Amazing, inspiring, or just crazy?

This was certainly an interesting choice for our book club last month.  I am only a few weeks behind in our reads, and well, last month we saw a movie, so I am in the clear :)  When I was a few chapters in, I asked one of my mates how they felt about it - she made the comment that she was amazed by the accomplishment, but certainly not inspired by her to do the same thing.  Over all the reads we have tackled over the years, some of the authors have created quite the response in all of us (not always the same response).  Some of the authors we all wanted to reach out and connect even remotely on FB, and others, you realize you don't even really want to meet them in person.  I think I went through a range of emotions as I read this book, and considered whether or not this is an inspiring tale, or an amazing one.  I would err on the side of amazing.  Yes, it is truly inspiring to read about any individual challenging themselves physically or intellectually, however, how she goes about it is truly ass-backwards.  There are moments of clarity in this book, and there are profound moments that could have been revealed that are dropped like bombs and then moved away from as quickly as possible in a slightly disconcerting way.

 

It is hard to reconcile parts of her life - the woman who could shoot heroin the day before she takes off on such a momentus hike and the humbled person whose hand reaches out to touch the Bridge of the Gods.  The person who struggled with being alone, and the one who sought out to undermine her first marriage.  It is also hard to grapple with how the family horse was so ungraciously 'put down', and then the quiet serenity in the woods when she sees a fox or a deer. 

 

It is a good book.  I thought of myself when my friend Kelz and I did a 120 km backwoods canoe circuit in northern BC.  We planned the whole thing out, had our supplies, and took a fair amount of care heading out.  Definitely a personal accomplishment, and you meet some amazing people along the way.  Ken and I hope to take the boys and do it in a few years.  I digress. 

 

Was I truly inspired by this book? Well, I was impressed at what she accomplished but I am not planning to trail blaze in her path, in her manner.  Then again, who would?  We are all on a personal journey of discovery and I look forward to talking about this book in our next meeting.  Cheryl completed most of the PCT as a woman on her own, with limited financial means, with very little training. She most certainly accomplished something to be proud of. I suspect it will be a lively discussion and I look forward to hearing everyone's opinions about this book.

 

I have come back to edit a few paragraphs of this post, since the end felt a bit rushed.

 

I reflected a bit more, and I do admire her honesty in this book.  To know your kids are going to read about some of your mistakes, and events in your life that you are not proud of is raw and leaving your self vulnerable.  She does leave herself open to criticsm (such as the points mentioned above), but there is also a kind of courage in writing a book like this and not omitting these kinds of details from the book itself. 

 

I know that writing this blog, there are parts that I do censor, even if it is from strangers. I choose the details that I want to reveal.  Laying everything on the table isn't easy, and in this book, there are parts that I wish she talked about more, but perhaps the starkness of some her revelations are also telling.  So, to go back to an earlier point, it will be an interesting book club.  At some point  in the future, I think that I will pick up Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods"... which is another backpacking novel.  I also think about what will be my next personal, physical challenge.  Will it be participating in a few 5km jogs (I really don't move fast enough for them to be called runs yet) this year or if it will be something else that I don't know is coming... I look forward to figuring it out.  I would like to get in some local hikes and just challenge myself.  I would also like to start canoeing again, and spend more times doing these kinds of things outdoors.

 

one thousand posts

It is hard to believe that when I started this thing many, many years ago that one day I would reach this milestone.  I can't quite call this a journal or a diary, and perhaps that is why the name "blog" fits.  It has been many things over the years, and currently it is mostly tracking the books I read and the thoughts that spontaneously burst in to my head.

I think it would be interesting to grab a picture of me back then when this started in 2005 (OMG) and how I look today.  When this started, I wasn't a mom.  I worked somewhere else.  Ken and I were in the beginning stages of our relationship.  Some of my friendships were different, I was in my thirties.  Now, I have two boys, married almost 8 years, and most definitely over my 40 year old self.  I still knit, I still love the outdoors, I am still slightly offbeat.  We moved, and now live in a community that I grew up in that I never thought I would see again, and it has worked out beautifully.

What a journey!

Here is a mighty cheers to a 1000 posts. 

I can't wait to see what the next decade will bring.

Beginnings and Endings

I only have two more "work" days before I return to my old job.

I think I have run the gamut of emotions when it comes to this, especially when I think about everything that has transpired over the last eighteen months.  The good, the bad, and the really UGLY.

This has been a great learning experience for me - the things I wanted to be able to put on my resume, I now can.  I am hoping that eventually this allows me to take the next step in my career, whatever that looks like.  It feels like it has been really hard won at times.  This has not been an easy time.  When I look back over 2013, it is a real blur of experiences.  It feels like a year that I almost wish I could have a do-over for.  In that same breath, it was an incredible learning experience too, both personally and professional.  I also turned 40. I would not go so far as to say I had a midlife crisis, but it was an anticlimatic year, and I kind of shake my head a bit when I reflect over how it evolved.

I think I was a little crispy around the edges from a bit of everything for most of the year.  I can't say that anything was truly terrible, not was anything absolutely amazing.  There were some great moments along the way (like our trip to Olympia). It was a year that just was, in my books.  I started some things that I think will pay off in the long run - kids are happier now in school and care, I am jogging, I am making some better food choices, and I am grabbing control back for our finances, trying to just have a bit better balance.  I know as I write this post I am drinking from the "half-full cup".  I do try to see the positive, and I choose to find the silver linings rather than dwell on the negative. 

I leave this position and return to my old position a little more open, and a little more ready for whatever is next.  Our kids are a little older.  I am also getting better sleeps.  The jogging also helps heaps, even if I don't always get out and hit the pavement.  That hour on the weekend when I just get out and go, is great for both my head and my body.  This is something I have learned to enjoy more than I ever thought I would.  It helps my coworkers are really looking forward to welcoming me back.  Being wanted changes everything.  I am keeping an eye out on the postings here.  I may be picky at what could be next, but I think that it is a healthy attitude to have.  To be open to making a change, or a leap of faith and see where it takes me.  I was not there a year ago.

Searching for a profound title for this post. Nope. Not coming up with one right now.

You know that point in a book where you realize it is time to just buckle down and finish reading it?  Some times this is a really positive thing - you can't wait to get to that last page because you are so involved and wrapped up in the plot you really need to know what happens next so you can get on with your life.  Some times you need to finish a book so you can move in a different way without putting your finger on the exact reason why.

For me, this book fell in to the second category.

French is a good writer, she crafts memorable characters and plots, however, there is a layer in her books that gets under my skin.  Kind of similar to Gillian Glynn's book (Gone Girl), there is a layer in the novel that is unsettling.  Not about the crime, or the detective work (I have read plenty of these at this point) involved, but in the overall portrayal of the characters.  I guess I would call it around hope, and positive feelings.  In this novel, the characters are richly drawn, and quite fallible, but there is an underlying feeling that things are just poised on the brink of falling apart, or thinking about Scorcher Kennedy, of losing total control.  I like Scorcher (the lead murder detective in this book), and I have cared about the other main characters in her novels.. but there is this element that I do find unsettling, that sits with me.  It just takes something away from the experience for me - that isn't there with an Inspector Banks novel, for example. 

