Book Review: The Unfinished Work Of Elizabeth D By Nichole Bernier

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Coco

I read The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier almost as soon as it came out, after reading a book review in the Washington Post.

Here is a snippet of the review on Amazon:

Summer vacation on Great Rock Island was supposed to be a restorative time for Kate, who’d lost her close friend Elizabeth in a sudden accident. But when she inherits a trunk of Elizabeth’s journals, they reveal a woman far different than the cheerful wife and mother Kate thought she knew.

*****

Set in the anxious summer after the September 11th attacks, this story of two women—their friendship, their marriages, private ambitions and fears—considers the aspects of ourselves we show and those we conceal, and the repercussions of our choices.

I think this is a great premise for a book–who wouldn’t enjoy the guilty pleasure of reading someone else’s diary?

The book strikes a good balance between following Kate’s present and learning about Elizabeth’s past. Just like Kate rushed through her daily chores so she could get back to Elizabeth’s journals, I found myself looking forward to the end of my day, when I could read another chapter about both of them. The storyline touches on many personal and interpersonal issues, but it isn’t as heavy as the Amazon summary makes it sound.

If there is one theme I took away from this book, it is that we never really know someone else, just like we never fully expose ourselves to others. If we think someone else is judging us for our shortcomings, we probably are projecting our own issues on them, because they probably are too busy worrying about their own perceived faults to be judging us.

Do you keep a diary?

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Easy Chicken Pot “Pies”

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Coco

This Cooking Light recipe was a hit with my family the first time I made it, and I knew right away that it was going to be a keeper. When my son asked me to make it for one of his last meals at home before he went to college, I figured it was worth sharing.

Continue reading →

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Time Flies (My Two Year Blogoversary)

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Coco

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been blogging for two years already, but it’s also hard to imagine my life without the fitness/running blogging community. It’s really amazing how much we know about each other, how much we understand each other, and how much we can support and encourage each other! I find it amusing that it’s always about this date when I realize that the Army Ten Miler is approaching and I need to put some sort of training program in place. That’s what my very first post was about, and I know it’s time to get out the calendar and plan out my long runs to prepare for this year’s race.

In the past year, my blog has grown exponentially. I really want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my posts, to comment every once in a while, and to share the posts that they really like. The social side of blogging is what really makes it rewarding and worthwhile for me.

If you haven’t already, I’d love it if you would subscribe by email or RSS and like my Facebook page. 🙂

Thank you!

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Putting Together My Strength Routine

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Coco

I was discharged from physical therapy a few weeks ago, but I still need to do some of my physical therapy exercises to maintain my core strength and address the muscle imbalances that caused me so much trouble in the first place. I also want to add back upper body back moves that I had to drop to be able to fit in all of my physical therapy exercises. Here is the new strength routine for runners that I came up with.

Warm-Up

Planks


Supersets (3 sets of 12-15 reps, grouped as indicated)


How do you put together your strength routine?

How often do you switch it up?

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10 Things To Do On Your Staycation

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Coco

After spending hours on Google looking for a nice but not too pricey place to spend a few days after we took our son to college, we decided to have a staycation instead. If we stayed at home, we wouldn’t have to leave our dog, pay resort fees for a golf course we wouldn’t be using, or eat restaurant meals three times a day. Once we started making a list of things we wanted to do close to home, we realized that the hard part would not be filling our time, but fitting it all in. Here are some of the things we did.

1. Indulging in Belgian beer and frites.

Mmm. So what if I have to spend the rest of my staycation burning off those calories!

2. Hiking at Great Falls Park (Great Falls, Md.)

The Falls on a Summer Day

The falls are lovely, but we took our dog on hike in the woods on the other side of the canal. There are several different trails, all well-marked with colored blazes and sign posts.

3. Cycling on the Capital Crescent Trail (Washington, D.C. to Bethesda, Md.)

Map of CCT
Another adventure in Maryland, this time on our bikes. We ran out of paved trail after 8 miles, but the 16 mile ride (roundtrip) got us home in time for lunch.

4. Getting a manicure and pedicure (Arlington, Va.)

It’s much easier to book appointments with my favorite technician on a weekday, and the atmosphere at the salon was even more relaxed.

5. Taking a leisurely walk for fro-yo (Alexandria, Va.)

I am totally hooked on the peanut butter flavor!

6. Going for a long run on the Mt. Vernon Trail (Alexandria, Va.)

This really is my favorite place to run!

7. Cycling on the Custis Trail (Arlington, Va.)

(source)

The Go Fourth 8K spends a few miles on this trail, so I knew it was hilly. I just had no idea that the whole route is a series of steep hills! Good thing I had an ice bath after my long run to refresh my legs.

8. Catching a matinee movie.

This was a fun diversion, but I wouldn’t want to pay full price for a 90 minute movie! 

9. Going out to dinner with friends.

HARD TIMES CAFE
No better way to refuel than some chili mac and cornbread!

10. Relaxing with a good book (or a good bone!).


Have you ever taken a staycation?

Were you able to make the most of it or did you get stuck in your usual routine?

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