Except I'd forgotten my sunscreen, and before my inner healing powers had time to cure my diabetes my face was as red as a Mountie's uniform and my back had begun to peel. Skin cancer, skin cancer, the gulls started screeching at me as I raced toward the protection of my car, which wouldn't start. I used the time waiting for the tow truck to try to get the sand out of my mouth.

Then it occurred to me. I'm not really an outdoor person. Perhaps I'd be more relaxed if I visualized an indoor scene. Yes. There I was in a comfy armchair, in front of a blazing fire, my loyal dog Snarfy at my feet, and a glass of sherry at my side, reading a good book. For effect I added a tweedy sweater and a pipe, even though I don't smoke.

Then I remembered that I hate sherry, and just as I was replacing the glass of sherry with a cup of espresso coffee, the blazing log rolled out of the fireplace and set Snarfy's fur on fire. As I ran to help Snarfy, I tripped on the rug and hit my head on the fireplace, the pipe fell onto the couch and set that on fire, and I barely escaped from the burning building with my life.

I managed to save the tweedy sweater, but I'm beginning to suspect that visualization isn't the solution for me.