< Previous60 COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 HOMEPORT house with estate sale finds and antique shop stuff that keep its period. A little bit of this, and a little bit of that — a mix of old and new.” They have documented their journey online in a blog. They attached wainscot molding to the walls in large squares and decorated them with pictures reminiscent of old times along with family photos. The dining room, which comfortably seats 10, required little change, just a bit of paint. “There is something about having each room separated by doors or walls — not like the newer style of open concept,” Del Bosque said. “I like that each room has its own character. I like it because I can deco- rate each one differently. We have a distinct vibe in every room.” (Clockwise from left) Unlike newer open-concept floorplans, the cottage features rooms separated by doors or walls, allowing each space to have its own character. The dining room can comfortably seat up to 10 people; vintage-inspired lights adorn the Christmas tree in the family room, which once was a screened-in porch. It’s where the family likes to hang out; the kitchen features glass-fronted cabi- nets, quartz countertops and a farmhouse sink. COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 61 They updated the kitchen, with its long counter and vast number of cabinets and drawers, with paint, a new white quartz countertop and a large farm sink to anchor the room. An old door with a leaded-glass design separates the kitchen from the family room, which at one time had been a screened-in porch. A previous owner enclosed the space and now it’s the couple’s “hang out” room, with windows encircling the space and a pull-down screen for movie night. “We spend lots of time here,” Quiceno said. “It is so comfortable.” Perhaps the space adjacent to the kitchen is the area that has seen the most change. Once it was the white-walled landing area for the staircase, with only a desk and door 62 COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 HOMEPORT to the laundry. The couple daringly painted it dark green, wall-papered the ceiling and installed their desk under an interesting por- trait of a woman. It’s their home office now. The painting, which conceals the woman’s face, is always a topic of conversation. The wood floors in all the rooms are original to the house, despite the fact that Hurricane Ike in 2008 left about a foot of water inside. Earlier owners dried the floors and refinished them. The bedrooms, which are both on one side of the house, share the bathroom, which required some updating. Originally the area where the bathroom is now was a hallway. But the original clawfoot tub, dou- ble sinks, commode and walk-in shower fill the space, along with built-in cabinets along one wall. The tub can never leave the space: it won’t fit through the doors, Quiceno said. The primary bedroom, painted all white, had no closets. The couple designed and had built glass-fronted cabinets for their clothes, with a window seat between them. “We didn’t want to block the light and the glass doors keep us organized,” Quice- no said. The second bedroom is where 18-month- old Sam sleeps. A large, antique armoire in the corner of the room was left to them by Yates and is filled with the child’s clothes and toys. Upstairs is a guest room that hasn’t yet been refinished by the couple. “It’s next,” Quiceno said. The guest room has two built-in beds plus a sitting area and room for family and friends someday. The yard has a pergola, with chairs, a table and outdoor fireplace. The family’s two white dogs, Chip and Benji, enjoy that outdoor space. One of the house’s unique features is the two very old olive trees in the front yard. They produce each year, but Quiceno and Del Bosque haven’t yet learned how to har- vest the fruit or cure it in brine. That’s also on their to-do list. “We would drive around this area, looking at houses and dream about owning one,” Del Bosque said. “But this house, these an- tiques: they speak to me.” Follow the couple online at therosiescorner.com or Instagram @therosiescorner. “We would drive around this area, looking at houses and dream about owning one. But this house, these antiques: they speak to me.” ROSIE DEL BOSQUE COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 63 (From top) In the primary bedroom, Julian Quiceno and Rosie Del Bosque added glass-fronted cabinets for their clothes with a window seat between; Samuel’s nursery is decorated in neutral tones; the shared bathroom between the primary bedroom and nursery was once a hallway. (Opposite) The home office features bold green paint and wall-papered ceiling.64 COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 SHIP SHAPE POWER COUPLE Working out together strengthens muscles and marriage story by LAURA PENNINO | photo by JENNIFER REYNOLDS G alveston Island residents Reuben Chandrasekharan and his wife, Sudha, met when they were kids living in the same neighborhood and attending the same school in Banga- lore, India. This dynamic duo — 77 and 74, respectively — became part- ners in marriage in 1976. After retiring from their demanding careers in 2016, they became partners in their pursuit of health and fitness. The couple enjoy walking together on Galveston’s beaches. They also enjoy working out together five days a week at Bent on Healthy Living Well- ness Center on the island. “We have found that the best years in our life are those in retirement when we have plenty of time for vacation- ing and exercising,” Reuben said. “We began our fitness journey in 2016 by walking at the beach along the shore at sunrise or sunset. We still enjoy walking on the beach. We often get a takeout dinner and beach chairs so that we can eat our meal at the beach.” He prefers steak and red wine while she opts for vegetarian Indian cuisine and light beer. “We have made it a part of our routine to go to fitness classes five days a week,” he said. “It helps us stay healthy and ac- tive in our retired life. We like the variety Reuben Chandrasekharan and his wife, Sudha, take a strength-training class at Bent on Healthy