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Oh No, Not "The Home": Observations and Confessions of a Grandmother in Transition
Peggy Rowe is at it again, proving once more that great content is all around us, even in the retirement community she now calls "The Home."
In Oh, No, Not “The Home,” eighty-three-year-old Peggy decides the time has finally come to move into a senior living facility with her husband, John, who follows his beloved bride . . . grudgingly. Once ensconced in "The Home," however, John quickly makes a long list of eclectic friends and takes up bocci ball, hatchet throwing, pool playing, and various other distractions that keep him mostly sane. Meanwhile, Peggy finds humor in places a normal person would never think to look—and laughter around every corner. Missing dentures? A mouse in the house? Nude sunbathing with an unexpected audience? Gluttony in the dining hall? A chair volleyball game that turns into geriatric target practice? It's all here.
With her usual mix of warmth and irreverence, Peggy brings her daily journal to life with an unforgettable mix of observations and confessions, written with the honesty of a true observer of the human condition and the urgency of an embedded reporter entrenched in a strange and distant land. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and before long, you’ll start to think that Peggy and John and their many new friends are just the kind of people you wish you had for neighbors.
Whatever you think you know about retirement communities, think again. This is life at "The Home."
And it’s not exactly what the marketing brochure promised!
In Oh, No, Not “The Home,” eighty-three-year-old Peggy decides the time has finally come to move into a senior living facility with her husband, John, who follows his beloved bride . . . grudgingly. Once ensconced in "The Home," however, John quickly makes a long list of eclectic friends and takes up bocci ball, hatchet throwing, pool playing, and various other distractions that keep him mostly sane. Meanwhile, Peggy finds humor in places a normal person would never think to look—and laughter around every corner. Missing dentures? A mouse in the house? Nude sunbathing with an unexpected audience? Gluttony in the dining hall? A chair volleyball game that turns into geriatric target practice? It's all here.
With her usual mix of warmth and irreverence, Peggy brings her daily journal to life with an unforgettable mix of observations and confessions, written with the honesty of a true observer of the human condition and the urgency of an embedded reporter entrenched in a strange and distant land. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and before long, you’ll start to think that Peggy and John and their many new friends are just the kind of people you wish you had for neighbors.
Whatever you think you know about retirement communities, think again. This is life at "The Home."
And it’s not exactly what the marketing brochure promised!
288 pages, Hardcover
Published October 15, 2024
195 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
About the author
Peggy Rowe
5 books170 followersPeggy Rowe lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with John, her husband of sixty-one years. Both educators, they raised three sons. Peggy has been writing for most of her adult life and has two New York Times bestsellers to her credit—both of which were published after the age of eighty. Now eight-four, she is living the good life in a retirement community where material abounds. Peggy continues to write every day of her life—preferably without wearing jewelry or a bra.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
March 5, 2025
Peggy Rowe has a flair for observant writing and a wonderfully droll sense of humor. Her tales about her family (Mike Rowe is her famous son), friends, acquaintances in "the home," and her husband are entertaining, empathetic, funny, and sometimes heartbreaking. If you miss Readers Digest's Life in These United States and Laughter is the Best Medicine, try this book (and others by Peggy Rowe).
A similar book with gentle and humorous tales is My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places by Mary Roach.
A similar book with gentle and humorous tales is My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places by Mary Roach.
November 30, 2025
This was a whimsical book to read on a cruise. I'm jealous of the author and her husband's ages because I don't think I'll be getting anywhere close to that. She feels guilty about eating in the home's restaurants at while being in her late 80s! We eat out a lot now and we're decades younger.
Really surprised that she never lived further than 3 miles from the house she grew up in. Her parents were in the "home" that she refers, so that had to help when they decided where to go.
She talks about chair volleyball, where residents must sit on chairs to bounce a beach ball about. At another home I know of they have a human whack-a-mole, where workers stick their heads out of a large cardboard box and get bopped with a pool noddle!
Really surprised that she never lived further than 3 miles from the house she grew up in. Her parents were in the "home" that she refers, so that had to help when they decided where to go.
