Sunburn is the feeling of Summer..

Finally, after what feels like months of wet, dull weather, Summer has one again exploded over the skies of North Norfolk. Yesterday was 28Celsius, today was 31. I’ve been locked away in an air-conditioned supermarket today, but I certainly got to enjoy it yesterday. Philippa’s badminton friends did one of their impromptu excursions to the beach, so we got a phone call at 11am, grabbed some grub and a blanket and headed down to the sand.
It was great fun, but I spent most of the day trapped in the horns of a dilemma - do I keep my shirt on and risk over-heating, or take my shirt off and reveal my traumatically mis-spelt tattoo to the world?
Philippa couldn’t get her kit off quick enough. She was skipping around in an orange bikini, showing off her shoulder to all and sundry. I did feel very proud, I have to say, watching this sexy woman with my name emblazoned on her skin, knowing it would be there forever. But then people started asking me “Why didn’t you get one done?” I smiled, declined to comment, and walked away, feeling my shoulder burn with a combination of embarrassment, shame and heat rash.
The afternoon was a blur of beach games, tinnies, and plunges, and I yet again had to explain to people that my refusal to swim in the sea was down to allergies and health rather than fear and inability.
Just before 5pm, as a plethora of instant barbecues seemed to appear from nowhere, I was chatting to an athletic-looking Londoner called Todd. The conversation was going along happily, then he suddenly said “Can I ask you something mate? We’re on the beach in thirty-degree heat. Why are you wearing an office shirt?”

We stayed until almost nine. I think Norfolk will be sold out of sunburn cream for a fortnight.

RC 27-6-11