Gallagher Family Vacation: If I Pay $15.95 For Sun Screen, the Terrorists Win

Today was another beautiful day here in Ogunquit. Temperatures in the 80's, low humidity, not a cloud in the sky. So obviously, it's another beach day.

We took the shuttle to the beach, getting there right around at noon. But before we left, Maria loaded the kids up with sun screen so that they could go right into the water when we got there. She asked if I wanted to grease up and I declined, saying that I'll take care of it when we got there.

So when we got there and set up our little spot on the beach, I started looking for the sun screen. Couldn't find it. So I asked Maria if she knew where it was. "Uh oh, I forgot to bring it."

I burn. I burn like a hambuger on the surface of the sun. So I decided that I needed to go find some, ASAP. We're on the Atlantic coast of Maine. East is out of the question, because that's the ocean. I decide I'll go west and walk back to the entrance to the beach where there was a little food shack. Maybe they sell sun screen.

Nope.

Then I decide I'll just keep heading west and walk back to the main road (Route 1). Maybe there's a store there that sells sun screen.

Nope.

So I go back to our spot on the beach. I look north, where there's a bunch of buildings around a quarter of a mile up the beach. One of them must be a store that sells beach stuff. Like sun screen.

Nope.

Back to our spot on the beach. The main entrance to Ogunquit beach is around a mile south of us. We're quite familiar with that part of the beach, and we know a store that sells beach stuff. Like sun screen. So off I go.

I finally arrive. There's the shelf full of sun screen. All different brands. All different SPF strengths. All in 8 ounce bottles. All priced at either $15.95 or $18.95.

I'll burn like a hambuger on the surface of the sun before I pay $15.95 for a small bottle of sun screen. So I start my trek back north, to our spot on the beach.

In the end, I estimate that I was walking, practically non-stop, for close to an hour and forty-five minutes. I would also guess a total of about four miles. With nothing to show for it in the end.

By the time I got back, the kids were tired and wanted to leave.

What a great day I had at the beach!!!

John and Kevin had a great day at the beach . . .