The things we do on vacation...

Okay, so you all already know that I was on vacation and went to Montana...if you didn't know that then you're just not keeping up on my blog often enough! I got home from Montana on May 1st. April and I were headed to Pismo Beach on May 4th. You know...Girl's Weekend! Basically it's eat, sleep, and eat, sleep with a little walking thrown in here and there! :) She and I had been over at Pismo back in early February and I had a very wild, hair-brained idea that I wanted to get a tattoo! Yes, Maya wanted a tattoo! Straight and narrow, tow the line, sweet and innocent Maya! *alright, the person that's out there laughing at that description of me, and you know who you are, can be quiet now!*

So, this was something that I've actually thought about for 5 years! Seriously...no joke! I had finally decided that I wasn't going to do it because 1) it's permanent, 2) I'm not much into pain, 3) hello, it's permanent, 4) didn't know what I wanted, and 5) did I mention that it's permanent. Well a few months back, we were having a party (Superbowl, I think) and we had some friends over. Well, color me shocked when Mrs. VderV bent over and I saw a tattoo sprawled across her back! :0 She was not someone that I expected to have a tattoo! That description that I gave of myself up above? That's how I saw Mrs. VderV! So after that, I started thinking about it again...do I really want to get a tattoo?

YES I DO!!!!! So then I started looking at some images online to try and figure out what I wanted. I knew that it had to be small...I'll be darned if I'm going to be on a table, in pain, for hours on end. I knew that it had to be girly....hello, have you met me?! Most of all, I knew that it had to be meaningful...hello, didn't I say that it was permanent?! After much thinking and deliberation, the light bulb went on over my head. I know someone that's a fantastic artist...Hale! So, for a small price, I commissioned him to draw my tattoo. He was very happy to do it (at least that's what he says) and did a fantastic job on it.

I had already decided that I wanted to get it done at Tiger Rose Tattoo in Pismo Beach the weekend that April and I were going to be there. I called them a week before we were supposed to go to try and set an appointment. No such luck...they don't do appointments on Saturday's, walk-in's only! That wasn't going to work because there was a NASCAR race on Saturday late-afternoon and there was no way April and I were going to miss it! So the guy said that if I could come over there any earlier than the weekend and talk with them, it would make Saturday go by much quicker. I talk to Hale about taking a quick, impromptu road trip to Pismo (he's usually down for things like that) and he said great, no problem. We decided to go the day after I got back from Montana...basically because that's the only choice we had.

Well, neither of us could have been prepared for the fact that my flight home from Montana didn't get into Fresno until 11:45pm. So, very late night to bed with very little sleep. Hale had even less sleep because he had to be at work by 7am if he was going to get off at 4pm for him and I to drive to Pismo. He got off work at 4pm and we loaded up on caffeine and hit the road. We made it to Pismo safely and went straight to the tattoo parlor. We walked in and I said that I wanted to talk with someone because I wanted to come back on Saturday to get a tattoo done. He asked me if I wanted to do it tonight? Holy Shnikes Batman, TONIGHT?! Bring it on baby! :) Hale said that was fine even knowing that he was going to have another very late night and it was all my fault...again! The tattoo artist made a few small changes to the drawing that Hale did...made it smaller and little better suited for the area that I had it done. He got all set up and had me sit in the chair. I made Hale stand beside me so that I could hold his hand...I don't do needles, so that was a necessity!

An hour later, no tears were shed, I was still in one piece and I have the most beautiful, fantastic tattoo I could have possibly wanted!!! One of these days, I'll have someone take some pictures so that I can show you! It's gorgeous!!! The ride home was interesting...it was a little painful to have to sit down in a car for 2 1/2 hours. But Hale and I made a few stops along the way and I had my Advil, so I was good to go!