Blitzkrieg and dinner

Tuesday evening, my husband and I loaded our two German Shepherd, Blitzkrieg and Kelly up in his car to go to the vet. Blitzkrieg needed to go to the vet because of problems with his ears. The vet told my husband that Blitz broke some blood vessels and developed a blood blister in his ear due to all of the scratching. Blitz was given medicine and ear drops. Since being on his medication he hasn't scratched his ears and they are not as red as they were before.

After the vet, my husband and I got dressed up for an awards dinner at a local college. We got to the venue and my husband found his name tag and seating assignment. I didn't have a name tag. We found our table and my husband started to mingle.

He mentioned to me that there was cheese being served as an appetizer. I'm a cheese lover, so I darted over to the table. I saw some people standing near the table, I thought they were just talking. I grabbed a plate then looked over at the huge line waiting for appetizers. I took myself and my plate to the back of the line. My husband joined me in the line and we finally got to the cheese. I was very hungry, I ate my 12 or so cubes of cheese quickly. It was around this time, everyone was told to have a seat because the ceremony was about to being. At our table was Adrian mayor, his wife, two other commissioners and their guests.

Placed at every one's seat was a salad. After the invocation, we passed around the dressing and ate. I was the first one to finish the salad. While everyone was eating salad, each table was being let go one at a time. The college served some sort of veggie mix, mashed potatoes and gravy, beef and chicken. While in line, I wanted two servings of beef. I asked my husband if I should take two or not. He said I could. I had the tongs in my hand and layed them down instead. I didn't want to look like a hog. Instead of the second slice of beef, I took a piece of chicken. The veggie mix was OK, the mashed potatoes were good, the beef was very yummy and I didn't finish my chicken. I'm not a chicken fan.

After dinner, we all had a piece of apple pie at our tables. I'm not a fan of apple pie so I really didn't want it. But it was on the table, so I tried it. I took one bite and that was enough. My husband just shook his head at me and said that I could eat the caramel that was on top of the apple pie. I did just that. I eat the caramel and the crust. The rest of my pie was left on my plate.

When everyone was done eating, it was time for the award portion of the night. It started a little before 8 pm, and by 8:30 pm I couldn't stop yawning. I felt bad because I was there to listen to this people say what a great person this guy is, but it was near my bed time and all I thought about was going to sleep. There was five speakers before the man who won the award finally came up to except and speak. When the award winner said he didn't know what to say and that he didn't have much to say that made me feel better. But with all of the talking the event didn't get over until 9:30 pm. BOO! I didn't get asleep until 10:30 pm. That is disappointing to someone who gets up at 4 am everyday.

Blitzkrieg

This morning I called the vet to make an appointment for my dog, Blitzkrieg.

For a while now, he has been using his foot to scratch both of his ears. Lately, they both have been very red and irritated. Last night while eating dinner, I noticed Blitz's right ear. Inside of his ear is a huge growth or bump. My husband said he didn't notice that when he cleaned Blitz's ears a couple of days ago. Blitz usually gets his ears cleaned by my husband once or twice a week. After he cleans them, Blitz doesn't scratch them so much.

So later this afternoon Blitz will be going to his appointment at the vet's office. We hope that it is something that medicine can take care of.

Miles Run in 2006

Sunday evening I ran 5 miles on my treadmill. I ran 5 miles to make up for the fact that I only ran twice last week. Chalk that up to being lazy and eating three Thanksgiving dinners. I was planning to run again today but I was busy editing photos and burning Cd's for my business. I plan on running Tuesday before going to an awards dinner with my City Commissioner husband.

Total miles run up to November 27:
2004: 274.6
2005: 318.8
2006: 435

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell
Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley
Shutterbabe, Deborah Copaken Kogan
The Hidden Hitler, Lothar Machtan
Auschwitz: A New History, Laurence Rees
Jack The Ripper: The Complete Casebook, Donald Rumbelow
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Turning the Tables: Restaurants from the Inside Out, Steven A. Shaw
Lincoln's Melancholy, Joshua Wolf Shenk
The Dark Side of Camelot, Seymour M. Hersh
Sinatra: The Life, Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan
The Third Reich in Power, Richard J. Evans
Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, J. Randy Taraborrelli
Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, Kenny Moore
Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and Six Intimate Friends, Judy Balaban Quine
Grace and Power, Sally Bedell Smith
Grace, Robert Lacey
There She is, Miss America, edited by Elwood Watson and Darcy Martin
Sex Wars, Marge Piercy
My Dark Places, James Ellroy
Hitler: Memoirs of a Confidant, edited by Henry Ashby Turner, Jr.
L.A. Confidential, James Ellroy
Straight Up and Dirty, Stephanie Klein
Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson and the Year that Changed Our Lives, Susan Dworkin
The Day Diana Died, Christopher Andersen
The Perfect Wife, Ann Gerhardt
No Lifeguard on Duty, Janice Dickinson

Currently Reading: First Son, Bill Minutaglio
Up Next: The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

Thanksgiving

This year, Thanksgiving keeps going and going.

