Mason Plumlee

 I watched the Ohio State vs Duke men's basketball game Thursday morning. Before watching the game, I saw the highlight of the Mason Plumlee alley-opp dunk. Quinn Cook's lob was right on the money.

I usually don't get too excited over dunks. But this one was pretty cool.

ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Associated Press/Carlos Osorio

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge continued last night. Three teams that I like were playing. Unfortunately, two of my favorite basketball teams played each other: Duke vs Michigan women's basketball and Duke men's basketball team played Ohio State.

The Duke vs Michigan game was first. No. 4 Duke defeated Michigan 71-54 at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. The score was really close at halftime. Duke had a slight lead 35-32. In the second half, Duke went on a 11-2 run. Later in the half, Duke built up a 21 point lead. Michigan cut down the lead to 15 points, but couldn't pull any closer.

Leading Duke was Elizabeth Williams and Chelsea Gray with 19 points. Jenny Ryan was Michigan's leading scorer with 18 points. Michigan falls to 5-2 overall and Duke is still perfect at 5-0.

Associated Press/Gerry Broome

Ohio State traveled down to North Carolina to play Duke. No. 2 Duke defeated No. 4 Ohio State 73-68. Duke trailed at halftime 31-23. Duke erased it's deficit by going on a 11-4 run early in the second half.

Duke has now defeated three ranked opponents in the early 2012-2013 season. They have beat Kentucky, Louisville and now Ohio State.

Duke's Mason Plumlee lead with 21 points and a tied his career high 17 rebounds. Deshaun Thomas lead Ohio State with 16 points. Ohio State drops to 4-1 and Duke is 7-0.

After Camelot

I started reading After Camelot by J. Randy Taraborrelli over the weekend. I read that the Reelz Channel is planning a miniseries based on this book. This miniseries will be a follow-up to the 2011 miniseries of The Kennedys. This miniseries will be about the personal history of the Kennedy from from 1968 to the present.

I watched The Kennedys miniseries when it aired back in 2011. I really liked it. I'm hoping that Reelz will use all of the same actors from The Kennedys for After Camelot.

Books read in 2012

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling 
Winter Season: A Dancer's Journal, Toni Bentley 
Chasing the Runner's High, Ray Charbonneau 
The Perfect Mile, Neal Bascomb 
Cleopatra, Stacy Schiff 
The Carrie Diaries, Candace Bushnell 
Summer in the City, Candace Bushnell 
Forgotten, Cat Patrick 
Deja Dead, Kathy Reichs 
Pretty Little Liars, Sara Shepard 
Flawless, Sara Shepard 
Perfect, Sara Shepard 
Unbelievable, Sara Shepard 
Wicked, Sara Shepard 
Killer, Sara Shepard  
Heartless, Sara Shepard

Wanted, Sara Shepard

Twisted, Sara Shepard

Ruthless, Sara Shepard

Fairy Tale Interrupted, Rosemarie Terenzio

The Help, Kathryn Stockett

Pronto, Elmore Leonard

Riding the Rap, Elmore Leonard

Raylan, Elmore Leonard

The Coffin Quilt, Ann Rinaldi

A Life Without Limits, Chrissie Wellington

Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy, John Le Carre
Eat and Run, Scott Jurek

Clearing Hurdles, Dan O'Brien

The Sugarless Plum, Zippora Karz

Girl in Motion: A Novel, Miriam Wenger-Landis

Breaking Pointe, Miriam Wenger-Landis

The Cranes Dance, Meg Howrey

The Eighty-Dollar Champion, Elizabeth Letts

Renegade Champion: The Unlikely Rise of Fitzrada, Richard R. Rust

That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, Anne Sebba

The President's Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity, Nancy Gibbs

Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir, Clint Hill

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever, Martin Dugard and Bill O'Reilly

Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath, Mimi Alford

Mary's Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer and Their Vision for World Peace, Peter Janney

Finding My Distance, Julia Wendell
FDR's Funeral Train: A Betrayed Widow, a Soviet Spy and a Presidency in the Balance, Robert Klara 

Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art forger, Ken Perenyi

Kate: Kate Middleton: Princess in Waiting, Claudia Joseph

  

Currently Reading: After Camelot, J. Randy Taraborrelli

Duo

Kennedy assassination

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963.

I learned about President Kennedy in school when we studied the presidents. Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States.