Far better than other books in this genre.

I waited for a while before I started this book because I knew it was Book 2 in a series, and that Book 3 wasn't coming out until the summer.  I was craving a good read.  A book that would catch my imagination and be hard to put down.  This one delivered.

I enjoy this world of witches, daemons, vampires and humans.  I like the world that Harkness creates, and the attention to details.  I was a bit worried I would find Matthew a bit overbearing again, but Diana certainly asserted herself more effectively in this tome.

I like that Diana and Matthew escape through time and land in Elizabethan England.  What a time to have lived in!  This was a great read and I am (im)patiently waiting for Book 3. 

Escape read.

Likely, I should have posted about this book after I finished it, since I can't say that much remains about this book after I turned the last page.

I enjoy the fast-paced thrill ride that is a Jack Reacher story.  Since I have read the series out of order, I enjoy picking up the backstory as I have been going along, and learning more about what makes Reacher, Reacher.  Reading one of these books for me is liking watching a summer blockbuster movie.  Entertaining, but not entirely intellectually stimulating. 

After the last few reads, this was a nice break from using my brain, and a good choice during a really busy, intense period at work.

Two jettisoned in two months. Blech.

I really wanted to like this book.  I started contemplating if I would finish it about page 75, made it to page 125, and I decided it was time to cut the cord.

The writing isn't terrible, and it hard some great opening lines, but it just didn't do it for me.   In a sense, the writing style reminded me of Dennis Lehane (Mystic River)… whom I also had a hard time getting in to.

I found the story interesting enough, it just didn't move fast enough, and I found I didn't care enough about the lead characters.  You knew the parents in this story were not well matched, would rob a bank, and one would commit suicide in jail. The sister doesn't really appear to have a great outcome in life, and the narrator will eventually lose themselves in education.

So on I have moved.  Between this and a few of the other books I have read lately, I figured I would just make a break for some totally escapist literature and I grabbed a Lee Child novel as predictable, entertaining, light fodder.  It is delivering a fast-paced, not all that intellectually stimulating novel.  In light of the week I just had at work, a perfect choice.

I have a month until I return to my old position at work.  I will admit to having an open mind about going back, and not being very excited, but I really don't know that to expect.  It will be really interesting to watch how things unfold in the coming months.  I was aiming to complete a job today, and it did get done, but it was a bit of a battle.  Time.  Processes taking their time.  Correcting errors and adjusting figures.  Very interesting, very time consuming.  In the end, very worth getting it done.  There is nothing like the satisfaction of completing a hard task.  It is strange this isn't my problem anymore in a month.  I will miss the different demands on me, and learning so much.

I tried. Short stories just don't rock my world.

This is a book that has intrigued me for a while.  Maybe it was the lead characters name or just the cover… I wanted to read it.

I kind of struggled through this one.  There are some poetic moments, and some really moving passages, but I really struggle with short stories.  This novel is about Olive Kitteridge, and she is the protagonist in a few of these stories, but this novel contains 12 short stories that paint a picture of Olive, and not always from her perspective.

It is compelling, and I did want to finish it.  At times some of the stories were unsatisfying because I wanted more.  I like sweeping epic novels, and this wasn't that.  It does have a bittersweet story to tell, and it is an interesting way to reveal a character through their own words, and the impressions of others.  Yes, it is a decent read.  Am I screaming "read this" from the rooftops, nope.  I would say that Olive may stick with me for a while just as a character, and how we learn about ourselves as we age (not always flattering what we come to realize about ourselves).  It is also important to pay attention to the little moments we take for granted, and our relationships with others.  I was happy to finish this one last night so I could move on to the next book.

Speaking of books, my oldest is taking a further leap in to reading and he is loving Geronimo Stilton right now.  He is reading on his own!  He is also totally into his current book, and I love seeing him that engaged.  As well, at his after school program, the boys are all learning how to make friendship bracelets with their fingers or forks and loving it.  How cool is that?

Irreverent fun.

How to properly describe a book like this?  I am not sure if I can.

I will start by saying that I really enjoy Moore's writing.  They are like no other books that I have ever read.  I would also say that I think he is very well versed in esoteric and arcane knowledge, with a fair bit of awareness about all different types of religions.  It would be easy to say that he is completely irreverent, or sacrilegious, but I don't think he is.  I think his books are highly intelligent, completely offbeat, peopled with wildly crazy and unique characters, and make me belly laugh.

You could describe this book as having dark humour.  It starts off with death, and is all about death.  Yet, this doesn't even begin to describe what this book is all about.  There is a little sex thrown in, a few hellhounds, celtic devils, a few good guys and the squirrel people. Yet, this book is also uplifting, and you think thoughts you would never imagine without having read this book.   This all takes place in the city of two bridges (San Fran).

I find that I stray away from providing a summary of the novels that I read.  I more want to capture the impression of what I am left with after I have turned the last page.  As the pages turned when I read this one, they started turning faster as I wanted to see how things would turn out.  It is one that will stick with me.

Moore's writing is refreshing, different, and genuinely funny.  Both books I have read by him have caught me off guard.  I will seek out more.  If you are curious, check out his website.  If you are looking for a book that is just a little bit different, a little bit edgy, that will make you laugh out when you least expect it - give it a try.

An amazing Canadian.

Every now and then, someone comes along that makes you feel really proud to be a Canadian.  I can think of a few offhand.  I think about Terry Fox, David Suzuki, Leonard Cohen, Bryan Adams, Sarah McLachlan, the 2010 Men's and Women's Olympic Hockey Teams… I could dwindle down in to politicians, musicians, actors and poets… but it does get you to stop for a moment and think about what national (or even local) folks you look up to, or can make you feel nationalistic pride.  I remember going to the Calgary Stampede in 2000, and feeling proud of being Canadian when I watched the opening ceremonies.  Having never crossed the Rockies before, it was a big deal to embrace these folks as "also Canadian".  I am really glad I asked (and received) this book for Christmas.  This is a book I want to read with my kids.  I will read with my kids.  What an inspiring man.  Hadfield quietly celebrates life, and in the process I think has inspired the world and helped many of us reconnect with space.  

Reading this book, I felt the urge to start to underline passages.  Not only does Hadfield make his experiences accessible to everyone, he describes his experiences and overall philosophy with a gentle grace, that has left me with nothing but respect for him as a person.  There are lessons within how he has lived his life, and with the joy he embraces the moments.  There are lessons within his drive, and even in the negative elements that he had to focus on to become an astronaut, which truly weren't negatives.  

This is an inspiring read.  Pick up a copy, and celebrate a truly fabulous Canadian.

That Bard pops up in the strangest places...

When you stop and think about it, few writer's have had as much impact and influence as the great Bard himself, William Shakespeare.  I mention this in passing because of the father's obsession with the Bard in this book.  Each of the sister's is also named after famous heroines - Rosalind, Bianca, and Cordelia.  As someone who read a lot of Shakespeares' plays in my undergrad, I enjoyed this layer, even if it did wear thin in places (weirdly enough, I have issues reading things in italics if it goes on too long... who knew?)

This is a story about three sisters, and how they resolve their own idenity crises while their mother suffers through breast cancer.

