1998 december 30

traditions

i finally caved in.

i had made it through most of the holiday season without succumbing to a variety of past traditions: i didn't bake ten sorts of cookies, i didn't go to the zoo on christmas day, i didn't make a christmas eve feast. it's not that i wanted to blow off these traditions forever, i just wanted things to be a little different this year, the first year gene and i spent christmas together. but there is no keeping a good tradition down, so tonight i went ahead and made the christmas eve feast. better late than never. i also figured if i was going to do it, i might as well go whole hog so i made five bratwurst, an entire jar of sauerkraut, a full bag of crusty rolls and enough hot potato salad to feed a small island nation. as usual, gene looked at me with eyebrow cocked, but said nothing.

he was too busy eating.

my mother gave me this choker and earring set. her motive?

"i thought if you were considering another tattoo, you could just wear this instead. it goes so nicely with the one on the back of your neck, doesn't it?"

my mother has been rather stoic about the whole tattoo thing, as has most of my family. the exception was my late grandfather but as he was in the habit of referring to me as bitchy because i didn't eat red meat, i didn't put too much stock in his opinion. i suppose the fact they are discrete and easily hidden makes it easier for the mama, but she has obviously been worrying i will head to the tattoo parlour one day soon and cover every available inch of skin with complex and brightly coloured pictures of japanese fishermen, or parrots, or the entire book of kells.

never fear mother, i already resolved to stop with the tattoos, and i love the jewelry. maybe i should get a new piercing to better show it off.

fat, happy, and thrice, but no more, tattooed, claire