“If you’re lucky enough to get that bonus time, what are you going to do with it?”

That’s the question on the back cover of Bonus Time, the novel I recently read.

Bonus Time by author Claire  Cook tells the story of three  friends — Glenda, Jan, and Harmony.  Women who have reached the ages where their days are not nearly as structured as they used to be, women who don’t have the same daily demands they once had. 

These are three spunky women who are older than I am, figuring out who they are when their days and their identities are not directly related to being someone’s wife or mother or employee. 

I won’t give anything away; I’ll just say that these three women get into all sorts of adventures and “trouble.” 

This week, I’m sharing a few of my favorite lines:

“For the most part, I embraced my wrinkles as the squiggly roadmap of a life well-lived.” 

“I sighed.
“As lives go, it could be worse. I’d been around the sun enough times by now to know that it could always, always be worse.
“And it could always get better. A lot better. And that part was pretty much up to you. You could sit around whining about what wasn’t working, or you could shake things up and reinvent your life one more time. I mean, at this point, who’s counting, right?
“The truth was that life was going to keep getting all lifey on you whether or not you were actively living it, so you might as well slather on some sunscreen and jump back into the fray.”

“ ‘ The focus should be on health-span,’ Harmony said. ‘Not looks-span or age-span or lifespan. Eat healthy. Stay hydrated. Keep moving.’
“ ‘Try new things, Jan said. ‘Keep learning. Use your acquired wisdom to make a difference. Have fun. Connect. Stay current so you don’t turn into a dinosaur. It’s not exactly drone science.’ ”

“ ‘Sometimes,’ I said, ‘I look at old pictures and I think how could I not have known how beautiful I was? I had absolutely no idea at the time. All I could see were an unflat stomach and jiggly thighs. I mean, how old do we have to be to let all that crap go, you know?’ “ 

“We were wearing yoga pants and T-shirts.
“Jan’s T-shirt said LOVE IS LOVE.
“Harmony’s said LITERACY IS NOT A LUXURY.
“Mine said THERE IS NO PLANET B.
“One of the true joys of getting older is not caring what anybody thinks about how you look. Which gives you the freedom to turn yourself into a walking billboard about the things that matter to you if you feel like it. Or not.”

Please note: I am including a link to buy the book that I’m highlighting this week. If you use my link, I do make a small commission on your purchase at no additional cost to you. I am working with Bookshop.org which also sends a portion of the profit to support local, independent bookstores.