How do I say this delicately...

I have a bit of a tan from recent outdoor activities. Now I'm not much of a tanner. Burner yes, Tanner No. So this is a bit of a shock.

Growing up as a kid I was burned by the sun's horrible death rays more times than I can count. I'd never even heard of sun block until I was 10 or so when a cousin brought some over for a summer visit. It was disgusting and vile, smelling like a sickly sweet concoction of coconuts and chemicals. It was greasy and burny on the skin and to hell with you if ever accidentally forgot it was on your hands or face and rubbed yours eyes. It didn't just sting and burn, it was hard as hell to wash out. Ouchie.

So as you can see I never had much use for that hifalutin nonsense as a kid. You can't run around and play when you are coated in icky nasty stuff. Not only did you feel oddly uncomfortable BUT you were like some sort of magnet for free range cat fur that might come your way. A very real possibility when your mother insists on having more cats than fingers on her hands at any given time. Now it wasn't all fun and play when I was a kid. So you'll have to add in plenty of dirt, sweat and hay bits sticking to you as well. Which lemme tell ya, really didn't need the assistance to cover you in a layer of work grime.  So that sunblock really wasn't my friend. You ever try wipe sweat off your face when you got sunblock & all that all over ya?

More trouble than it's worth.

But as I grew up they improved the sunblocks more and more. Now they have stuff for sensitive skin, greaseless and even active stuff that goes on dry and doesn't get all funky when you are trying to have fun and just happen to be in the sun. It still smells pretty weird, but not so assaultive on the nose as it once was.

For several years now my dear best friend has been nicely nagging advising me to wear sunblock and be prepared when I go outside. I've done a better job of listening to her and have therefor been less whiny overall about my skin being red & ouchie and my summer part time job of being Lobster Girl.

She's also been telling me about these things called "hats". Even going so far as to send me several. I've been wearing those and doing much better... when I remember that is. It's a lot easier to remember to wear a hat in the backyard than it is other places. Partly because I'm "Nagging it Forward" and tell my honey he needs to wear a hat in the sun. Even going so far as to help him select several at various stores that I think look good on him. *L*

Proof of Sun Hat Use @ Home in Backyard (taken a bit ago before 7:00 am, so yeah no direct sunlight out there just yet. *L*) Oh and that's My Coral Sweater.

Bonus: Kitty doing her usual morning inspection of the backyard. She gives it her approval as she likes the grass. It's like her own personal salad bar. Furry Freak. ;^) Clickety Biggety!

I really should carry a hat with me in my car. I did a few years ago after Cookie suggested it. (She's the smart one and tells me the stuff you'd think I should have figured out for myself. *L*)

But at the end of one summer I brought the hat back inside and promptly forgot all about it.

Note to Self: Put a sun hat back into the car!

This would have come in handy recently on several occasions.

Sometimes I meet friends for coffee in the morning and we sit outside. For some reason I can't seem to grasp that the sun is out at 8:00 in the morning. In my backyard the patio doesn't move out of the shade until 10:30 or so. Can my brain be so preoccupied that I have forgotten that other locations still get direct sunlight? This has caused a few uncomfortable situations due to my lack of foresight. So next time I am so taking a hat.

Between those bits of sun exposure, knitting in the backyard and the occasional getting caught off guard by the sun or just doing normal outdoor activities I have found myself with a bit of a tan. Well a tan for me anyway. :P

But the funniest part is that it's a specific activity tan. Much like that of the Farmer's Tan of my youth in a way. Only this time no scratchy hay throwing, cow corralling or fence mending was involved.

I have a Knitter's Tan. *L*

It's the freakiest damn thing. Hold your arms/hands as if you are knitting and see where the sun would hit. Now extend them out and turn them a bit. The top is a peachy shade of tan and the bendy part and bottom part is a stark shade of winter white.

I'm two tone, Baby!

I wonder if this is how the tiger got it's stripes and the leopard got it's spots. *L*

Saturday when I next get together with some knitting friends I'm going to look at their arms to see if they have the tell tell Knitter's Tan as well. Or if I'm just some kind of half tanning freak. :P

And yes Cookie, I'll bring a hat & sunscreen. ;^)

Comments

[Carole]

I have knitter's tan, too. I know exactly what you mean!

[Devorah]

Yes, I have knitter's tan! (It is also a biker's tan, same body parts shielded from the sun.

HUGS!

[Cookie]

Ya know, I was thinking the other day how I need to send you more hats. *L* Did you know they make sun hats that roll up and sleep in your purse when you don't need them? One for the car might be nice. Summer or winter. /nag

I love that cat, and I'm proud you remember to pack water. ♥