Bonsai Boy
DC and I are feeling a teeeeny bit like Empty Nesters. Our boys are very independent these days, and gone much of the time. So when friends called us last night and said Were at such and such a restaurantcome and join us., DC and I were able to do just that without a second thought.
When we got home around 8:30, we heard Beethoven being played full blast on the stereo before even walking through the door. We walked in, and there were six giant boys in the kitchen preparing a full meal for themselves. They had made spaghetti and garlic bread, a fancy plate of sliced tomatoes and fresh basil from the garden, arranged beautifully with decorative chive stems. Out on the patio, the candles had been lit and the table set. One of the giant boys grabbed me and waltzed me around the family room. Then all six of them sat down, put napkins in their laps, toasted each other with their ice water glasses and enjoyed their home-cooked dinner. After they finished eating, all the dishes were cleaned up in a very satisfactory way, and poof! They were gone.
I really like my life. Something unexpected happens every day.
But heres an unexpected something I feel strange about. I designed and drew the tattoo that my 18 year old son got yesterday. This particular son has been wanting to get a tattoo since he was 16. I told him he needed to wait until he was 18 and then I hoped he would just forget about it.
I dont judge people with tattoosand Ive seen some very cool ones. My own dad has a tattoo(which is another story to tell another day heh!)
I just cant imagine ever liking a piece of art well enough that I would wear it on my body for the rest of my life and not get tired of it. It seems that forever concept does not bother my son. So when he turned 18, Trevor insisted that not only did he still want a tattoo, he wanted me to design it for him.
Ummmm . I said.
I want a Bonsai tree, he said, and I know you could do a good one for me.
But, uh .. I stammered.
And mom, Im going to do it anyway so wouldnt it be better if you did some original art and I didnt go and find some boring clip-art? he asked.
Wellllll .. I sighed.
Besides what could be cooler than having my own mom draw my tattoo design? he grinned.
And so, unable to resist that grin or a sons flattery, I finally, and rather unwillingly, drew a Bonsai tree for him.
This art is now on the calf of his leg (his leg not quite a pretty picture, yet!) and he LOVES it.
Now all his friends want me to do designs for them and I just feel STRANGE about this. Moms shouldnt DO this kind of thing. Well, obviously I did ..but you know? I just dont have words for this.
(DC drew this picture of Step-Dad with Bonsai Hair and offered it to Trevor as an alternative design for his leg) Hee! He cracks me up.
Trevor chuckled his appreciation, but he liked my design better.
:)xo
Adagio
Oh, and another thing? I took the poodle and went for a long walk in my new sports shoes yesterday. Both my feet fell asleep(maybe out of boredom with white sport shoes?) DC said to not tie them as tight until I break them in a little that worked a little better today.
But I still dont love them yet.
I have to say that I think it’s very SPECIAL that you designed that for him. It will mean more than something he found hanging on a tattoo parlor wall.
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I wrote that note and then thought “GAH!!! MY tattoo is something I found hanging on a tattoo parlor wall.” And then I laughed. 🙂
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My daughter looks like the Illustrated Woman. I like tatoos…don’t get me wrong, but she’s got maybe a dozen of them. Can you imagine? CAN YOU IMAGINE??? Gah. That said, I love what the art. It’s perfect.
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You are the coolest mom EVER. 🙂 Be well,
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Awesome idea and quite nicely rendered. Daughter J. showed me her tattoo designs this last weekend and I’m starting to think I want one…they were that beautiful. That generation is going to change a few things aren’t they? The whole face of tatooville for one thing.
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oh wow… he’s so lucky to have such a beautiful mom-designed tat! now I want you to design me one *grin*
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I think that’s the perfect coming of age ritual for a young man. It has everything- a gift from his mother, a trial of pain, ritual scarification- wondeful! And the tree’s beautiful, beautiful too. I so long for the “sure we’ll just leave now and meet you there” days of joining friends. One day. You have a magnnificant life. Richly earned.
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Oh my, well at least you know the art your son will have the rest of his life is tasteful. How cool is that that others want your designs. A whole new area for you to explore.
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I think it’s wonderful that you drew the design for him. You’re the coolest Kool-Aid Mom EVER!! Btw, I have the artwork from my favorite record album cover tattooed on the back of my right shoulder. I’m thrilled that it’s there forever. Love the spaghetti dinner story! You’ve got some great kids!
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Hmm. I’ve been wanting a tattoo. Maybe you could go into business?
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I think it’s wonderful that he wanted you to design his tattoo. Lizzie would like a tattoo also, I hadn’t thought about designing it for her, that is a thought. 🙂
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I love your design! I say just get DC to design the tatoos for the friends and they’ll soon stop asking!
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…how cool is that! How big is it anyway? Bet you never thought you’d be in the tat designing business! Will wonders never cease? There are some definite perks to being an empty nester…and you’ve hit on the first! What are the boys doing next year?
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I am laughing because I always tie my shoes too tight… I think on some level I really feel I’ll float away if I’m not anchored! Give those shoes some time! The artwork is lovely… even if it IS for a tattoo! *g*
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I’ve been wanting another tattoo, Maybe I will get the stepdad with bonsai hair design.
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that’s a really fabulous bonsai tree. so why did he want a bonsai tree? what does it mean symbolically? and oh gosh, coming home to such lovely boys cooking their own dinner and cleaning up after themselves! how fabulous! i saw a woman with two very uber chichi poodles today. dont see many poodles, but they were gorgeous. she looked even better with the poodles.
