On Volunteering and the Witches of Salem

What is it that makes us feel so passionate about life when we are helping others?

There must be something more to volunteering than the oft said “it makes us feel good to DO good.” I believe it goes deeper.

When the chicks fly the coop we lose the built-in community that comes with raising a brood. Gone are the sports team gatherings, the school plays and scout meetings. Entire peer groups disappear overnight. It can get kind of lonely... CONTINUE READING >>

Also on GypsyNester.com this week:

We fully admit we were drawn to Salem by its sordid past.

However, we were horrified to see that tourist trap economics trumped ugly, historical facts in Salem.

There are plenty of wonderful historical sites in the beautiful seaside town, including the famous... CONTINUE READING >>

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More Grandchildish Behavior

I am drool resistant, attract dirt, love to wallow, don't mind eating things off of the ground and sometimes need changing. I fit right in with kids.

I am a sucker for the little buggers, most likely because a good part of me still is one.

I can get down to and play at their level with no effort whatsoever. So... I guess I want grandkids more than Veronica does... CONTINUE READING >>

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Help! There's No One to Eat the Leftovers!

Pretty much everything about life changes when that last kid walks out the door. Veronica and I think we should make the most of these adjustments, that's why we started GypsyNester.com, to celebrate life after kids. Most of the changes were easily anticipated but, as always, some things are unforeseen.

Over the past few years, we have had to relearn how to shop and cook for just the two of us. That fell into the unexpected for me. I don't know why, but it was not something that I thought of before the clearing out of the nest... CONTINUE READING >>

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Go Ahead Punk...Make My (Father's) Day

Whenever Father's Day would roll around when I was a youngster, the inevitable question arose, “Why isn't there a kid's day?”

Every parent ever to draw a breath gave the same reply, “Everyday is kid's day.”

Thinking back, there was a lot of truth to that statement. We did celebrate kid's day nearly everyday, and I certainly don't remember going out of my way to make my father's days resplendent on any regular... CONTINUE READING >>

More Grandchildish Behavior

I am drool resistant, attract dirt, love to wallow, don't mind eating things off of the ground and sometimes need changing. I fit right in with kids. I am a sucker for the little buggers, most likely because a good part of me still is one. I can get down to and play at their level with no effort whatsoever. So... I guess I want grandkids more than Veronica does... CONTINUE READING >>

The Plan is No Plans

On the same day that we officially became "empty" nesters, the very day our youngest started college, we boarded a plane headed for Zürich. We didn't really plan for the two events to happen on the same day, it just worked out that way.

What WAS planned was to... CONTINUE READING >>

Go Ahead Punk...Make My (Father's) Day

Whenever Father's Day would roll around when I was a youngster, the inevitable question arose, “Why isn't there a kid's day?”

Every parent ever to draw a breath gave the same reply, “Everyday is kid's day.”

Thinking back, there was a lot of truth to that statement. We did celebrate kid's day nearly everyday, and I certainly don't remember going out of my way to make my father's days resplendent on any regular... CONTINUE READING >>

The Plan is No Plans

On the same day that we officially became empty nesters, the very day our youngest started college, we got on a plane headed for Zürich. We didn't really plan for the two events to happen on the same day, it just worked out that way.
What WAS planned was to spend time together and to do the things that obligations had pushed aside before. The three years between our older girls leaving the house and the boy flapping his wings gave us plenty of time to decide how we wanted to spend, or at least... read more

Go Ahead Punk...Make My (Father's) Day

Whenever Father's Day would roll around when I was a youngster, the inevitable question arose, “Why isn't there a kid's day?”

Every parent ever to draw a breath gave the same reply, “Everyday is kid's day.”

Thinking back, there was a lot of truth to that statement. We did celebrate kid's day nearly everyday, and I certainly don't remember going out of my way to make my father's days resplendent on any regular ...  read more

Graduation A Go-Go

"Graduation speeches were invented largely in the belief that college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated." - Garry Trudeau

Between our brood of three and my brother's trio we have six kids within a ten year age span. That used to mean some hilarious... read more