Race for the Cure [Tulsa, OK] - September 19, 2009

[Above is a picture of my race shirt. I am an avid Oklahoma State fan...and yes...I was wearing the shirt as the picture was taken!]

As you can see from my 'Operation Dumbo Drop' sidebar on the right, I haven't been running [or doing much activity at all] for about a month, so I was really nervous about Saturday morning's 5K. I honestly thought I would be walking most of it, but was pleasantly surprised that I didn't take my first stop until after 18:00 minutes had passed! After that, though, I stopped pretty frequently.

Saturday morning was BEAUTIFUL--perfect weather with the right amount of sunshine and breeze--in Tulsa, Oklahoma where my brother-in-law Daniel and I ran for Team Bubbies! he beat me...but not by much!!! I was very shocked that I was able to finish the race in 34:10 after not having run for so long. It isn't a great time, but I'm very happy about it [although I am super sore today!]

I hope that Saturday's race is the kick start that I need to get back into a regular exercise regimen--especially with the Oklahoma City race in a couple of weeks.

Here is a pic of my watch--which was started and stopped as soon as my foot hit the mat. Turns out, it was pretty accurate, as my official time read exactly the same!


3/10

Book Review: Wilt on High

Wilt on High is the third of four books of 'Henry Wilt' by English author, Tom Sharpe. Since I mistakenly read the last book first, this was my final piece in the series.

The Wilt books are laugh out loud funny. They all revolve around a little, squirmy Englishman named Henry Wilt who gets himself into pickles without doing anything at all, but rather being at the wrong place at the wrong time. He is a professor at a Technical College and everything he says--and all of the explanations that he gives for situations--are very literal and rely heavily on technicalities, which does not help any of the messes that he finds himself in. In Wilt on High, there is a murder at the tech, drug trafficking and Russian spying--all of which Wilt is the prime suspect for and none of which he has done.

Henry Wilt is also blessed with an idiotic wife, Eva and four terrible quad-daughters. What a mess!

I highly recommend this series to anyone that would like a light, funny read--and doesn't mind crass references and isn't afraid of a potty mouth.

Book 6/30

Book Club: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

August's pick for Book Club was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This book, which takes place the year after WWII ended, is written as a series of fictional letters to and from many different characters. The main character, Juliet Ashton, is a successful writer that wrote humorous columns during the war and begins to focus on more serious material, in search of the perfect subject for her next book. As fate would have it, a man on Guernsey Island happens upon her information and blooming correspondences, budding relationships and a new life for Ms. Ashton quickly follows suit. There is so much more to this story from the perils of war time [famine, restrictions, German soldiers] to a strong, quick minded girl named Elizabeth and her precocious daughter, Kit. We get background stories on so many different characters: men, women, children, writers, editors…this is by no means solely a book for women!

Due to the format of this book, I was able to get through the entire read in two days. [I read very slowly!]. The letters, some short and some long, gives easy stopping and start up points for the reader and, although they are fictitious, I felt as if I was reading the private correspondence of people who lived long ago and have since passed. Before this book, I had never heard of Guernsey Island, so the research I was able to do after finishing created an even stronger home for the characters in my mind.

Jennifer made a delicious Potato Peel Pie for book club and it. was. awesome!


I enjoyed reading this book.

Book 5/30