It was a good book, and the title takes it's name from MacBeth's three witches - the original Weird Sisters.  I found the narrative voice to be a little irritating at times and hard to grasp and there were a few passages I had to reread to make sure I had the true gist of what was happening. 

This book was also about growing up in a small town, can't waiting to bust out, and that what happens when you leave and return as an adult, or for one sister, when you are fearful of leaving.  You add in the layer of post secondary life/town/career, and well, it was a book I could relate too.  Although I moved around a lot as a kid, I do consider myself from a small town.  It was a big deal when as a family, we chose to move back (for me) to this small town.  I grappled with was I ready and willing to embrace this community again, in my adult self.  Two years later, I have come to terms with this, and I am grateful for our community and the place we are creating for ourselves.  I see things in our community I was oblivious to when I was younger and itching to get away. 

I may be a fan...

I will admit it.  I like Allen's writing style.  When I need a light read, with a little bit of whimsy, I find that I have really enjoyed each of the books she has written.  She has a new one coming out in a few weeks, and I think I will head to the library and sign up for a library card so I can read her fourth (and maybe fifth) book without having to pay for it.  This is one of those books I can easily read in a day.  I started the day off lazing around in bed, and I finished the day back in bed turning the last few pages.

I even recognized a character from one of her previous books.  Sometimes it is nice to read a book populated with interesting characters that is about friendship - with a little romance, and a little earth magic (for lack of a better description). 

In my reviews, I find I try to capture more of the feeling I had when I read a book, rather than give a blow by blow summary of what happened.  I am not sure why I have chosen this path - perhaps it has been an unconscious choice from all the literary reports I wrote during my undergraduate degree.  I also think you can go to amazon or chapters for lots of plot and summary reviews, and I tend to express whether or not I enjoyed the book, or to relate something that moved me.  This was a pleasurable read, and I enjoyed the picture of a southern town with it's hidden history and relationships between women.  The writing isn't too ornate, and the reads are quick, and each of the three books I have read by Allen have all been enjoyable.

112 pages in, and then tossed

 

For Some reason.. my formatting today seems to be for the birds.  I am not sure if I am willing to spend a lot of time on this post to correct why the spacing turned out so bizarre.  Slightly ironic I must say, given how I felt about this book.  It isn't often that I start a book and don't finish it.  What started off as a lovely morning in bed today, ended up with me pretty much tossing this book.  Since it was endorsed by a funny political author (Terry Fallis), I had high hopes for some guffaws.

 

Not so much.  I did read some reviews of this book and other people find it funny. Yes, I get that it is a satire on the state of Canadian politics in 2008 but it just did not do it for me.  It is a fast read, and would not have taken up a lot of my time.. but I got to page 112, scanned through the rest of the book, and felt like I given the book more than ample time to get better, and it didn't. 

 

Adios terrible book, you just are not funny. 

 

Since I spent the morning returning a few odds and sods, I returned one of my two copies of the coolest astronaut ever's book (soon to be reviewed I am sure) for some new books.  I won't say what else I snuck in to return but I walked out with three new books - Olive Kitteridge, The Weird Sisters, and The Peach Keeper.   A good decision in my mind, as I walked out of the bookstore, smelling the books and running my hand down the pages.  Without a doubt, reading is one of my favourite past times.  I don't think I am destined to own an e-reader.  It just isn't the same.

 

Speaking of which - today I am watching the first Harry Potter movie with my oldest.  We finished reading the book, and now it is time to watch the movie.  To say he is excited, is an understatement.  He has always enjoyed reading, but watching him engage with this book has been literally - magic.  Yes, those novels get dark soon, but I can see us reading the first three this year... and we will see about the final 4.

Perfect timing for a bittersweet read like this....

This was a great read to finish 2013 with.  This was more like I wish The Lace Readers by Brunonia Barry would have been like.  A little mystical around the edges, a story about people.  At times there could be more details, but I like that some of the details were wispy and scant. 

This is a book about a brokenhearted young lady named Kate that flees from Seattle for a tour of Ireland to find herself.  She finds herself in a small Irish town (Glenmara) and finds a new place for herself among the women who make lace.  There are coincidences that bring people together - but isn't that life - all about being in the right place at the right time?  I love the story about the lace, and how the lace making was taught through generations, and how the lace could tell a story.  It has made me rethink having my mom teach me how to make lace - although that will mean learning how to crochet, and for that, I am truly skeptical.

This was a lovely quick read.  A story full of promise, and a little bit of fancy. 

Sinful Quinoa Chocolate Cake

I lurve this cake.

I also lurve that it is gluten free, and not made with quinoa flour.  If you are looking to try something new that will literally blow you away, try this recipe.

My lovely Auntie makes this for us, and it has been amazing every single time.  I love her much, and with this cake, I think I love her even more!!! I love that everyone can eat it, and that it is made with whole quinoa and not quinoa flour (which is worth it's weight in gold).

Moist Chocolate {Quinoa} Cake

originally from Quinoa 365

Made from quinoa and more like a brownie, this cake is gluten-free and completely delicious.

There are a few variations on how to frost and how to make a ganache for the middle, I will leave that part up to your desire.  

ingredients

• 2/3 c. (150 ml) white or golden quinoa
• 1 1/3 c. (340 ml) water
• 1/3 c. (90 ml) milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. (170 g) butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 c. (375 ml) white or cane sugar
• 1 c. (250 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. (7.5 ml) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) salt

directions

• 1
  Preparation:
• 2
  Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for another 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow the quinoa to cool.
• 3
  Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease two 8-inch (20-cm) round or square cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• 4
  Combine the milk, eggs and vanilla in a blender or food processor. Add 2 cups (500 ml) of cooked quinoa and the butter and blend until smooth.
• 5
  Whisk together the sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the contents of the blender and mix well.
• 6
  Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake on the centre oven rack for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• 7
  Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan before serving. Frost if desired. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month. Serves 8 to 16.

Decent foray into a distant past...

It felt like it took me a while to read this book.  It could be that the month of December is blowing by so quickly, that it just felt like this was the one place that the pages were not turning all that quickly because I have been tired at night.

Total aside, it is strange, the boys are sleeping in this morning.  They have been waking up between 5 and 6 am, so this is a rare treat!!

This was a good book.  It didn't captivate me as much as I though it would, and maybe that was why it didn't.  For me, it didn't really start to speed up until the end.  That being said, I enjoyed how the story between Mehrunnisa and Salim developed over time, and the insight in to the past and a different culture.  The differences between the men's and women's realms is also fascinating.  The story continues in further books, and if a copy lands on my desk, I will read it.  I guess in many ways this book almost felt like a prequel to the real story, taking a lot of time to lay down the plot and the history.  Reading the next book of how the Emperor and Empress rule, and the intricacies of each would likely capture me a little more.  I am not trying to take away from this book, just some books you start and you are caught up in a tide that is stronger than yourself, drawn to turn each page quicker than the last.  I enjoyed this book throughout, and it was at the end it all of a sudden seemed over too soon.

My Christmas Boys 2013

A hit and a miss…

This was one of those books that falls under "and now for something completely different".

