What's Mother Done Now?

T'was an eventful day yesterday.  Larry, with next to no help from me, painted the remaining wall in the living room, having finished the barn the day before.  One wall may not sound like much, but this is the wall that goes down the stairwell.  Not only do the stairs create their own painting problem, they make the ceiling about twenty feet up and Larry balanced precariously on two boards over the open stairwell to reach it.  Being the concerned parent I am, I gallivanted off with Clay, who had given me the gift certificate, to go get a tattoo and left Larry to deal with it.  We got back just in time to watch Larry wash out the brushes.  A fresh paint job does wonders and I so much appreciate all that Larry has done.

Clay and I went to Moontiger Tattoos in Placerville.  I took pictures of what I had in mind to Dale, the artist, who reworked his original drawing and then started the tat.  I fell in love with this little figure years ago in an art class in college, and she epitomizes the Earth Mother for me.  She is a stone carving, about four inches tall, from approximately 22,000 BC, found in Austria in 1908.  Clay wonders if anyone will recognize her, so I won't tell her name just yet.  Having received calls from Deb and Dave, I know they are waiting for the great unveiling, so here she is.

If she appears to be blushing, it's only because the skin is still red from the needle work.  (By the way, a penicillin shot hurts worse.)  My girl...no, my woman, is only about two inches tall, but she is strong and wouldn't blush for anyone.  To me, she says, "Take me as I am."  She's her own abundant person.  And she has curly hair...no wonder I can relate.  At least now, if I'm ever found wandering, the Kids will have no trouble giving identification marks.  Clay also got inked...the Jack Daniel's logo of Old No. 7 on his arm.  The family that gets tattooed together...and all that. 

When I put the kids to bed a couple of nights ago, I thought something looked different, and then realized that my dear neighbor, Joel, had been mowing.  He had come unannounced and cut down the big south pasture and the tall weeds on the slope of the front yard that I cannot get with my little tractor for fear of tipping over.  He came over again yesterday to finish up, and I went out to thank him...such little words for so much appreciation.  I also thank Judy, because it's her husband who could, and probably should, be doing things on their own homestead, and she loans him to me. 

Clay and Larry were able to stay for dinner, so I had an opportunity to extend what had been a most productive, enjoyable day.