Bad Combination

The day before Mom flew home, we decided to have a picnic at the beach and soak in as much sun as possible. So, we packed up Lex and smothered her in sunscreen. Picked up some California rolls - to eat on the California beach, in the California sun - and ventured for the final time to the Venice freak show. It was a beautiful day, and after finishing lunch we decided to walk on the board walk. Before we started our walked, we lathered Lex one more time, so she wouldn’t get the sun burn both mom and I were trying for. I know, I know, why protect her and not ourselves? There is lots of psychotherapy needed I tell you.

Anyway, we had a great time walking and watching people. We passed a Muppet movie being filmed, and most people on the set were more entertained by Lex’s child backpack contraption, than the actual filming. If that was my 15 minutes of fame, I think I want a refund. We walked for about an hour and a half before I looked down and realized I was not wearing my wedding ring. I think that my heart literally stopped, and when it started, it was beating about 5 times faster than normal. I had taken my ring off to put sunscreen on Lex – it’s true, already blaming the one person who can’t defend herself – and forgot to pick it up off the towel after finishing. We raced back to where we had eaten, but even at our light speed pace it took twenty minutes to get there. The whole time my thoughts were alternating between “I believe in miracles”, and “how on earth am I going to find a ring on the beach!?” I think at multiple points I promised I’d give up just about everything if I could just find my ring…

We finally made it back and thankfully some of the same people where still around so we had an idea where to look. I can honestly say that a miracle happened, when I walked to where we had been sitting, looked down and saw my ring half buried in the sand. I can laugh and make light of most things – too many things probably – but I still can’t laugh about this. If there had been wind moving the sand, if someone had stepped on it on their way to the water, if someone had even picked it up…

The moral of the story, as Mom made very clear, is: Don’t put sunscreen on the baby! (or something to do with not wearing my ring to beach…)