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Monday, December 8, 2008

we mostly agree. really.

  I have always been a sentimental person, easily attached to special things. Or beautiful things. Or interesting things.  You should have seen my room while growing up. It was usually very messy lived-in.  

   Almost every square inch of my walls were covered with some piece of decorative art--anything from wrapping paper that I liked a lot to posters to cards that special people gave me.  One of the hardest parts of moving out of my parents' house because I was marrying a dreamy guy named Drew was taking down all of those pieces of my history. Every card that divulged a friendship. Every pictured ballerina that made me aspire to go to dance class and sit in splits while I watched tv.  

   I remember just tearing up, removing every scrap of thoughtful sentiment that adorned my room. In a way, it was very metaphoric. I was making the walls of my childhood bare; making room for something else to cover them, something more boring mature.

  It took my parents approximately 3 and a half minutes to call in the cavalry known as Jacob to repaint the walls and make the room look like it belonged in a Pottery Barn catalogue.

  And it no longer belonged to me.  

  Anyway.  While packing up my childhood room, I knew I would not ever live in a room that looked like that again; that had a frog in every corner (not living, though--ew, and not dead, either! just, you know, decorative), a million and a half dresses piling up in the closet, and enough dancers on the walls to make you wonder if you accidentally stepped foot in a ballet studio.  

  I knew that I would be sharing living space with Drew, who is, among other things, male.  

He has made it very clear that our bedding cannot have flowery things, I think is how he put it, and if we are debating on a color, he immediately comes up with the idea of green, brown, or blue. Or a combination of all three.  His idea of nice furniture is sometimes, I am sad to say, a hideous creation known as a gaming chair and yes, it looks just as ugly as it sounds.  We did compromise on that one, though, and he carried it up to his room, a place that I never really go anyway. 

 His room now has two of the ugliest chairs I have ever seen in it. And I am glad that he enjoys them.

  Despite all that, he does have good taste, and we agree on most things. When we can't agree, we compromise. When we can't compromise, we just don't do whatever it is we cannot decide upon.  All that to say there are some very lovely things in my house that we both love together.

  Take this entertainment center, for instance. I cannot remember who saw it first, but we both loved it instantly.

And this special chest that my parents' gave to me before our wedding. It is an antique dating back to the 1800's and is a real piece of luggage that people used to travel with. You can tell by the arched top that it belonged to a wealthier person--they would make sure the lids of their chests were curved to ensure that nothing could be stacked on top of it, thereby keeping it on top of the pile and easily accessible.  
  And my piano. Another amazing gift from my parents. I love, love, love it.
 And this is one of my favorite spots in our house. The dining room table is a hand-me-down from Jason and Darby. I also love the contrast of the yellow walls with the green picture.
And our kitchen...Drew designed the layout and it's so homey and us, somehow.
Another special spot. The fabric picture, the drapes, and the contrast of the greens against the tan make me glad.
But I guess, no matter how great a couple is for each other, they are bound to disagree. You can imagine my chagrin when I got home tonight and found that heinous can-opener with a handle made out of kangaroo testicles back in its place of honor. The same place from which I had taken it down when I got home last week. And once again it is hanging right next to the beautifully crafted measuring spoons that were a gift from Darby, as well as the Williams and Sonoma pot holders that were a gift from Drew.  
  Uffda.

Is it just me--or does one of these things not belong here? And would anyone mind agreeing with me on this one? I think that can opener would look great right next to the ugly chairs in Drew's special room...

  I guess Drew and I still need to figure out what the compromise is for this one.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw the armiore first. Just saying.

Oh, and if the can-opener goes, I go. It's a deal-breaker. Sorry, babe.

Anonymous said...

Jess, you have some very lovely things, apart from the can opener (I agree with you there)! I think you are being quite generous by saying Drew could keep it in his room. John's beer coaster collection (along with his beer glasses) are in their own cabinet in the finished basement (not in my china cabinet in the dining room). I think we made a nice compromise there. He wanted them prominently displayed, I did not. So, they are in their very own glass cabinet...in the basement, where neither I, nor most people, often hang out. At some point my desk, which IS down there, will be cleared off and made usable, then I'll be down there more often, but so far I have managed to put that off (for 3 years, how's that for procrastination?)! Last year he wanted me to decorate the Christmas tree with his coasters...that did not happen! John's Three Stooges picture is in the garage...where he put it...he didn't even try asking me about that one (smart man)!

We have the same dishes, Jess! I also collect frogs (and have started Brooklyn on her own collection of frogs...she has among others, a cute leopard frog puppet named, appropriately, Spot)!

Anonymous said...

