Living Arrangements - Paperback

by Diann Shope (Author)

In their 70s, four people find each other in a quest to grow old differently. They renovate an old mansion on Seattle's Capitol Hill and start a new life together. Lionel, a retired math professor, is a little prissy. Patty's a retired teacher who worries too much about what people think of her. Chuck's a talented painter with doubts about his work. Anne's a retired ballerina whose relationship with her daughter is strained. They are all trying to shed inhibitions and live fully in a culture that is age-adverse. How do they decide what color to paint the kitchen, who cooks, what happens when someone leaves his laundry in the dryer? Look over their shoulders as they go on nature outings, take an art walk through Pioneer Square's art galleries, choose a fifth housemate, and become involved in the lives of two teens. How do they help each other deal with physical intimacy, face the loss of a child, and encounter the specter of terminal illness? Living Arrangements is an entertaining and thoughtful look at challenges and growth in later life.