MEET MY TATTOO

Last weekend we went to the Queensland Gold Coast to visit with family.

It was an excellent weekend to drive south east for three hours for two reasons.

The first reason being that Queensland was experiencing one of Australia's favourite events commonly known as "The Long Weekend".

It was a long weekend because we had a public holiday on Monday the 11th of June so that we could celebrate the birthday of the Queen of England.

Now just why we Queenslanders have a holiday for Queen Elizabeth the Second on a day which isn't actually her birthday is a discussion I don't wish to enter into today.

All I will say is that if it means we have an extra day attached to the weekend then I am not about to complain.

The second reason for it being a really good idea to run away from home is because winter has finally arrived. We live in the coldest region of Queensland so leaving home for a warmer climate was an extremely good idea even if it was for just a day or two.

And it was a glorious warm sunny day come Sunday as we strolled about the Wintersun Festival at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast.

This festival is all about celebrating Rock 'n Roll music and Rock 'n Roll dancing and the magnificent cars from pre-1974. For a taste of it visit here.

We strolled amidst a throng of people gawking at the beautifully restored vehicles and bopping along to the many bands playing live music.

And I am pleased to be able to report to you that Elvis is not dead. Indeed, given his continued popularity over the decades, it seems he had the good sense to have cloned himself because I saw him, well a number of variations of himself, amongst the crowd.

No, people, Elvis is not dead.

Now there were markets in the park at Coolangatta and that is where I spied the tattoo stall. I told the spouse that I thought it would be a good idea if I were to get a tattoo.

Surprisingly, he thought it was a good idea as well. So I chose my tattoo and I had it applied to the inside of my left wrist.




I chose this particular tattoo with my daughter in mind.

In the recent past, she has mentioned to me that she would like to have a tattoo similar to the one I have just acquired (but much larger) placed on her lower back.

The long horned cow is a symbol of the very popular company started by the late R. M. Williams.

See the authentic symbol here.

Well, being a responsible mother, I told her that if she actually carried out that procedure then I would have to kill her because no daughter of mine was going to desecrate her body with something as nasty as a tattoo.

Her response to her mother's recent folly was as follows:

LOL. Dag!! Mum's mid-life crisis. Next you will be riding Harley's and getting piercing's. So that means I can get one too then?

Well, of course, I responded immediately, "No, you can't get one. I only got it so that I could show you how silly they look."

Alas, my tattoo will only be with me for a week.

And, alas, the daughter knew immediately that it was a temporary tattoo.

But I do try to educate my children by displaying good and bad examples in life.

A couple of years ago I purchased a fake belly ring and come Christmas Day I donned the hipster shorts and walked about so that the son and daughter could see my latest (pretend) piercing. Up until then my first and only piercing was just the one hole in each ear for earrings.

The son was appalled. He looked at me as if I was some sort of freak.

Ah, those were the days! Days when I could shock my children.

My only regret about the tattoo is that I have bitterly disappointed my good friend Juanita. I had emailed her a photo of my acquistion from the Gold Coast and unfortunately she thought that it was a permanent tattoo. She thought that I had been audacious.

So very sorry Juanita!