On Thanksgiving, my side to the family came over to my house. We had so many appetizers and desserts! My sister Denise brought a vegetable tray and cupcakes. My sister Deanna brought spinach dip and bread. Mike and I had cheese and crackers and I made Fried Ravioli. YUM-O! After getting stuffed on the appetizers, it was time for dinner. We had salad, turkey, green bean casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes, beets, steamed vegetables and biscuits.

Once dinner was through, Mike, my sisters Debbie, Diane, Deanna and me washed and dried dishes. After completing the dishes, we all gathered in the living room to watch TV. I got out the Uno cards and we played a quick game. Dinner settled in our stomachs. It was time for dessert. We had cake, pumpkin pie and jello. It was a very filling day. After the family left, Mike and I skipped dinner and just had a snack.

Today was Thanksgiving Number 2 at Mike's parents house. And finally on Saturday, Thanksgiving will come to an end at Mike's uncles house. After tomorrow, I know I won't be eating turkey for a long time.


Fried Ravioli
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Show: Everyday Italian
Episode: Italian Street Food

Olive oil, for frying
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated, for dipping


Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

How annoying

This morning while editing senior pictures I took Wednesday afternoon, I heard a car horn honking on the street in front of my house. It stopped after a couple of honks. About five minutes later there was more honking. Obviously the person that they wanted still hasn't come out of their house/apartment.

Fast forward to an hour later, the people were still sitting in their car on the street honking their horn.

After 5 or 10 minutes, wouldn't you get out of the car to see what the hold up is?

Kramer....... why?

This morning I heard about Michael Richards using racial slurs at The Laugh Factory in West Hollywood Friday night. Later this morning I watched the video on the internet. I couldn't believe that the man who was once the lovable Kramer kept going on and on.

Monday night he apologized on David Letterman while his buddy Jerry Seinfeld was a guest.

On a side note: Today Seinfeld Season 7 is released on DVD.


Photo Credit: Associated Press

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell
Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley
Shutterbabe, Deborah Copaken Kogan
The Hidden Hitler, Lothar Machtan
Auschwitz: A New History, Laurence Rees
Jack The Ripper: The Complete Casebook, Donald Rumbelow
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Turning the Tables: Restaurants from the Inside Out, Steven A. Shaw
Lincoln's Melancholy, Joshua Wolf Shenk
The Dark Side of Camelot, Seymour M. Hersh
Sinatra: The Life, Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan
The Third Reich in Power, Richard J. Evans
Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, J. Randy Taraborrelli
Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, Kenny Moore
Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and Six Intimate Friends, Judy Balaban Quine
Grace and Power, Sally Bedell Smith
Grace, Robert Lacey
There She is, Miss America, edited by Elwood Watson and Darcy Martin
Sex Wars, Marge Piercy
My Dark Places, James Ellroy
Hitler: Memoirs of a Confidant, edited by Henry Ashby Turner, Jr.
L.A. Confidential, James Ellroy
Straight Up and Dirty, Stephanie Klein
Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson and the Year that Changed Our Lives, Susan Dworkin
The Day Diana Died, Christopher Andersen
The Perfect Wife, Ann Gerhardt

Currently Reading: No Lifeguard on Duty, Janice Dickinson
Up Next: The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell
Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley
Shutterbabe, Deborah Copaken Kogan
The Hidden Hitler, Lothar Machtan
Auschwitz: A New History, Laurence Rees
Jack The Ripper: The Complete Casebook, Donald Rumbelow
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Turning the Tables: Restaurants from the Inside Out, Steven A. Shaw
Lincoln's Melancholy, Joshua Wolf Shenk
The Dark Side of Camelot, Seymour M. Hersh
Sinatra: The Life, Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan
The Third Reich in Power, Richard J. Evans
Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, J. Randy Taraborrelli
Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, Kenny Moore
Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and Six Intimate Friends, Judy Balaban Quine
Grace and Power, Sally Bedell Smith
Grace, Robert Lacey
There She is, Miss America, edited by Elwood Watson and Darcy Martin
Sex Wars, Marge Piercy
My Dark Places, James Ellroy
Hitler: Memoirs of a Confidant, edited by Henry Ashby Turner, Jr.
L.A. Confidential, James Ellroy
Straight Up and Dirty, Stephanie Klein
Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson and the Year that Changed Our Lives, Susan Dworkin
The Day Diana Died, Christopher Andersen

Currently Reading: The Perfect Wife, Ann Gerhardt
Up Next: No Lifeguard on Duty, Janice Dickinson
On Hold: The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

I have The Kite Runner on hold. The library computer says it is in the building, but no one could find it. When it turns up, they will call me.