She talks about chair volleyball, where residents must sit on chairs to bounce a beach ball about. At another home I know of they have a human whack-a-mole, where workers stick their heads out of a large cardboard box and get bopped with a pool noddle!
April 15, 2025
Not quite as good as her others but still very enjoyable
March 24, 2025
Mike’s mom has done it again. She’s written a page turner about something I never would have thought I would have cared to read, an old folks home. Well, maybe it’s that I’m now nearly retired myself and it’s time to get a glance inside with Peggy’s uniquely amusing style. This “home” of theirs actually doesn’t sound too bad!
January 27, 2025
I enjoy Peggy Rowe's wry sense of humor, her great observational skills, her positivity, and her excellent writing. This book is probably most enjoyed by readers over 50 yrs old and/or those familiar with the Baltimore area. It might help to know her son, Mike Rowe, (Dirty Jobs on TV, The Way I Heard It podcast) - he obviously gets his sense of humor and cleverness from his parents.
Life in a senior living facility can be difficult, but she puts a realistic, kind spin on her experience there, knowing she's very lucky to be able to afford such a great place. She doesn't sugarcoat the old age issues but her humor adds a little lightness to them. Even if you're younger than 50, I'd bet you could still identify with her when she describes working with a terrible fellow teacher who treated her horribly and encountering grumpy, complaining people.
She's clever, kind and empathetic without being maudlin as one can sometimes be when faced with one's mortality and the 'shrinking' of one's world. I especially enjoyed the unsaid comments that she mentions as she describes life in the senior living facility and her interactions with fellow residents (snarky thoughts always make me laugh). She's a good ambassador for 'the home' - lots of activities, lots of friendly people with interesting stories and sheesh, the abundance of food options- wow! If only everyone could afford such luxury in their golden years.
Life in a senior living facility can be difficult, but she puts a realistic, kind spin on her experience there, knowing she's very lucky to be able to afford such a great place. She doesn't sugarcoat the old age issues but her humor adds a little lightness to them. Even if you're younger than 50, I'd bet you could still identify with her when she describes working with a terrible fellow teacher who treated her horribly and encountering grumpy, complaining people.
She's clever, kind and empathetic without being maudlin as one can sometimes be when faced with one's mortality and the 'shrinking' of one's world. I especially enjoyed the unsaid comments that she mentions as she describes life in the senior living facility and her interactions with fellow residents (snarky thoughts always make me laugh). She's a good ambassador for 'the home' - lots of activities, lots of friendly people with interesting stories and sheesh, the abundance of food options- wow! If only everyone could afford such luxury in their golden years.
December 5, 2024
I read this book because my folks had just decided to move to "The Home," and I thought about sending them this book, but first wanted to preview it. It's a pleasant read, and is often humorous, but the only laugh-out-loud section was the introduction by Mike Rowe. Didn't buy it. Yet. Still might as a pleasant diversion.
December 29, 2024
It's not as good as I had hoped
January 11, 2025
Peggy Rowe is a favorite of mine and this does not disappoint. Her wit and insight, peppered with a dose of serious wisdom, gives me both perspective and patience for the liquid coming out of my nose from the snort laughing that happened when I took a drink. Highly recommend.
February 19, 2025
Dnf, I lost interest. The puns and double meanings became repetitive and predictable.
December 31, 2024
Perhaps I was not the best audience for "Oh No, Not The Home," but if I am not at 70, then the audience for this one will be very small, those in their 80s and upward who no longer have much interest in life outside their own little world. I do not intend to be that way even at 90! Peggy Rowe wrote this memoir of her life with her husband, John Rowe, at a huge retirement home, where they still live, which has thousands of units and a vast number of residents, most of whom are quite active, playing bocci ball, swimming, joining book clubs, and always dining in one of the many eateries on their widespread campus. Of course, there are facilities there for those who may need to move to the assisted living side or for those who need constant care. Most of the residents are old, but live in apartments, even if they never seem to cook and are rarely IN those apartments. Some are nosy, some overly friendly, some short tempered and nasty, and some are nice people with interesting stories to tell.
