The sun is shining, it's a very nice day, Belinda and Benjamin are coming out to play

[ailbhe]

It's so hot today bedlinen is drying on the line in an hour or less, and comes off feeling crisp and ironed, which is bizzare. It's too hot for me to go out into the garden so I've been indoors folding and putting away our huge backlog of dry laundry. I am also being the Hat Enforcer, because the children keep taking off their hats when they are in the shade and then can't find them when they need them.

This morning I ordered Emer a sunproof swimsuit with long legs and sleeves. I thought she had outgrown her sun intolerance but yesterday she came up in a bumpy rash after only a few minutes' exposure to strong sun and we had to put her cardigan on to stop the itching, which of course made her far too hot.

However, yesterday we also found sweets with a high xylitol content, which will make things easier for us; she can have one or two after meals and snacks and it might help. I keep meaning to ask Rob to ask his Swedish relations to send us some of the specifically-for-children's-dental-health xylitol chews available over there and I keep forgetting.

Also, I think tomorrow is Post Office Day. I have about four parcels to post and it really ought to be manageable tomorrow.

Comments

[gloriap.livejournal.com]

Be careful with the xylitol, manitol, sorbitol sugar substitutes. They can cause diarrhea in some people.

[ailbhe]

Sorbitol and maltitol are actually laxatives! Xylitol is less severe, and has known dental benefits (not just is-not-sucrose dental benefits). Luckily the amount you need for the laxative effect in xylitol is considerably more than you need for the dental benefit.

[the-changeling.livejournal.com]

Cannot recommend these highly enough:

http://www.chillcheater.com/products/shop.asp?cid=4

Deffo worth it, for the wear and tear.

UV protection at about 40, IIRC, and great for keeping them warm in the chill wind on the beach.

[ailbhe]

Heh, if we ever get anywhere near a beach, perhaps! Emer will mainly be wearing her sun protection in the dry, as it happens, but also in the paddling pool. They have the usual UV at 50 as per normal kids' highstreet sunwear. I do hope she outgrows her sun sensitivity soon.

[ailbhe]

Our garden is too small for the smallest gazebo on the market to fit! We are trying to rearrange things - tear down the little shed that was here when we moved in, etc - so that we can fit something.

[ailbhe]

If we can clear the area close to the house, the house will provide its own shade there! Sail-type awnings are available here but they are very very expensive, because they are a trendy fashion item. Awnings a bit like you get outside shops and restaurants are slightly cheaper, but we'd have to fix it over the bathroom window, which would mean the main social area would be... right outside the bathroom window.

I'm really hoping that destroying buildings will create enough space that the pleasant end of the garden will be shadeable. We shall see.

[the-changeling.livejournal.com]

Read an article link on Facebook couple of days ago, saying to take fermented cod liver oil. I'll see if I can find it.