Best of 2012: Books

This year, I made myself a goal to read at least one book a week, or 52 books. I just barely squeaked over the wire with 57 books. Some were pretty bad and there were others that were much better. Here is a list of 10 that I would recommend.

The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton : This was a fun, easy read about a woman who goes searching for her grandmother's ancestors and finds out more than she bargained for. 

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford : This book was about a Chinese boy growing up in Seattle during WWII. He has a Japanese friend, and when she gets sent to the concentration camps, he is devastated. Not only that, but he has to deal with his father's hatred of the Japanese. 

Sarah's Key - Tatiana De Rosney : About the removal of the Jews from France during WWII during the
Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, when a little girl locks her brother into a hidden closet to hide him from the Nazis. The story is written from two points of view, the little girl and a reporter in present day France, who tries to get to the bottom of what happened back in 1942.

The Other Boleyn Girl - Phillipa Gregory : This book was about the sister of Anne Boleyn, during the reign of Henry VIII. It was a great way for me to learn more about that time period while still engaging me in an interesting story.

Tisha -  Robert Specht: A true story about a young teacher in the 1920s who gets sent to a small town in Alaska to teach. She learns quickly that the divide between the whites and Indians is deep, but somehow manages to not bend to the white men's prejudices. Her struggle is moving and her courage is inspiring.

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern: This book was not about what I thought it was going to be about. It was so much better! The characters are likeable and you never know what is going to happen next. I was highly entertained by this story.

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn: This book kept me on my toes the entire time, so much so that I read it in one day! It was about a girl that goes missing and her husband gets the blame for her murder. It kept me riveted and was a quick page turner. I disliked the characters but loved the book.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower -- Stephen Chomsky : About a high school boy and his trials and tribulations and was narrated in letter form, which I find very easy to follow. 

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood: It took me a long time to read this, but it was a very interesting tale and I am glad I finally got to it! 

You can also check out some of my favorites from 2010 and 2011. 

Have you read any (or all) of these? What were your favorite books from 2012?   

Then and Now: November

Okay everyone, let's say it all together now: I can't believe that November is already over! I know; you have heard it before. But yes, it's December (already). November is over. What happened? Luckily I take photos, because lately I can't remember! Due to my blogger issue with photos, I am doing this collage style this time (thanks everyone for the comments -- I am uploading to flickr and then pasting the code into the blog). So here you have it, the Who, the What and the Where of 2011 vs 2012. 

2011: 

Who: Baby A (aren't crying photos the funniest? Look at that face!). 

What: Chicken Feet and Bran Flax Muffins

Where: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, San Francisco, Sierra Nevadas

2012: 

Who: Ladies who lunch brunch

What: Crabs, Oatmeal pumpkin cookies

Where:  Santa Rosa, Oakland, San Francisco

The Extras: 

Books: 

2011: 10 / 2012: 4

Last year in November I read 10 books. Clearly I had a little more free time than this year! This year I only read 4. Last year, many of those books were really great. The greats included The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Book Thief and The Help. This year the best of the four was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which was an interesting book about a girl gone missing and her husband's adventure once she is gone. 

Miles: 

2011: 126 / 2012: 131

It's weird; I thought I ran less miles this year than last, but I beat my last year mileage by 5 miles. Who knew? 

Races:

2011: 2 / 2012: 1

Last year I ran 2 races, a half marathon and a 5k turkey trot. This year, in lieu of the turkey trot, I ran on my own, but I still completed one obstacle race instead.

Do you like crab? What's your favorite holiday treat? Did you run a turkey trot this year?

Swann Dives In

Swann Dives In by Charles Salzberg

Do you know what a tracer is? I didn't either until I read this book. It's a guy who is hired to track down missing, lost or "don't want to be found" people. The main character, Henry Swann, tries to go on the straight and narrow and get out of the game by becomming a cable guy. This job doesn't last long. As soon as a wealthy businessman in New York asks Swann to find his lost daughter, Swann is back in the game.

In trying to find the daughter, he meets a lot of strange people and follows their leads and ends up going all the way to London. He also ends up uncovering a mystery about a bookseller and a special rare book. The book mystery and the mystery of the daughter end up connecting and there is a twist in the end that I didn't see coming.