Peggy and John are the parents of Mike Rowe. You can look him up if you have been living on another planet and do not know whom he is. Mike wrote the intro to the book. He should stick to his day job. Peggy's corny sense of humor rubbed me the wrong way. She had a sheltered easy life, so much so that I expected her to stay, "aw shucks," or "golly gee," and to pass out when hearing a four letter word. She seemed way too old for her age. There are old people who are 50, and young people who are 70. I think far more openly and youthfully than Peggy and John, and just could not relate to them at all. I would hate living in a retirement community. I love younger generations and children too much, and would not enjoy hearing about everyone's aches and pains. There were scenes with missing dentures (no thanks), way too many scenes about intestinal distress (maybe try changing how you eat) and all sorts of generalizations which are not part of my life. Even when I am 90, I do not intend to speak as these people do. They bored me to tears. There was a book club, but not once was a book discussed, nor were politics, the arts, or how to embrace tenchology and keep up with the times. Peggy appears to dress like an old frump, which should not surprise me since she sounds like one. Her hair is very short and gray, and not styled. No makeup. Women like Peggy make younger women fear growing older, when it does not have to be that way. While we will never look as we did in our thirties, we can stay current with fashion, stay in good shape, eat well, and pay attention to the things going on in our world. When we disconnect, and only focus on our next meal, we will bore others!
I think Peggy Rowe may be a well loved granny. She is kind. She loves her husband, but I would dread having to spend an afternoon with her. I would show up in a cute above the knee dress, or bell bottomed jeans, fun jewelry, and wearing makeup. We would appear to be many generations apart, even though we are not really. She does not have to act and look old. This is her choice, just as it is mine to color my gray and keep up with our ever changing world. The thought of always dining out, and being surrounded by so many others in the same age range, night and day, would have me pulling out my hair and running for freedom. As I said, I am clearly not the audience for this book. I never wanted to join large groups, but those who did when in school and college might find themselves loving a senior residence decades later. I do not need to be around others all the time. Peggy and John apparently do. To each his own, but the humor and content of this book did nothing for me. It is well written in a colloquially simple way that will appeal to some. I need more from a book. Otherwise, I can go to my local Walmart and just listen to every day people talking about the price of bananas. That is fine in small doses, but I want more from the books I read. I want to learn, to feel, to be moved. I will always seek to uncover things that are new to me, to challenge my brain, rather than sit around laughing at stale jokes and talking about bodily functions. I gave 3 stars to "Oh no, Not the Home," only because Mrs. Rowe can write a proper sentence. If you liked this book, however, you will be thrilled to know there are several more Peggy Rowe books written in the same style. I, however, will give them all a pass.
Peggy and John are the parents of Mike Rowe. You can look him up if you have been living on another planet and do not know whom he is. Mike wrote the intro to the book. He should stick to his day job. Peggy's corny sense of humor rubbed me the wrong way. She had a sheltered easy life, so much so that I expected her to stay, "aw shucks," or "golly gee," and to pass out when hearing a four letter word. She seemed way too old for her age. There are old people who are 50, and young people who are 70. I think far more openly and youthfully than Peggy and John, and just could not relate to them at all. I would hate living in a retirement community. I love younger generations and children too much, and would not enjoy hearing about everyone's aches and pains. There were scenes with missing dentures (no thanks), way too many scenes about intestinal distress (maybe try changing how you eat) and all sorts of generalizations which are not part of my life. Even when I am 90, I do not intend to speak as these people do. They bored me to tears. There was a book club, but not once was a book discussed, nor were politics, the arts, or how to embrace tenchology and keep up with the times. Peggy appears to dress like an old frump, which should not surprise me since she sounds like one. Her hair is very short and gray, and not styled. No makeup. Women like Peggy make younger women fear growing older, when it does not have to be that way. While we will never look as we did in our thirties, we can stay current with fashion, stay in good shape, eat well, and pay attention to the things going on in our world. When we disconnect, and only focus on our next meal, we will bore others!