This was an interesting book about something I didn't know anything about - the 'Mud Angels' that arrived in Florence after the Arno flooded in 1966.  This book is about Italy, book conservation, with a light dusting a lust.  From the title, you would expect a sensual novel, but that was not this novel.

I can't say that Hellenga nailed the female narrative, and I found it a bit offsetting at times how he shifted his narrative voice. but there were some elements that I also really enjoyed about this book.  Hence, the title of this post.

This is the story of a 29 year old book conservator who finds her way to Florence to ultimately have her life's big adventure. There she meets a few paramours, and embarks on a bit of a journey of self discovery.  For a relatively short, and small book (the book is an off size itself), this wasn't a quick read.  There were times I wasn't pulled along by the current of the narrative, and last night, I think I was on a mission to get going and move on to my next book.  Funny how that happens sometimes.  I think a personal goal would be to read 40 books this year.  I think 2 more and I am there… Which also pushed me to get through that last 150 pages last night.  Speaking of which - sleep, who needs sleep?  Did I mention that in the last few weeks I have had a hard time settling down and getting to bed at a decent time?  It is almost like the days are so crammed that I am enjoying the silence at night and pursing weird things like lego, knitting, and reading.  From the sight of my kitchen this morning, perhaps some of that time should have been dedicated to cleaning it.

There were a few passages that were pretty well crafted though.. such as this one:  "Have you ever read a great novel, or listened to a great symphony, or stood in front of some great work of art, and felt - absolutely nothing?  You try to open yourself to the text, the music, the painting, but you have no power to respond.  Nothing moves you.   You are turned to stone.  You feel guilty.  You blame yourself, but you also wonder if maybe there's nothing there, and that people only pretend to enjoy Dante's Paradisio or Beethoven's Eroica, or Botticelli's Primavera because they get good marks in Culture 101 for doing so.  And then, when you least expect it, when you've closed the book, walked out of the concert hall or the museum, it hits you.  Something hits you, comes at you from an odd angle."  Interesting thought.

Mission complete - a new hat

Done.  I was hoping to have it finished before the snow started on Sunday night.. but apparently there are limits as to what a person can accomplish during their waking hours.

So, I finally finished it tonight.  I shouldn't complain, I think all told it took me less than two weeks to make (especially considering how much free time I normally have).  This is a great pattern.  I will make it again, and if I use the same type of wool, I will use the man's pattern instead of the women's pattern to give it a little more width.  This one stretches out fine, but it could be a tad bit bigger (I am also a tight knitter).  All in all, I love the hat and I found the free pattern (Thanks Needyl aka Shana) when I was trolling for a cable knit hat to knit myself up.  I haven't attempted knitting like this since the last hat I made, and I missed it.  I actually learned a few new things in the process, and recalled how much I enjoy watching a piece like this evolve under my fingers.

Speaking of my last hat, I am not sure if I ever whinged about the fact that I lost the hat on campus, when I was picking up the kids from day care.  The other day, I saw my hat on someone else!  I was happy to see it didn't go to waste - like this, it was a handmade, woollen hat and I am glad to see someone else obviously saw some value in it rather than it just getting pitched aside.

Success or fail, you tell me.

So, there are two elements at work here.

We have an Elf, his name is Goomba. Brandon is slightly embarrassed by his name because he arrived in our house when he was 3, or maybe 4.  It seems the years are starting to blur together.  This year, our Elf has been inspired by the Dinosaurs that went viral (check out the article about the parents that set up their kids dinosaurs in different play settings) and by other Elves that have been up to some fun in the 24 nights they get to visit the homes of their kids.

It appears that Goomba made a slight spelling mistake.  Poor Bradon. Perhaps Goomba should not  have arrived back without sleep.  *AHEM*.  Perhaps Connor will become Conner at some point this month?  Time will tell.  Maybe next year instead of trying to do NABLOPOMO, I will attempt to blog a month of the shenanigans our Elf gets up to.

The other element is the LEGO.  Apparently I have been a wee bit obsessed with lego in the last week. It has been quite pathetic actually.  There  have been several nights that everyone is in bed and I am up, playing with lego.  I am not sure if "playing" is the right way to describe what I have been up to.  It could also be classified as organizing all the builds that have been dumped together and who knows what we have, and maybe with Christmas coming, we should really figure it out.  I also think it was oddly therapeutic.  The last few weeks, hell, year, have been interesting for me at work.  I am glad that I switched roles in the last year, however, I think it will be time to try out some different areas of Student Services in the coming year for a CHANGE.  I like what I do… but I think have hit the wall in terms of what I can do within my department. I have been told a few different ways that if I want more, it isn't going to happen in the current context, and I only need to hear and feel it so many times before I am willing and open to take a look around.  I think all that transpired around this awareness was a little unsettling, and I must say, was an eye opening experience.  In the last decade, I have looked for mentors, and frankly, the people I would call mentors have not been the people I thought they would be.  Isn't that life though… always full of surprises.  I think this was also the appeal of lego.  I was creating something from a plan, and it was just nice to follow well crafted directions for a change.  My biggest challenge with our lego is finding all the pieces.  It is weird, I seem to be finding pieces in the oddest places, and at weird times.  The lego builds have been a soothing counterbalance to work.

Talk about a circle - I started with a picture of Goomba with the kids, a little about lego, contemplate work and not truly being all that satisfied about what going back to my old job holds to looking back up  at the picture of my kids.  It puts it all in to perspective.  It will be interesting to see what 2014 holds.

A second book that lived up to the first...

This was a great book.  Both books that I have read by this author are something different entirely.  The characters are memorable, the stories take place in small town America, and they are truly stories about average, every day folks going about their business.

I will admit, the title drew me in.  After the title, it was remembering "Where the Heart is" and it being a crazy book in which the lead character had a baby in a Walmart and the friends they gathered around them spoke true about what a good person could be (regardless of creed, colour, orientation…).

This was another quick read, and one that I  enjoyed.   I am not even sure where to start in terms of describing how this book pulled me in, and to provide a snappy plot summary.  Ultimately this book is about a car hop diner in Oklahoma and the unlikely cast of characters it draws in - from the paraplegic owner, to the run away daughter, to the Vietnamese man that arrives and never leaves.  This is a story about people, and relationships, and at it's core, community.

I love having a huge pile of books to read on my shelf… I get to walk up and see what one strikes my fancy next!

My two front teeth

This has been a strange, and yet fairly decent week.

It has been another quick month - so much for attempting the NaBloPoMo I half toyed with there for a few days early on in the month.  It is hard to find time every day to blog, let alone exercise.

Work was weird this week.  It was an eye opening week in many ways.  The most positive way it was eye opening was the feedback from an interview I did that I received, and although I didn't get what I thought I wanted, I think it could put me in the right direction in the future.  Not that I am not going in the right direction, just every now and then you need to make some detours.  I think that because I work hard, and for the most part, don't make a lot of mistakes, that it should get me places.  Some times, it is about timing, and the right opportunity, and I do think there is an element that if you are moving in the right direction, the barriers seem to come down.

