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.