I am partial to detective novels, so this was right up my alley. I liked Swann and enjoyed the author's cast of characters. There is an English professor, a nutty Book seller, and a mysterious woman. I like that there is an element of danger just under the surface.  I like that Swann is a little bit cocky, but not over the top. I love books, so I enjoyed the information and facts that the author threw in about old books. I also liked the bits of information he throws in about the cities that Swann travels to.

I would recommend this as a fun read to anyone who likes mystery or detective novels, or to anyone who hasn't tried one yet, but wants a fun first try!

I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Do you like Detective Novels? Do you have an interesting rare thing that you collect?

Book Confessions

My favorite book of all time is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

I wanted to be just like Francie Nolan and read all the books in the library, starting from authors who's names start with "A". 

I used to go to Barnes and Noble and write down quotes from my favorite books. My friend and I would spend hours doing this some nights.  

My dad used to leave me at the library as he ran errands. I used to love chilling in the beanbag chairs and reading Choose Your Own Adventure books (the only ones short enough to "finish" before he picked me up). 

My aunt is a librarian. I want to be just like her when I grow up. 

Even when I go camping and have to carry all my things on my back, I always carry a book (and sometimes two!) I carried a book while hiking the Himalayas. 

I own about two dozen Lonely Planet books.

I am a member of two online book clubs.

My first library card was a piece of paper with my name typed on it. I recently went back to my childhood library and asked them if they would still take that one. They made me get a new one (I still have the old one though!) 

My mom is my reading inspiration.

My grandma is too. Plus her house smells good.

I remember going to visit my grandma in Massachusetts in the summertime and we would take a walk to go to the pond to feed the ducks, to the penny candy for some loot, and always to the Library! 

My favorite books I had to read in High School: The Three Musketeers, To Kill a Mockingbird

The Jungle made me become a vegetarian. For 15 years.

Some of my other favorites not from high school: Les Miserables, Hiroshima, Corelli's Mandolin

In 2011 I read 66 books.

I never read the Babysitters Club.

I did read Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and lots of VC Andrews.

My favorite childhood authors/books were probably Beatrix Potter, CS Lewis, Shel Silverstein, Charlotte's Web, Winne the Pooh, and Paddington Bear. 

Childhood Books

This year I have spent $0 on books. That is not to say I haven't WANTED to spend money, but so far, I have abstained.

I went to Oscar Wilde's grave site in Paris.

My brother got me a Kindle for my birthday last year. I love it, but I still love real books!

My next book on deck for reading is  The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder. It weighs about 47 pounds. It is NOT on my Kindle. I may need a chiropractor when I am done lugging it around in my purse. Hopefully it will be a quick read. It's only about 700 pages.

I cannot read more than one book at a time. I don't understand people who are reading two or three at once. 

There are 218 titles on my Goodreads "to-read" list. For every one I take off, I add two more.

I read the Red Badge of Courage in Spanish.  It took me about 8 months.

Little Women made me cry the second time I read it. I was on an airplane. It was a little bit embarrassing. 

I do read books more than once.

I have never read Moby Dick. It's on my Kindle though.

I am a late bloomer. I don't usually read books until they have been out for a while (I just read The Handmaidens Tale this year).

I will read anything. I do love a good murder mystery, WWII historical fiction and books that teach me something without being boring.

I am a book hoarder. I recently gave away 4 boxes of books. I still have plenty more.

Some of the Plenty More

I just checked 6 books out from the library. It was not on purpose. They were all put on the hold shelf at the same time. I probably will not finish them all before they are due.

I am kind of on a running book kick.  

Current Library Haul -- Run + Buffett

I think I've read almost all of Stephen King, John Grisham and  Elizabeth George's books.

I am currently reading Running on Empty by Marshall Ulrich. I think he is wonderful and strong and inspiring and cocky and annoying and big headed all at once. 

I almost always finish the book I am reading, even if I don't like it. There have only been a couple books I did not finish. One of them was Catch 22. 

I keep a list of the books I've read each year.

Right now the only reading I am doing is on the bus. This equals about a half an hour a day. It is not enough.

I love how the Kindle has a built in dictionary. No more penciling in the margins!

*Inspired by Amy and Rachel.

