I like wine. And the occasional beer. And sometimes a wee finger of iced dark rum. Now, some might blame this on my Irish ancestry, as my peeps are often associated with the raucous drinking of alcohol. Still the Irish are generally a cheery lot, and we don’t often take offense at our propensity to enjoy a nip now and then.

Here’s the thing. Human beings have been imbibing in some form or another since, well, before we were actually human. Studies show that our primate ancestors managed to metabolize alcohol somewhere between seven and 21 million years ago. Researchers believe our ancient forefathers might have developed their alcohol-metabolizing gene following a major climate change during the Miocene Epoch that shifted African forests into grasslands, forcing them from the trees. They probably climbed down from their branches and started looking around for stuff to eat. So, instead of picking food directly from the trees, they began eating the fruits and berries that had fallen to the ground, which had probably rotted a bit having begun the natural process of fermentation, which converted those fruit sugars into alcohol.

Understand that our furry forebears were not ambling down to the local liquor store, nor were they actively distilling anything. That process didn’t evolve until maybe around 800 B.C., when some enterprising folks in Asia thought distilling rice and sometimes mare’s milk—Yum!— were dandy ways to make alcohol. But these early attempts at creating booze were not undertaken for recreational purposes. The liquor was generally for medicinal or ritual uses. Then, somewhere along the line, some recalcitrant human—after checking around to see if any of the bigwigs were looking—probably snuck a sip. Then he or she smiled. And alcohol as a recreational drink became all the rage.

Later, and perhaps not surprisingly, humans came to believe fermentation was a gift from the gods, which I certainly understand. Booze became so important that the Greeks used wine as currency. The Romans gave their soldiers wine rations to keep them marching throughout the empire. Then, in the 17^th century, clever rum merchants in the Caribbean convinced the British to pass laws requiring that sailors be provided with a daily “tot” and mutinies occurred if the men didn’t get their rum in a timely matter. Note the law didn’t expire until 1970.

A 2021 Gallup poll showed that 60% of U.S. adults admit to drinking alcohol, with almost 40% saying their libation of choice is beer. Thirty-one precent opt for wine, while 27% prefer spirits. As mentioned earlier, I enjoy all three, depending on the setting. And in moderation, of course!

The thing is, for those of us who do imbibe, cocktails bring a bit of civility to the day. That pre-dinner beer—which I split with my sweetie pie and drink from a Champaign flute because I’m not a barbarian— adds a bit of decorum, especially to those days that don’t go quite as planned.

In any case, I’d like to thank our ancient ancestors for swinging out of the trees and gobbling up those alcohol-infused fruits, so that today we can all look forward to cocktail hour.

The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.

WOLF CATCHER

Anne Montgomery

Historical Fiction/Suspense

TouchPoint Press

February 2, 2022

In 1939, archeologists uncovered a tomb at the Northern Arizona site called Ridge Ruin. The man, bedecked in fine turquoise jewelry and intricate bead work, was surrounded by wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands. The Hopi workers stepped back from the grave, knowing what the Moochiwimi sticks meant. This man, buried nine hundred years earlier, was a magician.

Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.

REVIEW COPIES OF WOLF CATCHER AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Review/interview requests: media@touchpointpress.com

Available where you buy books.

Age. It’s a funny thing, especially when you try to pin it down. I’m not talking about chronological age, as that’s pretty much set in stone. The question is how age is perceived.

For example, after asking my high school students what they thought was old age they agreed upon 24. Ugh! Just today, one of my kids said her friends referred to 33 as “fossil age.” Conversely, my 97-year-old mother told me she’d met a new friend who was young: 82.

See why I’m confused?

The perception of age seems to be an individual thing. But is it based on what we look like? How we feel? How we act? It seems the United Nation’s has determined that anyone over 59, no matter where they live or how they look or feel, is considered old. However, Boomers—no doubt a bit biased—say you’re not old until you’re 73.

