Medal of Honor

I COULD CORRUPT YOU

(The theme song for the day - Corrupt by Depeche Mode - Gaia chose this song as it something I kept joking about when I said that i would corrupt her from now on with getting into the world of INK - I also sewed it into the Xmas stocking I made for her for Xmas 2009

Check out the video I made for her: (right click) GAIA DAY

The day of celebrating and marking Gaia's HUGE battle with Leukemia was remarkable
Jeff, my tattoo guy, was an absolute star - on his day off, he made our day absolutely brilliant.
We got there at 10am and after messing with donuts, coffee and placement, Gaia was under the needle by 10.20am.
She was brilliant, after everyone had hyped her up for pain, she was a trooper, as she had been waiting for this a long time and the meaning of this day was so special and extremely emotional..that this day had arrived and she had fought all the way here.
Deb (her Mom) and i spent most of the next few hours constantly on camera phones and I took my husband's prof camera too and all captured.
the design was perfect - taken from Depeche Mode's Violator album, I took the rose and tweaked and made it unique for her and in December, she was given the all clear of cancer news so i got busy doing the final edits, along with Jeff..at first the rose was going to have color but after Jeff's touch, we both decided that the shading was perfect as it was.

Her rose took 45mins from start to finish, then after a coffee break and foto op , it was straight back in the chair for her for tattoo #2. Jeff said it was better to go straight into the 2nd one while her own endorphins were elevated
Jeff had designed a special Leukemia ribbon for her, safety pin and drop shading, along with the date that Gaia's port came out -which she proudly wears around her neck x The ribbon was placed opposite the scar from where the port was.
This one stung alot more but she went thru it with a huge grin on her face (and tears in her eyes). The final effect is stunning.

Then it was my part of the deal - my turn to celebrate Gaia's survival.
from shoulder to elbow the rose was placed and I so didn't want this tattoo to end - I love getting them.. and with Jeff it goes by way too quick.

Jeff made it so much fun and most of all a fantastic memory for her, not so much of it being her first tattoos but the reason that we were doing it and the reason WHY she was doing it. So a huge thanx and major hug to him x (even tho i did freak him out after completing the ribbon by saying he spelled January wrong x)

A Special Day to remember that even though Leukemia can take lives, there is hope, there is a battle BUT it's not a death sentence and you can survive it - Gaia - I LOVE YOU so much and we shall be there for your graduation in May x

JEFF - The Underground Tattoo in Laramie WY  


                                             

Why I Am Here

Many of you have asked me this question and to save time (LOL) I have decided to write a short version of how I ended up in the mountains from the UK...

Sitting comfortably - coffee in hand!?

From the years 1990- 2001 I was running / managing a private day nursery in Portsmouth in the UK. in 1998 I separated from my husband and my son and I moved closer to the nursery. I stayed single - didn't want a partner etc - so lost weight (280lbs down to 140lbs) in 8 months through stresses of loosing my mother to cancer, buying and selling houses, working from 8-6 - took up kick boxing and got a crew cut and got mega fit.. anyhoo -

In the year 2000 - Alan came to the nursery to look for a place for his youngest daughter - he was in the middle of a sticky separation and had both of his younger girls to look after. So we gave him a place at the nursery so he could go to work.

After a few weeks I realized that i had alot of feelings towards him and starting making a few moves and doing the forbidden ( flirting with a parent etc) his wife was fully out of the picture in the January of 2001 and that's when it all went full speed ahead lol.. He said i was more like a hawk watching carrion and waiting for the traffic to stop so I could pounce claws out lol

We starting seeing each other and I knew that he traveled the world and what kind of life he had too.

In January - Depeche Mode had just announced they were releasing a new album (EXCITER) and he was able to find it online..so after a week I had the album..(mega snail dial up then) touring and he asked me to pick a location to go and see them - not in the UK - so i chose Denver CO. Had never been to the USA so what the hey! - he was paying LMAO - so we started to arrange for his mum to have the kids and he'd take me to see DM in the Amphitheater in Denver in June 2001

In the February he received a call from an old colleague in Wyoming, to work for 3 month in April. (not a good news for me I can tell you - new relationship and no DM!) After swallowing my pride I gave in and said we could see DM in London and he needed to work in Geology again - so off he went in April (2 days before my birthday!) his girls then, sadly, went to live with their mother.

After a few weeks Alan emailed saying that he wouldn't be back until September as there was loads of work going on but he would be back in June for a week to see the girls and me etc and that if I wanted to go out with him until September then my son and I could go for an extended holiday etc...

So head in gear, i rented out my house, gave in my notice and when he returned for the week in June I was ready - packed, everything in storage, tenants arranged.

On June 11th we flew to Denver then drove to Centennial WY and we have been here ever since! The vacation that hasn't ended!

The 2 weeks after landing we went to Denver and i got my Depeche Mode outdoor concert dream - 3 seats from the front - so close I could tell you the color of their eyes and their pants so tight I could tell their religion! F****ng awesome - So talk about ironic that all the worry about not seeing them in America and all of a sudden I live near the venue!well 3 hrs away but damn better than anything in UK..as i never got the chance there to see them

After our divorces were through - we got married on April 4th 203 at high noon in the court house in Laramie..and yep - I was all in leather! (The judge was a bit surprised I can tell you - eyes goggling everywhere!)

I sold my house in Portsmouth and put down half cash on the house we bought in Centennial.

Now we are in the BIG step to staying.

We have 1 years left on our visas and then we would have to leave the country - which we don't want to do - so our 2ND Green Card Applications are in now.. which started 6yrs ago..first one failed due to a typo and the sponsor on the form didn't appeal..($30,000 down the drain there..thanx a bunch)each application take 3 years to finalize - most applicants are taking up to 12 years - but because Alan has qualifications coming out of every pore and he's the 'only' person that can do this job we should be done alot quicker...so all donations are gladly received !!! We're looking at $15,000 for all 3 of us to stay here... the tunnels don't reach Wyoming so we are going to do it the proper way!
so that's the state of play there..we should be ready to file next year..there are 3 stages..labor certification, FBI/biochemics and nitty gritty stuff and then filing the application..then its a matter of wait (again)

Well that's it - that's why I am here..roughly I followed my heart - took a chance on a brand new relationship and made the choice ever!

I can't work until the green card so found lots to do whilst here - ranch, horses etc and I did college for a bit where I did Criminology and Criminal Justice for a few semesters so all is FANTASTIC for me - compared to life and place I left behind..I never want to go back - these mountains grab you and its hard every time we have to go to the UK for visits - I cry as soon as i get on the plane and watch the Rockies below.. this country has got me by the short and curlies and I love it xxxx

Hope that wasn't too long winded but hopefully that answers alot (if not then I am clueless and my fingers hurt now lol)

catch u all later my friends xxxxx