After the lesson was over, that was it. I really didn't think about Kennedy again until watching the movie JFK (1991). When the movie was released on VHS, my Mom rented it from the video store. I remember watching it with the family. When it was over, we all thought that the Kennedy assassination was a conspiracy. Back then, the internet wasn't in existence. I only had access to encyclopedias. I could have gone to the county library to find books, but I couldn't drive. I was only 13. Soon JFK and all of the conspiracy theories got pushed onto the back burner. I had more important things to worry about, like school, sports and friends.

Nine years later, my husband and I got married. After getting married, I finally had cable TV. Growing up on a farm, that was one thing we didn't have. Cable exposed me to more shows and documentaries. I remember watching a E! True Hollywood Story about Frank Sinatra. In the THS, Kennedy was mentioned quite a bit. Through that THS I became a fan of Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe (who also was mentioned in the THS). As for President Kennedy, I wanted to learn more about him.

Since watching the THS, I have read a ton of books and watched documentaries about Kennedy. My thinking of Kennedy assassination went from conspiracy to what the Warren Commission said. I do believe the Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin in Dallas that November day. I know probably half of the country doesn't believe that, but I do.

Even though I don't agree with the movie JFK. I still like watching it. It was broadcasted on a cable station Wednesday night. I recorded it on my DVR and watched it Thursday. It has been 49 years since his assassination and people still talk about it. I love to read anything about Kennedy, his life, presidency, family and the assassination. I hope one day that the American people will learn the truth and we can finally call it fact. Until then there are plenty of books and documentaries to devour and enjoy.

Thanksgiving

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Books read in 2012

Kate Middleton is no longer a Princess in Waiting. Middleton is now Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. She married Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, on April 29, 2011. I watched the wedding on TV like millions of others. 

I don't know what fascinates me with royals, but I love to read about them. Well, not all royals. Just a few. I love to read about Princess Grace, Princess Diana and now Catherine. Those three women that I mention, two were elegant women and one is now becoming one. Grace and Diana's lives ended in tragedy: car crashes. Hoping Catherine goes on to live a long and wonderful life.
  
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling 
Winter Season: A Dancer's Journal, Toni Bentley 
Chasing the Runner's High, Ray Charbonneau 
The Perfect Mile, Neal Bascomb 
Cleopatra, Stacy Schiff 
The Carrie Diaries, Candace Bushnell 
Summer in the City, Candace Bushnell 
Forgotten, Cat Patrick 
Deja Dead, Kathy Reichs 
Pretty Little Liars, Sara Shepard 
Flawless, Sara Shepard 
Perfect, Sara Shepard 
Unbelievable, Sara Shepard 
Wicked, Sara Shepard 
Killer, Sara Shepard  
Heartless, Sara Shepard

Wanted, Sara Shepard

Twisted, Sara Shepard

Ruthless, Sara Shepard

Fairy Tale Interrupted, Rosemarie Terenzio

The Help, Kathryn Stockett

Pronto, Elmore Leonard

Riding the Rap, Elmore Leonard

Raylan, Elmore Leonard

The Coffin Quilt, Ann Rinaldi

A Life Without Limits, Chrissie Wellington

Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy, John Le Carre
Eat and Run, Scott Jurek

Clearing Hurdles, Dan O'Brien

The Sugarless Plum, Zippora Karz

Girl in Motion: A Novel, Miriam Wenger-Landis

Breaking Pointe, Miriam Wenger-Landis

The Cranes Dance, Meg Howrey

The Eighty-Dollar Champion, Elizabeth Letts

Renegade Champion: The Unlikely Rise of Fitzrada, Richard R. Rust

That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, Anne Sebba

The President's Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity, Nancy Gibbs

Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir, Clint Hill

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever, Martin Dugard and Bill O'Reilly

Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath, Mimi Alford

Mary's Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer and Their Vision for World Peace, Peter Janney

Finding My Distance, Julia Wendell
FDR's Funeral Train: A Betrayed Widow, a Soviet Spy and a Presidency in the Balance, Robert Klara

Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art forger, Ken Perenyi

Currently Reading: Kate: Kate Middleton: Princess in Waiting, Claudia Joseph

NCAA Cross Country National Championship

goducks.com

Associated Press/Michael Conroy

I watched the NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championship Saturday online from Louisville, Kentucky.

The women's race was first and it was a battle. At the end, three ladies had a chance to win a national championship. Besty Saina of Iowa State ended up crossing the line first in 19:27.9. Dartmouth's Abbey D'Agostino and Oregon's Jordan Hasay crossed the line together in 19:28.6. D'Agostino was awarded with second-place.