In recent decades, ideas about age have clearly shifted. Consider the phrase “40 is the new 30”, which morphed into “50 is the new 40”. So, is 70 the new 60? I’d like to think so. Still, not long ago the idea of a woman over 30 gracing a magazine cover was rather rare. The thought being that ladies past that age were no longer attractive or desirable or captivating. Note the same prohibition was not held in regard to men, who could be suave and sexy well into their 50s and 60s. Go figure.

But then something shifted. Not only did a lot of famous women maintain their looks as the decades slipped past, but people found them much more interesting than those 20-something youngsters who still hadn’t acquired much life experience.

I’m thinking age is a combination of factors. Looking good certainly helps, but more important is good health. When we‘re fit, we feel better, which colors the way we act. Like most people, I’ve occasionally been on the opposite end of feeling good, and when I stared into the mirror I saw what old age looked like. While I understand illness, aches, and pains come with advancing years, they don’t have to define us.

There are a lot of ways we can work around the ailments that plague us as we age: eating right, exercise, hobbies, healthy relationships, volunteer work. I’m willing to bet these things will go a long way toward making us healthier and happier, which will, no doubt, show on our faces.

I’m 67. And though I periodically feel ancient—the result of all those sports I was told were good for me—I don’t feel elderly in my head. My kids sometimes say I don’t act old. Perhaps that’s because I’m sometimes silly. Not too long ago, my sweetie pie and I were known to dance in the isles at Home Depot. Why there? I have no idea. Sometimes silly doesn’t make sense. It’s just fun.

So, let’s ditch the numbers and preconceived notions we have about age. Let’s work on our health and let the happiness shine through. And, personally, I recommend some silly now and then. I know many of you have outgrown that behavior, but give it a try.

I think you’ll look and feel younger.

The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.

WOLF CATCHER

Anne Montgomery

Historical Fiction/Suspense

TouchPoint Press

February 2, 2022

In 1939, archeologists uncovered a tomb at the Northern Arizona site called Ridge Ruin. The man, bedecked in fine turquoise jewelry and intricate bead work, was surrounded by wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands. The Hopi workers stepped back from the grave, knowing what the Moochiwimi sticks meant. This man, buried nine hundred years earlier, was a magician.

Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.

REVIEW COPIES OF WOLF CATCHER AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Review/interview requests: media@touchpointpress.com

Available where you buy books.

Once upon a time, back when we lived in caves, people didn’t have much: maybe a basic set of clothes made from animal skins and a sharp tool of some kind. Our ancient ancestors spent much of their time gathering fruits and nuts and other plants to eat. Periodically, someone got lucky and dragged home an animal to roast on the fire. They probably slept on a pile of communal skins in their cavern and, in their free time, gathered a few rocks to make into tools and bits of jewelry.

Now, I’m not saying life was easy for our cave-dwelling ancestors, but it was certainly much simpler. As a student of history, I must admit that I used to think things improved when our ancestors came up with the two big ideas that propelled humans forward: agriculture and pottery. Some enterprising soul no doubt decided that the walk to the far-off place to pluck grains was getting tiresome and, rather brilliantly, decided to plant some near the cave. Since Nikes had yet to be invented, I’m sure the clan members were thrilled. Add pottery into the mix—a place to store and protect all their food and produce—and early humans probably never imagined that life could get any better.

But here’s the thing. Once they had those fields cleared and planted, a problem occurred. Other groups lusted after their fertile crops and might steal them if the people wandered too far away, say for a trip to the seaside to gather some yummy clams and oysters. (As an aside, I do wonder about the first human who decide to slurp down those slimy-looking, gray-shelled creatures, and without any cocktail sauce, to boot! Maybe his name was Mikey. If you don’t know what I mean, ask someone over sixty.)

Suddenly, humans had stuff others might want to steal, so they had to guard their little patch of fertile ground. Later, they started building homes around those cultivated plots and someone—I’m thinking a woman—starting considering what might look nice hanging on the walls. And so…our accumulation of stuff began.

