rainy days at the beach

Last week was my daughter’s spring break. We spent lots of time at the beach – four days out of the seven – and I have the sunburn to show for it. My daughter, on the other hand, never burns. Is that because I’m more careful with applying her sunscreen? Or is there some genetic variant in her skin tone – visibly more golden than my pale Irish complexion – that renders her less susceptible to the sun’s harmful rays?

No one’s getting a tan today, though. It’s the second day back at school for my daughter and her classmates, and the first day I’ve had to really concentrate on getting work done. The sky’s overcast, dark and roiling with a thunderhead in the west, across the Waterway. The azaleas glisten dully in the rain, purple and pink under a silver veil.

And I have to get back to work.