Ummmm.....gross. Or, GROSS. Would he want you to bring home a turkey baster made from a pickled goat's uterus? Or how about a clacker decoration hanging from the rear view mirror made out of Fluffy's preserved ovaries? Somehow it's ten times worse that the testicles are in your KITCHEN. Maybe you can think of it as a diet aid, or knowing how skinny you are, maybe it's already working.

Jessica said...

Drew, I KNEW you would claim to have seen it first and I am very impressed that you knew it was called an armoire and could spell it.

Kathie, you should let John put one coaster on the tree--maybe in the back where he can go and look at it if he wants to, but not many other people would see it; that's what we do with this hideous Santa decoration Jason made when he was little and still insists goes on mom and pop's tree every year;-)

S-A--I always knew you were very sensible! I am glad you agree;-)

Anonymous said...

I was looking through the pictures without reading and I thought, "weird, whatever that is looks like balls." And I was horrified to find out it WAS WHAT it looked like.

drew I do kind of wonder from what perspective having a ball sack in your kitchen would possibly seem cool!!

And please, get them away from those spoons we bought Jessica!!!

Anonymous said...

Jess, I DID offer to put one of John's coasters in the back of the tree, where I also put the charming [read: "not very attractive"] Christmas ornaments Nathan made during his school days (and by the various and sundry, but not always attractive, ornaments my students have given me over the years), but he wanted it in the front, which I could not agree to do! ;-)

Anonymous said...

I think the testicles should stay with the husband. In his special room. That way he can open things while sitting in his special game chair.

And yes, when I moved out of my parents house, I felt the same. All my special notes and.. thingies.. that were up on the wall had to come down... and really, what do you DO with that stuff.. memories.. stuff that is IMPORTANT.. into a box.. and in my garage...

Jessica said...

I have to say that I am not surprised you guys see it my way...The can opener will have to find a new home, perhaps in Drew's special room, but NOT on display in the kitchen.

Anonymous said...

Drew, Jess is right. They don't belong in the kitchen.

I'm pretty sure with a little work we can easily convert that to a door knocker.

Or door knob.

Jessica said...

Go for it, Chris. I am sure Laura would be happy to have a new door knocker or doorknob at your house!

Just come on over and get it:-)

Anonymous said...

I didn't say anything about wanting them. So far, I've refused to even touch Drew's kangaroo testicles.

Anonymous said...

The 'Roo Balls are staying.

Deal with it, everyone.

Have a nice day.

Anonymous said...

You know, Drew, I'm one of your biggest fans, always have been. But, on this one, my daughter is absolutely right. I think there's a verse in Leviticus about these kinds of things. I think they need to be burned and then put outside city in a special ceremony. I'm just saying......

Michele said...

Hahaha Lynn definitely wins this one :) No testicles, anywhere, ever!

merry said...

um, Michele, can my husband keep his? I'm just saying.

Anonymous said...

For everyone that has a pair of his own...isn't that enough? I mean, just how many do you need?

Anonymous said...

Nope, Merry, sorry. If I have to get rid of my 'Roo balls, mike has to get rid of his. Just sayin'...

Jessica said...

I am sure you will all be relieved to know that the (ahem) can-opener is no longer displayed in the kitchen. And that is all there is to say about that.

Thanks to all for your support!!! And I am in agreement that everyone should keep their own God-given testicles. However, nobody should display anybody else's (say, a poor kangaroo's, for example).

Anonymous said...

Well, this is a great relief!

Anonymous said...

This was one hilarious series of comments. LALOL. Looking forward to the next display of male or female genitalia in Jessica's kitchen...

Natalie said...

...this entire discussion made my day.

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to the next display of male or female genitalia in Jessica's kitchen...

uh... WHAT!?

Anonymous said...

Wow, did this post regarding kanga balls really draw the record for the most comments ever on one of your posts? Maybe this was the one they should read this one on the air in Ohio.

I did also find your Dad's comment a little startling. Might be a good opening to a sermon though. Would certainly get everyone's attention.

Anonymous said...

Just in case I was wrong about the most number of comments, here's one more.

Jessica said...

Yes, pop's comment was somewhat startling, and shall hopefully never come to pass! One of those in my kitchen was enough, thank you very much!

S-A--you crack me up!

Unknown said...

Drew, Jess....I hope you can find a happy medium on where to hang Drew's balls. Obviously it's a great conversation starter as well as being a useful tool.

Whatever ends up happening, I hope you two can live happy and healthy with your 'Roo balls.

Anonymous said...

Drew, Jess....I hope you can find a happy medium on where to hang Drew's balls.

. . . I don't even know what to say to this . . .

Jessica said...

sometimes there are no words.

Anonymous said...

"sometimes there are no words"...

Sometimes it's better that way!! ;-)