Are you a reader? What's your favorite book? Confess your reading "sins"!

Glass Boys

Glass Boys by Nicole Lundrigan

Set in a small town in Newfoundland, this story starts with two young brothers. When one is killed accidentally by a neighbor, the remaining brother, Lewis, tries to put the incident behind him, but he can't help in blaming the man who killed his brother. As he gets older, he keeps a close eye on the man and his family and their lives end up becoming entwined more than Lewis could ever realize.

Full of small town strife, sibling rivalry, hatred and love, this book really causes the reader to become involved in the character's lives. She creates people that you know and ones that you don't want to know. Her characters are real, although they are not necessarily all likeable.

This book reminded me of the small town that I grew up in. There is the sheriff, who knows what everyone is up to and is involved in everyone's lives. There is the shopkeeper, the bad boy, and the farmer. I know these people. I remember times at the river like they have and boys like these boys.

However, this book has a dark side that I have not been privy to in my home town (and don't really want to be privy to). There are some mean people and some sickos and you spend a good part of the book wishing they would just go away. However, they don't. Not all of them.

I would recommend this book. It was an intriguing read and it was kind of disturbing at times but it never kept me from continuing to see what would happen next.

I gave it three stars on Goodreads.

Check out other reviews of this book here:   Chaos is a Friend of Mine --   Read React Review --  Comfort Books --  Cmash Loves to Read  --  Booksellers without Borders NY  --  Leafing Through Life  -- Pieces of Fate  --  My Life in Not So Many Words --   I'd Rather Be At The Beach 

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Have you ever experienced small town living? If you don't like one of the main characters in a book, can you still enjoy the book? Would you be able to forgive the person who hurt/killed one of your family members?

So L.A. and a Giveaway

So L.A. by Bridget Hoida

Have you ever been to LA? Then you know the drill; there are people with big everything: houses, cars, sunglasses and boobs. Yes, boobs. You know what I am talking about. So does Magdalena de la Cruz, or at least she thinks she does. Magdalena hails from Northern CA and she moves to LA when her brother tragically dies in a climbing accident that she feels responsible for. She and her husband have hit it big selling expensive bottled water to the rich, and they move into a huge house and try to fit in with the Southern California lifestyle. Magdalena buys the big car, wears the big sunglasses and gets the big boobs, yet she is still not happy. Her marriage starts to decline and she seeks the solace of a bottle of gin.

This story is about her mental state and how she attempted to find her true self amidst a city full of materialism and people who seemed to care more about looks than love, herself included.

I enjoyed this book as a quick and easy read and something to pass the time on a Sunday. I read it in one day, as it was easy to follow. Even though I kind of disliked the main character, I found that the story moved quickly along. I found the character very shallow, although at the same time I did see that she was struggling to get out from under that self absorbed attitude at times. I cannot say that I related to her, although I am from the very area that she came from in the beginning, and a small town to boot, so we should understand each other.

However, we have all wanted to be liked in one situation or another. Whether you are in an all male work environment and you start watching football so you can join in on the conversations around the water cooler, or if you are a girl, trying to impress a guy, so you wear a certain outfit or act a certain way, we all understand that need for acceptance to a certain degree. So in that case, if I change the situation around a little, I can relate to her to a certain extent. But she takes it a little too far, and loses who she really is in the meantime.

So I had mixed emotions about Magdalena: I felt sorry for her; I hated her; I understood her; I wanted her to find her true self and to stop playing games.

As for the book, it made a good point about how we need to accept ourselves for who we are because trying to be someone else only gets us in trouble.

I gave the book a three out of five on Goodreads. I would recommend this book as a fun, quick and interesting read.

Now, for the fun part! One lucky reader can win a copy of this book! All you have to do is go to the author's website and leave me a comment telling me one thing you learned from it. It can be anything you want. If you are not a winner, you can still buy the book here. Contest ends August 31 at midnight PDT. Winner will be announced shortly after.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from TLC Book Tours in return for an honest review. You can see a schedule of the other blogs on tour here.

Have you been to L.A.? If so, what did you think / if not, what do you imagine it to be like? In what way have you ever tried to impress people around you?

An Unmarked Grave

I have read several books about World War II, but not as many that are set during World War I. That is why I was excited to read this one! What did I think? Read on. 

