Friday 3 May 2013

Tattoo

I am still in shock.

Andrew has been talking about getting a tattoo for quite some time now and on Wednesday he announced that he was going out to check a few places for hygiene levels etc. I had done the whole 'Mum' thing and decided not to have a fit and just counsel wisely. I said that as he was nineteen it was his body and I couldn't stop him if he really wanted to do it. I warned against all the dangers such as allergic reactions, infections, pain and that he had to be really, really sure because once done it is very difficult, not to mention expensive, to have it removed. After a long discussion I went to bed and did not see him when I got up for work yesterday so was blissfully unaware of what was to come.

The first inkling that something might be up was when Peter sent me a one word text 'tattoo?'. Unaware of what had happened I blithely sent back 'yes we discussed it last night' therefore firmly putting myself in the firing line for 'having given consent'. Arriving home Peter didn't say a word and chatted away as if nothing happened. I went upstairs to change and on the way popped into Andrew's room. I asked how he got on looking at places and he pulled up his shirt to reveal a large black tattoo. I was speechless! Thankfully he found the whole process very painful so I'm hoping this will be the one and only, he's also got it where it will rarely be seen, more because of his type of work than anything else. Peter wasn't happy about it but like me he knows that Andrew is an adult and if that's what he wants to do then we can't stop him. I still don't know how I'm going to tell his grandmother though. So here it is in all it's glory. Excuse the mess on the floor I took this in the spare room as the light was better and the place is a tip at the moment.

Ouch!

Just for information The Rod of Asclepius is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicine. The symbol has continued to be used in modern times, where it is associated with medicine and health care, yet frequently confused with the staff of the god Hermes which also has wings and is the symbol of commerce.

So what's in store for me this weekend? Well the weather is glorious, still a bit of a nip in the air but cloudless blue skies and bright sunshine makes it seem warmer. This afternoon I'm off out with my camera to take some photo's but this morning I've been busy. I've gone washing crazy and now everything is hanging outside drying naturally for only the second time since last September. Peter's trimmed back the climbing plant which was covering the kitchen window and mowed the lawn. Tomorrow Andrew will help me get the decking sorted out and cleaned and if it is still nice on Sunday we are going to tackle the herb patch. I'm toying with getting some tomato plants again or maybe just getting some sweet peas seeds to climb over the gazebo instead. It'll mean less work for me and will look spectacular for very little effort. I have plenty of time to make my decision as I've got to sort everything out first and I doubt I'll do it all in one weekend.

In the news two of our most famous entertainers have been charged with rape and sexual assault dating back decades.

The first was William Roach who plays Ken Barlow in Coronation Street. Not a programme I watch so I don't really know of him. However my friends and colleagues who are avid watches are horrified and cannot believe what has happened.

The second is Stuart Hall who has admitted sexually assaulting girls as young as nine. No longer in the public eye, or at least not as much, his arrest did not cause quite as much consternation though the media went overboard when the news broke.

Once again I have to ask what is the point? These men have lived privileged lives and got away with things for so long I wonder why it is all being dragged up now. I mean in some cases the incidents happen forty six years ago. Why would you wait that long before telling anyone? I know times have changed and it is much easier to report this things now but even so. Don't get me wrong, if these men did what they are accused of then they deserve everything they are going to get. However being jailed and having your career wrecked when in your eighties doesn't really have the same impact as when you are in your thirties, forties or fifties. Any punishment would have been much more effective if met out when there was a lot more to lose.

Anyway I haven't got time to get on my soapbox, I've got a camera to dig out and a battery to charge. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this.

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