I think Peggy Rowe may be a well loved granny. She is kind. She loves her husband, but I would dread having to spend an afternoon with her. I would show up in a cute above the knee dress, or bell bottomed jeans, fun jewelry, and wearing makeup. We would appear to be many generations apart, even though we are not really. She does not have to act and look old. This is her choice, just as it is mine to color my gray and keep up with our ever changing world. The thought of always dining out, and being surrounded by so many others in the same age range, night and day, would have me pulling out my hair and running for freedom. As I said, I am clearly not the audience for this book. I never wanted to join large groups, but those who did when in school and college might find themselves loving a senior residence decades later. I do not need to be around others all the time. Peggy and John apparently do. To each his own, but the humor and content of this book did nothing for me. It is well written in a colloquially simple way that will appeal to some. I need more from a book. Otherwise, I can go to my local Walmart and just listen to every day people talking about the price of bananas. That is fine in small doses, but I want more from the books I read. I want to learn, to feel, to be moved. I will always seek to uncover things that are new to me, to challenge my brain, rather than sit around laughing at stale jokes and talking about bodily functions. I gave 3 stars to "Oh no, Not the Home," only because Mrs. Rowe can write a proper sentence. If you liked this book, however, you will be thrilled to know there are several more Peggy Rowe books written in the same style. I, however, will give them all a pass.
May 11, 2025
What started out with lots of laughs dulled the further I read. Mrs. Rowe is a good storyteller but I think I’m not the intended audience for this book.
March 9, 2025
This was a good read, well written, much humor, some serious topics, and a good look at what it’s like to live in a good CC&R (Continuing Care) Community. My husband and I are in our mid 70s but we’ve seen what happens to friends who are older and don’t have any contingency plans if one of the spouses gets sick, or, for when taking care of your home becomes more burdensome than enjoyable, even if you can afford to hire inside help, outside help and home care.
For me, I’m in excellent general health but with a deteriorating spine. I’ve found ways to stay active with it, using good mobility aids and doing chair yoga and physical therapy exercises, but…I tend to have big things happen to me. So if my husband dies first, a good CC&R is one of the places I’m considering moving to so that my son and daughter in law won’t ever be burdened in trying to care for me as I continue to age. For sure, I’ll downsize to that or at least to a 55 and older small home or condo and then hire what I need done. I’m not a real social person but I do want the ability to enjoy social activities when I want to do so and the idea of not having to cook all my meals sounds like heaven. You can be sure that I will check out menus and find out if food is prepared from scratch in the kitchen of a CC&R or if they basically heat and serve pre-made dinners. Good, healthy and tasty food is a big deal to me.
Anyway, the book is a good read for older people just for fun as Peggy Rowe is an engaging writer, or to get a feel of what a “home” would be like to live out the rest of your years. If a CC&R makes sense to you, make sure that you thoroughly vet the place that you’re considering and visit it often first. And, they’re not cheap but maintaining your home when it’s no longer easy for you to do isn’t cheap either. You do need to have enough saved and/or reliable income coming in if you want to move to a CC&R.
For me, I’m in excellent general health but with a deteriorating spine. I’ve found ways to stay active with it, using good mobility aids and doing chair yoga and physical therapy exercises, but…I tend to have big things happen to me. So if my husband dies first, a good CC&R is one of the places I’m considering moving to so that my son and daughter in law won’t ever be burdened in trying to care for me as I continue to age. For sure, I’ll downsize to that or at least to a 55 and older small home or condo and then hire what I need done. I’m not a real social person but I do want the ability to enjoy social activities when I want to do so and the idea of not having to cook all my meals sounds like heaven. You can be sure that I will check out menus and find out if food is prepared from scratch in the kitchen of a CC&R or if they basically heat and serve pre-made dinners. Good, healthy and tasty food is a big deal to me.
Anyway, the book is a good read for older people just for fun as Peggy Rowe is an engaging writer, or to get a feel of what a “home” would be like to live out the rest of your years. If a CC&R makes sense to you, make sure that you thoroughly vet the place that you’re considering and visit it often first. And, they’re not cheap but maintaining your home when it’s no longer easy for you to do isn’t cheap either. You do need to have enough saved and/or reliable income coming in if you want to move to a CC&R.
