My new boyfriend

Aside from the one vacation I took to the Bahamas in 1997, I haven't been in the sun for at least 19 years. I can remember in the summer of 1990, my cousin Michelle and I laying on floaties in her mom's pool trying our best to bake our way into a golden summer tan while squirting lemon juice on our heads to get sun-soaked highlights.

I learned? A) that you can't do that with black hair, because instead of golden highlights, you end up with an orange, brassy disaster on your head and B) that I don't tan. I burn. Instead of basking in the glory that is a beautiful brown tan, I stayed awake all night smearing noxema on my skin and squirting a mixture of vinegar and water on myself in order to squelch some of the burn.

Only a few years after that, I learned that I had lupus and that sealed my sunbathing days forever. See, when you have lupus, you shouldn't spend much time in the sun because your immune system kicks in to try and protect your skin and then you get sicker. SO... needless to say, I have spent the last almost 20 years staying covered up, bathing in sunscreen and spending most of my time indoors. The problem is that I didn't realize how much I missed the sun until this past few weeks!! I was always ok with staying out of the sunlight just like a vampire and joked that at least I'd have the nicest skin in the nursing home.

This week I moved to a place that has a pool. Top that with the fact that it has been GORGEOUS outside and all of a sudden, I have discovered that I can't get enough of it! Yesterday, I even went for a dip and then lounged by the pool with a book. It's like reuniting with an old lover that you had no idea how much you missed and enjoyed until they come back. My skin is soaking it up and I can practically feel myself making vitamin D every moment that I'm out there. I know, I know...be careful, don't overdo it...I know. I'm not. At least I'll try not to. But I have a new boyfriend now...his name is Sun and I plan to spend some quality time with him. I always have had a problem with picking the wrong men. I guess I'm still working on that.