An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

Set in 1918 in both France and England during World War I, an English nurse working in a French hospital sees something that she shouldn't. During the time of the Spanish Influenza, a patient in the pile of the deceased seems to have died of causes that seem a bit suspicious.

The nurse, Bess Crawford, takes it upon herself to find out the details of this man's death. In the process, she encounters danger and intrigue and suffers attacks on her very life.

I am a sucker for a good murder mystery. My go to beach read is something with murder, suspense and danger. This book did not disappoint. The authors hook you from the very beginning, when Bess discovers the body while working at a clinic in France. Throughout the story, you are always kept guessing as to who the killer is and what their motive could be.

The characters, who consist of Bess, her family and a couple of male friends and officers, are all very likable and the book had a sense of realism to it, which I prefer. There is nothing I dislike more than a book that is supposed to portray real life but when you are finished with it you are left thinking, "that couldn't happen!" This book did not leave me with that bad taste in my mouth. I finished it in a couple of days because I had to see who the killer was! The authors also added in some facts about the war, the enemy lines and the countries (have you ever heard of the Cheddar Gorge?), which always makes me like a book more, as I feel like I am learning something while I am being entertained.

I rate this book a 3 out of 5 on Goodreads. I liked it! I would definitely read another book by these authors (it is a mother and son pair).

For other tour dates, go to the TLC Book Tours website. For more information, go to the authors' website and their Facebook page. 

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.


Have you ever heard of/been to the Cheddar Gorge? What is your favorite genre of book? Have you read many books about WWI?

With My Body

A middle aged woman finds herself stuck in a rut of laundry, kids and marriage that she doesn't know how to get out of. She feels trapped, and wonders what happened to the fresh young girl that she used to be, the one who was adventurous and erotic, the one who had dreams of becoming something. 

She finds herself remembering her teenage years in Australia, where she was an uncouth bush girl. She remembers her first sexual experience with an older man, where she learned everything there is to know about sex and love and reciprocity. She thinks about the present, and her sexless marriage with her husband, and longs for that feeling of first love again. This feeling takes her back to Australia to find the man who she lost. From her journey, comes a new understanding of herself.

This book was quite graphic. I won't say that it was a bodice ripper, but there was plenty of sex. However,  it was really raw, emotionally. She is a young girl, and she wants to learn everything. In trying to learn about sex, she also learns a lot about life. It really kept me reading. I wanted to put it down because at times it was a little overwhelming emotionally, but at the same time, I couldn't, because I had to find out what happened next. It really made me remember those days of young love and that carefree, give-it-your-all feeling. Relationships now seem very complicated comparatively.

The only thing I did not like about this book was that there are over 200 "chapters". Each one is only a few pages long and there is a quote at the start of each one. I found that the quotes distracted the flow of the story, as did the short chapters.  However, they didn't stop me from reading this book in one day.

If you are looking for a book that is a little bit racy but also poignantly honest, you should give this book a go. I may not have immediately chosen this one off the shelf, but after finishing it, I am glad that I gave it a chance!

You can find the rest of the tour info and other reviews here. Here's the author's website,  Facebook page, and the Facebook page for With My Body. Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by TLC Booktours in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.  

Do you remember your first love? How have things changed for you, relationship-wise, since then?

The Voluntourist

Have you ever felt that your life was lacking something? That you needed to give back somehow? Have you ever been to another country and seen how the locals live? Do you love to travel?

I have. I do. That is probably why this book spoke to me. It is about a man who, once entering his 40s and having his beloved father die, wonders if something is missing from his life. He wants to have children but his wife is uncertain. At the same time, he wants to give back and to be the man that he saw his father as being, which was a good man and a kind one. He wonders who will remember him and honor him the way that he remembers and honors his father. To find out, he travels to several different places around the world, doing volunteer work for a few weeks at a time.

I enjoyed this book. I always enjoy reading about travel and travelogues are one of my favorite genres. This book did not disappoint. It got my interest with some of the stories from abroad and I found my head nodding to some of the descriptions of the countries, the locals, the feeling of helplessness when you can't communicate, as well as the satisfaction of communicating without words at times. I have done volunteer work abroad and loved it and so this book brought back fond memories for me.

