The Empty Nest Chronicles

two friends. two coasts. two cozy homes.

March goals

150 150 Kristin

Dear Frances, How is it March 1 already? That really snuck up on me! One of my favorite bloggers, Tonia Peckover, brought up a really good point recently. Why do we start a bunch of new resolutions on January 1? It’s the dead of winter, the end of the holidays, and maybe not the perfect…

read more

And We’re Back!

150 150 Frances

Dear Kristin– So, where were we? Okay, we may have possibly dropped off the face of the earth for a few months, which wasn’t exactly our intention. Our intention was to take a little break. But somehow the little break grew into a great big hole. I wonder if our readers missed us? Just in…

read more

Two months left (of 2023)

150 150 Frances

Dear Kristin– I’m writing this on October 25th, a date that’s significant for two reasons. First, it’s the anniversary of the day I met Clifton in 1991. He’s now been my boyfriend for 32 years! Second, October 25th means we have two months before Christmas. Eight weeks. 56 days.  Once upon a time, the idea…

read more

Fall Break

150 150 Kristin

We’re taking a little break this week while Frances enjoys a much needed vacation. Here is a little glimpse of the slice of heaven she’s enjoying. See you back here next week! xo,Kristin

read more

5 Fall Meals We’re Excited to Make

150 150 Kristin

Dear Frances, We’re starting to see a change in the weather here (hopefully the 90 degree days are behind us) and it has me thinking about changing up the menu plan. It still might not be “sweater weather,” here, but it is definitely “soup weather”! Out are main dish salads and in are soups and…

read more

Tempus fugit

150 150 Frances

Dear Kristin, I’m always shocked when autumn finally arrives–I mean, really arrives. When the chirps of the crickets and the cicadas grow few and far between, when it’s cold in the morning no matter how high the temperatures get later in the day, when I look outside at 7PM and realize it’s already dark. I…

read more

[Re] Feathering the Nest

150 150 Kristin

Dear Frances, One of the things that I didn’t spend much time thinking about before the kids moved out was how we were going to use those empty rooms. To be sure, there have been lots of suggestions—sewing room, home office, and exercise room, to name a few. And I went all in on the…

read more

[Old] Puppy love

150 150 Frances

Dear Kristin, I’m writing this on the couch in the front room, Travis snuggled by my side, his hind feet resting against my leg. This has been our habit for nearly sixteen years, me writing, Travis napping, the two of us always attached. Travis is an old guy now and it shows. He’s still eager…

read more

Libraries

150 150 Kristin

Dear Frances, I went to the library this week to pick up a couple of books I had put on hold (one of them, Weekday Vegetarians, which you recommended last week). Because I read mostly e-books these days, I don’t get to the library as often as I used to. The library is one of…

read more

September

150 150 Frances

Dear Kristin, I’ve never been a foodie, but sometimes I taste something that makes me so happy I want to change my life. Take the Caesar dressing I just made. It was the simplest recipe in the world, from The Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosenstrach, made with mayo instead of eggs, and perfectly balanced in…

read more