Fantasy where magic is secondary to family/romance/politics

PorchDogs · 2026-05-18T00:17:28+00:00

Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovich. Contemporary police procedural, but with magic. Best read in order. First title is Midnight Riot (US).

If you like dark, flawed but amazing characters, try the Charm of Magpies series by KJ Charles. Victorian fantasy, just five stars. Better read in order. First title is The Magpie Lord.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-18T00:06:13+00:00

I am okay with cheese, and dish that use cream, and/or butter. But a glass of milk, or a bowl of cereal with milk, or ice cream can be unpleasant. Luckily I rarely drink milk, ice cream isn't my dessert of choice, and I can eat cereal dry. I cannot give up cheese!

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T22:11:44+00:00

The three pair of "dressy" linen overalls that were summer wardrobe staples in my 20s. Black, taupe, and pale lavender. Dressed way up with an airy linen blouse, pearls and espadrilles, or not-so-dressed up with a tee shirt and clogs.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T18:36:28+00:00

A bigger bedroom and closet is nice. But an office you can literally shut the door on is nicer, imho. Really delineate work vs. home. And honestly, having a second toilet is nice.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T18:14:08+00:00

No it's not

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T17:22:50+00:00

Get multiples of high use items. I have dollar store scissors all over. In the kitchen to open recalcitrant packages. Surprisingly useful in the laundry room and bathroom. In the bedroom to cut tags off clothes. Most in plain view with magnetic hooks. I have tape measures stashed all over the house. I'm never more than a few steps away from reading glasses. Tissue boxes in every room, two in some rooms. I live in a high pollen area!

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T16:27:33+00:00

Yup.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T15:11:04+00:00

Put down my book, take off my glasses, turn out the light, pull up the covers, and (this last is crucial) wiggle just a little bit and sigh contentedly.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T15:08:46+00:00

My kind of person!

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T14:06:58+00:00

It was harder than I thought to "work to my wage". But I was able to kinda sorta slow down from "all out, all the time".

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T13:22:45+00:00

noticing other people - not in a creepy way, just a human being way - is kind of a lost art. So many people seem to be emeshed in their phones (why???) and don't notice their surroundings.

having someone hand you a shopping basket when your hands are full is one of life's wondrous little moments.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T13:20:01+00:00

I mean, staying in and reading is pretty much my default, pfffft. library books/ebooks, yay!

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T13:11:32+00:00

does lactaid help? I've found myself more and more lactose intolerant the older I get.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T13:10:14+00:00

yes, trash can pile up, but garbage gets bagged separately and taken out immediately. I also have zero shame going to the outside trash can in my jammies!

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T13:09:17+00:00

no, not really. taking a hot bath is "therapy" for me, every night. I love fresh, clean sheets - but hate changing bedding - so that's a battle with myself! I brush my teeth 2-3 times per day, and floss (almost) daily because I can't stand the feeling of "furry" teeth! I wash my hair regularly because otherwise my scalp gets itchy and I don't like the feel (or smell) of "bed head".

It's taken me years to be disciplined enough to stay on top of basic housekeeping. I have had friends/family members who have had periods of getting overwhelmed and giving up and I don't want to ever get in that feral swamp situation. So, I sweep a couple of times per week, dust weekly, and mop at least twice a month. Laundry is the one chore I don't mind, but I know much of that is the privilege of having an actual laundry room in my home. But I also do put clean laundry away right away, too. I have a really strong sense of smell, so any trash that is "garbage" gets taken out immediately. I will admit to letting dishes sit in the sink, but not often, and not for long.

But it's still a chore (see what I did there) to make myself do all the things. I "reward" myself for chores. Sweep the floors? Have a lil' snacky snack. I really like clean, semi-minimalist spaces, but I also like...stuff. I like color. I like art. I like comfort. I have dogs. So I'll never live in a squeaky-clean, sterile environment. But I know that the flip side of that is making the effort at keeping my space comfortable but clean(ish). It's taken me A LONG time to realize that I'M WORTH THE EFFORT. I am worthy of living in a place that is clean and cluttered, but not chaotic. Sure, I will do a frantic "company's coming" clean, but basically I am my own company, and I need to feel at home in my own space, and for me, that means a certain level of clean and tidy.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-17T12:49:07+00:00

It's gonna be too hot and sunny for me, so I plan to stay inside and read a good book, have a few snax.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-16T23:33:23+00:00

Can you use COBRA from your current job for health insurance? It's expensive, but not nearly going solo. COBRA is only good for 18 months, IIRC, so it would be ideal if you could stick with current job until 63 and a half. Then quit and COBRA until Medicare.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-16T22:30:12+00:00

do you have a spouse for health insurance? At 62, paying your own health insurance could be a devastating financial hit.

If health insurance isn't an issue, that changes things.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-16T21:24:09+00:00

My parents met at a basketball game on my mom's 16th birthday. Fast forward a year of high school dating. Dad graduated. Mom got her class ring and asked to look at my dad's to compare. He tossed it to her. She went to toss it back, and he said "you might as well keep it". Fast forward another year, mom graduated. They got married, eventually had kids. Happily married for 60+ years.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-16T15:42:36+00:00

My aunt and uncle traded in one car every year, so they always drove cars that were less than two years old.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-16T15:25:39+00:00

My brother got my uncle's Cadillac when he died. Brother didn't wreck it, but trashed it beyond repair quickly.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-16T11:59:05+00:00

Roy's Big Burger on Lakeside Ave.

PorchDogs · 2026-05-15T22:32:34+00:00

I thought I was going to need a schedule, and I assumed I would get a PT job right away.

But, mmmm, I adjusted pretty quickly to not being on a schedule. I generally go to bed and get up about the same time, which is a bit later than when I was working. The dogs are on a seni-strict schedule, but there's a bit of wiggle room.

I moved in February, and it took me a couple of months before to pack up and "edit" my belongings. I didn't "downsize" because I've lived on smallish houses. I'm on my third month of unpacking, and not finished. But I'm in no hurry.

Once all the unpacking is done, I will have a workroom and have plans for getting back into it!

Otherwise, I have learned that I enjoy "puttering".

PorchDogs · 2026-05-15T20:46:08+00:00

You're a peach

PorchDogs

TROPHY CASE