The book was split up into 6 sections, which each described one of the author's trips. I felt that it was organized well and was easy to read. I would recommend this book to others. It makes me want to put on my boots and get on the road!

If you are interested, you can see what other members of the tour thought of the book HERE. You can contact the author here: Website | Facebook

I received a complimentary copy of this book from TLC Book Tours in return for an honest review. I was not compensated, nor was I required to write a positive review. 

Do you like to travel? Have you ever volunteered in a foreign country (or at all)? How was your overall experience?

Book Review: Saving Ruth

Saving Ruth by Zoe Fishman


This book was about a young Jewish girl from the south who returns home to Alabama after going to college in Michigan for a year. She has changed, and not all for the good. She left home a bit overweight and developed an eating disorder while she was gone. When she returns home, she not only has to face that fact, but she also has to deal with other adult issues such as familial problems, racial issues and romantic endeavors. 


I remember being 19 and coming back home "all grown up" after being gone for a year. I didn't have the same issues that Ruth had, but this book still hit a place in my heart because like Ruth, at that age, you spend a lot of time trying to find yourself. She unfortunately goes down the wrong path and decides to starve herself in order to stay thin, and when she does, she discovers a new found popularity. Or perhaps she was not unpopular before, but only discovered a new found confidence. Didn't we all experience that one way or another? 


However, this confidence is unhealthy. To top things off, her brother David, who used to be the life of the party, and who is also home from college, spends his summer brooding and moping around. She feels like he is ignoring her and is upset about something but he won't talk to her about it; he just brushes her off.

They both deny having any problems until there is a big blowout with the whole family and they both have to finally face the truth. They are not alone, however.  It turns out they are not the only one with issues to deal with. I found this also quite realistic, as it seems like much of the time many of us tend to deal with (or point out) other people's issues before admitting or fixing our own.


I found this book a quick and easy read. I liked Ruth and her family. I found her believable and likeable and at times both immature and mature for her age. I really wanted her to succeed and I felt that she did, in her own way. I


If you want to read more reviews or see the rest of the tour dates for this book, you can do that here. You can also learn more about Zoe on her website, Facebook, and Twitter! Zoe will also be interviewed by Book Club Girl on the Book Club Girl On Air show on Tuesday, June 12th at 7pm ET.

Do you remember your first summer (or trip) back home after being gone for college? How did it turn out? Did you feel like an adult?  

I received this book from TLC Book Tours for free in return for an honest review. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are my own. 

Then & Now: April

You know I have to say it: I can't believe it's almost May! May is one of my favorite months of the year; It is Spring time, the flowers are blooming, the weather is great and it's my birthday month. You can't ask for much more than that. However, April is good too! This year has differed a lot from last year in the fact that I have been in one place for an entire month! Usually I move around a lot, be it for work or for fun. So, here is April's monthly comparison of the Who, What and Where of 2011 vs 2012!

The Who: 

 2011: Animals!

2012: The Parentals, My Other Mother, Little A, The Cat

The What: 

Books: 

2011: 4 / 2012: 6

Train Like a Mother by Dimity McDowell & Sarah Bowen Shea (review here): This was an easy to read training book for runners, both beginners or advanced. It was filled with funny stories and antidotes from runners polled. 

Ape House by Sarah Gruen: This was an interesting story about Bononbos (similar to chimps) who can communicate with humans through sign language. The two main characters are a newspaper reporter and the woman who taught the bonobos to speak. Their paths cross in a story that is amusing, enlightening and fun.

The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory: I read these out of order. Apparently this was number two. However, for my first Gregory, I liked it. I have heard great things about her, and they were no lie. I can't wait to read more of her books. This one was about the sister of Anne Boleyn, during the reign of Henry VIII. It was a great way for me to learn more about that time period while still engaging me in an interesting story.

You can see the others I've read here.

Running miles: 

2011: 0 / 2012: 113

Races: 

2011: 0 / 2012:4

Cherry Blossom 10 Mile
Jelly Bean 5k
Jelly Bean 10k
Grizzly Peak Trail Half

You can keep up with my training here and racing here.

