Day two of our heat wave. Some would laugh to see me even call it that. Temperatures in the 90’s is really not that hot. There were times in SE Asia when a normal afternoon temperature reached into the hundreds, with oppressive humidity and I, stupidly sat in the sun, attempting to acquire a tan.
Here’s a little story to go with that:
Somehow it had not occurred to me to obtain suntan lotion and when sitting in the sun merely made me hot, but did not change the colour of my skin, I asked Mum for some oil.
How stupid can a 16 year old be?
Mum found me some oil so I smeared it on and went back outside where I shortly began to smell something odd.
“Mum did you use this oil?”
Yes, she had. She’d cooked our fish and chips in it.
Seriously.
At that point I gave up sunbathing, for the time being. Later I did it a lot.
With proper suntan oil.
There were times when I got badly sunburned to the point probably near to sunstroke. I went on being stupid way past the age of 16!
Hard to comprehend. Of course my skin reflects it. I even have a permanent bikini line.
Having a great suntan seemed so important when I was young. Maybe because I had body dysmorphia, I thought it was a way to improve my looks.
All it does is age the skin prematurely and expose you to the risk of skin cancer.
My advice: don’t do it!
Normally I don’t offer advice, but in this instance I know I am right.
So this morning, I was up at 4:55. Even the cats were still asleep. The dawn was not spectacular but I got some shots of the mist. Then I tried in vain to get back to sleep.
What woke me so early? My brain is tricky. Because I decided yesterday it was good to see dawn, maybe it thinks it should give me the chance every day.
Well, it can squash that notion!
Hot weather is not conducive to good sleep but a new device I obtained for my room cools the air quite efficiently.
Which is a mercy, since as I’ve got older, I have become intolerant of the heat.
These days I won’t even attempt gardening when the mercury goes over 80 F.
Mediterranean people have always done the sensible thing, sleeping through the hot afternoon. My parents adopted the habit and continued even after they returned to cooler latitudes.
But I always found that if I managed to fall into some kind of torpor, I awoke feeling clammy and head-achy.
Siesta doesn’t work for me.
The Spirea Japonica apparently enjoys the warmer weather, as it has suddenly bloomed quite enthusiastically.
Much to the delight of bees and other flying insects, that are on the look out for new sources of pollen, now the regular spirea and the lilac are “going over”.
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Something different is going on with WordPress, so I have been unable to post comments on some of the blogs I follow. When I try a box comes up that wants me to create a whole new account. I think I won’t do that! It has altered slightly the way my blog appears, but I am working around it and hoping there won’t be any pitfalls, as I know many people have encountered some.
Time for the cats to have lunch, so they can return to their siesta!
Lovely photos
Oh, I remember that oil for a good tan … only we’ve used baby oil (at least I’ve smelled like a baby and not fish and chips 😉).
But I absolute agree with you on the dangers of sun tanning. I think we only realise how stupid we were once we’re getting older. My grandmother’s advice was always the same: If you have to go out into the hot sun, remember your hat and put a 50 factor on.
Love your Japonica pictures – it’s such a beautiful flower!