Tale of the Tats

   So many people have asked me about my tattoos that I thought I would tell the tale of the tats................................................. 


   I can't say when I first started thinking about my first tattoo, early 1990's maybe. First I wanted to make sure that I really wanted a piece of art that stayed with me forever. After I crossed that bridge then I had to decide where on my body I wanted it . Someplace that I could see, since I was doing it for myself and wanted to enjoy it. But I was just starting my dog show judging career and didn't want to mar someone's first impression of me, just in case they had negative feelings about tattoos. So it needed it to be in a spot that I could conceal. OK, now a location was determined. Inside my wrist and long sleeves would cover it. Next, what did I want? After much thought I decided on a tribal type lizard. Small, inside my wrist. Cool! These decisions took years. I wanted to make sure I was sure.

   Next decision............... who to do it. As I drove to work I would look for shops. There was a tiny little shop that caught my eye, I stopped in to meet the person. It was a woman named Samantha. We talked about what I wanted and she would have a drawing ready in a day or two and could do it then. I was so excited. A few days later, with a couple of friends for support, I went back, kind of nervous of the unknown, Well........ the drawing was not tribal but I loved it. And it was not small. It was bigger than what I originally wanted  and the tail would wrap over my wrist a little.The heck with the tribal, this was the one for me! It was a generic lizard with vivid colors, there was the moon and the stars. It was really nice.

  

 

    Everyone always asks "Doesn't it hurt?". Some. It's not horrible. When it started to hurt she would move to another area even before I could say "ouch!". It took an hour or two, I think. I really don't remember. I hear tattoos are addictive but I was happy with my one!

 

        I had a life event in 2004 and had thought about a tattoo to commemorate it. It took untill 2009 to go ahead with my plan.The person I lived with was dead set against it.You pick your battles and I wasn't ready to battle about this YET! By 2009 I was ready.  I couldn't find Samantha so it was research time again. I went to a few places but they weren't helpful with giving me any input to what I might want. I went on the computer and checked feed back on some artists, then settled for one near the zoo, where I worked. I went and talked to him but he didn't have any ideas, but did have a resource library that I could use. I knew I wanted a pair of lions. Posed how? I didn't want frothing, savage looking beasts. I didn't want a copy of the actual lions, I was afraid he wouldn't capture what I saw in them. I decided on two head studies, male and female. They would represent the two lions I knew.

 

 

 

 

   While I was there I wanted my lizard freshened up. He suggested adding some things to it since it was kind of plain. I really hadn't thought about doing that, so I told him to do what he thought would look nice. He drew some clouds and flowers. It looked nice so I had it done.

 

 

 

 

In 2011 my life became my own. Free! I just had to get an ink representing that big life change. So I went back to the person that did the lions. I already knew what I wanted and where. Butterflies stand for freedom to me and I think Monarchs are so beautiful. Also orange is one of my favorite colors. Perfect! Monarch butterflies over my shoulder. I wanted them to look like they were in flight. My sister and best friend came with me. I think they were both interested in the process. It took a couple of hours and again not much pain. It's beautiful and I love it.

 

 

 

Early in 2012 I made a decision to move to Mexico, a big life change. Now I wanted something for that event in my life. What could I have that would represent all that this meant to me? When I was a young child, I had a plaster kit and I could mold  little Mexican figurines. My favorite was a sleeping Mexican. My mother told me the man was sleeping because in Mexico people took a nap after lunch. (I've been here for several months and haven't seen this man sleeping anywhere!) It's always been my favorite symbol and  I still have those figures that I made so many years ago. Boy, little did I know where my life was headed. But that wasn't what I wanted for my tattoo. I wasn't sure it was really a Mexican thing or something dreamed up by a white man.

 

 

The house, I was temoprarily staying in while in Mexico, had a picture on the mantel that represented the town I'm living in. It's simple, had clean lines and I felt this was what I wanted.

 

 

 

In the meantime I made a new friend back in the States that had a couple of tattoos. She loved the work of her artist. So on July 31 I went to see Michele for this new milestone marker. But where to put it? I like to be able to see them, they are done for my pleasure. I'm not fond of having one on my upper arm, but that was the empty space. We raised it a little so it goes over my shoulder some. I was very pleased with her work and the location of my new tattoo.

 

 

I must admit I was getting addicted to tattoos. I went back August 2 to have chili peppers on my foot. They have no particular meaning. Let me tell ya folks -- if this would have been my first one, there never would have been a second one. OUCH! Very painful. Apparently the foot is a very sensitiveplace for a tattoo.

 

 

Michele had been looking at my other tattoos and suggested she coud make the lions look less cartoon-ish,

 

 

 

  and could spice up the lizard. The neck of the generic lizard always bothered me, it was just a little too long. She shortened the neck, added a tree frog and had the lizard catching a bug. Perfect!

 

 

I'm done, unless I have another major life event. Well, sort of done ..................... my friend put up a picture on Facebook, a tarantula tattoo that I fell in love with. I'm a tarantula fan from way back. My first one lived for 23 years. I just had to have that tattoo. Where the heck am I going to put it? I have no prime real estate on my body left for it. Where there's a will, there's a way! So when I returned to the States Michele did yet another ink for me. We wedged it close to the butterflies. It looks great.

