Summer Fun and Summer Sunburn

Happy 4th of July! Each year when this holiday rolls around, it still conjures up images of my childhood when 4th of July was a much anticipated event. We'd take off to Plant Drive Park early to play games and eat snowcones and be a part of the community fun. At dusk we'd head over and sit on the station wagon overlooking the water at Lake Catherine watching fireworks. Oh, the good ole days. Dad's birthday fell on the fourth and he'd take part in the pie eating contest at Plant Drive since he was on the city council. My friend Julie and I had the good fortune of winning $5 playing bingo there (we were THAT good)... and back then being patriotic was our duty and our honor, not a political faux pas. I miss those days. Despite the 4th of July incident of 1994 when the handful of sparklers blew up in my hand and caused so much pain and misery, I still love the holiday and the am ever thankful for the country and freedom it celebrates.

Our pre 4th fun


This 4th, we will be hiding out in the house I'm afraid...no sunny 4th of July events for us! No way! We had the good fortune of being invited to go wakeboarding on Monday on the intracoastal. BEAUTIFUL day and no one on the water but us. We had a really great time, but my pastey white-gray skin got more than it bargained for... Casey (the new wakeboard queen) scorched her back and shoulders. Before we knew it we had been out there for about 5 hours. We are two days into our recovery now and still in pain. Yesterday was just torture. We resorted to taking Advil last night as we lay on the couch groaning still. My skin is a deep, deep red on my knees and thighs, the pain of the burn seeping into my muscles and feeling like blood pressure cuffs on my legs when I stand up or walk. My shoulders look like someone painted stark white stripes across burgundy red skin where my bathing suit straps were. You think we would know better... You would think wrong. Here are some photos of Casey the wakeboard queen and the friends we spent the day getting burned to a crisp with. No photos available of Chris and I on the beach in our bathing suits... awwww... I know... too bad!