It's 9:30 a.m.—do you know where your husband is? Oh, he just came in. "That library is great," he said as he dropped 2 books on the coffee table; Tortilla Flat and Of Mice and Men (two stories in one book) by Steinbeck and Go Down Moses, by William Faulkner. Now that he's not working he's reading quite a bit—all the authors he's always wanted to read but didn't have the time to read. I, on the other hand, am still working through my M.C. Beaton books. I started with her Agatha Rasin series on audio book when I was still working and driving 1 hour to work—couldn't stand the music anymore. Chronologically and during those tedious driving hours (there and back again) I listened to all my old favorite Agatha Christie books; then on to The Cat Who series by Lillian Jackson Braun; finally getting to M.C. Beaton's Agatha Rasin and Hamish McBeth series of books. When I was done with all of those I started on her Edwardian and Regency romance novels written during the 80's under her name Marion Chesney. There are so many of them I think I'll be reading into my grave! But they are great books. I'm going through my Edwardian and Regency romance faze, which actually started long ago when I read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibilities.When I retired in May 2013 I didn't have to listen to my books anymore. I had a Kindle, but I preferred going to our library for real hard cover books. I only use my Kindle when I read in bed so as not to disturb other sleeping members of my family with a bright lamp on.

I did cut down on my reading for a while when I decided to start working on my novel, Commonwealth of Souls, which I have been writing for over 30 years. I joined the Writer's Workshop at our library and began enjoying the process more. It's a small workshop with only 3 of us—and we're all named Chris; Chris, Crissy and Christine (that's me) to distinguish ourselves from one another. I also joined the open art workshop on Friday's at the library. I'm learning to do water color—which I'm not so good at yet. My niece Kelsey gave me a great book for Mother's Day entitled 462 Things To Draw and I'm having so much fun with it. On each page is a THING to draw—a rolling pin; scissors; baskets; bricks; hills and valleys and I'm doing really well with it. I've come to the conclusion that it's better to learn how to draw first with pencil than to march into water color—paint brushes blazing—when you don't know what you're doing and you hesitate to ask the instructor for help.  I'm really having fun with that book. You should see my hills and valleys.

So, this is what retired life is like; reading, writing and painting—oh, and helping to take care of my mom. She is 95. I enjoy spending the days with her. When I'm not there my sister or my nieces are there so we make sure she's never alone. She enjoys our company and most of all she enjoys Kelsey's dog Carmen.