After you dropped Jack off to start his freshman year at Ohio State it finally hits you. Unless his older brother Jim or sister Stephanie ‘boomerang’ back you’re finally an empty nester. And since Stephanie is due in a few short months, living in Chicago, and game fully employed (Thank God) the boomeranging child effect is unlikely to happen – at least with her.   

Somehow you thought being transformed into an empty nester would feel more…

Lou Slangen immigrated to the United States from Holland as a young man with 2 simple suitcases, a boat-load of dreams and the perfect formula for success. He exuded passion, persistence and eventually found the perfect partner for his journey – his wife Linda.

He and Linda raised 4 kids while moving around to multiple cities during his journey. He led large sales teams for a multinational healthcare products firm - rising to become the…

With today’s ever-increasing home prices, you need to squeeze out as much function with every square foot of space you have. Perhaps you’re looking to add a home office, a hobby room, art studio or place to stay fit and do yoga. If so, are you wondering how in the world you’ll have space for your kids and grandkids to sleep and get the new space you need? The question is where can you ‘find’ this room if your current home (or future…

If you’ve decided to take the plunge and live in a downtown loft apartment or condominium you’re likely in one of two categories.

• Your hair is graying, thinning and Botox and Ms. Clairol have become your BFF’s. You’ve emptied the nest and your kids are FINALLY off the payroll. Whew – you can’t believe it’s happened!
• You’ve got plenty of hair, but not as much money as you’d like (but at least you’re no longer bumming gas money off Mom and…

Back in the 1900’s Lawrence Murphy (a salt-of-the-earth stagecoach driver – the Uber driver of yesteryear) wanted to woo the woman of his dreams (in today’s world - a diva). She was a beautiful opera singer. However, Lawrence had a problem. It wouldn’t have been proper for him to entertain her in his one-bedroom apartment (or swinging bachelor pad as those “wild and crazy” guys George and Yortunk Festrunk – played by Steve Martin…

My wife Rose was hauling junk (including a Buzz Lightyear – circa 1995 sleeping bag) from our 18-year-old college-bound son Parker’s bedroom. This room was being repurposed into a “slash” room (it will be Parker’s bedroom when home from college, a guest room and a Zen-meditation space). I laughed when I saw the sleeping bag going out and got nostalgic about Buzz and those “back in the day” times when I heard the words, “To…