Back to Some Favorite Series

With the release of The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, I've gotten back into the Twilight world. Oh, Bella, Edward and Jacob, how I've missed you! I worked at the coast this week and so I was able to listen to Eclipse on cd on my drive over. So nice to remember all of those little details, although I did find myself rolling my eyes sometimes at Bella, wishing for her to, just get over it! I'm really looking forward to listening to Breaking Dawn.


So, the new book focuses on Bree, a vampire who was made during the turmoil in Seattle as part of an army that was built to go against the Cullen family and destroy Bella. Meyers seamlessly incorporates this story into the already established Eclipse novel. Bree is a good character and Meyer's states in her introduction that she knew it was going to end badly for Bree, but wished it could have ended another way. No such luck when the outcome has already been written! A one day read and nice addition to the Twilight saga.

Another series I've gotten back to is Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series. The newest book, Dead in the Family was recently released and I was going to wait until it was in paperback to read it, but Christy bought it for me after I loan her the whole series. Thanks Christy! I began reading it and could not remember any of the previous events the characters were referring to, so I thought I'd better take a look at the prior story, Dead and Gone, but none of the story was familiar! Now, I forget books, but usually can remember parts of the story as I read it if I've read it before. Nope, not a bit with this story, so I think I bought it, but never read it! So for me, I got two new Stackhouse stories!

I really like this series. I think she's on the 11th book in the series and I enjoy Sookie as a person. I am intrigued by how Harris creates the world Sookie lives in and the conflicts and concerns that encompass that world. One conflict Dead in the Family touches on is what occurs when the shape shifters want to make the presence known to the world. Vampires were the first to come out of the closet and because of the world's relatively good response to that announcement, shape shifters decided to let the world know that they exist. Shape shifters, who could be the neighbor down the street, your army buddy or school teacher, are not as well received as the vampires and humans feel betrayed and lied to because they didn't know of their existence.After all the vampires are dead or another species. The conflict plays out in the political arena as congress is attempting to pass laws whereby shape shifters must "register" with the government their abilities. This doesn't sit well with the shape shifter community as they feel they are Americans and some have families who have been in the U.S. since it was established. Interesting to find out if Harris will reach a conclusion for this dilemma in the series.

Two great authors and series. Check them out if you haven't already.

And on to the Next Challenge!

So, with the race over, I need a new challenge for the Year of Movement.
Last Monday I began Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. It's a great workout and I can tell I'm already getting stronger. Last Monday I could barely do 6 pushups and now I can do 15!

My goal is to gain strength this next month, so my recovery is easier. At least, that's my goal.

Take Jillian's 30 day challenge and see how your body can grow stronger! You can get the video at Target, Costco or online. You only need one set of dumbbells (I use 5 pounders) and a mat, which can be optional.

Let me know how you do!

Half-Marathon in Boston

Back in January I had signed up with Tiff to do the Bay to Breakers race. I wasn't being too motivated to work out and that really seemed to fit the bill. Tiff emailed me a training program and I thought, ya, I can do this, so I signed on for the race.

About the same time Madison was talking about doing a half-marathon in Boston just a couple of weeks after the San Fran race. I got to thinking and decided why not do both?! Goodness, I don't know what I was thinking, but doing a half-marathon is something I've kinda always wanted to say I've done, so I asked Mad if it was ok for me to do the race with her and I was off and training like a fool.

My sister moved to NC last year and I convinced her to do the race with us, so the three of us, along with Maddie's friend Julie, all ran/walked the Boston Race to Remember half-marathon on May 30. In case you weren't sure, a half-marathon is 13.1 miles and that really is a rather long way to go, even if you're just driving! I didn't run the whole thing. In fact, I was one of the slowest people in the race, but you know what? I finished the darn race and that's more than a lot of people can say. I also did my best time. My sister, who could run circles around me, was entertaining me during the race, pointing out landmarks, saying hi to people in the crowd and talking to her family on the cell phone at least four different times. At one point, she asked if her talking was bugging me. I told her no, I just wouldn't pay attention to her if it bugged me. I took out my ear bud nearest her, so she must have brought some entertainment value.

I am really glad for this opportunity, to not only spend time with Madison & Carey, but to learn that sometimes it takes time to get to the point you want to reach. Destinations don't always come quickly. Sometimes the journey is the more important thing (Carey demonstrated that to me on the run and some day when I can run like her, I'll look up from the asphalt and notice my surroundings. It's a goal). And even if my legs hurt really, really bad, the pain will eventually go away and I'll be stronger than I was when I started the journey.

Walking in Boston

It is so nice to visit towns where you can walk to where you want to go. That's one of the fun things about Manhattan and Boston. If you don't want to walk, you can always take the subway or a taxi. Boston has a really pretty downtown. Very clean and well kept. Our hotel was on the waterfront and so we were near the race's starting line, which was in front of the World Trade Center Boston.

While in Boston, we took a walking tour and a bus/harbor tour. The above building is my fave in Boston. I love the unicorn and lion at the top of the structure. The Declaration of Independence was read from that balcony. Oh the history!

The Ames family had a presence in Boston with a street and a tavern named after our clan :)

Madison & I at the Common Gardens (at least I think that's where we were). It was a lovely garden and it started out as a common place for the people to graze their cattle.

When I got to NC to visit with my sister, I was soooo lucky to be able to drive and meet my friend Sarah in Mount Airy! We had a great day catching up and looking at all the little stores. Mount Airy is famous for being the birthplace of Andy Griffith - it's all Mayberryafied.