HOW TO PREVENT SAND-BURN

my kind of swimsuit

Hello Friends and Foes,
Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at what's going on in my world...
I just celebrated 7 years of Marriage this past weekend with our family at the beach...It was an
amazing time together and I have come back feeling slightly sandy,a bit more crispy and very relaxed.

Only in Rio

I have also walked away with a better understanding of The Brazilian Bikini...I think I get it now...As a devout 1 piece bathing suit wearer, I secretly study the bodies of those wearing Bikinis...NOT to judge the bodies in any way, but to just try to wrap my head around the uncomfortable concept of blatant nudity whilst postage size pieces of material cover most of the private bits.Now even from what I have just written you can imagine I am old school, perhaps a bit of a prude,maybe even just concerned for people who might get sand-burn in places that shouldn't see the sun.

very few real people actually look like this in a bikini

After living here for a year and a half, I have 2 times lived on the dangerous side, and joined the bikini wearers. To the outsider, I may have walked amongst the locals,maybe even almost fit in ( except for the bright white skin of a 40 something year old woman, rapidly crisping away under the afternoon sun and the ever so apparent dislike of sand) but inside my head was a war. I really do believe white people with a bit of extra skin ( not fat...just extra bits to hold onto in the winter) JUST DONT look as awesome in bikinis as people with skin a bit on the browner side...Its a fact of life...

Canadian Girls sunbathing

For example, In a situation where I believe I look stunning, is Winter. Canadian Winter, WINNIPEG WINTER intact...We are talking below -15.
Snow pants, make me feel sexy, I always am up for a scarf, gloves accentuate my long fingers, ear muffs allow me to show of my creative side in the design area, don't get me started on the art of looking sexy in a white fitted turtle neck sweater....The list goes on..
I digress,

What I realized this weekend though, is I have been wrong.
The Brazilian body in the Brazilian bikini is not about trying to look sexy whilst avoiding sand-burn in awkward places...Its about enjoying oneself in a really hot country, about loving your body in whatever shape or size you come in. The more I looked around, the more I realized no BODY was perfect...NO body was the same...There were a very few bodies that had definitely benefitted from hours of surgical moulding, but that percentage was very small..

I was ashamed of my original thoughts on the supposed imaginary rules I somehow got in my head on WHO can wear a bikini, WHO shouldn't wear a bikini, WHEN it is appropriate.

BrazilianWomen's Winter sport

Now, this topic of Bikini wearing, although I am a changed woman and will now ONLY wear bikini whilst we are here(albeit under a thoroughly skin covering swim dress of some sort), I would like to re-assure my readers that this does NOT mean I am showing up to a good ole Canadian Rocky Beach, with my thong bikini in hand.I noticed this past time home in Canada, that some traditions do not transfer well...I can give you an example.

Canadian Women's Winter Sport

In Brazil, you kiss everyone and hug them upon greeting and leaving.A LOT of kissing goes on with perfect strangers.I admit to hugging and kissing a couple of my longtime buddies back on Vancouver Island this past Christmas.
I can assure you AWKWARD is not a grave enough word to describe the moments afterwards....SO I imagine bikini wearing would be the same....lol

To sum this educational weekend up:

1) I love my husband. Happy Anniversary Ian...We have done good so far!
2) I love my crazy kids
3) I may wear a bikini at some point in Brazil, but might compromise with a long cover-up on top.. Baby steps
4) I love turtle neck sweaters.
5) Never good to kiss AND hug people in Canada when you greet them. A firm handshake and eye contact will suffice.
6) The only cure for sand-burn is a lot more clothing!- or viewing the beach from an air-conditioned deck of a hotel.

For those of you in Sao Paulo this coming Saturday, if you are not already on our list please check out the video below...I am hosting a HOUSE CONCERT.
HOUSE CONCERT FEB 27TH