The Horrors of Black Henna Tattoos

I really hope people find this page before getting a black henna tattoo, and not afterwards, as I did.

We were walking down the beach on our second-from-last day in Santorini. We spotted a young woman on the beach braiding hair, and , of course, my daughter wanted her hair braided to show her friends when she got home. Next to her stand, was another young woman doing "henna tattoos". Great! Something for my son too, so he wouldn't feel left out. I am a careful mum - OK, I am a bit over-protective. Henna is a natural substance, right?

wrong.

Black henna, as this turned out to be, is far form a natural substance.

Take a look at these pictures... these were taken several days alter, after we had returned to the UK. I took him to the doctors in the morning, about 4 days after the tattoo had been done. He was prescribed steroids and antibiotics. His arm was hurting and swelling. That night, he was very sick, and threw up several times.

from this...

to this horrible mess...




I went on line to read about henna - and realised my dreadful mistake.

Please, please, please think very hard before letting your child have a black henna tattoo - although it has now faded, there is every chance my beautiful 10 year old's arm may have permanent scarring...

You can imagine how I feel looking at these pictures. I am exposing my own ignorance in the hope it might help another child (or adult) avoid this dangerous substance.

It makes me feel sick.

Please avoid having these done...

Super Sunny Santorini!!!!!!! and Gaby's visit

12th July is "I love you" day...

I met my future husband on 12th July 2003. Having first corresponded 17 days before on the internet, he flew to England. It was the first day he ever looked me in the eyes and said "I love you" - and yes, it was at the airport, about 2 minutes after he first held me in his arms.

So it seems even more amazing that on 12th July precisely 6 years to the day, this is the very first time that my 21 month old daughter India looks me in the eye, and says, unprompted, "I love you".

I guess 12th July is most definitely my day... thanks to you both for making this day so wonderful x x

Thank you to Alex

on 12th July 2003, an American man flew to Enlgand and landed at Stansted airport. Around this time, a very nervous woman was driving to the same airport with a printed copy of a couple of emailed photos, a few printed emails, and a lot hope.

Could love really blossom between two strangers, started by an email on 25th June which led to a meeting 17 days later?

The answer, my friends, is most definately yes.



Alex scooped me up in his arms that day at the airport, kissed me and blew my mind. He has been doing that ever since, although he doesn't always know it, and I forget to tell him. Yes, the kids, the jobs, "life" gets in the way, as it does for us all. But that man turned out to be the very core of me, my love, my life, my everything.

Thank you for you, and thank you for India (and New York Houston, Las Vegas, Portland, Germany, France, Mauritius, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and all the other places we've seen together...!)



Happy 6 year anniversary on Sunday, my love. I love you x

the truth about marriage and kids...

Important message to women out there...

Theft Problem - IMPORTANT MESSAGE: - An Alert for women!

You've heard about people who have been abducted and had their kidneys
removed by black-market organ thieves.

My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago. I went to
sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs. It was just that quick. The
replacements had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these and
what happened to mine? I spent the entire summer looking for my
thighs. Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in
jeans. And then the thieves struck again.

My bottom was next. I knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to
match my new rear-end to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier. But my
new bottom was attached at least three inches lower than my
original! I realized I'd have to give up my jeans in favour of long skirts.

Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One morning I was fixing
my hair and was horrified to see the flesh of my upper arm swing to and fro
with the motion of the hairbrush. This was really getting scary - my body
was being replaced one section at a time. What could they do to me next?

When my poor neck suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a turkey neck,
I decided to tell my story. Women of the world, wake up and smell the
coffee! Those 'plastic' surgeons are using REAL replacement body parts -
stolen from you and me! The next time someone you know has something
'lifted', look again - was it lifted from you?

THIS IS NOT A HOAX. This is happening to women everywhere every night.

WARN YOUR FRIENDS!

Last year I thought someone had stolen my boobs. I was lying in bed and they
were gone! But when I jumped out of bed, I was relieved to see that they had
just been hiding in my armpits as I slept. Now I keep them hidden in my
waistband.

Thought this was too 'important' not to pass on. Have a wonderful day - with
a joy filled heart.

P.S.

These same thieves come in my closet and shrunk my clothes! How do they do
THAT?

Easter Eggs and Sebastian!

We had great fun Easter egg hunting!!

and enjoyed Sebastian visting us - espeically India, who was obsessed with him!

finally, took this on a visit to Pembrokeshire recently - isn't nature wonderful?!