone, so I didn't have an assistant. And I don't really have all my range of motion back in my arms. Who am I trying to kid? I just plain didn't put any sunscreen on my back. At all. And then I fell asleep, face down in on the float. The only thing that woke me up was breathing in a little water when my face slipped on the float. All the skin on the backside that was showing was red. Not just pink. Red.
Today, the red is fading and turning brown, like I was hoping. By next weekend, I'm hoping that I will remember my lessons...
Me too honey! I'm RED everywhere. I too didn't use sun screen Friday but Saturday I used Bullfrog all over! I'm hoping not to blister and pop!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had some peace but at the same time maybe you were left to die? :-) SOMEONE should have noticed you were asleep on a float!!!
Been there, done that! Make sure you MOISTURIZE really, really good so that it doesn't start peeling off.
ReplyDeleteI made the same mistake when I went to the beach a few weeks ago, so you are definitely not alone in that boat.
GG - If anyone had been there, I'm sure they would have heard me snoring and splashed me. But, I was blissfully alone!
ReplyDeletejaysmom - I went that afternoon and got a fresh bottle of after-sun lotion!
You make me sick! With envy! I wish I had a pool to float around in and I WISH that I could get a tan. I burn to a bright red if I'm outside for 20 minutes. I've never in my life had a tan. I burn and then turn white again. Damn me and my Bella-esk skin.
ReplyDeleteP.S. At least my kid is the same so maybe we kinda look alike in that way. LOL
P.P.S. I went tubing once and didn't put on sunscreen (blaim hubby who rushed me) and I got 2nd degree burns and had to go get shots in the ER. Fun times!
I have fair skin ~ I all but glow in the dark!! ~ But OH how I have always longed for black, curly hair and olive complexion!! I settled for a BFF with black hair and olive complexion! (SMILE) ~
ReplyDeleteI have lived your pain! O U C H !!