This week I also had my front teeth worked on by my new dentist.  It was a really long appointment, and I was nervous.  I have always been at least a little self conscious about my front teeth.  I had large discoloured deposits on them from the beginning of time, and when I was younger, people would always ask if I brushed.. yes.  Yes. I did.  It never helped with those yellow or white spots.  Add a few fillings (weak enamel) and they were just never pearly white.  Wonderfully straight, but not white.  As I have gotten older, I really haven't worried about it.  I know recently I noticed in some pictures that the colour was a bit of, so starting with a new dentist, questions come up about your smile.. and I said in small voice, I had concerns about my front teeth.   Viola.  A few hours later, they look a lot better.  They are more uniform in colour again, and the filling corrected, and roughness smoothed out.  The hard core polishing helped too.  I like my new dentist - she is great.  I also like my slightly upgraded smile a little bit more.

We celebrated my mom's birthday tonight and had my family over for dinner.  Ken and I are getting really good at cooking salmon on the BBQ.  Last night I checked out some late night black frideh deals for some toys after a retirement dinner for my old boss.  When I was younger, I remember thinking they will miss me when I am gone.  Now that I am older, I think that I was pretty naive since I miss them too now that I am gone.  We had a good thing for a number of years at my old place of work. I learned a lot, and the women that I worked with were pretty awesome.  I can see much of how I evolved in my career from two of them, how I lead, and how I choose to define my work.   Sometimes we truly do need distance to see how influence does go both ways.

Tomorrow kicks off December… which I now look at as a very Merry Month of Joy Making mixed with a little or a lot of crazy for good measure.

Sweet goodness between the pages.

When I went to book sale a few days ago, this was actually one of the books that I was hoping to find.  I thought it was a long shot, but there, among hundreds of other books, was a brand new hardcover copy of this book. I read this author's first book, and it was what I would call my version of 'chick lit'.  A little magical, not always saccharine sweet, and not every character is perfect.  I wanted to read more of her books, but haven't always remembered when I found myself looking and willing to buy rather than take from the library or borrow from friends.

So. after finishing one really enjoyable read, it was Sunday morning, why not jump in to this one?  I cannot remember the last time I read a book in a day.  By the time I fell asleep today, this book was done. I really enjoyed it.  Light, but not too light, enjoyable characters, a little earth magic, and some tension.

Alas.  The book is done, and now I am adding her name to my list of potential authors to try to find next time I find myself in a used book store, or perhaps with a Christmas gift card to a bookseller.

Impulse book buy - Success!

Last weekend when I went to Costco, I realized that I had pretty much read all of the books on my shelves that I wanted to read in the foreseeable future.

I trolled up on the down the book section, and nothing was really grabbing me.  I first started by picking up the Rosie Project.  It looked decent, but I wasn't quite sold on it.  Then this one jumped out and said "try me" in a slightly accented voice.  So I did.

I would describe this book as the literary version of Forest Gump meets Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.  I really enjoyed this book.  I would cribe it as having a black sense of humour, and completely oddball characters that were refreshing in their originality.  It has been a while since I laughed out loud so much in a book, or just enjoyed the novelty of a read.  I think Terry Fallis' books on Canadian politics that were like that for me last year.. funny, not too serious, and totally different.

This book is about Allan Karlsson, a 100 year old Swede that one days decides life in the old folks home is just not for him.  The adventures begin right away, and there really is never a dull  moment.  I sped this through this read, and as I said, I really enjoyed it.  Carpe diem, and hoist a cold one :)

Book sale

Every November at work, we have a book sale.  First two days of the sale, soft covers are $1 and hard covers are $2.  I went to spend $15, and I did.  Easily.  I felt like a kid in a candy story.  I am now stocked for at least two months.  I even found a few books that I was looking for, and some I had not idea that I wanted to read but their covers intrigued me.

Then I went back when then sell as much as they can off for 10 cents a book.  Ahem.  Talk about feeding an addiction.

For $16 I bought 25 books.  I was feeling generous and I gave two away.   I was gleeful for hours.  It was a strange day.  They also had a mammogram clinic at work - and now being 40 - I knew I "should" have one.. so I got squished (not as terrible as I expected) and then went for the obvious retail therapy.

A fine day in my book.

An old standby….

This was a perfect read for a week off work.  Well, almost a week off.   It is almost embarrassing to admit how many NR books I have read over the years… some are quite satisfying, and others… well, they just miss the mark.  If you are looking for a character driven book with a little romance, perhaps a thriller element, and then a happy ending, usually NR is your gal.

I figured this was a great read to jump in to since we were heading south to Seattle and Olympia and this book takes place in the San Juan islands.  Of course, now I have a yen to stay in the San Juans.. I think our first weekend without kids there is an old hotel on one of the islands that I would love to get away with Ken to visit.    This book delivered what I wanted it to - a satisfying, quick read that wasn't all too serious, that was easy to read, and overall enjoyable.  The suspense aspect was ok, I still look forward to having a dog in the future, and as I already mentioned, I would like to spend some time in the San Juans or Gulf Islands.

Finishing this one was an odd feeling.  I have read most of the books I have had on my shelves for a while, and the ones I have left I can't say I have a big burning desire to read anytime soon.  I picked up a book from Costco tonight, hopefully it is a good read.  It is a strange feeling not really knowing what I want to read next…

A little disappointed...

What caught me at first was the cover.  Who doesn't like wandering around a lighthouse perched on a cliff next to a tumultuous ocean?  The story itself also seemed intriguing...

This was a pretty quick read, and now that it is done, I feel really ambivalent about the book.  I will not be shouting from the rooftops to read this, however, there were a few moments I thought that the author really nailed a part of our human condition.  For me, this was a bit disappointing because I really wanted to enjoy it.  I was also the one that picked this book for our next bookclub meeting, so that was also in the back of my mind. 

The writing wasn't that consistent.  I found a few narrative lines that were blended didn't work that well for me, and that every now and then the author shifted in to the third person.  All in all, the ideas of the this novel were decent, execution at times was compelling, but at the end... meh...  it wasn't terrible but it really isn't a book that will stick with me a long time either.   This was a melancholic novel, and for me, I think I enjoyed the parts about the lighthouse keeping the best.

Vancouver Night Race 2013

What a way to start off November.  Remember a few of those goals I had when I turned 40?  I am partway there for one of them.  Although I have not been as dedicated I was for June, July and part of August... I have been able to keep up running once a week.

This weekend, I participated in the Vancouver Night Race with my BFF and a new friend.  It was an awesome experience.  The weather was typical November on the Wet Coast... raining, the wind was blowing, and it was wonderfully miserable.

As you can see, we "dressed" for the occasion, and had a light early dinner.  I have only ever done one run in the past, the Sun Run back in 2000.  I was a little nervous, mostly about how fast I would be able to do the run, and how I would feel.  I know I can do about 7 km, with some stops along the way.  I just didn't know how I would do at night, and in the crowd.  Who knew, I love to run in the morning....