Sad day for Michigan football

Bo Schembechler, Univeristy of Michigan's legendary football coach died at the age of 77 Friday after collapsing during the taping of a TV show.

Bo died on the eve of the biggest game in Big Ten history, 2 Michigan vs 1 Ohio State will be played Saturday, November 18, 2006 at the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio.


Photo Credit: Associated Press

I've been tagged

I have been tagged by Krista.
Five things I want to do, someday, in no order of importance.

Here goes:

1. Visit Italy. During my senior year of college, I had the chance to go to Italy but passed. The Art Department was taking a two week trip to Italy to study and sightsee. I could have taken out another student loan to pay for the trip, but I didn't feel like jacking up my loans even more. I hope to get there with my husband for our 10 year wedding anniversary (which is 5 years away).

2. Run a half marathon. Detroit recently had its annual half marathon/marathon. Some of my co-workers asked why I didn't run it. Next year, I would love to actually train for the half marathon and run it in October.

3. Have my own gallery show. My senior year in college I shared the gallery with three other people for our BA show. Many people told me I could have filled the gallery with a beautiful show. Now I know they were correct. Since then I have participated in some local shows with only a couple of pieces in each. Hopefully, I'll get asked to hang an entire show someday.

4. Go to a football game at The Big House in Ann Arbor. I have been a University of Michigan football fan for as long as I can remember. I have driven by Michigan's stadium plenty of times, but have never actually been there. It would be an awesome to sit in the stands and hear in person "The Victors". Go Blue!

5. White House Photographer. Photographing the President of the United States at events wouldn't be too shabby. Traveling all over the world, flying on Air Force One. Awesome.

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell
Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley
Shutterbabe, Deborah Copaken Kogan
The Hidden Hitler, Lothar Machtan
Auschwitz: A New History, Laurence Rees
Jack The Ripper: The Complete Casebook, Donald Rumbelow
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Turning the Tables: Restaurants from the Inside Out, Steven A. Shaw
Lincoln's Melancholy, Joshua Wolf Shenk
The Dark Side of Camelot, Seymour M. Hersh
Sinatra: The Life, Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan
The Third Reich in Power, Richard J. Evans
Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, J. Randy Taraborrelli
Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, Kenny Moore
Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and Six Intimate Friends, Judy Balaban Quine
Grace and Power, Sally Bedell Smith
Grace, Robert Lacey
There She is, Miss America, edited by Elwood Watson and Darcy Martin
Sex Wars, Marge Piercy
My Dark Places, James Ellroy
Hitler: Memoirs of a Confidant, edited by Henry Ashby Turner, Jr.
L.A. Confidential, James Ellroy
Straight Up and Dirty, Stephanie Klein
Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson and the Year that Changed Our Lives, Susan Dworkin

Currently Reading:
Up Next:

I will be going to the library Friday morning. I hope to come home with some books to read.

Is it that time already?

It's only November 14, 2006 and my husband and I have been invited to a New Year's Eve Party. We've been told to bring an appetizer. I was thinking Fried Ravioli or Mac and Cheese Skewers. YUM-O!


Fried Ravioli
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Show: Everyday Italian
Episode: Italian Street Food

Olive oil, for frying
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated, for dipping


Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.


Mac and Cheese Skewers
Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh
Show: Party Line with the Hearty Boys
Episode: Grown-Up's Halloween

Salt, for pasta water
1/3 pound rigatoni (about 40 pieces)
4 ounces easy melting American Cheese (recommended: Velveeta)
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan 2
tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 eggs, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water, for egg wash
2 cups vegetable oil 20 cherry tomatoes, halved

Special equipment: frilly toothpicks

Fill a saucepan halfway with water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and salt the water liberally. Add the rigatoni and cook 9 to 11 minutes, until al dente. Drain, rinse well under cold water and set aside.

Cut the block of cheese into 1/2-inch slices and cut each slice into 4 equal pieces lengthwise. Cut each piece in half. You should have 40 pieces. Slide 1 piece of the cheese into each rigatoni (the size should be near perfect.)