June 19, 2025
I’m not all that enamoured with celebrity culture, let alone the mother of a celebrity of whom I am confused why he got so popular in the first place. I know the name “Mike Rowe,” but I can’t tell you exactly why he is famous, or what quality makes him more special than your average person. In fact, I often get him confused with Rob Lowe (who is another person I don’t really care about).
I still was interested in reading the book given my local connections with “The Home” and knowing people who worked at Oak Crest having stories about Peggy Rowe – who I might consider a rare “nepo-mother.” There is no way this book would have been big at all, or perhaps not even published, if not for her connections with Mike Rowe. But all of this doesn’t really matter, because if I were to criticize successful people for their connections, I would be criticizing pretty much everyone. Peggy Rowe is a great writer. This is the best part about her book. She is a clever writer with a fun sense of humor.
The biggest flaw with this book is that not much really happens. This is just a collection of stories about things that go on at a retirement home, which could have been told by anyone. This is the real reason why I say the only reason this book is popular at all is because of her connection with Mike Lowe. There’s not much that happens in this book. No real stakes. Minimal reflection (there is a little, but doesn’t get any deeper than b-but the home is for old people!!! I’m only in my 80s!!! That’s not old! (I don’t understand why people lie to themselves about something as trivially obvious as this)).
So, if you’re into Mike Lowe for whatever reason, and you’re so into him that you want to read about his mother and her first-world life stories, then go ahead, you’ll probably enjoy it. If not, then you’re not missing much.
I still was interested in reading the book given my local connections with “The Home” and knowing people who worked at Oak Crest having stories about Peggy Rowe – who I might consider a rare “nepo-mother.” There is no way this book would have been big at all, or perhaps not even published, if not for her connections with Mike Rowe. But all of this doesn’t really matter, because if I were to criticize successful people for their connections, I would be criticizing pretty much everyone. Peggy Rowe is a great writer. This is the best part about her book. She is a clever writer with a fun sense of humor.
The biggest flaw with this book is that not much really happens. This is just a collection of stories about things that go on at a retirement home, which could have been told by anyone. This is the real reason why I say the only reason this book is popular at all is because of her connection with Mike Lowe. There’s not much that happens in this book. No real stakes. Minimal reflection (there is a little, but doesn’t get any deeper than b-but the home is for old people!!! I’m only in my 80s!!! That’s not old! (I don’t understand why people lie to themselves about something as trivially obvious as this)).
So, if you’re into Mike Lowe for whatever reason, and you’re so into him that you want to read about his mother and her first-world life stories, then go ahead, you’ll probably enjoy it. If not, then you’re not missing much.
January 11, 2025
Anecdotal humor/memoir by a woman from Baltimore (big Orioles fan) in her mid-80's who lives with her 90-yo husband in a senior living community. I gather her son Mike Rowe is famous, and he looks a little familiar, but I wasn't really aware of him or his name. Anyway, gentle humor in a somewhat dated style -- lots of gender and age stereotypes, not at all edgy. If you liked, say, Erma Bombeck columns or "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" more than young/slightly angry/confessional comics who have Netflix specials, then this might be a fit for you.
Information is news of a difference, and my interest in the book [loosely organized with lots of sidebars and tangents -- very conversational] varied with whether she was discussing something different from my experience. Very good chapter on her memories of being an instructional aide trapped with a terrible head teacher in a special education classroom, another on her interview with a blind resident, pretty good one on being married to someone going through rehab after major heart attack, etc.
Balanced against those........a LOT of deeply boring reports ostensibly peeling back the curtains on retirement-home living but actually just confirming that old people are not from Mars and have about the same distribution of personalities as younger adults -- some liked the dining hall food whereas some don't; some people complain a lot; there's a grouchy guy she encounters at the elevator a bunch of times, whereas other people are friendly, and so on. I almost DNF'ed after she took a page and a half to replay the time someone asked a loud group in the game room to quiet down-but they didn't. Easy read, and I'm on the whole glad I finished, but not strongly recommended.
Information is news of a difference, and my interest in the book [loosely organized with lots of sidebars and tangents -- very conversational] varied with whether she was discussing something different from my experience. Very good chapter on her memories of being an instructional aide trapped with a terrible head teacher in a special education classroom, another on her interview with a blind resident, pretty good one on being married to someone going through rehab after major heart attack, etc.
