The Empty Nest Chronicles – two friends, two coasts, two cozy homes

Treat Yourself!

http://theemptynestchronicles.com/wp-content/themes/osmosis/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 Kristin Kristin http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/fe3107501a67a79ce57dc21d5f66b96c?s=96&d=mm&r=g March 24, 2023 March 23, 2023

March 24, 2023

Dear Kristin, Let me get this out of my system before I begin: I don’t love the term “self-care.” Maybe it’s that whiff of Instagram Influencer that it carries with it (“Mama, Are you practicing self-care? Here are five products you can buy via my affiliate links that will refresh and recharge you”). Or maybe…

Sleep Struggles

March 17, 2023

Dear Frances, I think that there are two secrets of middle age that no one prepares you for—you will never see both near and far completely clearly again and you will constantly struggle with sleep. I am writing this blog post not as someone who has all the answers but instead as someone who is…

Our Evolving Diets

March 10, 2023

Dear Kristin, I passed a chicken truck when I was driving to Atlanta two weeks ago. It was crammed full of caged birds, feathers flying, little red combs a-flapping. The sight made me sad; those chickens did not appear to be living their best lives. I’m never eating chicken again, I told myself as I…

The Day After

March 3, 2023

Dear Frances, We’re back! Boy oh boy, re-entry into real life after a fun trip is hard! A little background–our readers may not know a few things about our friendship. We have been in touch on a daily basis for at least ten years now. First via email and later through the app Voxer. Until…

Favorite Cookbooks

February 17, 2023

Note to our lovely readers: No post next week. Kristin and Frances will be at QuiltCon, having all sorts of adventures and staying up way too late, and just generally frolicking. We’ll be back on March 3rd. See you then! Dear Kristin, We’ve had any number of cookbook conversations over the years, but I don’t…

Leaving on a Jet plane

February 10, 2023

Dear Frances, I’m on an airplane right now, in my preferred aisle seat (I’m somewhat claustrophobic), trying not to knock elbows with this young man seated next to me. I’ve got two trips planned for this month, one for work and one for fun. I’m halfway across the country, on my way to the work…

Puppy Love

http://theemptynestchronicles.com/wp-content/themes/osmosis/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 Frances Frances http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/3373068697bcd77a6b12874ed677aa93?s=96&d=mm&r=g February 3, 2023 February 3, 2023

February 3, 2023

Dear Kristin, Wherever I am, my dog Travis is nearby. I’ve spent years telling him to stay put when I pop into the kitchen for a cup of tea or trot off to the mudroom to grab my scarf. He never stays put. As soon as he hears my tread on the floor, he wakes…

5 Things We’re Loving Right Now

January 27, 2023

Dear Frances, I thought it would be fun to share a few things that are delighting us right now. And if not actually delighting, then at least finding useful. I love getting a glimpse into other people’s lives. How they live, what they read, how they cook, what they enjoy, what do they do better…

The Empty Nest Chronicles Podcast: Journaling

January 20, 2023

Hi, everyone! This week we’ve got a podcast episode for you, so sit back with a nice cup of tea (or insert your AirPods and do the dishes) while we discuss journaling. We cover why to keep a journal, what kind of journals we keep, and our plans for destroying our journals when the time…

Letting Go in the New Year

January 13, 2023

Dear Kristin, Last week we talked about some things we’d like to accomplish in 2023 and how we’re going to accomplish them. This week I thought we could talk about the things we’re not going to accomplish. What are some dreams, obligations and weights we’re going to let go of this year? Here’s my list…