We got to the park with a few minutes to spare, parked, got kitted out, and walked to the race staging area.  Seeing everyone with their lights on was pretty awesome.  It was raining, and the wind was blowing.  I am glad we all needed a pee break, otherwise we would have missed the 10km runners coming along the seawall before they made they way by us.  It was spectacular to see.  Once we got going, I think I sighed when we rounded the corner to the seawall.  The waves were crashing, there was wind my hair... it was an awesome moment.  It made me truly grateful I started running.  I am not fast, but I am fast enough.  I am faster than I was 6 months ago, and I can run better at 40 than I could at 16.  I can't wait to see where I am at a year from now.  Next year I would like to do more 5kms, and a few 10kms.  I have no desire to do a longer distance than 10 km... I finally wore my lovely green REI jacket that Ken me a few years ago.  I can finally say it now.. this jacket is only one of my many reasons for wanting to get more fit.  It really didn't fit me when he first bought it for me... and every step I take... it is slowly starting to fit better. I can't wait to wear this jacket and not feel self conscious. 

All in all, this was a fabulous experience, one I hope to repeat.  Ah yes, my time, I ran 5km in 44:03.  My own personal best, and a great time to aim to break next time around.

Farewell, October

I came to the realization I love October.

It has been a busy but great month.  We brined a great bird and got to spend some time with loved ones for Thanksgiving, we had a great date night (we went on the local "Grave Tales" again after an amazing dinner), we took the kids to a pumpkin patch, decorated our house for Hallowe'en, and the festivities were great last night.

That being said, I think I am over Hallowe'en for another year.  It lasted just long enough, and I don't need to hear another chainsaw going off and shrieking kids for at least another 11 months.  It was a lot of fun though.

It is hard to believe next month is Christmas.  That I have been doing my 'not so new job' for a year, and that another school year is well under way. 

I am half tempted to try another NABLOPOMO.  Lets see if I can make it happen this month.  We are just finishing watching Lego Batman (not as good as Lego Star Wars) and I am tired.  It seems that with the return of the kids, our first fall colds is upon us.  This reminds me that November is not ever going to be the best time of the year to go on a big holiday.  Little ones, yes, but it is so important to watch the first colds.  They really do seem to hit for early November.

Show is over, and that is my moment.  Lets see if I can do this for a month, every day again. 

A reminder of past books read

This was a book that I have been curious about for a few years. 

I used to love reading about Elizabethan times, and although I knew some about Henry VIII, I didn't really know that much about his wives, nor given much thought to the times, and really, what it would have been like in the royal courts..

To be continued.... (or edited)

Wonderful surprise

This book sat on my "to read" pile for a while.  It came highly recommended (even if parts of it are sad) and I didn't get understand what this was about (somewhat like reading Unbroken a few months ago). 

What an amazing story.  This story is rooted in an historical event and it started off a little slow until I was fully engulfed by the story as it unfolded. 

A completely different novel, and well worth a read.  The women of this novel are memorable, and you are brought to a different understanding of how a time in history could be described.  The writing is very tight and there are passages (or images left behind) that I will remember.  Sorry this one is so short, it seems that time has escaped me this morning and I still need have a few morning errands to run....

Brine that bird.

Last year was the first year that we ever "brined" a turkey.  I was truly skeptical.  Screw with tradition? Soak your turkey in water, salt, sugar, and a few other things to add a little taste?  Last year, it was hard to do until we tasted the final product.

So, for Thanksgiving this year, we went ahead and bought a free run, fresh, organic (happy bird) turkey and brined it for 2 days.

It was amazing.  The meat was falling off of the bone.  

We had a 20 pound fresh turkey, which I left in the fridge until my brine was ready.  I used Morton's fine kosher salt in my brine.

Recipe, more or less to brine a turkey.

Use a large canner or whatever container will fit your size turkey (don't use a garbage bag, think of that unhealthy plastic).

In a pan on the stove, I used a cup of salt, a cup of sugar, and about 3-4 cups of water.  I brought this to a boil, and then mixed it with 2 - 2.5 gallons of water in the canner.  To this I added fresh ground pepper, 2 sliced lemons, 2 sliced oranges, and some fresh rosemary.  Once we were back to "cold" water temperature, you add the cleaned out turkey (remove the giblets, etc).  

Let it brine for 1 - 2 days.

Recipe for our stuffing

Bags of bread crumbs

melted butter

some milk or cream

couple of beaten eggs

salt

pepper

poultry seasoning

sage

celery 

onion

I am terrible with proper recipes.  I just eyeball and taste, and use my hands to get the consistency that I want. I am not an "exact" cook, but I think that what I make tastes pretty good.  

We cooked it at 325 for about 5 hours stuffed.  Covered for the first half, and then we removed the cover.   Stuck some butter on the top to melt in, and ground more pepper on the bird. 

It was an awesome turkey.  We even used a gluten-free flour (Bobs' brand) to make the gravy and it was also really good.  

Turkey is one of those things that it is worth spending the money and getting a fresh, free run happy bird.  You don't find the turkey hangover is so bad, and the folks that usually have problems with turkey tend to find that they don't have issues with a healthier bird.

We had a few of our dinners early.  Tried for a large family gathering and it was a reasonable size, so with out leftovers, we invited some of the family we have chosen for a dinner the next night.   Next weekend I suspect we will break completely with tradition and perhaps go for a salmon just to keep it interesting.

That is the end of my thriller run...

It sounds like it could really be a good book.

It just didn't really do it for me.  I got halfway through and I more or less "took one for the team" to finish this one.

The thing is, Iles has some amazing thoughts and plots, and some characters that really draw you in, but for some reason, the last few I have read really did not do much for me.  I finished this a week ago (thank you magic of setting your own date) and it has already escaped me except for some moments that really made me roll my eyes.  It had a supernatural element that just didn't draw me in.  Interesting, but just not where I wanted this book to go.

This has been an incredibly fast month.  To say work has been busy is an understatement.  It has been a great learning experience, however, I could really do with less intense busy times and all the interruptions.   I cannot wait until Thanksgiving weekend if only to know that this phase of work is done.

So I will return to some more literary haunts for the next few books.  Outside of reading the Dovekeepers next, I am not sure what else is up.  I am definitely trolling for some more interesting reads to add to the list.

Another chapter in my thriller kick.

I did say that I was going to go on a thriller kick, right?  It being term start up, this type of book is just about right for where my head is at.  Or not at.  The last month has truly gone by in a blur.  I can't believe a month ago it was August, I was camping with the boys, and here it is, fall has arrived, the coolness is in the air, and the leaves are starting to fall.  The weather is getting unpredictable, and the boys have been trying on hoodies and snow pants to see what fits and what doesn't.  It is amazing that what fits in May is NOT what fits in September.  I smile when I see the pants turn in to floods... except when I realize what size pants B is already going in to. 

I do not have little kids by any stretch of the imagination.

So, back to the book at  hand.  I have never read a Coben, and a few have landed on my shelf recently.  Being on a "late summer" reading kick of thrillers, I thought, why not!  It is always interesting learning a new writer, seeing how they fit, and whether or not you like their style and the characters they craft.  I would say I liked this book, I am not over the moon, but it was interesting how everything came together in the end, I started to warm up to the story and the characters more.  I would say it was a fair to middling type book.  I won't rave about it, and it was worth a read.  I will have a go at another book in a few weeks and we shall see where we are at. 