Balanced against those........a LOT of deeply boring reports ostensibly peeling back the curtains on retirement-home living but actually just confirming that old people are not from Mars and have about the same distribution of personalities as younger adults -- some liked the dining hall food whereas some don't; some people complain a lot; there's a grouchy guy she encounters at the elevator a bunch of times, whereas other people are friendly, and so on. I almost DNF'ed after she took a page and a half to replay the time someone asked a loud group in the game room to quiet down-but they didn't. Easy read, and I'm on the whole glad I finished, but not strongly recommended.
January 14, 2025
Peggy Rowe is back with a book about their life at Oak Crest -- a retirement home in Baltimore. Here are five reasons why I am giving this book all the stars:
🌟Her oldest son Mike Rowe wrote the Forward. I am a fan and he does a great job of setting us up to enjoy his mom's latest book.
🌟Oak Crest is very similar to the community where my MIL lived from 2017 until she passed away just a few months ago. We loved visiting her there and she was actively involved --broke a hip once when she broke the rules in volleyball and got off her chair to go after that balloon. At Oak Crest they use a beach ball.
🌟The chapters include present observations, relevant anecdotes from the past, and actual journal entries. There are also some wonderful photos from the past and present.
🌟John, her husband for more than 60 years, provides wonderful material for her stories. He and Peggy provide a delightful picture of living well in your 80's and 90's.
🌟I follow Peggy on social media and loved reading this book with additional details on posts I have seen since they moved into Oak Crest.
While she has nicknamed their residence "The Home," she clearly loves their life there and appreciates the services and amenities available. Peggy Rowe knows how to live life with gratitude and that is inspiring to read about.
🌟Her oldest son Mike Rowe wrote the Forward. I am a fan and he does a great job of setting us up to enjoy his mom's latest book.
🌟Oak Crest is very similar to the community where my MIL lived from 2017 until she passed away just a few months ago. We loved visiting her there and she was actively involved --broke a hip once when she broke the rules in volleyball and got off her chair to go after that balloon. At Oak Crest they use a beach ball.
🌟The chapters include present observations, relevant anecdotes from the past, and actual journal entries. There are also some wonderful photos from the past and present.
🌟John, her husband for more than 60 years, provides wonderful material for her stories. He and Peggy provide a delightful picture of living well in your 80's and 90's.
🌟I follow Peggy on social media and loved reading this book with additional details on posts I have seen since they moved into Oak Crest.
While she has nicknamed their residence "The Home," she clearly loves their life there and appreciates the services and amenities available. Peggy Rowe knows how to live life with gratitude and that is inspiring to read about.
February 4, 2025
In Oh, No, Not “The Home,” eighty-three-year-old Peggy decides the time has finally come to move into a senior living facility with her husband, John, who follows his beloved bride . . . grudgingly. Once ensconced in "The Home," however, John quickly makes a long list of eclectic friends and takes up bocci ball, hatchet throwing, pool playing, and various other distractions that keep him mostly sane. Meanwhile, Peggy finds humor in places a normal person would never think to look—and laughter around every corner. Missing dentures? A mouse in the house? Nude sunbathing with an unexpected audience? Gluttony in the dining hall? A chair volleyball game that turns into geriatric target practice? It's all here.
With her usual mix of warmth and irreverence, Peggy brings her daily journal to life with an unforgettable mix of observations and confessions, written with the honesty of a true observer of the human condition and the urgency of an embedded reporter entrenched in a strange and distant land. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and before long, you’ll start to think that Peggy and John and their many new friends are just the kind of people you wish you had for neighbors.
Whatever you think you know about retirement communities, think again. This is life at "The Home."
And it’s not exactly what the marketing brochure promised!
With her usual mix of warmth and irreverence, Peggy brings her daily journal to life with an unforgettable mix of observations and confessions, written with the honesty of a true observer of the human condition and the urgency of an embedded reporter entrenched in a strange and distant land. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and before long, you’ll start to think that Peggy and John and their many new friends are just the kind of people you wish you had for neighbors.
