"...nor tattoo any marks on you" Leviticus 19:28

Leviticus...SO strict!  NO fun!  What EV.

After getting my nose pierced in 2012, I realized how many years I'd wasted, sans body mod, due to fear of the unknown.  I'd wanted to pierce my nose and get at tattoo since my early 20's, but the years slipped on by with just an occasional question asked about the ins and outs pain, healing, cost, etc. Putting it off and putting it off....

Finally, thanks to the Google Gods and the YouTube, I got me edumacated on all things nose piercing, gathered up my balls and made an appointment.  MANY years of wussiness extinguished with the one quick pinch to my nostril.  I loved my nose piercing!  Eventually I got my tragus pierced and love that, too! (Long healing time, though).  Then it was time for a tat.  I've designed many tats for myself over the years ....this being the first (circa '93):

Thank GAWD time - and fear- faded my attraction to this pretentious tribal....thingy...I came up with.  At some point I added an earth there in the middle with a Susan Seddon Boulet wolf head floating around the top.  Shit.   My visual amalgam of wolf-love and saving the earth, punctuated with a trendy something-that-meant-nothing to me graphic.  I still really dig wolves and our planet....  Just not permanently displayed on the back of my calf.

Over the years I've thought that if I where to get a tattoo, it should have to be a symbol of something that defines "me" and/or is FOREVER dear to my heart and soul.  And something that would never loose it's visual appeal.  Now, we can't really predict what designs might loose their appeal over time- I just imagine all the "awesome" designs I can up with in the past....but something permanent on THIS body had to rise above hearts and unicorns and serpents.... I needed symbols and archetypes that have remained a part of me over the years....AND it needed to be created by ME. 
When I think of FOREVER, I think of love, and my children, and my husband...
So, for my first tat I incorporated my kids names into an infinity symbol.

Got this one inked out in the valley (Palmer, Alaska)by an artist who had done some gorgeous intricate lettering on a client of mine.  She copied my design to the T.  A little too perfect because she included all the little imperfections that I was hoping she'd "clean up".  Like that thin line in the middle.  I plan on going back for touch ups soon.

For my second tat, I went out and bought a calligraphy pen and drew my very simple "Miles" tattoo.  This one for my husband...with the bonus double meaning-I love running after all.  I've run many miles and there will be many more to come.  And none enjoyed more than the ones I run with my sweet man.  

Still a bit scabby here

I'd held on to that peace of paper for almost a year!  Since it would be going on my foot, I had the hardest time figuring out WHEN would be a good time to get it done.  Since I would have to go barefoot as much as possible for a week or 2, let alone not run, ski or work out.  It never seemed the right time!  I finally said NOW last week and headed in to Eagle River Tattoo.  A shop run by the Yarians,  parents of one of Dylan's former grade school classmates.  What a cool place!  Very welcoming and open, which I really appreciate.  Friendly folks all.  The place is clean with a very classy arty décor.  Retro tat compilations framed on the walls along with a collection of cool masks   Matt, the eldest Yarian, did a GREAT job on my tat.  Quick, precise, and with interesting conversation revolving around the possible seceding of Venice and the Veneto from Italy.  This tat hurt like a nagging bitch in a couple spots.  At one point I had to stop talking so I could grit my teeth and say "Oowwwwwww.......".  But it was over so fast.  No biggie.  Shit, I gave birth to a 10 pounder, what am I complaining about?

Miles has never been into tats but he was very touched when I surprised him with it.  I'm so happy that it brings him happiness and pride whenever he looks at it!  Forever......

What's next?  I want to create something special for the back of my neck.  Dylan and I got these henna sun tattoos on our necks at the Jersey Shore a couple years ago and I LOVED mine!  

Symbols I feel represent me are:

The sun- healing and a source of life

The spiral-evolving, birthing, female energy, spiritual and physical journey

Various Celtic knots-my heritage, many of the a fore mentioned attributes

 The lotus-creation, enlightenment, health.  