Pour the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and parsley into a small bowl and mix well. Working in small batches, put the stuffed rigatoni into the egg wash first, then roll in the bread crumb mixture. Place in a sealable container (they can be stacked on top of each other). Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours and up to 2 weeks.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Pour the vegetable oil into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat for 5 minutes. Test by dropping a cube of bread into the oil; if it turns golden within 1 minute the oil is ready.

Working in batches of 6 to 8 and using a slotted spoon, carefully drop the rigatoni into the oil.
Fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the bread crumbs are a golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat until all of the rigatoni have been fried. Keep warm in the preheated oven.

To serve, skewer 1 piece of the mac and cheese and a cherry tomato half with a frilly toothpick. Serve while still warm.

Double vision

I had my yearly eye exam today.

I was hoping to come home with my new contacts. My eye doctor wanted me to get contacts that I throw away every two months. They sounded nice. She then told me the price. Umm Pass. Too expensive.

I was asked to get an eye exam with a new machine. I declined. It was an extra $29. I kept telling the doctor, "Whatever is cheaper." I'll always say that because I don't have vision insurance. GRRRRR!!!!

At the end of the exam, I was told by the certified optical dispenser to have a seat while she got my contacts. She came back with one, the right contact. Usually they have my contacts on hand. She told me that I could take the right one now or wait to pick them up. I decided to pick them up when they come in sometime next week. BOO!

Standing at the counter, the office assistant worked on my bill. She said, "that will be $201.40." I swear it didn't cost that much last year. Disappointed, I handed over my debit card and said goodbye to my money.

Two hundred one dollars for an eye exam and contacts. I'm sure glad that I didn't get that fancy eye exam and the expensive disposable contacts. If I did, my bill would have been $90-100 more and my debit card would have been declined.

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell
Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley
Shutterbabe, Deborah Copaken Kogan
The Hidden Hitler, Lothar Machtan
Auschwitz: A New History, Laurence Rees
Jack The Ripper: The Complete Casebook, Donald Rumbelow
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Turning the Tables: Restaurants from the Inside Out, Steven A. Shaw
Lincoln's Melancholy, Joshua Wolf Shenk
The Dark Side of Camelot, Seymour M. Hersh
Sinatra: The Life, Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan
The Third Reich in Power, Richard J. Evans
Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, J. Randy Taraborrelli
Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, Kenny Moore
Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and Six Intimate Friends, Judy Balaban Quine
Grace and Power, Sally Bedell Smith
Grace, Robert Lacey
There She is, Miss America, edited by Elwood Watson and Darcy Martin
Sex Wars, Marge Piercy
My Dark Places, James Ellroy
Hitler: Memoirs of a Confidant, edited by Henry Ashby Turner, Jr.
L.A. Confidential, James Ellroy
Straight Up and Dirty, Stephanie Klein

Currently Reading: Miss America, 1945: Bess Myerson and the Year that Changed Our Lives, Susan Dworkin
Up Next:
On Hold: Elizabeth, Sarah Bradford

The dogs

Kelly biting Blitzkrieg in an attempt to get him to play. Needless to say, it didn't work.

Election Day

I have never been so glad for it to be Election Day.

This is the day that the ads on the TV and radio will stop. I'm very happy, because I'm sick of seeing them. This is the day that the ads will stop appearing in my mailbox. The ads were sent to me in my married name, my husband's name, my maiden name, our family name and RESIDENT. At our house we averaged 4 or 5 pamphlets/flyers a week. Sending me those pamphlets won't sway my vote. I already knew who I was voting for. Basically, politicians, you're throwing your money away. I only looked at the pictures and then threw them in the trash or the shredder.

This morning while putting out going mail in the mailbox, a political pamphlet was sitting on the end of my front porch. I thought that was a dumb place to leave it. It was raining and it was getting soaked on the top step of my porch. Wouldn't it have been better to leave it in the door? Oh well, it went right into the trash.

Tomorrow is a new day. A day without political ads on my TV, in my mailbox or on my porch. I'm Deloris and I approve this message.

Souper Run 10K

Sunday, I was one of 400 runners to participate in the 6th Annual Souper Run held in Adrian, MI. The Souper Run raises money for The Daily Bread, Lenawee County's Soup Kitchen. As I did last year, I decided to run the 10K again this year.