 

 

 

The drawing was turned around and repositioned. Now I can easily see it.

 

                   I'm done now.                    

 

Unless........................

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The House (warning LOTS of PICTURES)

    I'm not sure who I'm writing these Blogs for, me or you? I really like doing it and enjoy the end results, I hope you're enjoying it to. The big thing I'd like for you to take away with you is to not give up your dreams. Never did I think this is where I would spend the rest of my life. Ever since I've been a child I've been drawn to anything Mexican. People, language, songs, culture. Who knows why.? I think we all have some unexplained interest or attraction. Where does it comes from.? Genetic memory? Past Life? I can't even begin to guess. I am a compulsive person, stubborn, hard headed. Whatever you want to call it. I don't sit and ponder the "what if''s" If it's something I want I say YES! It's always worked for me. I made my decision in a matter of days to move here. Was I scared? Nope! So let's continue my adventure...........................

    The first time I came here I stayed two weeks. The first week I was here with a friend, then I stayed a week by myself. That first week I had already decided this was going to be my home. I can't explain the feeling I had. I felt as if I belonged here.. By the end of the second week the first wall was going up. Some of the pictures will be repeats of what I already posted but in this blog but I wanted to compare the construction with the end result. The inside is still not done as far as decorating. You will notice the living room furniture has no cushions. Next week the upholstery will be done.. Upstairs still needs light fixtures and a couple of more pieces of furniture for the bedrooms. But to all my friends........it's done enough that you would be very comfortable if you came for a visit.

 

    Everything is hand made down here. Doors, tiles, furniture, wrought iron The workmanship is awesome. All my ceilings are beautiful wood. The ends of the beams, supporting the roof and walls, are hand carved in a curved design.

 

    At first I had wanted just one floor but the view is so nice from a second floor balcony that we went for two floors. So upstairs there's two bedrooms, a full bath, a balcony and a loft that overlooks the downstairs.

 

                                                                               

                                                                   Balcony

 

 

                                             Guest bathroom, custom made shower doors

 

 

Window over stairs

 

 

Looking down from loft area.

Downstairs there's a living room, dining area, 1/2 bath,. master bedroom/bath, kitchen and laundry room.

  The kitchen is a nice size for me. I have all the conveniences that I had in the States. Refrigerator/freezer, gas stove & oven, micro wave and toaster oven. I didn't get a dish washer, I never used the one I had. I have a separate laundry room, just off the kitchen, with a full ceiling sky light. My washer and dryer are in there and it's also my animal room. My finches are there and the set up for the cats is there too. When you have dogs, you have to keep the litter and cat food away from the them. You can see that I have a puppy pen around the cat area, it has an opening for them to go in and out. Their litter area is up on a table. Dogs LOVE cat turds! There is a door that opens to the outside animal area and it's open most of the time so they come and go as they want, it's a secure area. It's flagstone and has two drains, so hosing is very easy.

 

 

                                                                               Kitchen

 

 

Laundry room, hook-up for machines on left

 

 

                                                     
                                                  Door leading to outside animal area

 

 

                                                             Kitty set-up on right

 

 

 

 

 

   My bedroom has two walls of windows that open to the side area where the animals go. I can keep an eye on them and they don't even know it! The attached bathroom has a jetted tub and shower.

The living room has one two-story wall of windows and more windows on each side of that. The fireplace is unique. It looks like a tree trunk rising up and through the ceiling. It comes through the roof as the rest of the tree. The dining area and living room are in an open space which makes the home feel very large.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                    My bedroom

  

                                                                         Fireplace

 

 

                                                                         Chimney

 

                                                Butterflies have a special meaning for me.

                                                         At night with shutters closed

                                             
                                                                     Dining area

 

                                                       My computer desk against wall

 

  

   Outside is a wrap around porch with a beautiful wood ceiling like inside. There is a flagstone parking pad also. I have a small yard but it's a perfect size for me. I have many plants all around the porch and I have a guava tree and an avocado tree in the yard. I let the cats and dogs out there when I'm with them. The dogs love to roll in the grass and the cats explore.

 

                                 The men are trimming the support pillars for the porch.

           They are hearts of pine. They come from dead trees and will last hundreds of years

 

            

                                                                       Animal area

 

 

                                         At night looking through the wrought iron gate.

 

 

 

   I'm not sorry I made the decision to move to Mexico. I knew before I came here that there would be bad days and I might regret what I did. But I KNEW that if I didn't follow my dream while I could, I would regret it every day of my life. So far I love everything about it here. The easy lifestyle, the wholesome food, the music, the customs. The only difficulty is my lack of Spanish, but that will come. Poco a poco. I have lonely days because I don't speak the language but there is another gringa here from Wisconsin and we have become good friends. She is a big help to me. I try to go out and do what I need to do. I shop, I have my nails done, eventually I'll need my hair done. Sometimes I go out to eat. Many people in town know me and help me when I'm struggling to make myself understood. Even broken English is good, that and my broken Spanish makes for communication. Yes, I miss things. Friends, what family I have, the convenience of anything I need being available, movie theaters. Most of the conveniences that I'm used to is two hours away in Guadalajara. So until next time..............Adios!