After the race ended, I stopped watching the live stream and went to twitter to find out the results. At first, Oregon was named the national champions. A couple of minutes later, twitter was a buzz saying that there were disqualified runners and now Providence were now the national champions. Back on the twitter feed, it read that the officials were looking at the results and protests from Oregon and Florida State. Finally after a half hour everything was sorted out, Oregon was officially named the national champions again. What had happened was Oregon's Alexi Pappas, who finished eighth, wasn't counted in the team score along with some other runners because of a timing malfunction.

Besides Oregon, I was cheering for Michigan. After the results were finalized, the Michigan Wolverines were fifth in the team points. It was their best finish since 2006. Jillian Smith led the Wolverines. Smith placed 52nd in 20:24.0. Four spots behind her was Rebecca Addison in 56th (20:26.3); Amanda Eccleston 61st (20:28.6); Brook Handler 75th (20:36.7) and Lindsey Hilton in 94th place (20:46.3).

Women's Individual Results: 
Besty Saina, Iowa State - 19:27.9
Abbey D'Agostino, Dartmouth - 19:28.6
Jordan Hasay, Oregon - 19:28.6
Allphine Tuliamuk-Bolton, Witchita State - 19:33.6
Risper Kimaiyo, UTEP - 19:41.0


Women's Team Results: 
Oregon: 114
Providence: 183
Stanford: 198
Florida State: 202
Michigan: 247

The men's race was had less drama. Texas Tech's Kennedy Kithuka was the 10K individual winner in 28:31.3. Following him was a pair of Arizona Wildcats, Stephen Sambu was second in 28:38.6 and last year's individual champion was Lawi Lalang in third (28:51.8). Fourth place was Anthony Rotich from UTEP (29:13.5) and Oklahoma State's Girma Mecheso was fifth in 29:14.8.

The men's title was won by Oklahoma State. The beat last year's national champions Wisconsin by 63 points. It was Oklahoma State's third cross country national championship in four years. Wisconsin had three runners in the top 15: Mohammed Ahmed (8th); Maverick Darling (11th) and Reed Connor (12th). If Wisconsin's fourth and fifth runners placed higher then what they did (Michael Van Voorhis, 204th and Alex Brill, 211th), maybe they could have had a shot at another national championship. Even though Wisconsin did finish second to Oklahoma State, they still had a great season. The Badgers won the Big Ten and the Great Lakes Regional.

Men's Individual Results:
Kennedy Kithuka, Texas Tech - 28:31.3
Stephen Sambu, Arizona - 28:38.6
Lawi Lalang, Arizona - 28:51.8
Anthony Rotich, UTEP - 29:13.5
Girma Mecheso, Oklahoma State - 29:14.8

Men's Team Results: 
Oklahoma State: 72
Wisconsin: 135
Colorado: 158
N. Arizona: 191
Florida State: 238

Favorite photo from November 15, 2012

I am enjoying the break in between the fall and winter sports season. Last week was the start of team photo days for local high schools. I attend the photo days and take head shots all of the players, coaches and a team photograph.

This photo was taken after the portrait photographer took his test shot. I don't remember what was said, but I do love how most of the team is laughing. Usually when I photograph teams, I photograph them playing, not laughing.

NCAA Cross Country Championship

The State Press/Beth Easterbrook

Big12sports.com

The NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship will take place Saturday at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky. The women's race will start at noon, EST and the men will follow at 1:15 p.m.

Can Oregon's Jordan Hasay win an individual title this year after finishing second in 2011 to Villanova's Sheila Reid by .5 seconds? Can Georgetown repeat as champions? Or will No. 1 Florida State battle with second-ranked Oregon to take the title?

Will the Wisconsin men defend their national title from 2011? Or will the No. 1 ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys win their third title in four years?

Follow the women's and men's races live on NCAA.com.