 Hiking:

2011: in NZ

2012: in Oakland

Food: 

2011: On the road 

(pies , kimchi and street meat)

2012: At Home 

(White Bean Chicken Chili, Hummus, Granola)

The Where: 

2011: New Zealand, South Korea

2012: Washington DC, The Bay Area, Table Mountain

The verdict? Last year I ate out (and ate a lot of crap); This year I am eating much more healthy and having fun experimenting with some new recipes! I did more hiking last year, but more running this year! I'm exploring things on the local level this year and am loving it! And even though I only read a couple of books last month, I made up for it this month and am still on track for my 52 book reading goal!

How has your April gone this year? How did it differ from last year?

Use This: The Library

I recently had a friend who was taking a class where she had to watch movies and analyze them. She was talking about how expensive it was getting, as she was often buying the movies, since she never knew how long she was going to have them, and she usually uses Redbox. She does the same kind of work as me, where she moves from place to place, so Netflix was not as easy for her to use. I asked her why she wasn't using the library and she said she didn't realize that the library had movies.

Did you know that the library has movies? For free? And most libraries let you keep them for 7 days.

I have considered going back to school to get a Masters in Library Sciences, so when I was working in Missouri, I went to the local library and offered to volunteer, so I could get more of a handle on what a librarian actually does. To tell you the truth, I was surprised that a librarian does a lot more than I realized,  but one of the main things was helping patrons, aka customer service. So I am still on the fence about that decision. However, I also learned a lot about the things the library offers while I was there.

They have computers, and often a computer lab, with free access to the internet, printers and scanners. And if you are a 12 year old boy, games.

They have books, obviously, but they often have the most recent books out. I even got to help buy books while I was working there (They call it acquisitions. It sounds much more professional that way!) But did you know that if they don't have a book you want, they can get it on an inter-library loan, which means from outside the city, county, state or even country! A lady I know had a book transferred to her from Canada! If nobody has it, fear not, they can even buy it for you if it's in the budget!

They have books on CD. Lots of them! New titles and everything! I borrowed a lot of these, downloaded them and put them on my iPod where I now listen to them while I am running! Move over Ira Glass!

They have eBooks. These you can download without even going into the library. I think that they usually let you keep them for a couple weeks and then it goes away if you don't renew.

They have magazines. Yes. And you can take them out. If you have a flight coming up, you can stock up on Glamor before you go.

The have TV shows. These are the same as the movies; I think you can only rent them for one week, instead of two or three like books. But they have good shows and recent enough ones too! 

They have many reference materials, genealogy materials, newspapers, professional journals and the like.

Many libraries also have: a language learning program (there is one online called Mango), help with a job search, car repair information, practice tests like the GRE or Citizenship tests, tutorials for Microsoft applications and my favorite: Novelist.

Novelist is something the library has to pay for, so not all of them have it, but it's a book recommending site. If you just read a great book, The Hunger Games, for instance, you do a search and it gives you suggestions for books you may want to read next. Or if you are looking for historical fiction about WWII, you can find out that the top books for that, based on popularity are: The Postmistress, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Day After Night (which I am putting on my To Read list right now). Not only that, but it gives you a synopsis of each book. The only thing it's missing is a way to auto upload to Goodreads.

Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is....I love the library! Sometimes you don't realize what resources are available to you! I didn't!  One last thing. My best friend: the HOLD. Before even going into the library, you can look up what you want and see if your local branch has it. If not, you can place a hold, so they will transfer it in for you and then hold it once it gets there. So you just sit back and wait! It's great! As you can see, I am a fan.

Do you use your local library? If so, what do you utilize the most? Have I missed anything useful?

Weekly Doings

After an entire week of rain, last week it cleared up and was beautiful. And then it was in the 80s and I sweated my booty off. This week's highs are supposed to be in the 70s which is perfect! Spring has sprung for real, I think! I had a great week doing lots of things outdoors!

First, I did some of my favorite things: 

Coupon clipping, reading and coffee drinking in the sun.

You can't get much better than that. 

The book, Train Like a Mother*, was good. It's about running.

You can read my review here.

I went for a run on the trails near my house. 

One bad thing about Spring? 

Poison Oak. 

Leaves of three; don't touch me! 

 

Then I headed up to my parents house for the weekend. 

There is still snow on the mountain tops! 

I love it there! It's so beautiful!

 

I put my Dad to work, trail running with me. 

