Another Sun-day

Sunday 5 October 2008

Another beautiful day dawned upon us here at Terncote, unseasonably warm and bright-- or at least as compared to our last two Octobers spent in East Anglia. After church we had brunch at the pancake house though Jessy and I both hinted to each other that this was a waste of good sunning time. Neither of us is clear but that would not stop us from taking to the chaises. Daring everything I went out back in the just the bottom of my navy-blue bikini, which is cut low at the hip and fits me like a soft spandex glove round my bottom, making it one of my favourites of all time (another is the solid-white one that's just like it, but that would not do, even today).

Daddy saw us out. 'Oh, what is this, another afternoon at the spa?'

We giggled. 'Just for a little, Daddy!' Jessy said. She was in the bottom of her yellow-and-dark-green one, cut only a little more modestly than mine, and MY pale-blue shirt that I used for a cover-up and not her own white one.

'All right,' he said, and sat on the top of the low wall there and watched us go.

We didn't stop at the pool terrace but went out the side gate to the lawn where we'd dragged the two chaises from the garden about a month and a half ago. It was delightfully warm and the breeze was minimal. Jessy peeled off the shirt and we reclined the chaises and lay on our fronts for about an hour. I caught up on my sleep with a good nap. Sleeping in the salt air and sun is about the best thing to chase away the sniffles... and the cramps. I am nearly done and it certainly wasn't enough to keep me from getting comfortable.

At about 2.00-- though I have no way of knowing-- we turned over and lay upon our backs. The early-autumn sun has got to be the finest, brilliant but not too hot, enough to tan you (or keep you tan) but not to burn you. We didn't even put on lotion, and we'll both be well pinked for tomorrow morning at school. This is the life!

Jessy told me a little about her day with the girls at the mall. They'd run into some boys from school-- naturally-- and seen 'Beverly Hills Chihuahua' which was Rita's choice, probably because the boys she likes wanted to see it. Having conned Mother into 'lending' her spending money, Jessy also bought some shoes. I think now she has about 25 pairs. Of course it was for Rachel's birthday so they all bought underwear, also some hose, makeup, and costume jewelry, and they had pizza at that place that's too expensive and doesn't put any seasoning on it ('White people's pizza,' half-Italian Daddy jokingly calls it).

Talk of food made me hungry. I'd only had a short stack at the pancake place. Fortunately Lisa came trotting out while we were on our backs and, fortunately, it was Jessy who had the nerve to get her to run an errand to the kitchen for us. Jessy may be a princess but she's got little Lisa who will do anything to please her. Lisa returned with a small bowl of celery and carrots for us and two of her apple-juice boxes (notice-- NOT three). I sat up and kissed her head. 'You are the best little sister in the world,' I said.

She smiled coyly, rocking on her heels like she does. 'Hey,' Jessy said then, sitting up and glaring at me, teasing. 'What am I then?'

''You're the big little sister,' Lisa told her.

Jessy nodded. 'You bet I am.'

'Can I sun with you guys?' Lisa asked.

We looked at each other and then nodded. 'Sure,' Jessy said. 'But where are you going to lie down?'

'I'll get my towel!' she said, and she scampered back to the garden steps. We both laughed at her innocent enthusiasm. Not five minutes later she returned, in her pink panties, with a big white beach towel fluttering out behind her as she ran. So then we were three, savouring the unseasonable sun and warmth, till the sun had lowered enough for it to get chilly, and we went in for tea.

I know these days are going to be precious and few now. Maybe that's why I'm still in the bottom of my swimsuit, even if I've had to put a log on the fire.

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