Books read in 2012

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling 
Winter Season: A Dancer's Journal, Toni Bentley 
Chasing the Runner's High, Ray Charbonneau 
The Perfect Mile, Neal Bascomb 
Cleopatra, Stacy Schiff 
The Carrie Diaries, Candace Bushnell 
Summer in the City, Candace Bushnell 
Forgotten, Cat Patrick 
Deja Dead, Kathy Reichs 
Pretty Little Liars, Sara Shepard 
Flawless, Sara Shepard 
Perfect, Sara Shepard 
Unbelievable, Sara Shepard 
Wicked, Sara Shepard 
Killer, Sara Shepard  
Heartless, Sara Shepard

Wanted, Sara Shepard

Twisted, Sara Shepard

Ruthless, Sara Shepard

Fairy Tale Interrupted, Rosemarie Terenzio

The Help, Kathryn Stockett

Pronto, Elmore Leonard

Riding the Rap, Elmore Leonard

Raylan, Elmore Leonard

The Coffin Quilt, Ann Rinaldi

A Life Without Limits, Chrissie Wellington

Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy, John Le Carre
Eat and Run, Scott Jurek

Clearing Hurdles, Dan O'Brien

The Sugarless Plum, Zippora Karz

Girl in Motion: A Novel, Miriam Wenger-Landis

Breaking Pointe, Miriam Wenger-Landis

The Cranes Dance, Meg Howrey

The Eighty-Dollar Champion, Elizabeth Letts

Renegade Champion: The Unlikely Rise of Fitzrada, Richard R. Rust

That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, Anne Sebba

The President's Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity, Nancy Gibbs

Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir, Clint Hill

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever, Martin Dugard and Bill O'Reilly

Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath, Mimi Alford

Mary's Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer and Their Vision for World Peace, Peter Janney

Finding My Distance, Julia Wendell
FDR's Funeral Train: A Betrayed Widow, a Soviet Spy and a Presidency in the Balance, Robert Klara

Currently Reading: Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art forger, Ken Perenyi

Great Lakes Regional Cross Country Championships

mgoblue.com

The NCAA Great Lakes Regional Cross Country Championships took place Friday at Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wisconsin.

The University of Michigan Wolverines women's cross country team won another regional title Friday with a total of 41 points. All five of the Wolverine scorers finished in the top 15 places. The first runner for Michigan was Jillian Smith. Smith finished fourth in 20:14 over the 6,000 meter course. The overall winner of the race was Ohio's Julie Accurso in 20:07. The other four scoring runners for Michigan was Rebecca Addison in 20:30 for seventh place, eight place was Shannon Osika in 20:38, Lindsey Hilton finished in ninth place (20:40) and Brook Handler was 13th in 20:45.

The Wolverines will run again on November 17 at the NCAA Championships at the Louisville Tom Sawyer State Park starting at noon.

SportsMadison.com/Jason McMa

Women's team scores: Michigan 41; Michigan State 77; Notre Dame 89; Butler 144; Toledo 162; Ohio State 166; Indiana 180; Wisconsin 182; Purdue 267; Eastern Michigan 345.

Women's top individuals: 1, Julie Accurso, Ohio, 20:07; 2, Katie Clark, Butler, 20:10; 3, Sara Kroll, Michigan State, 20:12; 4, Jillian Smith, Michigan., 20:14; 5, Ashley Beutler, Wisconsin, 20:19; 6, Gabi Anzalone, Wisconsin, 20:25; 7, Rebecca Addison, Michigan, 20:30; 8, Shannon Osika, Michigna, 20:38; 9, Lindsey Hilton, Michigan, 20:40; 10, Kelly Curran, Notre Dame, 20:40.

On the men's side, Wisconsin won their 11th consecutive regional title on the 10,000 meter course with a score of 43 points. The Badgers had four runners in the top 15. The individual winner was Mohammed Ahmed from Wisconsin in 30:27. Next was Maverick Darling in fifth place finishing in 30:47. Reed Connor was sixth in 30:53 and Alex Brill was 15th in 31:29. 

Michigan's Dan Lowry was third overall the 10K course in 30:46. Lowry and the Wolverines men's team will join the women's team down in Louisville at the NCAA Cross Country Championships after finishing second behind Wisconsin with 73 points. They earned an automatic berth after finishing runner-up at the Great Lakes Regional.

Men's top individuals: 1, Mohammed Ahmed, Wisconsin, 30:37; 2, Zachary Mayhew, Indiana, 30:43; Dan Lowry, Michigan, 30:46; 4, Andrew Bayer, Indiana, 30:46; 5, Maverick Darling, Wisconsin, 30:47; 6, Reed Connor, Wisconsin, 30:53; 7, John Mascari, Indiana State, 30:56; 8, Matt McClintock, Purdue, 30:57; 9, Martin Grady, Notre Dame, 31:02; 10, Michael Heller, Kent State, 31:07.

