I am fire, I am death.

When I was a child I was an avid reader.  I'd hoovered up all of my primary school reading books by the age of seven and they didn't quite know what to give me.  In the end I was handed a stack of books which were to become firm favourites.  Laura Ingalls Wilder's series, Jayne Eyre, Treasure Island and The Hobbit.

As an adult I reread all my childhood favourites and still loved them all, but The Hobbit was by far the best.  As a child I'd carefully recreate the drawing of Smaug by Tolkien in the book and when I was older I said one day I'd have Smaug tattooed on me.  It took me a very very long time to achieve this dream but finally I do have my Smaug...

I really do need to get a more recent image really as this one was taken whilst there were still small patches of healing taking place.  It's not the exact sketch in the book.  My wonderful tattooist decided he could add scales and some detail to those wings and make Smaug pop off my foot, and he does.
The Sindarin Elvish underneath translates to 'I am fire, I am death', Smaugs last words in the second movie which not only ties the book and the movie together for me (for I am a huge fan of both) but reminds me that I am strong.  I am fire and should I want to I could destroy a village or two (Ok I lied about that bit, but it does reminds me nothing is out of reach)

Now all I need is some nice summer weather so I can actually take off my big boots!