I had to snorttle, giggle, chortle, and guffaw and your sun shelter needs. We always joked that when we would go camping, the need for a RAIN shelter was uppermost. We began to realize the 'family curse' made it imperative to pack a tarpaulin  specifically for this purpose, tied to trees and tents, to make a sort of mini biome of water free area for our often water-logged trips. Once we all awoke feeling as if we were on a waterbed only to realize it was the lake forming under our tent!

Let's say keeping a fire lit in the rain has become second nature to us and should be on our family crest: A little campfire with rain droplets and miserable people huddled about blazon on a crest of gold or some such!

Kudos for spotting the 'farmer's tan' love that term, always have. 

At least the resolution for the heat was right in front of you. As I read about the stultifying heat I kept shouting at the computer, 'go into the river' and sure enough, you heeded my yelling at the screen :)

This has been quite an adventure. Our camping trip this year is going to take place at Toad Hall. I suggested it as I felt it holds many camping amenities in the yard but a good place to hide from our eventual rain :)