I'd like to design a tat with a combination of 2 or 3 of these.....but it needs to be smallish and fairly simple.  We'll see what I come up with !

Just when you think you're Bad Ass...

...Just when you think you have your race strategy and technique down pat, you've trained on the course, you've run hill sprints on that looooooong bitch of a ramp leading up to the high school, you've monitored the melting on the streets and trail over the past week to gauge whether or not to run with spikes on......  Mother Nature spanks your ass with a dumping of the white stuff.  We woke up to 10 to12-ish inches of new powdered sugar snow.  This put me in a mood.  I got online right away to see if there were any updates as to whether or not the Shamrock Shuffle 5k was still going to take place and to commiserate with fellow disgruntled runners. Usually we're bright eyed and bushy tailed on race day morning....but all this snow?!?!  Fek.... And racetime SO early for just a quick 5k....whaaaaaaaa....poor tay tay.  Just traveling down the mountain and into town was gonna be a bitch.  Everyone was on the internets kvetching about what to do.  Close to 7am, the word came out that the roads were plowed and wouldn't it be a lovely day for a race!?  The accompanying photo of a clear street on the course sealed it.  We'd go for it.  Fueled up and dressed, spirits lightening, we headed out to slip into town, drop off the kiddo at our friends and running brethren, the Ruiz's house and carpool with them to the race.

Thankful that the temps where MUCH friendlier this year(17 degrees) as opposed to last year when it was only a very cruel 2, we dropped off our gear and jogged around the crowd decked out in all things green, Irish and leprechaun-y to warm up.  The start of the race went well enough despite the fact that I was slipping a bit, lots of kick-back, despite my spikes.

It WAS lovely...with the sun peaking in and out

I took full advantage of the downhill portion of the race through the residential area, more then making up for the lost "slip" time...U2's Beautiful Day booming through my ear buds...soul quickening...and when we hit the trail on Westchester LagooWHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!?!?  They didn't plow the fucking trail?!!?  How the hell......    HARSH.  And trixy of those in charge of the race to FB post that misleading photo!  Adios, chance to beat the shit out of last year's race time like I'd planned!  The rest of the race was spent in a slow schlog through that deep snow praying that I wouldn't snap another ankle.  All grace and form lost as I stomped ox-like in the cattle line past the lagoon.  And The Ramp?  A breeze on account of how SLOW we were all going.

OMFG.  Mooooooooooooooo.

It was a hard race in a way I hadn't yet experienced or expected but still satisfying, after the finish line, ankles intact, with my new Shamrock Shuffle pint glass filled with IPA.   Just like any time I go outside to play, I NEVER regret it!

Miles crossing the finish

Trying to summon a smile of accomplishment on the finish line.  Hey, I beat those young dudes!!!!

We all met up and hung out inside the Bear Tooth theater while ribbons were handed out to top finishers-NOT me, lol!- and the raffle winner was awarded with her weight in beer.  Plans were made  -I frigging LOVE the Ruiz's-for replenishing our tired bodies that evening with tostadas and margaritas at our place.

They giant scale use to weigh out the beer against body weight!  Lean BACK, honey!!!!!

<3 td="">

While I came in 4 minutes SLOWER then last year, I placed pretty well for my gender and old age group!

Spring Breakers?!?! ...not so much.

Spring Break was a particularly mellow one this year.  We agreed to rein in any extra spending in favor of saving it for our trip to Italy.  I really missed our usual snow shoeing excursion up Bear Pass in the blazing spring sun.  The drippy grey weather did NOT lend itself to much outdoor fun.  And outdoor fun is what's FREE in our world right now....
I did take Willa out for a promised blueberry french toast breakfast at our favorite cafe to start the week off.  On my work days she came in with me and had fun hanging out.  But mostly the week was spent relaxing at home, finalizing trip stuff-getting all that info plugged into apps on my phone, reading, and puttering while Willa got in some good hard imaginary play time.
We did cram a lot into our last weekend before school started, though.  A fast but hardcore 5k run in 10 inches of new snow-uuuuugghh, dinner at our house with friends who ran the race, too, a nice family skate ski the next morning, and celebrating Miles's birthday.

