Ideas?

So I have this bookshelf that I stole from my parents forever ago. I think it was originally my grandfather's, actually. Anyhow, it had some scratches and dings on the top of it before I ever got a hold of it, but then in my foolish youth (we're talking pre-teens, here), I put a fish tank on top of it. And then it leaked. And I've never really fixed it.

So here's what the shelf looks like on top:



I'd like to have it in the living room. The details on the front are really pretty, and I like that it's a piece with some history for my family. So I want to fix up the top, but I don't really know what to do. I'm guessing that staining it would be the right course, and probably stripping the existing stain first? I'm hoping that one of you has done something like this before and can point me in the right direction for my research. Anyone?

My Garden Can Kill You!

I'm still getting to know my new backyard. On the critter front, we've got bats, toads, woodpeckers, mockingbirds and quail hanging around the yard. And while we were digging holes for trees and generally tossing soil around this afternoon, Jameson and I uncovered some gigantic, creepy-looking grub things. I think they are probably figeater beatle larvae. Neat.

For plants, we have two mature mesquite trees, one of which is carrying a parasitic mistletoe. Dunno what I want to do about that - first impulse is to cut off the affected limb, but I know that even though mistletoe is a parasite, sometimes it can be beneficial. I shall ponder. We also have a grapefruit and an orange, courtesy of my dad. Jimmy and I will get those planted tomorrow, I think.

And also, we have nightshade. Yep, really. If you eat my yard, you will regret it.

It's not, like, deadly nightshade. It is the less-toxic silverleaf nightshade. You still shouldn't be eating it.