I mention all of this because I’m suddenly feeling swamped by my possessions. Not necessarily the stuff I see every day, it’s those things that have been languishing in closets and drawers and the shed out back. I started considering my stuff when I was cleaning out my dad’s belongings. One item especially stood out. It was a medium-sized cardboard box, carefully taped shut with the following message written in black Sharpie: DO NOT OPEN! I was intrigued and felt a bit guilty when, after apologizing to my deceased father, I ripped it open. I could not have been more surprised. The box was completely empty. Nothing but air between those cardboard panels. I wanted to shout, “What’s up with this, Dad?” But instead, I was left with only questions.

Today, the vast majority of us have hundreds or perhaps thousands of possessions. Most of them are unnecessary for our survival. Many of them we don’t even use or enjoy looking at. With so many other things making life complicated—like all those ever-changing passwords we’re forced to remember—I’m thinking I’d like a simpler life. So, I’m now on a crusade to declutter my world.

But please don’t worry. I’m not advocating ditching everything and moving into a cave. Maybe I’ll just load up the car with some bags for Goodwill. Then I’ll feel better, and relax with a glass of wine and maybe some oysters. Here’s hoping I have some cocktail sauce buried in a cupboard somewhere.

The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.

WOLF CATCHER

Anne Montgomery

Historical Fiction/Suspense

TouchPoint Press

February 2, 2022

In 1939, archeologists uncovered a tomb at the Northern Arizona site called Ridge Ruin. The man, bedecked in fine turquoise jewelry and intricate bead work, was surrounded by wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands. The Hopi workers stepped back from the grave, knowing what the Moochiwimi sticks meant. This man, buried nine hundred years earlier, was a magician.

Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.

REVIEW COPIES OF WOLF CATCHER AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Review/interview requests: media@touchpointpress.com

Available where you buy books.

A while back, I wrote a blog article about the fact that I was struggling with retirement. A short time later, I was contacted by a lovely man named Joe Casey, who runs a podcast called The New Retirement. Joe’s program doesn’t delve into the financial aspects of retiring, which of course are important, but are not the only things you should consider. Instead, Joe focuses on our emotional responses to this life change.

I retired from full-time teaching and sports officiating a few years ago, and I wish I’d talked to Joe sooner, because then I would have understood the transition a bit better. As he points out so succinctly, there is no rulebook for retirement.

“Now picture yourself on your first day of retirement, the next phase of your life,” Joe says on his webpage. “Your hopes and dreams. And your concerns. But there’s no Orientation this time. You’re on your own. Retirement today doesn’t come with a template or a roadmap. Each one is different – and that means it’s wise to invest some time in designing your life in retirement.”

The important word is your retirement, because there is no one-size fits-all approach. We have spent our working lives running from obligation to obligation, doing our best to fit in all our daily responsibilities. Then we retire, which kind of reminds me of the roadrunner in the Wily E. Coyote cartoon sliding to a full stop in a swirl of desert dust. Like the goofy bird, many of us stand there with no idea what happens next.

Joe explained that many people fear boredom most of all. It’s really important, then, that we retirees identify and practice things we enjoy doing and that we have events we can look forward to. We need to be curious and ask ourselves what gives us joy. Retirement is also the perfect time to volunteer. We have all those valuable skills we developed in our work lives which can now be used to make the world a better place.

The most important thing to remember is that work is something we do. It’s not who we are.

I was delighted when Joe invited me to join him on his podcast. Perhaps you’d like to take a listen.

Enjoy!

Writing New Chapters – Anne Montgomery

The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.

WOLF CATCHER

Anne Montgomery

Historical Fiction/Suspense

TouchPoint Press

February 2, 2022

In 1939, archeologists uncovered a tomb at the Northern Arizona site called Ridge Ruin. The man, bedecked in fine turquoise jewelry and intricate bead work, was surrounded by wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands. The Hopi workers stepped back from the grave, knowing what the Moochiwimi sticks meant. This man, buried nine hundred years earlier, was a magician.

Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.

REVIEW COPIES OF WOLF CATCHER AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Review/interview requests: media@touchpointpress.com

Available where you buy books.