Po gets some sun

She didn't wear any sunscreen
(But my wife and two youngest kids in the distance certainly did)
Port Stanley, ON
July 2014
Thematic. Favorites. Here.

I seem to be spending way too much time at the beach this summer, and as a result my photography is, for better or for worse, reflecting that. Apologies if sand and sun - or rain - aren't your thing, but this is a theme that could go on for a bit. My bad.

This pic has an interesting backstory. If you've been hanging around here for long enough, you might know that Po, the smallest Teletubby, has been hanging off of my camera bag and backpack ever since we first became parents. She came in a McDonald's Happy Meal and for some reason we ended up with an extra toy. So I did what any overgrown child would do and claimed her as my own.

I attached her to my camera bag with a carabiner and she's gone pretty much everywhere with me ever since, like a twisted, British-sourced, modern-era travel gnome. And everywhere we've gone, she's managed to get complete strangers to smile and open up. Because nothing breaks through barriers like an adult carrying a little stuffed animal.*

This day on the beach was no different. The light and composition near our seats wasn't quite right, so I dropped the camera bag in the middle of an open area not far away, then backed off to set up the shot. A couple sitting nearby noticed what I was doing and I could hear the woman excitedly tell her partner how happy she was to see Po. They were talking amongst themselves, but loudly enough that I could easily make out what was going on. Her kids were mad for them, while his kids were old enough that they pretty much missed out on Teletubbymania.

Undeterred, she cracked off detailed explanations of each member of the clan, as well as the Noo Noo vacuum-cleaner thing that, frankly, scared me back in the day. My fears notwithstanding, I was impressed. She knew her stuff, and my little picture-taking moment had opened up a memory for someone I had never met.

I was tempted to join in their conversation and share the background of my now-fading old Po, but it just didn't feel right to invade their discussion. So I kept shooting, then quietly returned Po to her spot below our umbrella when I was done.

* If you're digging the small-stuffie-on-the-road thing, here are a few snippets of Po's past adventures:

• Po at the CBC
• Po making folks at the airport happy
• Po at the grocery store
• Po at the IHOP

Your turn: Where should I take Po next?