My Wonderful Husband

Gave me a mandolin for Christmas. Gorgeous, flat back, center hole, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fretboard. In true not-so-big-R. fashion, he did his research. He took not-so-little-R. on a mysterious road trip on December 19, and it turns out they went to Mandolin Brothers on Staten Island and listened to a bunch of mandolins, then picked this one. I'm not linking to a picture or going to their website, or Mid-Missouri Mandolins' site, because then I would know how much it cost and I'd really like never to know. I think it's a pretty good system we have, that cheapass me buys presents for everyone in the family and then splashout (dare I say spendthrift?) R. gets a present for me. It may sound like he got a raw deal but believe me, he gets himself plenty of presents over the course of the year.

Anyway, back to the mandolin which I love. One benefit I had not even thought of: it's so light and petite. You can read in the post linked above about "trundling" the guitar around. It really is a burdensome instrument--not as bad as a piano, but close. This doodad comes with a backpacky little case and it's just the perfect size for petite me.

Now I just have to learn to play it. I suppose I'll have to practice and all that. I have tried a couple of crosspicking exercises in a book R. got me, and it's hard to believe it could ever be second nature. But we shall see.

Anyway, I looked back at my list of 14 arbritrary goals and I'm doing surprisingly well

1. Write a book--getting there
6. Landscape our yard so it is (in front) not an embarrassment and (in back) a beautiful private retreat--not an embarrassment, check. Beautiful private retreat, barring financial ruin, slated to happen in the spring.
8. Learn to play the mandolin--now in possession of a mandolin.

So, ergo, check out your list. You may want to slot the unicorn ranch into one of the spots you get to cross off.