This week my Word of the Week is: Tattoo!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

Remember at the start of the year when I wrote a blog post all about Ellie getting her tattoo, how I didn't really approve of or like tattoos. I take it all back.

It all started on Friday evening. Becky's "friend" was talking about a tattoo she was getting this week. She was booked in to get, I think her 7th. Becky started saying she wanted to get one and would if I would. Becky had already come up with her tattoo idea months ago, a simple duck. She is crazy about ducks, so for her it doesn't seem that mad. It sounded like a good idea at the time and I didn't think much else about it until Sunday. I was in two minds about it. A tattoo is so permanent.

I thought about getting a Harry Potter one or a Wrestling related one but I wanted something more personal and with the help of Google Gemini AI, I came up with this.

I wanted something which meant something to me and the heart beat lines made me think of what my girls went through with their heart defects but it still wasn't right. I still wasn't convinced about the tattoo and forgot about the idea. I left it and then on Tuesday morning I had a clever idea. One heart was pretty but I wanted two hearts, one for each of my girls. I went back to Gemini and had it changed in a couple of minutes. This was perfect and exactly what I wanted but still wasn't 100% I would go through with the tattoo. I didn't even know if they could fit us in.

Becky and I were there before Becky's "friend" and her friends Nanna who was also getting a tattoo and as I know the tattoo people, I went in for a chat and asked about if they could do a tattoo for Becky and me and how much they would cost. I think we got a bargain price and surprisingly, the nerves didn't kick in. The designs were printed out, consent forms were signed and we were good to go!

The person doing the tattoo was so lovely, she was chatty and really put me at ease. She is just one of those people who has a calming personality. I joked and said I could do with one of her to follow me around in life to keep me from stressing about everything. I chose to go first, as I think if I saw anyone else get a tattoo that day I would have chickened out.

I didn't know what to expect with the pain from a tattoo but what I felt was not what I expected. I imagined lots of pin pricks but it felt more like someone scraping something sharp on my wrist. Like a cat scratching you but more than just one scratch. It was done in about 5 minutes. It took longer for the cleaning before and after. 

I expected a lot of pain afterwards but there has been none. I have been putting the aftercare cream on 3 times a day, it's nothing fancy, it's just the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula that the tattooist recommended.

Becky was panicking when it came to her time to get her tattoo but she went through with it and didn't chicken out like I thought she was going to do. She was surprised about the pain, or lack of it. 

I know getting yourself permanently marked is not something to be proud of but I am feeling pretty pleased with myself. I don't think I will rush to get another one but at the same time I am thinking about another one. I am glad I got this one. I saw my brother shortly after getting my tattoo and he thought it was hilarious. We turned back into kids, him saying wait till dad finds out, you'll be grounded, you can't just wipe it off. Me saying what's dad going to do, he can't ground me. My dad did find out and he was less than impressed but the best argument was that I have gone 46 years without a tattoo, why one now? I don't know why one now but it's there now and I love it!

It wasn't something I really discussed with Stu, so when he rang on his lunch break, I told him and he didn't believe me. I sent him a photo of mine and Becky's tattoo and him and his friend at work discussed them and came up with the idea they were just images stolen off Google. Eesh! I sent him another photo of my arm in front of my face and he was a little more convinced but still thought we were winding him up. It was only when he got home and saw them for himself that he knew it was true.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one! I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay and her Word of the Week linky!