Halloween, Ackley Style

Rowan, Roaming Gnome
Rowan just returned home for Halloween from Nepal. He was trekking the Himalayas. Before that he was mastering the art of Southeast Asian cooking in Phuket, Thailand. Stop by to see him soon. He will be heading off to Lake Como, Italy, where he will learn to water ski. In the off season Rowan will be traveling to his cabin in Northern Alaska to write his twelfth novel. At the age of 72, He enjoys life with five grown children and eleven grandchildren.



Bella, Spanish Princess
Bella, like Rowan, is also just home for the holiday. She flew in last night from Barcelona, where she entertains locals and tourists alike as a Flamenco dancer. For years she resented the dancing lessons her mother forced her into as a small child, but now she is grateful because she makes a fabulous living at it. She wins every ballroom competition she enters (much to the resentment of the other dancers, really). In the off season, she vacations in Ibiza, where she stays out late then sleeps in. She has many boyfriends, but nobody serious. Her parents often wonder when she will settle down.



Dale, Mountain Climber
Dale recently met his lifelong goal of summiting Mt. Everest. But on the descent, he was caught up in a unpredicted blizzard and separated from his team. His friends cannot find him, and have no other choice but to leave him for dead. Frostbitten and disoriented, he eventually finds his way back to base camp. Dale's wife arranges a helicopter rescue. It is a risky mission at that altitude, but in the end, successful. It costs her a fortune, but it's worth every penny. His wife loves him very much.



Jessie, Rock Star Groupie
In 1988, Jessie attended every single concert of Def Leppard's World Tour, following the group from city to city. To this day, she still leads a pretty rough life. Because of her past substance abuse, her mind is clouded. She doesn't notice styles have changed, and she still likes to tease her hair up to the sky and wear her makeup heavy. She struggles with holding down a job and remaining sober.