Happy Fall

 

September 21st

 

https://youtu.be/Gs069dndIYk?si=TGXM83zwb4yI4gSn

Not Grumpy

 When my mother-in-law passed, I got the flower bouquet tattoo.  I love it still and had planned all along to get a mate to it when my father-in-law passed.

But I couldn't decide on a good image.  He has a nickname that is one of the Seven Dwarves.  So that seems simple and obvious.  Except I just didn't like it.  It felt too "drunk eighteen-year-old girl in Vegas getting her first tattoo"

So I kind of put it out into the universe and waited.  Finally, Kevin mentioned while we were out to dinner "Why don't you get the sign they had in their house?"

First off, know that he said that with ZERO CONTEXT so I was very confused mid-bite of my seafood fetucini. Because there are two signs he referred On Our Wall and another one outside.  Then he clarified and said "As a tattoo. You like that saying and you said we gave them that sign"

"All because two people fell in love..."

Well, that's a great idea! I loved it immediately.  A few days later I searched for dragonfly line art and found one that I liked.  I made a picture incorporating the saying and the dragonflies then emailed it to the tattoo artist as a suggestion of what I wanted.

When I got my first tattoos, it was almost a two month wait.  This time it was less than a week. Whew, no backing out now.  (I could but, still)

I wanted it on my inner bicep.  The tattoo artist gently guided me to another idea because that skin is tender and soft.  The artwork would look distorted, especially as we age.  She suggested another area on my arm and I wasn't as excited about it but went with it anyway.  She also suggest that it be a little larger than the size I actually chose and she was RIGHT.   Listen to your artist, they know things.

It didn't hurt badly, about the same as the ones on my forearms.  The healing time went really quickly and I'm overall happy with it. Is it my favorite? No.  Do I wish it was a little different? Yes.

But, I can - and maybe will - add to it. The artist is the kind of person that I could say "Hey, can we change this a little" and she would be happy to do so.  But I do love that when I look down at my arm, I see a dragonfly.  It has little mid-century modern stars sprinkled around so maybe add some more of those somehow.

While chatting during the work, because I ask questions endlessly in order to distract myself, she wondered if I would consider having the bouquet colored in.  I said no because I like the line art and she was disappointed.  She even jokingly said "It's the height of white privilege; you have the whitest skin and it would look so good!"  Maybe someday but probably not.

She also mentioned that I had gotten three tribute tattoos and that I should really get something just for myself.  I admit that this has occurred to me but I haven't found The One.  I asked her about the most common ones then it sequed into two directions:

The use of Asian alphabet and symbols and how often they are wrong.  So much so that she refuses to do them.  She told a story about trying to convince a girl to not have a specific character because it was wrong (thanks to the internet) but the girl had it done anyway. (not by her)

I mentioned that Kevin made the joke that the Doctor Who tattoo in honor of our 30th anniversary "could be for anyone, my name isn't anywhere."  I explained to the artist that I'm GenX and how having his name on me would just feel like branding.  (as in cattle, not as in influencers)

She said that when people get their significant others names tattooed, it's practically guaranteed that they will break up.  So much so that it's tattoo artist lore and most artists will try to convince clients Not To.

Also, she mentioned that she got through the whole Live Laugh Love trend without one of those tattoos on her own body.  I made the joke of Live Laugh Toaster Bath and she laughed at that idea.  She said "We can design it subtle" and I laughed in response "If I were to do that, I wouldn't Want it subtle"  I would probably never but it's tempting.

I realized also that my mother died without seeing my tattoos.  It's a relief because she would have been annoyed.  She was angry when one of my nieces got a tattoo with her friends when she was an adult.  The girls even agreed that she would have been mad.

So, now I'm pondering.  I've become the older lady who gets tattoos, I think.  

Just above my elbow, on the bicep
And wow can you tell my English/Irish/Scottish heritage

Ding Dong, It's Delivery

 For the first time ever - ever, in 35 years - we just had pizza delivered to our door.  

What had happened was this is the first game of the season for the Seahawks and it's a weeknight game.  The house policy (that I made up) is that if it's Monday or Thursday Night Football, we have pizza for dinner.  Usually I just get a take and bake then I don't have to worry about keeping it warm.

But today I really didn't want to drive all the way into town.  Then I realized that with modern-day technology, I could probably have pizza DELIVERED.  And the skies shone and the birds sang.  

Because it's the first time I did it, the fee was waived and I had an online code so it was almost the same as if we had picked it up ourselves.  And by the time we evaluate my time and gas, now I'm saving money.  Also, I'll go deactivate the account tomorrow. Otherwise, this could be a problem, lol.

The delivery driver was a guy, not a young man.  He was in a Seahawks jersey and said everyone has been ordering tonight.  I explained that this is the first pizza delivery ever to this house, he was surprised and excited for me.  (and he was very handsome, btw.  All the winning today)

When we moved up here way back in the 1900's, that was the one thing that really bothered me about living so rurally: no pizza delivery.  Now I felt just as excited as I did when I lived in my own apartment and waited for the delivery car; which was a Ford Pinto back then. Classic small town.