I even made him leap small buildings logs in a single bound.

Then he put me to work raking, gardening and towing things. 

Touche father, touche.

My parents made homemade cheese! 

I had to taste it to make sure it wasn't poisonous. 

I haven't died, but I still may need to do further testing to be sure.

 

The apple trees are just getting their flowers and the bees are getting busy! 

It only took me 2,361,384 attempted photos to get this one useable one. 

 

Yesterday, on my way back home, we went for a hike. 

The two hats are my Mom and Aunt, sitting mighty close to the edge of that cliff. 

 

No hike would be complete without an attempt at kite flying. 

Notice I said attempt. 

The wind was not cooperating. 

(I heard a man behind me say, "If you have to run, it's not windy enough". Lazy or smart? You decide)

 

I drove home, which takes about 4 hours, and listened to Ape House on the way, which totally makes the time go by fast (I have been doing it while running too. It's awesome).

*I received Train Like a Mother for free from the authors. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a review.

Have you ever read a running related book? Have you ever had poison oak (or ivy)? Have you ever listened to a book on CD?

Then and Now: March

Looking back on the last year is fun. I like seeing where I was then vs where I am now. Some things are SO different; others are exactly the same. Last year I was traveling around Southeast Asia. I chopped off my hair in Bangkok, I had a few bad days, and I dealt with some money problems. This year I chopped off my hair again, my fire got put out by some hot firemen, and I tried a couple of new things.

Let's take a look at what happened March 2011 vs what happened in March 2012, the Who, the What and the Where.

WHO: 

2011: 

A few monks and a few monkeys

2012: 

Mr. L, Dad, Lucy the dog

WHAT:  

2011 Activities: 

Scuba Diving, Not so much running

2012 Activities: 

Paddle boarding, Running

Running Miles: 

2011: 0 / 2012: 106

March 2011 was a no running month. I did do some hiking and walking, but no running. I am glad that this year I am focusing more on running (as well as still doing some hiking and walking!)

Races: 

2011: 0 / 2012: 6

 Bidwell Classic (Half Marathon)
  Let's Move it Mama's Spring Fever Virtual 10k
Armadillo 10k
Detroit Runner's I Just Felt Like Running Virtual 10k
Spatula Runners Virtual 10k
Diva Dash 5k

2011 Food: 

Fresh Fruit Breakfast and Pad Thai Lunches

2012 Food: 

Veggies!  Oats, fruit, nuts!

Reads:

2011: 8 / 2012: 2

It seems that with an increase in running comes a decrease in reading. I can't say that March's books were all that interesting; maybe that is the reason for less reading. I sometimes try to find other things to do if my book isn't capturing my attention.

WHERE: 

 2011:

Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore

2012:

Oakland, Florida, Kansas City

The verdict? March in both years was pretty good as far as eating and traveling goes, but my activity levels have increased a lot since last March and my reading levels have decreased a lot. I am really having a great month this month visiting lots of friends and family, running and making new meals! I will be happy if April continues along a similar vein.  

What were you doing last March? What things in your life have changed in the last year?

Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay

Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay by Christopher Benfey is a book about an unforgettable voyage across the reaches of America and the depths of memory. Red Brick, Black Mountain, White Clay follows one incredible family to discover a unique craft tradition grounded in America¹s vast natural landscape. Looking back through the generations, renowned critic Christopher Benfey unearths an ancestry--and an aesthetic--that is quintessentially American (excerpt from Goodreads.)

This book is written in three sections. The first started off on an interesting note, talking about the author's grandfather and his background in brickmaking and pottery in North Carolina. He talks about finding the clay, forming the bricks, and firing the bricks. He has a love of brickwork, learned from his grandfather, that I found sweet.

The second section is about the Appalachians and the author's great aunt and uncle, who came over from Germany to start an art school in the foothills of the mountains. This section also had some stories of WWII and how the author's relatives, who were Jewish, fled to Mexico in order to get over to the USA during the war.

The third section is about the search for the perfect Cherokee clay in North Carolina, which is used  to make fine porcelain. The author schools the readers on the two types of clay, residual, which stays where it was formed, and sedentary, which moves with the rain and waterways. The Cherokee clay is residual and is hard to find outside of China. 

