So I Got A Couple New Tattoos

A little while ago one of my bests dropped the bombshell that she would be leaving me.  Her hubs and kids would be moving to New Zealand.  It left us both a little shell shocked.  (More so her, I’m sure).

It’s not often that I make real deep connections with people that surpass the superficial chit chat.

You know, where you find and connect with people that you can be 100% yourself with – pull ridiculous faces, argue, tell lame jokes, share deep hurts, tell each other like it is and just generally lay it all out there.  Where you don’t have to see each other every day (or even every month) but when you do it’s like slipping on your fat jeans – worn, comfortable and forgiving.

In fact if I had to put a number on it, there are only two people that fall into this category for me (if you exclude Seth).

So yes, the news of her imminent move kind of shook things up.  We even joked about getting matching tattoos and then all of a sudden it wasn’t a joke and we were planning and drawing and booking dates.  We decided on an arrow, because well, we like them.  And maybe just maybe it will point her back to Africa when she’s done traveling the World.

A before ink selfie…

A snap of our “best friends forever” tattoo.

The artist that we used was new to me, but I was quite impressed with the work that he had done on Liz before so instead of paying for the full hour and only getting a little (but important) arrow, I thought that I would get something else.

I had a bit of an idea in my head.  A stag head.  But with watercolour.  I didn’t particularly want an actual head with eyes and all of that (hard to make sure it has the right look) but more of a silhouette.  But my birds are very much about the silhouette, so pondered the geometric route.  When I saw the origami version I was sold.  With the watercolour splash behind it, it’s exactly what I wanted.

Technically there is no “meaning” behind this tattoo per say, but I wanted something that would serve as a reminder of my Dad who died last year.  Since he passed I had been thinking of how one could capture his sickness and suffering turned into freedom in death into a pretty picture, but I kept drawing a blank.  I mean seriously, is that even possible?  A bird flying free just didn’t make the cut somehow.

Anyway.

The thought process was there and Jose had it all drawn out.  On looking at it, we decided that having a pink or red watercolour splat near the head might send a bajillion vegans/animals rights people into a frenzy.  Landing up on one of those “World Worst Tattoo” programs.  We settled on yellow with orange highlights and I am chuffed with the result.

I get that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.  Heck, I’d wager that there are a lot of people that don’t like it – my Mom is probably the front runner on that list.  But I love it and that’s what counts right?