The Summer of '13 - The Olympic Peninsula: Day 40 - Olympia WA

Started the 4th watching a parade in Tumwater. Mick, Linda, and Maggie were marching in the parade for Smiles Dental where Mick works. It was a typical small town parade with high school and scouting groups, various veterans organizations, local elected officials, motorcycle and classic car groups, police and fire vehicles, local businesses, and basically anyone who wanted to walk down the street and wave at people.


Llama or Poodle? You Decide.

I don't know if Jehovah's Witnesses were officially in the parade, but they were walking along so I took their picture.

One Incredibly Embarrassed Horse

Then came Smiles Dental, the People's Choice Award winner (if you asked the right people).

Mick and Maggie with Linda Behind

Mick and Maggie

With Linda Behind

After the parade we went into downtown Olympia so I could go ahead with something I've been thinking of for a long time. At the age of 61 I decided the time was right to get my first tattoo. I choose Spidermonkey Tattoos because of reputation and also their hours were noon to 8pm. I figured if they made the deliberate choice to forgo the "It's 3am, the bars are closed, I'm drunk, and I want a tattoo" crowd, that had to be a good sign. Also, just like my internal medicine doc has his framed certificate for completing his Harvard Fellowship hanging on the exam room wall, "Skrappy" and "Wizard Garrett" had their framed credentials hanging on the wall as well. I didn't check to see who the certifying authority was. I don't think I really wanted to know.

Me at Spidermonkey

I spent a long time studying the latest issue of Skull Tattoos to pick the right design.

Searching for the Right Design

OK. If you know me at all, you know I don't willingly subject myself to any sort of physical discomfort let alone pay someone else to inflict it upon me. I didn't get a tattoo. We went down to watch Mick get his first tattoo - a Special Forces emblem on his upper arm.