Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Totally Random


This bookcase for the den is our latest project. My husband designed and built it, and like the old Shake and Bake commercial, I helped! I sanded some, painted all, and helped fetch and carry. We built it in the driveway and brought it in piece by piece, but with 11' long boards, that's some big pieces! We really, really love it, though, and we'll also have good memories of building it together. As you can see, we are bookaholics.
See how big we grow our grapefruit here??? Seriously, it is called a pommelo. I don't know what that word means, but what it IS, is a really big grapefruit! It tastes really good! It's also a blast to feed to cows! I threw half of one to the cows, and that is a show. They fight over it, and whichever one gets it, turns and bites hard, spraying all the others with juice! It's so funny to watch. (on the back right is a normal grapefruit).
In other news, my husband is teaching me football. We play it in the den - no, really, we watch it in the den, and he explains it. Which I think is really nice of him. To his credit he's tried to teach me before, but I was a half-hearted learner. When I was in college getting a Business degree, one of my assignments for Marketing class was to watch the Super Bowl commercials. Well, I got really bored in between commercials and starting asking my husband a lot of apparently very silly questions about football. During the game. No, he didn't really appreciate it. He was seriously contemplating having a talk with my Professor. But now I really want to know what in the world those guys are doing out there, and the explanations are starting to make sense. I actually understand the difference between the four quarters and the four downs! Never got that before...

We killed another anniversary destination! For some reason, everywhere we like to go for our anniversary ends up closing. We used to go to the Naples Dinner Theatre. We actually saw several really good shows there, like "Show Boat," "South Pacific," "The King and I," and "Fiddler on the Roof." But they closed. Then for a couple of years we went to a restaurant called "Casa Lupita," but it closed too. So we started going to the smooth jazz festival, Jazz on the Green. It is isn't dead, but definitely wounded, in that it wasn't SMOOTH anymore! But it might be recovering. Then the other day, we went to Smokey Bones for an anniversary dinner - it had closed 2 days prior! I am getting very concerned about Sea World...

I am currently reading C. S. Lewis' "Pilgrim's Regress." Our youngest son asked me to read it; he'd read and enjoyed it, and we like to discuss books we've both read. It is something along the lines of "Pilgrim's Progress." Only different, of course. Oh, just an aside, but if you could never quite get through "Pilgrim's Progress" and wanted to, there is a book called "Little Pilgrim's Progress" that is much easier to read and still gets the point across nicely.

And that's enough randomness for one post!

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, I've read Little Pilgrim's Progress, too! There was also a kids' musical that I used to listen to on tape. As for the CS Lewis book, Pilgrim's Regress was challenging for me.

And congrats on a bookcase well done! Looks like you need every square inch :-)

Mikki said...

Wow! that bookcase looks fantastic!! It looks like you have the same, or similar wallcolor that we have on our living room, dining room and kitchen walls. We're hoping to repaint it this year. It's just become too cave-like for me, but I still really like it. I think we over-used it maybe. Anwyay....thanks for coming by my blog. Happy belated Anniversary to you and your beloved. Here's to another 30+ years!!

Cherdecor said...

Happy Anniversary! I like how you kill the restaurants. =)

Your bookshelf is to die for. Alan would love it. He has bricks and boards all along the inside of the garage housing his books.

Sparky said...

I enjoy random thoughts. That's the way my brain works. Makes me feel at home. :o)

The bookcase is super! I love it! That's exactly what we need. We have *so* many books that not all of them are displayed any more. Some are in boxes (that's not good). We both love to read.

Oh, and Happy Anniversary! We are planning a trip to Arizona this coming August for our 30th. Can't wait!! ♥ ∞

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

I love the bookcase.

I wrote a piece called Football Essentials for Women that I give my friends. You want a copy?

Technonana said...

Let's see how many places have you 'killed'? Happy Anniversary!!!
I love C.S. Lewis!!

Jenny said...

TG and I, when we lived in Northwest Indiana, loved to have dinner at a rustic place out at the Indiana Dunes called The Red Lantern Inn. We went there while dating, and later for a couple of anniversaries. They had the most wonderful filet mignon, and the view of Lake Michigan was lovely (with the Chicago skyline in view on a clear summer evening). One anniversary, we even spent the night at the Inn after dinner.

The Red Lantern has long since fallen into Lake Michigan. So I feel your pain. Luckily, every year on our anniversary, we each go to the other ... and always find us there. If that ever changed, I wouldn't want to stay here on earth.

Great bookcases!

Anonymous said...

Interesting ... I tried Pilgrim's Progress as a child and that ruined it for me, I think (I was too young to "get it"). I love Lewis, so I'll have to try "Pilgrim's Regress.
Your bookshelves are great - I really need some BIG like that. Our books look so messy now.

Connie said...

I have book case ENVY!!!

The economy is particularly harsh on our favorite places to go! We have cut back on eating out and we watch movies at home as I imagine many others are doing hence the lack of business for restaurants and entertainment industries. Sea World is probably safe :)

P.S. C. S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors!!!

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

Hi Tracie.

Are you comfortable with sending me your email so I can send you the football piece? You can email me from my comment or from the link on my profile.

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of that C. S. Lewis book. I'll certainly check into it. I loved the original Pilgrim's Progress. I also love to hear that you and your son share the joy of reading and contemplating together. What a sweet thing for a mother to share with her son!

this is my patch said...

My job is being builder's mate around the place too. I don't like grapefruit but that Pommelo is a beauty! x

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

Something is waiting for you at my blog!

Wanda said...

Nice bookcase!

Our Tuesday night Women's Bible Study read and discussed Pilgrim's Progress....it was deep, but it was a really good study as the gal leading it was great.

Merle said...

Dear Rosezilla ~~ I love that McCartney Rose - it's beautiful.
That is one huge grapefruit you grew.
Good luck learning about football -
it isn't easy,no matter which sort.
Sorry some of the places you celebrated your anniversary at have close. Happy anniversary BTW.
Better try KFC or McDonald's as they never close down. Thanks for your comments and I am glad you enjoy my posts. Had a great time with my cousins. Take good care, my friend, Love, Merle.

Linda said...

Happy Belated Anniversary! I came across you when I was visiting Sparky. Blessings

Linda said...

HI, me again..I noticed something..you left a message at our homeschool blog. I do have another blog:

http://lifesacallingwhoisthis.blogspot.com

I prefer to keep it sep. lol. One is for school and the other for just me, lol. Nice to meet you.

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