Articles by Amy Shankland

From grief to joy

If you’re an empty nester, or a soon-to-be one, chances are you’ve lost one or both parents. I’ve shared with you all about the loss of my father-in-law Ron last…

Read More

Thank you, Readers!

Today’s column is all about you – our readers. If you can’t tell, many of the Reporter columnists are friends. In fact, four of us – hopefully more in the…


Defeating the “nevers”

One thing I love about the empty nester stage of life is that you can look back and realize how many “nevers” you’ve conquered. We’ve all heard the saying “never…


Yes, I’m a planner

My husband John and I are going on vacation later this month along with our sons, Jonathon and Jacob. We’ll be driving to visit family in Nebraska, which means I’ve…


Injured? Find a new adventure!

With this headline, my readers are now thinking, “Amy has lost her mind.” How can we find a new adventure if we’re injured? Some readers may recall my foot injury…



Spread the Lasagna Love!

On a dark, snowy February evening in 2022, the “empty nester blues” hit me hard. Both of my sons were away at college and my husband John was working that…


Imperfect homes are more fun

Given my column’s title, I thought this week’s topic was a “perfect” match. My husband John may be surprised to read this, but at this stage in life, I’ve completely…


Rock the boat & start a new hobby

One piece of advice I’ve heard about the empty nester stage of life is that it’s helpful to adopt a new hobby. Trying something different takes your mind off your…