It was a cool morning, but not too cold. I ran in shorts, one heat gear long sleeve shirt, another long sleeve running shirt, a hat and sunglasses. The first mile went well. During the second mile, I developed stomach cramps. I really wanted to stop and walk, but I didn't. I slowed up my pace until the stomach cramps went away. By that time, most of the 10K runners were too far ahead of me to catch them, except for one guy.

Around 4 miles, I was really getting warm. I rolled up the sleeves to my both of my long sleeve shirts. That helped cool down my arms. It felt like they were on fire. At this point I knew that the hardest part of the run was still to come. But before heading down into Island Park, around 4.5 miles a worker was on the side of the road. I was running by her and said encouraging things to help me keep going. At that point in time, I really don't listen to what people are saying, I just want to finish the race so I can walk. But she said, "good job you're almost done. When you finish you can get some hot soup!" When she said that I just wanted to puke. I didn't want any hot soup because it sounded nasty at the time.

I made my turn to head down to Island Park. Running downhill was alright. I finally get downhill and I see a water stand. Usually I never drink water while I'm running, but I held out my hand for a glass. I bent the cup and took a drink. I think most of it ended up on me, but it was good. The guy who was in front of me, stopped to drink his water. When he did that, I thought I had a chance to catch him. I was about 30 yards away from him running through Island Park. But he got away from me on the hill. By the time I had to run back up the huge hill at Island Park, I had nothing left. I ran up the hill, but it felt like I was walking. When I reached the top of the hill, my legs were so tired. But I kept going. Finally, I made my last turn to the finish. Most of the time, I sprint to the finish. I couldn't even do that. I was very tired. I finished my 10K in 1:13.15.

I didn't run as fast as last year's 10K, but my goal was just to finish. But finishing is my goal for every race that I run. After running a disappointing time I was happy when I received a medal, I was third in my age group, 25-29.

Books read in 2006

The Constant Gardener, John Le Carre
The American Way of Death Revisited, Jessica Mitford
Shopgirl, Steve Martin
The City of Falling Angels, John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt
Portrait of Myself, Margaret Bourke-White
The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, Donald H. Wolfe
Marilyn: The Last Take, Peter Harry Brown and Patte B. Barham
The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Churchwell
Cary Grant: The Lonely Heart, Charles Higham and Roy Moseley
Shutterbabe, Deborah Copaken Kogan
The Hidden Hitler, Lothar Machtan
Auschwitz: A New History, Laurence Rees
Jack The Ripper: The Complete Casebook, Donald Rumbelow
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Turning the Tables: Restaurants from the Inside Out, Steven A. Shaw
Lincoln's Melancholy, Joshua Wolf Shenk
The Dark Side of Camelot, Seymour M. Hersh
Sinatra: The Life, Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan
The Third Reich in Power, Richard J. Evans
Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, J. Randy Taraborrelli
Bowerman and the Men of Oregon, Kenny Moore
Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and Six Intimate Friends, Judy Balaban Quine
Grace and Power, Sally Bedell Smith
Grace, Robert Lacey
There She is, Miss America, edited by Elwood Watson and Darcy Martin
Sex Wars, Marge Piercy
My Dark Places, James Ellroy
Hitler: Memoirs of a Confidant, edited by Henry Ashby Turner, Jr.
L.A. Confidential, James Ellroy

Currently Reading: Elizabeth, Sarah Bradford
Up Next: Straight Up and Dirty, Stephanie Klein

It's 3 am......

Daylight Savings Time ended October 29, 2006. When it ended my body alarm clock didn't turn itself an hour back.

When my husband came home from work around 6 am Sunday morning. I was awake. On weekends, I usually get up at or around 7 am. I really wanted to try to go back to sleep, but that wasn't happening. I couldn't lay in bed anymore. I went downstairs, let the dogs out, skimmed the newspaper and started housework. Sunday afternoons, I try to take a nap during the NASCAR race or football game. But I had no luck. I was so busy attending to my dirty pants and folding the three loads of laundry. Later I ran six miles on the treadmill, finished watching the race, took a shower and decided to go to bed at 8 pm.

Monday morning I woke up and looked at my alarm clock. It read 3 am. I was awake an hour before my alarm is supposed to go off. I tried to go back to sleep, but I kept looking at the clock every 15 minutes. Finally at 3:45 am, I couldn't stand it anymore. I got up, got ready and went to work at 4:20 am.

Tuesday and Wednesday morning were a repeat of Monday morning. I woke up at 3 am three days in a row! How depressing.

Will Thursday and Friday morning be the same? I hope not, but it is 7:27 pm and I'm getting tired. Will I make it through my TV show that is a hour long at 8 pm?