Whatever you think you know about retirement communities, think again. This is life at "The Home."
And it’s not exactly what the marketing brochure promised!
February 2, 2025
I think I can sum up my thoughts on this book by saying it was very sweet, but I wish it was short and sweet. Overall, I found it a good reading experience. I enjoyed Peggy’s compelling and conversational voice as a narrator, and I admired her clever wit and enduring sense of humor. I thought it was cool how she included excerpts from her journal throughout the book. I liked her commentary on living in an independent living community and everything that came with it. I appreciated Peggy’s honestly and candor about the good and the bad and everything in between. All that said, I did also struggle with portions of this book. In general, I thought it lacked substance, leaning too hard into humor and neglecting emotional depth or nuance. I also felt that the author frequently departed from her declared theme. Combined, these critiques made me wish the book was shorter. But I will also say that the ending was very strong and probably my favorite part of the book. So overall this was enjoyable but I had higher hopes for it.
March 6, 2025
Another good one by Mrs. Rowe. Love that she has a sense of humor with all that goes on in her life. Love to hear about John and his dry sense of humor. One of the funniest moments was when Mrs. Rowe was told she needed to expose her skin to some sun each day (you should read to find out the best way to do this . . . or not). Sorry to hear about John's health scare and that he is okay. The pictures and the story about the past image and present remake of said image is great. (Really do like Mike Rowe.) The story about the Polish immigrant was very touching. Sorry that Harry passed, but that John somehow made it through to him and became friends.
Life at The Home sounds like a carnival cruise with all the twists and turns, different buildings, and the many restaurants.
Life at The Home sounds like a carnival cruise with all the twists and turns, different buildings, and the many restaurants.
March 3, 2025
A friend, once a library circulation manager, told us about this book, stating that we’d read it and laugh. As residents of an Erickson Senior Living community, this book made us chuckle, as we found ourselves and our friends aptly described in the author’s stories about living in a senior community. Did we find the friends like the author’s or the few curmudgeons? Of course! The discussions, for and against, about crisp vs. soft green beans? Yes we did. Should you read this book, especially if you’re aging and considering your options for giving up lawn care, landscaping, and snow shoveling? Absolutely, and you’ll see the humor in the book and chuckle as we did.
March 10, 2025
Enjoyable read ... made me laugh, made my cry.
This was a book club selection and wasn't sure how I would react to it, since my husband and I were not able to have children and so grandchildren, hence I will not be grandmother, and would I be able to relate? However, I was able to relate to the "aging" stories. I often wonder if we will ever have to consider moving to a "home" and wish there were facilities near us that Peggy describes in her book. In looking for places for both our aging parents over time, Peggy and John are lucky that they found "the home". They do not exist in our part of the world.
This was a book club selection and wasn't sure how I would react to it, since my husband and I were not able to have children and so grandchildren, hence I will not be grandmother, and would I be able to relate? However, I was able to relate to the "aging" stories. I often wonder if we will ever have to consider moving to a "home" and wish there were facilities near us that Peggy describes in her book. In looking for places for both our aging parents over time, Peggy and John are lucky that they found "the home". They do not exist in our part of the world.
August 19, 2025
I read Oh No, Not "The Home" by Peggy Rowe in 2 days, as I just couldn't put it down! I don't think a book has made me laugh so much in years! It is a great book for someone in a senior community that can relate to a change of lifestyle. Peggy Rowe and her husband, John, moved into a senior community several years ago. At the age of 86, she wrote this book of her experience and what life has to offer as she ages. From the meals to the activities, Peggy writes how seniors adjust to live and be more active and busier than ever! I would encourage all seniors to read this book, as it will brighten your day!
November 2, 2024
Peggy Does It Again
With the world going to hell in a hand basket, Peggy Rowe brings tears to our eyes of joy and laughter to us yet again. I vowed to read out a chapter a day to make this book last longer. It was hard to do as I just wanted to keep those happiness endorphins flowing as long as possible every day.
Thankful she has written yet another book and her Little Facebook Friends love her dear for the books and her life updates.
Maybe Mike should get her to ghost write his next books . . .
