Bloomer

Author: Anne Schlebusch
Publisher: Modjaji
Reviewer: Nancy Richards
There’s just not so much to look forward to as you get old. You have more time, but then again, less time. There’s also the spectre of…well, failing health, fatigue and, dare I say it, finality. There is however the wealth of experience and the treasure chest of memory to compensate. There are also choices.
Both Maggie, Bloomer heroine and Anne Schlebusch, her creator, have chosen the 

​upbeat path – and both have plundered their banks of experience and memory for the journey. And might I add, their well-honed sense of humour.
Not usually a topic for bestsellers, despite being universal, the issue of ‘oldies’ nonetheless came up a lot during COVID, they being amongst the most vulnerable across the world – and it was this that for Schlebusch seems to have trigged Bloomer and its cast of venerable, warm, wise and witty characters, collectively known as ‘Invictus’ and all of whom are residents at The Hazyview Mansions Retirement Home.
The prime mover and shaker (and is she ever) of the Invicti of HMRH is Maggie. But although Schlebusch swears she is not Maggie, it is hard not to conflate the author with the artist (amongst other skills Maggie is an award-winning creative) as they both have a shared age (clue: not 21) and a colourful past on which to draw. Schlebusch, like Maggie, also has a firm grip on the language (should that be lingo) of today as well as the social media vehicles that support it.
Bottom line, Bloomer and the adventures therein is/are very, very funny. Not only funny, but smart (in a non-clever-dick kind of way) and full of love and learnings, tough and tender – what Maggie refers to as her ‘old bird wisdom’. If Schlebusch has her way, the Bloomer attitude and joie de vivre could soon go viral. Viva!