How to fill time in retirement

I am continuing to read books from my list, but my latest cruise with my brother slowed me down a bit. I did complete books 16-18 but I am having trouble finding at the local libraries #19 & #20. Some shuffling of the list may occur...  Here are my short reviews of the last five books I have read... #16 Cloud Atlas This is the third novel written by British author by David Mitchell. I added it to the list because I had seen the movie starring among others, Tom Hanks and Halle Berry.  The fantastical speculative fiction book consists of six interconnected nested stories that take the reader from the remote South Pacific in the nineteenth century to the island of Hawai'i in a distant post-apocalyptic future. The author has said that the book is about reincarnation and the universality of human nature, and the title references a changing landscape ('cloud') over manifestations of fixed human nature (the 'atlas').  I liked the book very much and give it...

In retirement, I have started to cook a larger variety of things for myself. Most of the recipes I learned from my mother were true home cooking, but not always the healthiest. As I get older and my Doctor complains about my weight, I need to try more healthy things to cook. Hence, making buckwheat crepes. My first taste of Buckwheat crepes was at a walk up window place in Indialantic, the French guy made crepes as you ordered, both savory (entree stuff) and sweet (dessert stuff). He has since opened a Crepe restaurant in downtown Melbourne called La Crepe. Very good place to eat if you like crepes, which I do. A new place opened in Suntree called Le Crave, and they serve both savory and sweet crepes for all three meals. They do have buckwheat as a choice. The chef in downtown Melbourne is from Brittany where they call Buckwheat crepes "galettes". Here is the recipe I use to make my crepes. One cup flour (any comb.of white and buckwheat can be used; I use 1/3 white ...

After our 10-night cruise, I took my brother Tom to the Brevard Zoo where I have a seasonal pass. This pass allows me one guest at no extra charge. It was a beautiful day for a visit. I go to the Zoo often and I am starting to be able to read the minds (hear the thoughts) of the animals. Here is what I heard on this visit... The Hyacinth Macaw was thinking "You think my beak is big, look at that shiny black thing sticking off your face...you know it makes clicking noises?" The Klipspringer "No, there is more to life than climbing rocks, I like to chill sometimes!" Cheetah on far right "I am out of here. No matter how hard we stare it doesn't make the keeper feed us quicker." "Wow, they must have something great they're serving...hey, that giraffe in the back looks different, kind of reticulated!" Ring-tailed Lemur "Romaine again, I was hoping for some Iceberg or Bibb!" "I am not very good at ...

My last post was during the previous year. Six weeks have darted pass faster than time should flow. I plan to continue to write in this Blog for the six or seven readers I have. I worked the Indoor rowing again at Florida Tech. We had an 81 year old man qualify for the worlds. I took my brother Tom on a 10 night cruise to the Western Caribbean on NCL, a new cruise line for me. Some good stories to relate there. I am still reading, three more from the list finished plus one other book. Sounds like a post. My new restaurant quest continues. Another post necessary. I still take photos at the Zoo and the Wetlands. Gibbon doing Yoga Capybaras are back Wow, another week just passed while writing this...I better get off my...