With the world going to hell in a hand basket, Peggy Rowe brings tears to our eyes of joy and laughter to us yet again. I vowed to read out a chapter a day to make this book last longer. It was hard to do as I just wanted to keep those happiness endorphins flowing as long as possible every day.
Thankful she has written yet another book and her Little Facebook Friends love her dear for the books and her life updates.
Maybe Mike should get her to ghost write his next books . . .
December 6, 2024
Id thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though I give it "only" 3 stars. It might appeal to a limited audience. It is obvious where Mike Rowe's sense of humor and fun come from -- his mother is a natural humorist. This is not literary writing, but Peggy is a great storyteller, with good pacing and just enough pathos and worries to be real. I've not read her earlier books, but plan to. This one was perfect for the busy days around Thanksgiving when I had few times for reading. Nice to read a quick chapter or two before turning out the lights at night and end the days with a smile.
May 24, 2025
I’ve read all of her books so far and find them hilarious in places and endearing. One can tell she loves life with her friends and family. As with many folks she and John grew to love “the home�� rather quickly. How could they not with the vast amount of characters who live there also. There is one of these places across the road from where I live now. I imagine it’s much the same as where the Rowes live. In my mind I believe it would be much more comforting to live there with a spouse than as a widow. Please read this latest book. She’s always giving me a laugh before I turn out the light.
July 9, 2025
Because I live in an Erickson Senior Living community similar to the one where the author lives, I can readily relate to the people and situations described by Ms. Rowe. She has captured the residents' personalities and not so unusual circumstances, like the visually impaired, the folks with canes, walkers, and scooters, and those occasional grumpy pants creatures. I can only smile in recognition of my similar experiences. The author's underlying message is one that evokes sympathy, understanding, and acceptance of the aging process, including that of her husband's and of her own.
November 7, 2024
Peggy Rowe is the best!
I love her books and her sense of humor. Everything has funny moments (even moments of crisis) and she captures it beautifully. She and John remind me of my husband and I and we only have 48 years together. I’m glad they passed their sense of humor and their values down to their sons. Her books are a joy to read. Thanks, Peggy. Don’t stop now! I’m sure Mike has another foreword in him! LOL!
I love her books and her sense of humor. Everything has funny moments (even moments of crisis) and she captures it beautifully. She and John remind me of my husband and I and we only have 48 years together. I’m glad they passed their sense of humor and their values down to their sons. Her books are a joy to read. Thanks, Peggy. Don’t stop now! I’m sure Mike has another foreword in him! LOL!
May 30, 2025
While I still have a soft spot for Peggy Rowe, I didn't love this book as much as her "About Your Father" book. This one wasn't bad, but I struggled to finish. Yes, there were still some good stories. Both the ones that made you think, laugh, and even get a little teary eyed.
Many stories referenced older stories from other books, and parts felt very repetitive because of that.
Overall, it's a decent book, just not my cup of tea.
Many stories referenced older stories from other books, and parts felt very repetitive because of that.
Overall, it's a decent book, just not my cup of tea.
July 16, 2025
This is a wonderful book. Peggy Rowe is funny, serious and heartwarming all at the same time. I'm familiar with the Oak Crest community. Both of my children worked there and currently work at a sister community. The stories Peggy tells are full of life. Being able to go to the pool or the bocce courts or the fitness center while still meeting up with friends and having a fun time is the best life anyone can have. Thanks Peggy for all your wonderful stories and experiences.
September 2, 2025
As aging sets in, Peggy and John Rowe have moved from their condominium to a senior living community called Oak Crest. As they adjust to life in their new environment, Peggy shares the humorous moments of living in a planned community with other seniors. From sports competitions to the end of the month restaurant crush to learning their neighbors' stories, Peggy reports everything with a keen eye and a wicked sense of humor. Her number one dining rule -- all seniors love their desserts.
November 26, 2024
I love Peggy Rowe. I wish she was my mother…she’s witty, clever, kind, and always has a good story to share! I have read all 4 of her books, and I hope she writes another one. I follow her on Facebook, and listen to her on her son’s podcasts. Always a pleasure to hear her and read about her day at “the home”.
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