For a long time now, whenever I’ve had outside duty at school, I’ve been wearing a hat. I’ve tried various kinds of hats, with varying success. Since I’ve moved to Maui, I haven’t found a hat I liked. I’ve been using a ball cap, but it’s not enough, because my ears and the back of my neck are getting darker and darker. And no hat keeps my arms and hands from the sun.
It’s not that I mind getting a dark tan. I’m mostly worried about my youthful good looks and about skin cancer.
I thought about putting sunscreen on at the end of school every day, but that’s expensive and time consuming. I thought about wearing a giant-brimmed hat, but that doesn’t help my arms. Then I saw someone walking along the street on a sunny day, using an umbrella as portable shade. That’s it! There was a big umbrella in my classroom from previous years. I’ve been using it since last week.
This picture is from last week. Yesterday was overcast. I still used the umbrella though. I’m not messing around with my skin protection.
That is a great idea – a portable shelter. I’ve thought about it on our playground since we have very little shade. We have stationary umbrellas up everywhere, but one to carry? That’s inspired.
Make sure you say, “I’m Mary Poppins, you all!”
Etymologically-speaking (and I usually do…) the umbrella is quite literally a parasol or sunshade (remember the umbra of a heavenly body when the shadow of another heavenly body falls on it?) so what better choice could you have made!? Glad you are aware of the skin cancer issue and taking preventative measures. If all else fails, most make-ups these days include a sunscreen of one level or the other…but arm makeup could get messy (not to mention expensive over time), so I’d say stay with the umbrella myself.
Oh, and on a totally-unrelated note, I just learned of someone here who enjoys a good dump run almost as much as you used to…and, like you, he and his wife are soon to relocate (to Florida), so we gotta collect our junque (high-end junk) sooner rather than later. That being said, I’m off to collect. 😉
I LOVE umbrellas!!! Great idea!! And good for you to be skin conscious. I wish I had been more skin conscious when I was younger??? I bought some Banana Boat brand spray sunscreen (30spf) this summer and I tell you it smells sooo good (and works) I would wear it for perfume! Not really a sunscreen smell but light and just nice. Maybe a spray is what you need, you can do it quickly before your event AND smell good! And speaking of umbrellas………I also seem to have a fetish for the “patio umbrella”, we have 7. Yes, seven! Mark bought me two new ones early this year and then I found one on sale and then he came home with another one that was on major sale!!! Got him hooked. We are addicted! Shade on Friend!