The Wizards Butler by Nathan Lowell (Bk. 1 in The Wizard Series)

 It is well known that I am a sucker for a secret door! It only seems appropriate that I should love a light-hearted novel like The Wizard's Butler byNathan Lowell. No reviews were read...it appeared on my Kindle as if by "magic". I loved it just as much as I loved the second story in this series...The Wizard's Cat. (I read the second book first) Like I said, I am a sucker for secret doors, magic, and mysteries. 

The Wizard is dying slowly or maybe just losing his mind, but at any rate, he was fading fast. His niece is his nemesis in the story. Mean, beautiful, and greedy cover her good traits. In a mansion built on tragedy and secrets, the wizard is fighting for his mind. 

It all relates back to a "deal with a devil" and immense wealth. Secret doors are controlled by magic, and believe it or not, pixies and elves. They are just icing on the cake.

I suppose it is fun because I am a reader of deep and involved writing. Sometimes it is just fun to acknowledge the child within and have some fun.

Don't dismiss it until you read a sample. It is worth it!

What are you reading?

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AND I finally found that word I was talking about the other day... detritus (waste or debris of any kind)...on page 134 on my Kindle screen.

Word of the day: "diatrice"

I just made up a word for the day. It has a meaning close to "a mess". I always called it the "diatrice," and I'm not sure if it's a word or how to spell it. I need you to work with me here.

Keeping my world... well, really, my house, yard, and car, free of litter is hard for me. Procrastination can eat away at my time and prey on my mind. The piece of tissue on the floor, the stuff between my car seats, and the kitchen floor. I see it...I really do... but I suppose it is just not important to me. Sigh.

There is a Swedish habit that my Swedish grandmother and her children practiced. They just put stuff away. When they were done raking, they put the rake away. When the cooking was done, they simply swept up the crumbs, washed the dishes, and put them away. Each morning, they were greeted by clean counters and a coffee pot that did NOT need washing. And the beds were made each and every day. A tuxedo bed (tucked in and smooth) was the aim. 

I even see there is an app you can buy that will help you rid yourself of the angst of a half-done life. It begins, as I can recall, with the habit that lets you "eat the elephant". The idea is that even if you pick up three things from your kitchen counter and put them away, you will feel better. Building on that habit each day, you can be clutter-free quicker than you can imagine...or that is the theory. I am a work in progress, so we will see.

Actually, my New Year's resolution was to give up procrastination. My first step was to bypass the kitchen sink! If a dish is dirty, I try to put it in the washer immediately. Of course, that means I need to put the dishes away that are IN the dishwasher. My solution for that is to wash the dishes daily and put them away while my coffee is brewing in the morning. My bed is made each morning. If that all happens, I am so proud.

The "diatrice" (word of the day) is cleaned up, and life is good. So, how is your day going?

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A New Lease on Life

I was in my mid-sixties when I began blogging. Now I am 84. My first blog was something about travel, and over the years, I have changed the title, domain (lost the old one), and found ways to connect with bloggers around the globe. 

When Anuj Agarwat over at FeedSpot contacted me last week, I realized that maybe... just maybe... what I had written, or even what I might write, could be relevant to today's new retirees. I was chosen as one of the Top 100 Retirement Blogs. While I may be the 100th blog, it still seemed worth noting.

Blogging has been a big part of my life for many years. But, as with all things, I grew tired of the whole thing. I seemed to me that I had said everything...twice or three times...and even though you might read it, I just didn't need to say it AGAIN!

A New Lease on Life was the only way to define my emotional response. 

The experience of getting older really isn't that fun. It is a bit like a birth experience. It was warm, safe, and comfortable being middle-aged. I knew my way around. Hanging onto that time in my life worked for me. Then Life happened. Suddenly, I was a widow. 

An old blog header. I create my own!

 Up until a short time before that, I was dancing and drinking wine. Abruptly, life moved on, and middle age was over. Traveling through the birth canal again was not that much fun. I did not acknowledge it. Always cheerful and busy, I pretended that everything was "fine". And I continued to drink wine. Sigh.

I sold my home in Arizona, so my snowbird lifestyle is different. My TV didn't work properly, and the soundbar was horrible. My hearing aids were old and past their use-by date. The water heater isn't giving me enough water, and my yard... well, that is another story. My little dog needs lots of attention and is naughty when she is neglected. Is there more? I suppose there is.

I did get new AI-capable hearing aids, bought a new TV and soundbar, and updated my furniture. My mother's coffee table and the yard-sale TV credenza went away. I love the new midcentury furniture and have a recliner on the way. But it wasn't until the email from FeedSpot that I experienced the final push. I was at peace with being "elderly". It was as though I had a new lease on life.
Painful as it was, it turned out that being 84 is not so bad. In fact, I am welcoming what is to come.

I have a New Lease on Life.

What has been happening in your life?

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Please note new blog address:  http://www.retireinstyleblogtoo.org/