Breaky at the Middle Way Cafe

We've switched to all-grain beer brewing....

....and it's a LOT of work!!!  But when the sample from the first gravity reading tastes great, you know that beer is gonna be PHENOMENAL!!!!!

Beautiful handmade mash paddle Miles's friend made

Snuggle time with kid and cat



Witness the FITNESS, yo!!!  I'm thrilled that Willa can join us for short runs now! Plus, her fitness fashion is to die from for!!!

She's horse-crazy.  Doing some leather-working on a saddle she made for one of her Breyer horses.

I love when Miles comes home from work early to run with me! 

Shopping day.  Having a little hot cocoa and a cookie at Jitters

She got to pick out a special outfit for Italy

Deep into world-building

BAM!  And then the snow hits.  Saturday's Shamrock shuffle race.  

Tostadas and margaritas with good friends!

And an uproariously funny game of Cards Against Humanity!  ALWAYS is!

Miles's birthday!  Willa gave him the raku trout- the 5th to finish off his collection.

There won't be many more days of this this season!  Taking it all in while we can!

Love to play with my hunny!

Extremely tall peanut-butter-cup cake that Willa and I made

The Birthday Boy chose homemade mac-n-cheese and filet mignone for his b'day dinner.

Oh, hi, sun.  Thanks for making an appearance on the last afternoon of Spring Break.  

Ah! Serendipity....

Today we have synchronicty at it's highest!!!! When Dylan first told me she was being stationed in Aviano, Italy, I summoned the Google gods to see where on the green Earth it was...and the very first image that popped up was THIS one, the image above!  I was blown away. This image has remained the epitome of Northern Italy in my mind. Fast forward to the last couple days of searching hi and low for accommodations in the Dolomites.  This is the only place I've had trouble finding us a place to stay.  The place is BOOKED!  Surprising for early June...at least for hikers who may be greeted with snowed-in trails this year.  Anything still available was either WAY out of our price range or would only accommodate 2 people MAX in a wee teeny room.  Somehow,  I came upon an apartment in the Val Di Funes. Not only is it highly rated and dirt cheap (for Italy) but it's in the same town this photo was taken in! Santa Maddalena. Mary Magdalene..... A woman who's story very much intrigues me!
 
In this valley surrounded by mountains....It's ours for 4 days! 

Seeking and finding the Feminine Devine in Italy! I'm ecstatic!!!!

I've finished booking ALL of our accommodations now.  I can't believe the fabulous places that have fallen into our laps!  12 lodgings in all, each quite different from the rest.  A stone cottage right on a lake outside Aviano, an apartment in an Austrian inspired gasthaus in the mountains, a restored 1800's farmhouse/B&B on an organic vineyard in the hills overlooking Lake Garda, a Lilliputian  studio apartment-beds are in the kitchen!-in a medieval town on Lake Como, another farm-stay on a vineyard in the hills of Peimonte, a boutique hotel room in a block of restored medieval buildings, a B&B situated outside the ancient Etruscan walls of Cortona, Tuscany, a flat in a 1400's convent-turned-apartment building in the heart of Milan, an apartment with terraced view above the Riviera in the Cinque Terre...all ending with a quiet rooftop flat overlooking the Scala del Bovolo, just a walk to San Marco Square in Venice.  I wanted each place to be indicative of the area we are staying in as well as offer the food, wine and products of the region or village itself. 


And the activities!  What a hodge-podge of cool shit I have planned!  ......But I think I'll keep the rest to myself until we get back!

Here's a visual of the places where we'll be hangin' our hats!