White Girl

Every spring I put on my shorts for the first time of the season and in my head I hear in a deep rumbly voice, "Oooo, Girl, you're about the whitest thing I ever did see." It still makes me laugh because it was said by the darkest man I have ever met. One of our son's closest friend's grandparents lived in our neighborhood and he played at their home quite a bit. I used to go shopping with his "Mimi" and the boys would stay with his grandpa. His grandpa was washing the car when I walked up in shorts for the first time one spring and that is what I heard. He then walked over, held his arm down next to my leg, shook his head, and went back to washing the car.

I fall into the redhead/white skin category. We have two skin color options, red or white, and you know red heads should stay away from red...it clashes with our hair. Truly my hair is strawberry blond but my skin doesn't seem to get the distinction. Since skin cancer tends to run in the family I slather up before going outside so I can keep my pasty skin... well, pasty. Also like a true redhead I have freckles on every spot of my body. I don't get to have the beautiful porcelain white skin to make up for lack of being able to tan. Awesome!

This almost complete lack of melanin used to bother me. I wasn't going to ever be the cute tan girl in the bikini, you should put shades on to look my direction at the pool. I have grown accustomed to my skin over the years and now I actually own it. It's all good! Because I have stayed out of the sun or drowned myself in sunscreen, I have managed to stay a bit fresher. It has slowed the aging process down for me and I can't say I'm unhappy about that. It's fun to still get carded occasionally, not because I look under 21 but apparently younger than I am. I'll take it.

So when you see all the pics this summer of the hot babes on the beach, I'm the pasty white girl in the back ground.

Until next time,
Julie