GO HAWKS!

Chatty Email - August, now September

 We went to see The Odyssey.  In the movie theater.  It was... A LOT.  We never go to the movies, it's too much sensory input for me. I had some working knowledge of the story, Kevin did not. After 30 minutes of commercials, the movie finally began.  The movie that is almost 3 hours long. So we began it already frustrated.

It started out strong and then...it just needed a brutal editing.  Some parts just went on far too long. I won't give an example because: spoilers but you'll know when you know.  Also, theaters are so loud now that I was actually covering an ear through parts of it.  It had a satisfying ended, for me.  For Kevin, he wanted to leave about two-thirds through.  This is very unlike him.

So...go see it but keep an open mind or wait for streaming and keep an open mind.  Beautifully shot, great acting.  Needed an Editor.  I think that particular story is like the bible or Jane Austen, it's up for interpretation and we don't always like the adaptations we see.

I've watched Schitt's Creek in its entirety once; meaning from Episode One to the last in consecutive order.  Then I immediately started it again to pick up on all the details I missed and because it's so great.  Now it's one of my comfort watches.

Something kept catching my eye in one of their rooms.  Finally I stopped it and took a photo:

Look at the painting in the corner. I'm sorry that I can't get a better photo

Then I looked over to my bedroom wall and saw this:

Now, we inherited this painting from Kevin's mom.  It's always been in the houses we've lived in.  It was reportedly painted by a family member or was a gift...or both.  You know how these kinds of stories happen in families.  It's signed but the name doesn't ping on the interwebs. So, that's kind of fun.

Books!  I started and did not finish "Romantic Comedy"  I tried, I really did.  I felt myself skipping ahead to the next page, never a good sign.  I was interested in the premise of a Saturday Night Live setting but that was temporary.  Moreso, it's a romance written by a man. Meaning the female protagonist received a d!ck pic and wasn't instantly repulsed.  There's a lot of emphasis about how boyish her co-writer is and the all American good looks  the love interest has. I made it through the first act; then the second changed writing styles that was momentarily intriguing. Then I got bored again. The book went to the neighborhood library unfinished.  I have plenty of options to choose from instead of feeling obligated to a book that the internet recommended. If you're keeping score, one out of four internet recommended books I have enjoyed. And even though I enjoyed it, it went into the library as well.

However, despite evidence, I've since finished The Wedding People (LOVED it) and One Day With You (was chosen on a whim and ended up loving) and am halfway through This Book Made Me Think of You.  What's strange about that book is it talks about losing the ability or desire to read while in grief.  100% a real thing.

It's the busy time of the school year for me. Thus the gap in posting because the last thing I want to do is sit MORE at the computer. Every year I think that I'm ready and every year, I am not; it's just the nature of the job. As an odd coping tool, I've had Grey's Anatomy playing like a podcast.  Last week it reached the Pandemic season.  I thought about skipping it but it felt important to watch it.  I think we too easily forget how horrific that time period was. I was surprised to realize that there were things that I had forgotten. As a result, I think these episodes should be shown in high schools, in current event or health classes. Or annually like the 9/11 tragedy. Instead of stats that people won't remember, provide stories like those.

In the middle of last year, I thought it was a good idea to conduct a shampoo experiment.  Between stress and being a certain age demographic, my hair had taken a hit.  I tried Native and liked the scent but it was overwhelming but it left my hair tangly. I tried Dove and it was just okay.  I tried...now I can't remember...and it was okay.  After having, no exaggeration, seven bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the shower I decided to combine Native and Dove into one bottle.  It actually worked out okay.  What I finally landed on was what I have always used: Pantene (I know people hate it but it works for me) and Dove.  The internet said the key is to wash your hair twice so I use one and then the other then the Pantene conditioner.  It works really well!  A good result from a experiment ended by impulsive frustration.  The other suggestion was to rinse your hair in cold water before getting out.  OH HELL NO.  I'm not ruining my cozy, low-sensory shower with cold water.  GTFO  

Also, I had learned to cut my own hair during the Pandemic.  But the way I learned created layers and that can be challenging in hoodie season.  Now I have Kevin blunt cut it with his razor every six weeks.  Slowly, I've taken off about four to five inches in length and that has helped a lot.  I felt better when I read a post by someone who mentioned what a relief it was to not go to the stylist anymore.  I hadn't realized how much that stressed me out. (too much sensory, making a phone call, ack!)

Fall is beginning in the PNW.  We had a decent summer, not too hot or too rainy and a short smoke season. But I'm ready for it to ease into Fall now.  I'm planning on taking out my Fall decorations tomorrow and (allegedly) I may have bought some Fall candles and pumpkins the other day. Allegedly.