Men's team scores: Wisconsin 43; Michigan 73; Indiana 107; Michigan State 113; Notre Dame 122; Miami (Ohio) 214; Purdue 215; Ohio State 269; Butler 287; Indiana State 316.

Fall Into Fitness 5K

I ran my last race of the year Saturday: Fall Into Fitness 5K. It was a great morning to run. It was about 55° and slightly breezy.

When the starting horn went off, my legs didn't seem to want to move at that fast pace. About a block later, the sluggish feeling went away. I was happy that I was catching groups and passing them. I know it didn't mean that much because it was only just the start of the race. While I was passing others, I felt strong and I really didn't know what my pace was. I looked at my watch at the mile marker and it read 7:49. I was thrilled I ran a sub-8 first mile. I wanted to keep that pace going for the next two miles.

The second mile was like the first. I caught another large group of runners and passed them. After catching and passing a group of runners, I would end up running by myself again. Which always seems to happen to me in races. The second mile had a few inclines. I kept telling myself that these inclines were nothing like the ones I ran a few weeks ago on a mountain. I looked about five feet ahead of me while running up the inclines. That made them seem to go by a little faster.

When I passed the second mile marker, my watch read 16:20. I was slowing down. I needed to hold that  pace through the final mile. The final mile didn't have any inclines to run up, but we did get to run down one. I used the downhill to build up some speed and distance from the people behind me. Just ahead of me, there was a group of runners on the next block. I was watching them to see how much further down street we needed to run. I knew the final left hand turn was ahead, but I wasn't sure how far. When I saw the group make the left hand turn, I knew the finish line was probably 800 meters away. I decided to pick up the pace because the end of the race was getting closer.

When I made the left hand turn, I had two blocks to run before I reached the finish line. The first block went well. I was still holding my pace. As I crossed the intersection heading into the last block, I could feel myself starting to slow. That made me think I started my final sprint too far out. I then heard footsteps closing behind me. Soon the footsteps were right beside me. A guy, who I passed back at the first mile, ran away from me. I didn't have much left in my legs to go after him. So off he went to finish ahead of me. I finished the race in 25:54.6.

I thought I did pretty well for finishing a 50 mile race three weeks ago. The only thing that disappointed me is that I couldn't keep my pace even for the three miles. Other then that, 2012 has been a wonderful racing season for me. I completed two 50 milers, a 24 hour run, two marathons, two half marathons and other small races. I didn't have any major injuries that sidelined me from running, which I'm very thankful for. I can only hope that the 2013 racing season will be another great one for me.

Favorite photos

Last one

Saturday morning marks the end of my 2012 racing season. I will be running a local 5K. My racing season started back in February. The season has stretched out 10 months and I will have run a total of 15 races.

I'm really happy to wrap up the season. I have done things I never thought I would have done years ago. I have run two 50 milers, a 24 hour race and two marathons. My ultra races were huge to me. So much time and training have been put into it. There were days I didn't feel like running, but I did because I needed to. All of those runs helped me accomplish my goals.

When I first started running half marathons, I said to my husband that I never wanted to run a marathon. He said I would at some point. He jokes with me that "I showed him". Most people run a half marathon and then move up to the marathon. I didn't do that. I went from half marathons straight to ultras. That was a huge jump. I decided to make that huge jump because tons of people run a marathon. If you know me, you know I like to be different. I try not to go with the crowd.

I figured after running two 50Ks in 2011, it was time to run a marathon. I ran a marathon two weeks before my first 24 hour race. I called the marathon a training run. The week of the marathon, I probably ran over 80 miles. When the marathon started my legs weren't that fresh. It was what I needed. I needed to know how my legs would feel during the upcoming 24 hour race. I didn't give up and kept shuffling along. When I finished, I was happy to be done. My second marathon was run on a very hilly course. I decided to hang with a pace group for this marathon. I was with them for the first 10 miles and lost contact with them when I chocked on water at an aid station. The hills were very tough and many times I thought of just dropping out. I talked myself into kept going and eventually ran through the finish line. Marathons aren't my favorite, but I will run them to help train for ultras.

This weekend I won't be running an ultra, but something short and quick. I will love every step of this race and I hope to do the best I can. That is all I can ask for.

NYCM

Photo credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

The ING New York City Marathon was canceled on November 2. As a runner, I was disappointed that the race was canceled. But I understand why it was. 

It seemed like runners didn't want to leave New York without running. Thousands of runners got together on Sunday morning and traveled to Staten Island on two ferry boats to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy.  The runners showed up with supplies to give to residents and help residents clean up. 