I found this book informative, but to be honest, I had a hard time getting through some of the sections. There was so much talk about clay and art and the author went back and forth between great-uncles and grandparents and parents, that I got a little overwhelmed. I liked the idea that he was trying to portray a journey and to compare and contrast, but I think it may have been more comprehensive to stick with a main theme, rather than doing the book in sections.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours in return for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Have you ever been to North Carolina? Are you interested in pottery, clay or art in general?

Then and Now: February

Maybe because we had an extra day this year, February was a little long for me. It went by fast but it was a weird month motivation-wise, emotion-wise and mentally in general I guess. This is strange, because I had a month filled with family, friends and good food as well as adequate exercise. However, for some reason, I am feeling a little strange this month. Hopefully March will bring a change in seasons and attitude!

Here is my February recap, the Who, the What and the Where, where I compare what I was doing one year ago to what I am up to now.

WHO:

2011: 

Mr Lovely, 

A Vietnamese Butcher and 

a thousand people, chickens and items on motorcycles.

2012: 

K and A and A, 

The parentals and

the Broski.

(as well as many other friends and family who are not pictured).

WHAT:

2011: 

Squid on sticks, 

Dragonfruit and

Pho for breakfast. 

2012: 

Frjtz fries,

Turkish sampler,

Beet salad and

an apple crepe.

Miles Run: 

2011 = 0 / 2012 =111

Lucky number 111! This is good, because I would like to keep up a base of at least 100 miles a month, since I may sign up for a marathon at some point this year and I want be halfway ready at any time!

Races: 

2011 = 0 / 2012 = 3

Thank goodness for virtual races! They are a fun and inexpensive way to supplement your normal racing schedule!

Bay Breeze Half Marathon (Race #2 of 12 in 2012)

Run For Sherry Virtual Race

Grandma Lill's 95th Birthday Virtual Race

Books Read: 

2011 = 3 / 2012 = 5

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet - Jamie Ford: This book was about a Chinese boy growing up in Seattle during WWII. He has a Japanese friend, and when she gets sent to the concentration camps, he is devastated. Not only that, but he has to deal with his father's hatred of the Japanese.

Tisha -  Robert Specht: This is a true story about a young teacher in the 1920s who gets sent to a small town in Alaska to teach. She learns quickly that the divide between the whites and Indians is deep, but somehow manages to not bend to the white men's prejudices. Her struggle is moving and her courage is inspiring.

You can see the other books HERE.

WHERE: 

2011: 

Cambodia, 

Vietnam and 

Thailand 

 

2012:

San Francisco, 

Home

What I see by looking back is that I am spending way more time with family and friends this year, which is great. I have also traveled this February, but only within the State, whereas last year I traveled much further. But no matter what year it is, the food is always good!

Do you like squid? Are you loving this February more or less than last February?

Then and Now: January

Well, January is over already! This year is already going very fast. I must be getting old or something! It's fun to look back a year at all the photos and see what I was up to last year vs whats going on this year. Last year I was traveling, so things are a bit different now! Not to say that any one is better than the other, but they are definitely different! Some things, such as my mileage, have changed drastically. Others, such as the weather, are similar. Here are the comparisons of 2011 vs 2012, the Who, the What and the Where of January.

WHO:

2011

2012

WHAT:

Miles Run: 

2011 = 0 / 2012 = 85

When you look at it this way, it seems like I ran a lot of miles in January, even though January mileage is so much lower than my last 6 months of running. This puts it in perspective though and makes me glad I am running more miles this year than last! 

Races: 

2011 = 0 / 2012 =  1

Coyote Hills Half Marathon - Fremont, CA 

(race recap HERE )

Books Read: 

2011 = 7 / 2012 = 5

The Forgotten Garden – Kate Morton:  

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was a fun, easy read about a woman who goes searching for her grandmother's ancestors and finds out more than she bargained for.

Still Missing – Chevy Stevens:

This book gets a 4 out of 5 as well. It was good, and it held my attention, but it didn't quite end the way I thought it should. I guess you could say there was a twist. I was kind of dissatisfied by the ending though. 

You can see the other books HERE. 

WHERE: 

2011

2012

How was your January? Did it differ much from last year? How are you doing on your resolutions so far?