This weekend, I finally got to see the movie, Reacher.  I think the last 15 minutes felt like classic Reacher (with how everything came together), but it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.  Cruise did a fine job - he is good at what he does.  However, it isn't really fair to cast him in a role where the lead character has a fan following, and although details may be sketchy, Reacher does get the girl on occasion, and he 6'5.  He is supposed to be huge.  Cruise is not huge.   He has charisma, he pulls off the role, just not always the character.  The plot at time tried to do too much, and I wished it moved a bit more, but then it started to come together and I can't say it was terrible, but it wasn't quite what I was hoping for either.  So rarely do we get the chance to watch a full movie (still), that I just want more from a flick when we get the chance to watch a movie that isn't geared for the under 10 set.

Not quick up to first novel I read by them...

Without a doubt, French is a good writer.  I wish I could say that I enjoyed this book as much as I did the first book I read by her, but I didn't.

That being said, I loved certain parts of this book - I like reading about Dublin - I even recognized some of the places I have been.  I liked the accents, the dynamics, parts of the story.  There was also parts that stalled out for me, and some disconnects that made it harder to flow with the story as it unfolded.

It just wasn't quite as catchy as "In the Woods", which had really surprised me.   I would read more of her books, but I won't be rushing out to buy another one anytime soon.  I also can't say that I wanted to know a lot more about our lead character, or about the other characters.  I remember a lot of angst - I guess part of it I couldn't fully grasp was how disconnected Frank was from his family... it just didn't ring fully true for me.

There are a few more thrillers I am going to read before moving back to a different genre (lets see what ideas we come up with for book club).  I am enjoying them (they engage in a different way than 'literature' books do, they are escapist in a different way).  I think I started out with a few thrillers that were really well crafted that this book just didn't cut if for me, and I will happily trade it in at a used book store for my next read.

First week of school flu

Our household has had it's butt kicked in the last week by an early season flu.

I walked in to daycare one day last week to pick up my oldest, and I checked out one of his buddies, stretched out on the couch, flushed, glassy-eyed, obviously feverish, and I thought to myself "we are screwed".  Being away for just over three weeks, new germs, kids almost ready to go to school... I just had a feeling.  Especially when the next day, another one of his buddies had the same look, and ended up with strep.  Fast forward to the weekend, and our wee man goes down with a fever.  Sticks around a day or two, passes quickly.  He doesn't complain much, but isn't exactly behaving like his usual self either.  I must admit, I was pretty grateful it was a long weekend since we would not have been able to drop the kids off at daycare with a fever.  Today, he fell asleep on the couch before 6pm and I am hoping he sleeps through until tomorrow morning.

Then my hubby goes down.  Obviously feeling like crap, he misses work Tuesday.  

I whine my way through Tuesday - I have a headache and everything aches.  I felt like an old woman and just chalked it up, well to just being tired, not even thinking that I could also be getting sick.  At the end of the day, I get the call that Brandon has a fever, and a headache as well.  

Wednesday was a write off.  We totally had the flu.  I was hot, I was cold.  My head hurt, my body hurt, even my teeth hurt.  I think I started feeling better in time to make dinner.  No wait, I think I skipped this part yesterday.  B's fever was coming and going ... I think we drained the hot water tank a few times with alternating showers to help us feel better... and then this morning, 6am, no more fever.  I thought, yay, I will be able to make work tomorrow!  We did a cheap gas and dairy run, we had a tree taken down in our yard, and his fever returned.  After a 2 day fever, it was time to head in to a clinic.  

Confirmed, flu.  A real flu is kind of nasty.  At it's worst, it makes you feel pretty pathetic.  Everything hurts, your temperature fluctuates, you just don't feel good.  Then the advil kicks in and you feel better until it wears off, and the fever kicks back in again.  So, we are home tomorrow.  First week of September I have had off in 15 years excluding my mat leaves.  Strange feeling.

So, B is on the mend.  Fingers crossed, the fever is gone by tomorrow.  First week of grade 2 and he spent 1 hour there.  He gets to go to the office on Monday to find out who his teacher is.  How surreal. 

I am thinking we will be getting flu shots again this year if this is how the school year is starting.

Harry's back (Bosch that is)

I did make the comment that reading Gone Girl really was just cracking the door open to read a bunch of cop thrillers again right?

It was nice to visit an old literary friend again.  I think the Harry Bosch series and the Inspector Banks series are my favourite serial crime novels.  The characters, the pacing, the overall I have returned to again and again and never been disappointed by what I have read.

Harry is now chasing open unsolved cases and this book took him back to his own past to a case that he touched during the LA riots in 1992.  Very interesting book, very interesting how it all came together.  The end came together quickly, and left a few questions overall in the rush.  Reading this, and seeing how Connelly is developing the character of Bosch's daughter makes me wonder if the torch is going to shift in the coming years.

A summer read

How can my summer vacation be over?

Where did August go? It seems it was just a few weeks ago that B was turning 7 and we were looking ahead at a few camping trips.  It seemed that it would never get dark at night, and the mornings were bright from 4am.  Now it is dark at 6am, and the sun is going down at 8:15pm.  Fall is rapidly approaching.

Since I really should be chasing my kids, feeding them, and getting out of the house in a timely manner, I will keep this one short.

I figured since my last book counts as a thriller, it was time to jump back in to some less "literary" choices and go back to read some thriller/action books I have been stacking on my table for when the right mood hit.

This delivered a fast paced, action driven book.  I can't say it was over the top intellectual, but it was entertaining in the same way that reading a Nora Roberts book is.  The story is well crafted, Reacher is an interesting character, the good guys win and he hits the road again.  You kind of know what to expect, and there is worth in it.   Some days, that is just perfect.  Much like when summer is wrapping up, your mind is distracted with school starting again, and your errand list seems to be a mile long.  A light, entertaining novel is the perfect antidote!

11.... not wait.. that is 10 weeks in

I just completed the last "run" of week 10.  I have now officially departed from the training schedule that I started out with and am going to blaze my own path from here.  I found that after week 9, the training went crazy (as I may have mentioned in one of my last posts) and I actually found it really alienating - I hit a bit of a mental wall when I considered running 7/2 min intervals to 10/1 min intervals one day, to 20/2 the next.  I really found it intimidating.

Since I am training against myself, and my own goals, I talked to a few fellow joggers and asked them what they did back in the day when they were training.  It seems, I am going to go with what works for me.  So I took a week off (work was really busy and I was trying to get out early on the Friday so I could join up with my boys on the Sunshine Coast) and then got back to it again this week.  I was worried - I was half paranoid that after a week off, I would lose some of the momentum that I had gained.  I got lucky - after a week, I could still run 7/2 mins.  PHEW.  Tuesday's run wasn't so fast, but Thursday and this morning have been much better.  It was a hurdle to get through.

A dear friend was in town this week, and we ran/walked together for the last two runs and it was really cool.  After so many times solo, it was really nice to have company on a run at 5:30 am in the morning. Crazy girl!  She also goes at this time - it is the time that works when you work full-time have a family. It made me appreciate "training".  She has been doing this now for a year and a half, and I can't wait to be faster, and able to go longer distances.  Ultimately I would be happy to be able to do a 10km within 80 minutes or less.  Currently, I am at about 7 km in 68-70 minutes.