Other runners headed to Central Park to run marathon. The marathon called, The Run Anyway New York City Marathon, excepted donations of food, clothes or money from runners for Sandy victims. The runners brought their own water and food to support themselves through the run. 

Even though the marathon wasn't officially run, it did take place. So many of the runners brought donations or traveled to Staten Island to help with the relief effort. Reading about what happened on Sunday makes me proud to be apart of the running community. 

St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleums II - Toms River, New Jersey

The storm

My husband and I left the New Jersey coast on October 25 and drove back home to Michigan. After running a 50 mile race in Pennsylvania on October 21, we drove to New Jersey to visit my husband's uncle.

His uncle and aunt bought a house on the New Jersey coast and are in the process of rebuilding. The house was in rough shape when they bought it. They decided to gut the entire house and start fresh.. While my husband slept in the morning, I had plenty of time to read the Internet. I read about the upcoming storm Sandy. When I read about Sandy, it was still down in the Caribbean. The meteorologists were predicting that the storm would travel up the coast and hit the New Jersey/New York area. I remember saying to my husband's uncle that a hurricane was possibly heading his way. He said he knew about it and hoped it would miss them.

While in New Jersey, we visited the beach, a cemetery, the mall and saw a movie. Standing on the beach, the Atlantic Ocean had waves crashing into the beach. The day was overcast and the a bit cool. Looking at the photos I took on the beach is a little eerie now. My husband showed me some overhead shots of the area we were at after the storm, there was so much destruction. Houses ruined and destroyed. The bridge that lead us to the beach was covered in flood waters. I'm not sure how the cemetery made out, but the mall we visited just had power restored Friday. On the mall's website is a note asking people to call the specific store that they are interested in to see if they are open.

Sandy did come their way four days later. My husband's uncle and aunt were staying at their daughter and son-in-law's house, three streets over from their house. The night before leaving, we met up for dinner over at my husband's cousins house. We went down into the basement and met his young cousins. When the babysitter arrived, we all went to dinner. The basement where we were waiting was flooded by Sandy. As for his uncle and aunt's house, we haven't heard yet. When we did hear from them, they didn't have power and needed to get off the phone to save the battery. My husband plans to call this week to see how they are doing.

I'm glad my husband's family made it through the storm in one piece. With them being so close to water, I don't know if they could have done anything to stop the flood waters. They will have months of clean up and construction, but that is better then the alternative. Things can be replaced, but people can't.

Favorite photos

Books read in 2012

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling 
Winter Season: A Dancer's Journal, Toni Bentley 
Chasing the Runner's High, Ray Charbonneau 
The Perfect Mile, Neal Bascomb 
Cleopatra, Stacy Schiff 
The Carrie Diaries, Candace Bushnell 
Summer in the City, Candace Bushnell 
Forgotten, Cat Patrick 
Deja Dead, Kathy Reichs 
Pretty Little Liars, Sara Shepard 
Flawless, Sara Shepard 
Perfect, Sara Shepard 
Unbelievable, Sara Shepard 
Wicked, Sara Shepard 
Killer, Sara Shepard  
Heartless, Sara Shepard

Wanted, Sara Shepard

Twisted, Sara Shepard

Ruthless, Sara Shepard

Fairy Tale Interrupted, Rosemarie Terenzio

The Help, Kathryn Stockett

Pronto, Elmore Leonard

Riding the Rap, Elmore Leonard

Raylan, Elmore Leonard

The Coffin Quilt, Ann Rinaldi

A Life Without Limits, Chrissie Wellington

Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy, John Le Carre
Eat and Run, Scott Jurek

Clearing Hurdles, Dan O'Brien

The Sugarless Plum, Zippora Karz

Girl in Motion: A Novel, Miriam Wenger-Landis

Breaking Pointe, Miriam Wenger-Landis

The Cranes Dance, Meg Howrey

The Eighty-Dollar Champion, Elizabeth Letts

Renegade Champion: The Unlikely Rise of Fitzrada, Richard R. Rust

That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, Anne Sebba

The President's Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity, Nancy Gibbs

Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir, Clint Hill

Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever, Martin Dugard and Bill O'Reilly

Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath, Mimi Alford

Mary's Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer and Their Vision for World Peace, Peter Janney

Finding My Distance, Julia Wendell

Currently Reading: FDR's Funeral Train: A Betrayed Widow, a Soviet Spy and a Presidency in the Balance, Robert Klara