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What a beautiful design!! I would feel odd about creating tattoo art, too. There was a time when I wanted a tattoo. I was going to get one for my 39th birthday, but, er, stuff happened. Now I’ve lost interest. If I ever did the tattoo thing, I’d have my Girl design an image for me. But she wouldn’t let me get a tattoo. heh. My toes fall asleep in my tennis shoes when I’m on the NordicTrack.
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I so love the story of the six giant boys making a real meal for themselves. I love your life, too. But mine isn’t so bad. I just need to go out and live it, you know? Speaking of, I have hotel reservations in Columbus, but I’m not even showered and have no clue what I will do while I’m there. Ah well. There are always bookstores!
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I think I know what you would tattoo if you were to ever give in, it would be Ringo Starr playing the drums in black and white. When you do that I will then say “you win” BRO PS. If I were ever to plant one on my body it would be several like “Tattoo’s are ugly”, “Ban Tattooing” and possibly “De Plane Boss De Plane”
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hey, its your nephew JJ i love you so much and i am enjoying hearing about trevors tatoo. your brother wont let me get one. i always tell him but, moms got one. but i think i only say that to get to him. then i shortly say afterwards im kidding i dont really want one. tatoos are cool though. i missed you guys. i saw the pictures and wanted to be there. it looked like fun. hey i love you JJ
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oh thank you so much for the donation to my missions trip. it was amazingthe lord really was working in mylife andin the people in arrlington texas. i will tell you more about it later. well much love JJ
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ha thats funny. my dad wrote a note right above mine. itsfunny causei wastalkingabout him. JJ Again
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“I really like my life. Something unexpected happens every day.” that is a really really really great thing. what a wonderful way to look at the world. thanks for writing it. i am going to try to think about my life in that context, too. most people are are thrown by unexpected things–but you cherish them. that is so wonderful.
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thank you. for reading that huge long, rambling post. thank you for loving me. you are on my list of people that i *know* love me and that *know* me. the ppl on the love list are far more valuable than the few unkind ones (who hate themselves). Perhaps they, too, fear that they are unloveable. hmm. just going to chant the worthiness thing until i believe it. it worked great for my gym workout
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The coolest mom, and dearest friend, and amazing artist, and hippest girl in a pair of WHITE walking shoes I’ve ever known!! Ahhhh, free at last, free at last, Good Lord she’s free at last!! LYMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, and you are oh so good to hug too!
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Designing tattoos an excellent idea – I got lucky and had a tattoist who was an illustrator by trade otherwise it would have been ‘Rose or dophin, luv?’ or a huge full back piece of Iron Maiden looking a bit lopsided (it was a while ago).
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ryn: of course i look purrfectly divine (and properly conceited as a cat).The weight training has been giving me a new appreciation for my body and what I can do, and that toned muscular look I’ve always wanted looks damn fine, too. I still want to tone my legs via cardio exercise (I havent really been doing 30 minutes three times a week, it’s been more flexible, shall we say?). But working on it!
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RYN” Thank you so much for your note and thank you for leading me here. This is a lovely place to visit and feel happy.
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Like you, I don’t think I would enjoy any picture attached to me “forever”… I’m far too fickle in my tastes! Love your pic tho… and the alternative! heh, heh!
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I’ve known a few folks who have had tattoos removed but somehow I think that your son will not only keep his but will cherish it forever. Not only is the bonsai beautiful but is by his mum to boot. Wonderful!!! : )
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heh. i have three tattoos. and want a fourth. i love my tattoos. one was off a board at the shop (my very first) the second the guy drew, and the third is special to me because of what it means and the artist freestyled it.
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thanks for your kind note.
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I love it that you designed his tat. Tommy has gotten a second one now. He says that’s all. One sort of like an armband, and the other on his shoulder. I think I’d like to have one, my daughters are freaking out when I said that. Maybe something tiny with a horse-shoe for luck? Tommy leaves for Iraq the last week of Sept. Hugs to your boys and all their friends. I miss my house being full!
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Your tree is beautiful! I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a tatoo for about 13 years now. But I always run into the same 2 problems: 1. I too, can’t imagine NOT getting sick of looking at it – I thrive on change too much. 2. I’m so sensitive to pain that I cry when I get my teeth cleaned. Not exactly a candidate for a 30 minute needle-poking session.
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I have to do this very quickly, so this is going to come out quite inadequately. Thank you, thank you, thank you – for the concern and care, and the offer. Honestly, at the moment I am safe, overwhelmed and unsettled, but physically safe. Your offer of help is beyond kind but I am now in the tender though clumsy clutches, I mean care, of my family. I will go where they go and be grateful…
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that I have them to be a burden upon. I am grateful too, to you for being kind when a bit of kindness is incredibly appreciated.
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Awesome bonsai illustration. I myself have 2 tattoos. Got my first one when I was 39, and I got my most recent one this year for my 41st birthday gift to myself.. I even would like to get one or two more.. but hey, that’s me.. At least your son picked something tasteful and original.
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I’m like you in that I’d plead with him, “Can’t we just print this on a nice T-shirt?” (Yeem has asked me several times over the years to design a dragon tatoo for him, but I always manage to wiggle out of it!) Still, all in all, that’s a beautiful design! Did Trevor say why he chose a bonsai tree? And what does Ian think of it? Any rumblings in that direction? Btw, DC is one funny guy! (Duh!)
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