Living in Galveston. The couple works out together to stay healthy and in shape. COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 65 of fitness activities at Bent on Healthy Living, including weight training, cycling classes, step cardio classes and Zumba classes. We also enjoy meeting friends when we work out there.” The Chandrasekharans also enjoy tak- ing cruises twice each year with a group of seven other retired couples whom they have known for about 20 years. “We sail from different countries and get to see more of the world now than when we were working. We use the ship’s jogging track to keep fit,” Reuben said. Couples who work out together benefit in many ways, according to the American Sports & Fitness Association. Among the benefits are increased accountability, improved relationship quality, enhanced moti- vation, shared goals and accomplish- ments, increased physical attraction, better health and longevity, stress re- lief, improved mental health, effective communication through exercise and overcoming obstacles together. “Research shows that couples who share fitness activities are generally hap- pier, healthier and more successful in their fitness journey,” according to the association. “Working out together helps build intimacy by enhancing the emo- tional connection between partners.” Sudha Chandrasekharan warms up with weight- ed leg raises. She and her husband, Reuben, participate in fitness classes five days a week. Thisholidayseason,weinviteyoutomakememorieswithyour friends&family.UseyourRosenbergLibraryCardtocheckouta boardgame,browseourbrandnewvideogamecollection,orborrow aladderfromourToolBanktohangyourholidaylights! HappyHolidays fromeveryoneatRosenbergLibrary MERRY &BRIGHT Mayyourdaysbe Besuretomarkyourcalendarforthese specialeventshappeningat RosenbergLibrarythisholidayseason: CountdowntoChristmasStories-ongoing BreakfastWithSanta-November30 DickensTeaTime-December5 ChristmasCardsThrough TheYears-December11 rosenberg-library.org/events66 COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 Wade fishing around the edges of shallow oyster reefs is a great way to catch redfish and trout during December. (Opposite) Some excellent angling opportunities await those willing to hit the water this month. COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 67 HOOKED SANTA WILL FORGIVE YOU December is an excellent month to hit the water story and photos by CAPT. NATE SKINNER I ’ve found myself on the water under all sorts of situations and circumstances. Whether for work or pleasure, I’ve pushed the envelope on holidays, birthdays and other occasions. I can honestly say, however, I’ve never gone fishing on Christ- mas Day, although, “Christmas Day on the Bay,” has a nice ring to it. Kidding aside, the angling opportunities along the upper coast during December can be downright excellent. When conditions are right, anglers who time it well can end the year with impressive catches. If I had to pick just one thing, it would have to be oyster shell. I’ve caught more speckled trout and redfish over and around the edges of oyster reefs in December than anywhere else. In addition to trout and reds, these structures also attract good num- bers of sheepshead, black drum and flounder. So, fishing stretches of water that contain oyster shell likely will keep you hooked up. Some of the best areas to target oyster reefs in the Galveston Bay Complex are in satellite bays and lakes near the lower part of West Galveston Bay.68 COASTMONTHLY.COM | DeCeMber 2024 HOOKED Some excellent stretches of shallow oyster shell can be found in Chocolate Bay, Bastrop Bay, Lost Lake, Nick’s Lake and Oyster Lake. I prefer to get out of the boat and wade fish around them. It’s a stealthier, less intru- sive way to cover a shallow reef or shell pad, rather than drifting over them with a boat. Plus, once you find the fish, you can just plant your feet and stand in one spot, and keep on catching them. Stopping or anchoring a boat would create much more commotion. I like to try to wade around the edges of oyster reefs, rather than tromping directly through the middle of them. This approach seems to prevent spooking fish that might be holding tight to the shell, or directly on top of the main part of the reef. The sound of oyster shell crunching be- neath your wading boots definitely will push fish out of an area, so slow and stealthy movements are key. For targeting speckled trout and redfish around oyster reefs, I like to throw topwa- ter baits and slow sinking or suspending twitch baits. Pink is my absolute favorite lure color for both. Among topwaters, a pink Rapala Skitter Walk or a pink MirrOlure Duke Dog will do the trick. My go-to surface choice is Paul Brown’s Fat Boy by MirrOlure in some sort of pattern that includes pink. There also are deeper areas with heavy oyster shell in bay complex that hold good numbers of fish during this time of the year. Many deeper areas of heavy oyster shell reachable by boat are along the main bay waters of upper West Galveston Bay, upper Galveston Bay, East Galveston Bay and Trinity Bay. Anglers also can expect to find productive stretches of oyster shell in other upper coast estuaries and back lakes from Sabine Lake to East Matagorda Bay. Paying attention to the solunar tables during this time of the year also can help you choose when you should plan to hit the water. Try to focus your efforts during the indicated major and minor feeding periods. The chaos of everyday life doesn’t always allow that, but when you’re able to time things right, the results can be incredible. Regardless of how many fish you catch, spending time on the water with friends and family around the holidays is always time well spent. It’s a special time of year, and the perfect time to create memories with those you care about the most. Get out on the water and take advantage of the angling opportunities that are avail- able when time permits. From my family to you and yours, Merry Christmas, and tight lines. Lures with pink color patterns will draw strikes from game- fish staging over oyster shell. 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