Tuesday Ten

Ten Summer Essentials

1. Sunglasses. I have four pairs, currently, and am on the lookout for a nice pair of aviators - although since I do that irritating wear-the-on-the-head thing and aviators get caught in my hair, I might just go for another plastic framed pair instead.

2. Hammock. I have spoken of the wondrous hammock before. It is particularly lovely on nights just like this one, when indoors is far too stuffy and the grass is a little too twilight-damp for lying on.

3. Sun cream. I burn with alarming regularity. On the way to Mother Hand's last week I was forced to stop at every shop we passed until I found some for sale, just because the sun was beating down on my arm through the open car window and I could feel it getting ready for red. Also, sun cream is like a conductor for tanning - the higher the factor, the browner I go. Bizarre. I'm the only person I know who starts a holiday on factor 20 and goes UP to factor 30 when a base tan has been achieved.

4. Iced tea. A new one for me, this, but I have to say, those yankees know what they're on about. I've avoided it in the past since I don't like black tea, but then was struck with the idea to make fruit iced tea with the many varieties of fruit and herbal teas I have stockpiled over time. Totally refreshing - even more so now I've weaned myself off adding sweeteners. Not as sharp as diet coke and more interesting than water.

5. Hair clips. This time of year, I start to fantasise about getting my hair cut into a chiselled, cool little bob and feeling the wind on the back of my neck again. At this point, I go and fetch a big crocodile clip and whip the whole messy lot up into a makeshift French pleat, et voila....the long hair survives another year. Mr Z cheers, not remembering that when I have short hair, far less of it ends up in his food.

6. Cool showers with the window open. The window's behind the shower head, so this involves a little curtain-rearranging to protect my modesty, but there's nothing like a cool shower in a breeze.

7. Sun dresses. Like, a whole breed of dress, just for summer. Amazing.

8. Boots Cucumber and Aloe Wipes. I buy them on three for two or whatever offers they have, and keep them on my home desk, my work desk, in my car and my handbag, by the bed, the sofa...

9. Fans. This makes me think of an old 7-Up advert with the tagline, "I don't go anywhere without my fans..." and I know the feeling. I've got a desk fan which I try not to use since I'm quite certain it guzzles electricity like nobody's business, and a smaller, cuter, Bloomin' Breezy which is very handy for work and runs off the USB. This year I intend to get a handheld fan - not an electric one, just a flappy one - for my handbag.

10. Flip flops. I have just splashed out on a pair of Havainas, since my ski trip buddies were all sporting them and extolling their virtues. I had held out, since the not-very-comfy, turned-my-feet-black £2 Chavda pair were still going strong...but then, today, I was running to the exam hall with some glasses my tutee had left behind, when I tripped and fell, and snapped the toe post of said flip flops. So, yknow, I had to order another pair. I will have about 4 pairs now but they are the ultimate summer footwear, if only because they don't create gigantic white bits on tanned feet, like my Birkis do.


I couldn't believe it when I tripped over. In front of three girls, too, who were sickeningly nice about it - to my face, anyway. I then had to walk into the exam hall, and right to the back, with one flip flop on, carrying the other. Luckily I was able to fix it up with a bit of hairy string I keep in my desk for doing floor graphs, so I didn't have to walk around barefoot all day.