Emptyishnesters can travel on holidays!

Thanksgiving at Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego.  I highly recommend it.  There is a fantastic spa,  world class golf course, amazing restaurants, and the rooms are luxurious!   

grand kids and grandparents

My sister's back yard bocce ball court next to her vineyard...similar to my backyard. Justin and Robbie championed over Steve and Jimmy.

trust fall - Steve and Robbie

with Dad on the putting green

Jeff and Kelsey

Emptyishnest is happy to introduce...

 ...the video debut of the Howe brothers ... written, directed and acted in by the 2 brothers...

see if you can pick out which 2 actors belong to the Howe family....

(caution *** one swear word in the video...)




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTYuh6NJkeo&feature=plcp

She takes her civic duty seriously - a role model for all of us...

GILBERT, AZ - A Mesa woman was arrested Saturday after she allegedly chased her husband around a Gilbert parking lot in an SUV during an argument over the presidential election.

The woman finally ran over her husband, leaving him with critical injuries.

According to a Gilbert police report, the argument started over her husband's lack of voter participation in the recent election.

Holly Solomon, 28, apparently believed her family was going to face hardship as a result of President Barack Obama's re-election.

Solomon's husband, Daniel Solomon, told police his wife "just hated Obama" and was very angry he was re-elected and blamed the President for problems her family is going through.

Witnesses reported a lot of yelling just before Holly got into a Jeep SUV and began chasing her husband through the parking lot near Gilbert and Elliot roads.

"He got out of the car and she was screaming at him. And he started walking away and she started driving in circles around him and she wouldn't let him go so finally he took off to try to get away and she ran into him," a called told a 911 dispatcher.

Daniel reportedly took refuge behind a light pole while Holly drove around the pole several times while continuing to yell at him.

Police said Daniel tried to run away toward Gilbert Road as Holly pursued him in the vehicle.

She eventually struck her husband and he was pinned underneath, between the vehicle and a curb.

Daniel was taken to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center and remains there in critical condition, according to police.

Holly was taken into custody and booked into jail for domestic violence charges of aggravated assault, reckless driving and disorderly conduct.

Police said there were no indications that Holly was impaired by alcohol or drugs during the incident.

According to a police report, Daniel told police his wife is six months pregnant.  NICE

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Read more: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_southeast_valley/gilbert/gilbert-pd-man-run-over-by-wife-for-not-voting#ixzz2C8toSNRK

Sneak Preview for book!

Ok 2 fans... here is a sneak preview of the book.  I'm hoping to have it available mid-December for purchase of either the "e" book or the paperback.

It has to go through one more final proof edit and then it will be on its way.     I'll keep both of you informed!

visit Starved Rock State Park - Utica, Illinois

No pooping while falling...

I caught it!

wild Vizsla

sounds bad

cool caves

425 million year old sandstone... 

this is my kind of hiking

We had a fun empty nesting day of "hiking" in Starved Rock State Park.  There are 13 miles of boardwalk ish trails that are nicer than the deck in my back yard.  The area got it's name from an historic Indian fight in the 1760's where one tribe was surrounded by the enemy tribe on the bluff and then starved to death-- no snacks at happy hour for them...

Since I am counting my daily calories backwards from my cocktails I might have been ok...

http://www.starvedrockstatepark.org/              fyi

Why healthcare is so expensive - election day info

Your Duck is Dead-- A woman brought a very limp duck into a veterinary surgeon. As she laid her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird's chest. After a moment or two, the vet shook his head and sadly said, "I'm sorry, your duck, Cuddles, has passed away." The distressed woman wailed, "Are you sure?" "Yes, I am sure. Your duck is dead," replied the vet.. "How can you be so sure?" she protested. "I mean you haven't done any testing on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or something." The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the room.   He returned a few minutes later with a black Labrador Retriever. As the duck's owner looked on in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his front paws on the examination table and sniffed the duck from top to bottom. He then looked up at the vet with sad eyes and shook his head. The vet patted the dog on the head and took it out of the room. A few minutes later he returned with a cat. The cat jumped on the table and also delicately sniffed the bird from head to foot. The cat sat back on its haunches, shook its head, meowed softly and strolled out of the room. The vet looked at the woman and said, "I'm sorry, but as I said, this is most definitely, 100% certifiably, a dead duck." The vet turned to his computer terminal, hit a few keys and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman.. The duck's owner, still in shock, took the bill. "$150!" she cried, "$150 just to tell me my duck is dead!" The vet shrugged, "I'm sorry. If you had just taken my word for it, the bill would have been $20, but with the Lab Report and the Cat Scan, it's now $150."  copyright aunt pat

Daily RX for Empty Nesting - Volunteer

Tinkerbell

Spiderman, Ninja and Poo Bear

 
  First of all, I want to admit to my 2 fans that I am a horrible volunteer. 

 Years ago, when the boys were all in grade school, and I had some extra time during the day, and I needed an excuse NOT to have time to exercise... I decided to seek out some charity work.  I thought that this would be a good way to give back to the community.  I had actually not done very much volunteering (outside of the kid's schools) and looked forward to the adventure.  After much consideration, I decided that the program best suited for me was to deliver food to the elderly.  It was a two day a week commitment for 3 hours each day.  My job was to go to a local church hosting the food prep service, load my car with food boxes and assorted drinks, then drive to the eagerly awaiting hungry old people. As I packed my car with the lunches, I noticed that all of the other delivery volunteer helpers were so cheery.  I could tell that they actually took pleasure in the work--it filled them up somehow.  Ok - good.  I wanted to be like that too!  

   I received the driving directions to the various apartment houses and started out my beneficence with a happy heart.  The first destination parking lot was full. Parking was impossible due to the four door sedan Buick Electra-like vehicles taking one and a half spaces due to their sheer 1980 gas guzzling size.  I tried not to be annoyed as  I counted the spaces vs cars in the lot while I schlepped the cooler from a quarter mile down the street to the entrance of the building (47 cars and 75 marked spaces...).  Upon entering the front door, I was overcome with a blast of heat wafting a smell combination of  ca-ca, and pee pee.  I wondered how long I could hold my breath...not long enough.  In an effort  not to gag, I chose to breathe only through my mouth even if it meant that my lips would no longer cover my dried out teeth.  OK--just so you know--these places are really dingy.  The lighting was yellow, the walls were covered in flocked yellow wallpaper which decorated the stained yellow velour chairs.  I zig zagged my way around the halls to find the apartment number and knocked on the door.  A giant old man with no shirt on and more chest hair than godzilla, answered the door.  I hoped that my wide eyed, dry toothed face did not betray my sheer inner terror.  This was a big, strong, ancient, half nakie guy.  I kept saying to myself, “please don’t be a serial killer... please don’t be a serial killer”.  After I introduced myself, he sort of grunted and then sat down at the table while I prepared his lunch.  I took the time to surreptitiously observe him.  Other than a disquieting resemblance to a Yetty, he looked able bodied to me.  As I opened the milk carton for him , I couldn’t help but think, “you know mister-- you could probably open your own damn milk”.  

And so it was at that point that I realized that I might not be perfectly suited for this type of charity work.  

That being confessed... now that I have empty nesting time...I have started volunteering at the Glen Ellyn Children’s Resource Center. http://www.gecrc.org/    It is a great organization and I actually like going to the tutoring with the kids.  We took them out for trick or treating yesterday.  The kids were so appreciative as was the staff.  They always need tutors and helpers for the kids.  I highly recommend it.  Since  this comes straight from the computer of the most jaded of volunteers-- you know that this is a worthwhile activity.