Tuesday 14 May 2013

Tattoo Tuesday 1

As I write this my 79-year old Mom, widowed last year after 59 years with my Dad (57 of them married), is flying off to England to spend three months with my sister. They'll be off to New York, Italy and France as well, while I must use the time to finally start that new novel which has been buzzing about in my head.

My Mom, the jet-setter, also decided to get a tattoo in remembrance of my Dad. 

After taking her on a long and varied search through tattoo parlours in the strangest of places, she finally met a tattoo artist who understood what she wanted, and why she wanted it.

The oldest client the delightful tattoo artist Ting of SA Tattoos in The Zone has ever had, Mom and Ting got on like two peas in a pod. I didn't think I was ever going to get Mom to leave the shop. Everyone in the shop wanted to chat to her, including a young man who was having a beautiful dragon tattoo drawn over his chest in honour of his own Mom, who had been on crutches her whole life and still managed to bring him up.  

Mom's tattoo is of a Dove holding a laurel branch with 9 leaves. The Dove (bird of peace) symbolises my Dad, always the peacemaker of the family. The laurel branch symbolises victory, in this case, my Dad's victory over death, and each of the 9 leaves on the branch represent we who are left behind: my Mom, my sister and her family, Beric and I. 

My Mom drew the line at including a laurel leaf for each of my cats over the years! Grandkits, she said, didn't make the cut. Despite this disappointment, I was so inspired I decided to get my own tattoos.

10 comments:

Linda Cassidy Lewis said...

What a delightful story! Yay for your mom. I thought many times about getting a tattoo when I was younger, but never did. And now I felt I was too old. I guess I'd better rethink that. :-)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Judy .. if my mother was still alive, this story would have tickled her pink .. she'd have loved it and kept her amused for days ...

Your mother is really picking up her life and ticking things off her bucket list - amazing and wonderful to read she's doing all these things.

That tattoo is the best .. and what great symbolism and thought went into the design ... fabulous your mother so enjoyed the experience and grasped the process .. then all around her felt her happiness ..

Enjoy the peace of three months with lots of writing to be done .. I gather it's freezing! It is here too!!

Such a good read .. and yes yours now please .. cheers Hilary

Yvonne Osborne said...

You know what? I'm not a tattoo person but I like your Mom's. And I like the meaning behind it. I also like the idea of flying off to New York, Italy, and France! Good luck with your new novel, Judy.

Patricia said...

Almost daily I pray that my youngest daughter will not get a tattoo, and yet I do like the idea of your mum getting one and the nice meanings you added to each leaf and wing...

happy writing
safe and happy traveling

I also had a grand chuckle reading your post Thank you :)

Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...

LINDA: As my Mom and her tattoo artiste Ting would say ... you're never too old for a tattoo!! :)

HILARY: I'm sure your delightful Mom would have loved this! She might even have gone and got her own tattoo!! :) But please can't you do something about your summer? Mom arrived to cold and wet, while back home here we're warm & sunny! :)

YVONNE: The interesting thing about being in the tattoo parlour with Mom was that each tattoo that a person gets has a highly personal meaning to the person. For some weird reason I thought tattoos were just random, but it appears not - everyone's tattoos have a very special symbolism. You can find out about mine next week! :)

PATRICIA: White ink tattoos are very discreet - so maybe your youngest daughter can get one of those & you can both be happy :) The nice thing about my Mom's tattoo is that she's left space for two more leaves - one each for when my unmarried niece and nephew finally take the plunge and my Mom gets two new grandchildren. I don't know what she'll do when the great grandchildren start arriving! :)

Inger said...

What a delightful story. I'm visiting from Hilary's blog and so glad I decided to stop by. I hope you mum has a wonderful time jet setting around.

Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...

Hi Inger and Welcome! My crazy Mom (we love her just that way!)is enjoying a rather chilly England, she's off to the Chelsea Flower Show tomorrow - something she's always wanted to do! So glad you popped over from Hilary's blog! Lovely to have you here. :)

Juliet said...

I'm not a lover of tattoos but this one, and the story behind it, is really beautiful. Good for you mum!

Juliet said...

PS I just popped over from Hilary's blog.

Judy Croome | @judy_croome said...

Hi Juliet - thanks for the visit! Lovely to have you here! :) I nearly fainted when my Mom said she wanted to get a tattoo, but I'm glad she did - it means a lot to her. (And so I got one too - in white ink, though, I'm not as brave as my Mom!)