A Tale of Two Tattoos

I have wanted a tattoo for YEARS. Well, two. No, three. Um, four, but that's pushing it. I've always, always wanted the Rolling Stones Tongue tattooed on my arse. Never was a huge fan of the Rolling Stones, but when I was in High School I had a patch of that sewn to the butt of a pair of my jeans, which drew more than a few suggestions. I don't think that one will ever happen, but it's funny.

I also want a band like my son-in-law Tony's, which has very medieval-looking tendrils and a sun in the center. But his has a broken rock in the center of the sun, & I want a smiley face with round purple glasses like I wear. That's another maybe.

Wanted Richard's name in fancy tiny script like Emma got on her arse in The Importance of Being Ernest, only on my upper thigh near the pantie line, but I don't think I'm going to do that anytime soon.

A few years ago my dh suggested I should have an ice cream cone just above my breast, for reasons all his own. But then he said, it doesn't matter, because he doesn't want me to have a tattoo at all. Ever.

Then on Valentine's day he changed his mind. Might have had a little to do with the fact that a while back I told him that when he dies, I'm gonna step over his corpse, go get a tattoo, and *then* call 911. So on Monday the 15th I went, took my art to the tattoo parlor, & on Tuesday the 16th I got inked.

The place I went is Alter Ego Tattoos in Knoxville, on Kingston Pike. Cleanest place I have EVER seen! Jon is the owner there, and has done tattoos for my daughter Des & her dh Tony. They said my artist would be Boyd. Here is my outline...

And hereon the left Boyd is, mopping up some extra ink. He has very WARM hands, by the way! Don't look at my face, didn't get a chance to put any makeup on! Arrggh!


Over there on the right, Brand new!


and here on the left, two days old. Healing nicely. Never did even get pink around the edges.

Alright, on to the next one! My ds#2 Artemas recently turned 18. When he was about 10 years old, he said, "Mom, you know that lizard like on the Sobe bottle? When I'm old enough, I'm gonna have a tattoo of that!"

I was like, "Sure you will." Everybody knows that between 10 years old and majority, little boys change their minds a bazillion times.

But he never did, and after I got my tattoo, he was like, when can I get one? He earned money this past year on Etsy, so I told him to get a pic he liked, we'd draw something up, & he could get it done.

So we took his drawing, along with my interpretation of it and a few notations, on over to Alter Ego and would you know, Boyd had an opening on Monday Feb. 22!

Artemas just about worked himself up into a state over whether it was going to hurt or not, so that by the time Boyd got started, he was beside himself. About 5 minutes in, he got to feeling light-headed. Didn't help that he only had a Mtn. Dew that morning.
Boyd gave him a glass of water & some skittles, took a short breather & got started again. Artemas handled it fine after that.


Here (above, right) he is getting the work done. There's also a video on Youtube called The Awesomest Lizard Tattoo, in which I am talking in the background. Maybe I was kidding, heh heh.

Here it is in the first hour, covered (& bleeding a little).


And here it is about an hour old, washed & dressed with chapstick. Great job! I love it, and Artemas does too!

The Best Valentine Ever

Twenty-three years ago today, I gave birth to the Best Valentine's Day Gift Ever. I had been on bedrest for 3 months. I had gone off the medication, and started blowing up like a balloon. Large purple feet, large red hands, fat puffy face. So even though our due date was still 3 weeks away, Richie and I headed for the hospital for a non-stress test, and eventual induction. We were so broke, the business he had been working for had just shut down a week earlier, and we joked on the way there that the only way this baby would be born with even a plastic spoon in its mouth, was if we went through McDonalds and got one to stir coffee with. But we couldn't afford for him to buy a coffee. LoL

Worst labor ever, with the dr. giving orders to try to kill me with Pitocin. But blessedly short... 3 hours, the midwife making it back to my room before the doctor and then there she was, this mewing little China Doll that we named Desiree (french for Desired One). When each of our kids has been born, we have claimed a scripture for them, based on their name or circumstances of their births. .
For Desiree, we claimed, "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the Desires of your heart." And that has been the theme of her life to this day!

As a baby, she had the straightest, messy hair you ever saw. I couldn't KEEP it combed. So when she was 2, I took a trip to Ohio to visit my mom, and we gave her this perm. Since I was in the habit of always putting her into ruffled underpants, my uncle affectionately called her "Frazzle-ray Rufflebuns," a nickname some of which has stuck into adulthood.

By the time she was 12, she was so gorgeous and so sophisticated that people were mistaking her for an adult and often thought my baby Veronica was hers! I had to give guys in stores the Evil Eye more times than you can count! Not only was she beautiful, but intelligent (a genius IQ), kind to her brothers and sisters, and loving of the Lord. What more can a mother ask?

Even when she brings home THIS guy. LOL. She has always been a kind of free spirit (like her mom, maybe?). The first time Tony came late to watch a movie and fell asleep on the sofa, my dh came in our room at 6 in the morning and said, "Nikki, there is a Large, Hairy, Tattooed, Pierced man snoring on our sofa without a shirt on. Is that ok?" LoL!! Despite outward appearances, Tony is a great guy... loves the Lord, adores my daughter, and is a good provider. They seldom fight. And he was willing to wait until marriage for my Christian daughter. How can you say no to a match like that?

And how can a girl like that NOT make a beautiful bride? Des wanted to get married in the Fall, so she could have some of our beautiful Mountain color as a backdrop. They got married in Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg (yes, there really is a Wartburg) TN. It was a gorgeous day, with warm breezes, and falling leaves. Both God and man smiled at this, the most relaxed and fun wedding I have ever been to.

Today, Desiree is a grown woman. She is a wonderful wife, keeps a pleasant home, and is an artist in her own right. You can see her beautiful bags in her Hamncheezr Shop at Etsy and in a little local craft shop in Clinton, TN. She is a talented writer, as shown on her blog. She takes beautiful photographs, knits, spins yarn, is a great cook and makes gorgeous quilts. She loves the Lord like I have rarely seen. And she has given us TWO cute, smart, and happy grandchildren.

The day she was born, I didn't get a box of chocolates. And I love all my children, without a favorite (unless one of them asks, and then of course THAT one is the favorite, LoL!) But I think I have never had a Valentine's gift as good, or as great a blessing, as Desiree. I love you, Des!