The other thing about running with someone, that is also a mental hurdle for me.  I feel self conscious about my pace.  I am not speedy, but I am consistent.  Slowly, I am getting there.  Bit by bit, I am getting faster.  She couldn't quite run circles around me (okay maybe a few loops there and back), and I am pretty damn proud of her journey and where she has gotten herself.  I appreciate that she held back a bit to stick with me.  It meant a lot.  It was good to do my normal route, and then this morning we ran out at Pitt Lake.  I am glad I have never done this one on my own, and it was great to share it with her.  It was a really pretty run.  We ran in to some fishermen - apparently there are bass in the slew!   Our friendship has spanned many years and many different experiences and it is cool it now also includes our physical fitness journey as well.  Crazy that at 40 we are running together and at 16 we did everything we could to avoid physical activity.  We both shook our heads at this memory.  If only.

Time.  Training.  Consistency.

It really does come down to that.  First time being raining on this morning in all the 10 weeks I have been going out!  This has been a pretty impressive summer.  I have been truly spoiled and I have been thinking about what next - definitely considering a treadmill since I don't see heading to the gym in the morning, or a longer lunch hour happening anytime soon.

Hard to believe 10 weeks ago I could only run 1 minute.  Now I can run 8 minutes, and walk 2, and be out there for about 60 mins.  It is all about putting one foot in the front of the next, again and again.  I hope to do a few 5kms this fall - I would like to do one of the colour runs, and then the night run in November.  I think this has been a great way to embrace my 40th year.

A crazy twist.

What a crazy thriller.  I have never read a book quite like this.  It takes what you are thinking and twists it on it's head, a few times.

Not what I expected, at ALL.

Well worth a read.  I had to tell Ken all about it since it was just such a different book.  Flynn deserves kudos for coming up with a plot and characters like this since my brain certainly doesn't work like this.   Like the Sixth Sense, I am not really going to give away much more of this because of the twists in this plot.

Of course, now that I have read a book like this again, I have a whole pile of summer thrillers that I will read next.

The Major's Last Stand

This was a lovely read.  One of those cup of tea at your elbow and just kick back and enjoy a good book with some lovely repartee.

This is a story set in England - equally about manners and manors, as it is about relationships - parents and kids, new lovers, old lovers.

There are some great one liners in this book, and Major Pettigrew is a great character himself.  It was neat watching him fall in love again as a 67 year old with a Pakistani widow that unexpected steals his heart.  It is a lovely tale.  I wasn't so sure in the beginning, but the prose certainly won me over.

Enjoy this one.

9 weeks

This morning, I finished off week 9 of my "learn to walk/run 10km" journey.  It almost felt like a first time getting out there - it was really hard to get up the motivation, get my gear on, and leave the house.  I am not sure if it was the change in the weather (a little cooler, which should have been motivating) or it just being another long week at work, but I was a slug.  Once I got halfway through my run, things got a little easier, and by the end, I was pretty satisfied.  You do feel better once you have the exercise done for the day - anything else is a bonus.

This week was run 7 mins, and walk 2 mins.  Next week, it jumps to run 10 mins and walk a minute.  See, I am not so sure about how I am supposed to get up to 10km per run in the next 4 weeks (13 week program) when I am running between 5.5 - 6.5 km per time out, and the runs shorten in length in the next few weeks.  Maybe most people out there get moving faster, but I am staying more at the same pace and building on my endurance.  I did a 9 minute segment today, so I know I can do 9... so I guess I started to feel better in my run today when I decided that I would modify week 10 if I need to, and realistically, even add time to my runs to make sure that I am slowly building up the distance I can cover in a shorter amount of time.

Between my walks and runs this week, I covered over 30 km!!! I think part of the reason it was tough today is that I undermined myself a bit yesterday and was trying on all sorts of clothes I have - ones that have never fit, ones that didn't really fit when I bought them, some hand me downs I got from a friend that lost weight last year... at the end of the day, my clothes are fitting better. Some of the ones I want to fit in to, I am not quite there yet.. but it is coming.  I do understand that slow is better - it is a lifestyle change I am after, not a quick drop of some weight and then it all comes back on as soon as I go back to my evil ways.  I can feel my legs getting stronger, and my endurance (and confidence) is growing.  Shirts are fitting better, and I think I am overall feeling better.

I love being able to run out of my door, and I am running beside the Fraser River along an amazing path within minutes.  This was one of the reasons I wanted to move back here, and I am so glad that I am doing it.  Physical exercise was a disconnect in my life, and I am getting I am working on it.  It is good for my head.  I am out and hitting the dykes at sunrise.  I have seen some amazing sunrises this summer.  When I think about my 40th year, I will think about the amazing weather this summer, getting active again, my kids getting older, a fabulous date with my hubby, (hopefully) some great camping trips, and just embracing this next decade.

It has helped to blog about running.  It was a hard one this morning.  I could have happily not gone out.   I felt so much better for having gone out, and for the cold water that was waiting for me.  I need to remember these moments - and hold on to them.  It is not easy to keep up motivation every day.  In August, we have a few camping trips planned, and I will work at keeping up with 3 runs a week.  I may even run on my camping trips.   This is unheard of.  I remember when I went on a canoeing trip with a dear friend, and she went for a run before we headed out to the lake - I thought she was nuts.  I think I understand why a little better now - especially since I have discovered I like to run first thing in the morning.

Another surprising read

This book surprised me.  I liked it from the beginning, even if it wasn't the book that I expected it to.  Then, it got really good, and work was getting in the way of finishing the novel.  Then the end seemed to come and wrap up so fast!

This is a story of redemption, of love, of mothers and daughters, and of hope.  This is a good story.  I like how the author wove the present with the past, and how the threads of a life separate and then come back together again.  I cannot say that I always like the our heroine, Victoria, but I could certainly appreciate her.  I found the part with her baby and how she struggled with breastfeeding to bring back memories of my own struggles.  I am so glad to be beyond that now, but we very rarely ever discuss just how hard breastfeeding can actually be.  It may be natural, but learning how to do it is far from a natural gift!

I am glad that many of my favourite flowers have positive meanings (tulips, declaration of love, and red roses, love) for my wedding flowers.. I love my dahlias, dignity, and a few others.  It was certainly a different kind of book, and although the story moved towards a happy ending, I was glad for it, since it ultimately tied the pieces of the story together well.

It is hard to believe it is already August.  We did some pretty big yard work this year, pulled plants, moved some plants, cut some back, but we still have a wild yard.  It is nice to put down some roots, and  know we have time for things to change, grow, and evolve over time.  That is one thing I have learned since we moved here - everything doesn't happen at once.  I thought it would, that we had to everything done right away.. things wait.  Life moves on.  Other things become important.  Priorities shift.  All those buzz words to explain why I have four plants in their pots sitting out front, and the garden I cleared of yuccas now has a brand new crop growing in with the forget-me-nots that sprung up within a week of me clearing out the weeds.  Last year, I couldn't bear to pull out the yucca plants.  In a burst of energy, I pulled a bunch this year.  This is of course, before I learned just how determined these plants are.  They are growing everywhere.  So much for worrying about killing this plant.  It is back! As are the thistles.