The Antelope in the Living Room

Book 22 of my 2016 Reading Challenge
read from Feb. 10 - 15

The Antelope in the Living Room by Melanie Shankle

Summary (via the book jacket)
They say that marriage is a lot like insanity, in that they both require commitment. I so get that.
When you're in those first giddy stages of dating, you have no idea what life is going to throw your way. You're just two bright-eyed kids full of optimism, convinced you're going to be the happiest married couple ever.
Y'all. Trust me. Saying, "I do" is easy. It's the next fifty years or so that can get a little tricky.
There are days you feel like you've never loved each other more. But there are also days filled with disappointment and silence that never seem to end because you just can't seem to find the words to make it right.
Marriage can be the biggest blessing and the most significant challenge two people ever take on. It's the joy of knowing there's someone to share in your sorrows and triumphs, and the challenge of living with someone who thinks it's a good idea to hang a giant antelope head on your living room wall.
And yet we are in this thing together. For the rest of our lives. Not just for better or for worse, but for better AND for worse.
That's what this book is about. The times that brought us together and the times we were falling apart. The days we wouldn't trade for anything in the world, and that time he hung an antelope on my wall.
Welcome to the story of a real marriage.

My Opinion
Another book from a blogger I haven't heard of.  Since I haven't read the blog I can't say whether this is new material or not.

I learned Sandy's last name from the movie "Grease" (Olsen). I'm not sure how I never knew it before.

At first I was concerned because she kept sneaking in things about the importance of God - my personal preference to to read as few books about religion as possible.  But it wasn't heavy-handed and she made jokes about it so other than chapter 21, it came across as part of her life story and not the main attraction.

I don't want to run off and read her entire blog archive but I would like to read her other book "Sparkly Green Earrings".

A Few Quotes from the Book
"Since we'd just met, I had no idea that the detailed explanation was part of his charm. To this day, he loves nothing more than to lecture on a variety of topics. A few of his more classic offerings are "Why You Should Always Lock the Back Door," "Tools Should Never Be Left Out on the Back Table," and my personal favorite, "The Importance of Turning the Closet Doorknob the Right Way." They never get old. And by never getting old, I mean that if I have to hear them one more time, I may pack my bags and move into a hotel for the weekend. Or a year."

"I am not a woman equipped to handle a world where I have to hold a small chalkboard with our wedding date written in some sort of handcrafted calligraphy."

"The next thing I knew, I was looking into Perry's eyes as I heard the words, "I now pronounce you husband and wife."
  Which I believe is the wedding day equivalent to "Please fasten your seat belts. We are about to take off.""

"As we navigate our way through this life ,there are so many people who are ready to take shots at us and hit us in our blind spots. Your spouse should fall into the category of people you can trust to have your back and say, "Oh, it wasn't that bad." Because enough voices will tell you, "YES, it was that bad," and sometimes we all just need a soft place to land."

"I believe there is no greater act of marital love or martyrdom than attending an event involving your spouse's family without your spouse in attendance."