"And your very flesh shall be a great poem."-Walt Whitman

Dearest Cara,

I’m just confusing myself again by texting you and writing a blog post at the same time but this isn’t as bad. I just can’t tell you in texts what I’m telling you here. Confusing eh? Sorry, took a break to watch the Deathly Hollows trailer again. I’ve been meaning to watch it again all day and I finally got around to it. Ugh, I have a stain on my apron. That is very annoying. Now I have to wash it and while it’s in the wash I can’t wear it. Just a pain. Sigh. Oh what else has been going on. Gosh, my life is dreadfully dull. I could talk about DC I guess. First off. I know it was really hot here at home but it was so darn hot the whole time. While waiting in line for Georgetown Cupcakes, which were below average in my opinion, I literally had sweat dripping from my brow to the sidewalk. It was horrible. But in the end I took a shower and all was well. Thank God for detox! And I would love to attend the Monarch Urination Party! I would be honored to to do my biz and talk with the whole Mercy family at the same time! OH! I know what I can talk about. The perilous adventures of the vintage dress. So. When my mom and I were coming home from KS we stopped at an antique mall and I found the skirt that you hid behind at Shakespeare on the Green and a vintage stripped dress. Now, the skirt was basically new so I didn’t have to do anything to it but wash it, but the dress stinked! And on top of that it was all yellowed from age. So the day before yesterday I decided I would soak it in some oxiclean and that would get the stains out. So I filled the sink with water and oxiclean and put the dress in. I let it sit there for awhile and then I checked on it and the water was all filmy and yellow and now the whole thing, water and all reeked! So I let all the water out and rinsed the dress. Then I squeezed all the water out and added water, oxi, the works. I did this two more times but it was still a little yellow. By then my mom was home so she asked if I wanted to put it in the washer on sanitize (which I did) and the yellow was very nearly gone! So I hung it up to dry but it wasn’t going fast enough so I hung it outside. That night I went out and took it inside. So I tried it on and it fits perfectly. Now it was late by this point so I just wanted to go to bed so I did. And in the morning…I smelled it. It still smelled musty. So my mom said I should spray it with fabreez and hang it outside again. I did but it didn’t work. So I put it in the washer with detergant and fabric softener but no good. And here I am. I’m thinking of just piling a bunch of my other clothes on it to try and make it smell normal but who knows how this epic of a tale will end. And note, Band-Aid makes band aids with Neosporin built in so it won’t slip off. Ohhhh, let’s see what else your letter says… AWWWWW, Daisy, so cute. And Cara, everyone wants a Mac. I’m afraid it has become a fact of life. Sigh. You are giggling like crazy! This is your reminder to send me your graduation speech. Don’t forget! Alright, I think I’ve said all I can between texts talking on voicechat now and this. Farewell! I’ll leave you with a couple pictures…

Love, DFTBAOYD, Pickles, and All That Jazz,

     Ella

Dearest Bugs Goaty,

I think I’m writing a post not because it’s late (or early for that matter) because I could just go and sleep, but I was going through my shelfari and it sturck me just how much of a book nerd I was in grade school. Correction, story nerd. Over the years, I’ve become some what more of a book collecter than a frantic reader like I was before. I literally could not sleep if I hadn’t read for at least fifteen minutes before. Perhaps it was middle school that beat it out of me, or maybe having more internet influence. Yeah, that might be it. This was a major advancment at SJA when we got all new computers and upgraded to Vista. Seriously, EPIC. My mind was blown. But even before that it started to lag. Anyway, that’s not what this is supposed to be about. I’m going to rant at you about my favourite gradeschool books and you can read or not. I have a feeling this is going to get really boring. By the way, I’m going off the order of books in my shelfari, not by preference.

“Midnight Magic” by Avi: I don’t really remember exactly when I read this at all. I think it was summer sometime but it’s a very spooky book in atomosphere but in content it’s very logical; if that makes sense at all. It’s a mystery set in the middle ages with the typical Avi style (Nothing but the truth was written by him but this is totally differnt). I can’t really spit out any words here to show why or how I liked this books. I think I liked how it was a bit of stepping stone to the “Teen” genre.

“The Dark Hills Divide” By Patrick Carman and following sequals: This one’s totally takes me back to SJA’s library. The first one sat on the shelves for a while and I knew it but I didn’t really get around to reading it for a while. It’s a really clever world it’s set in. This one is also a mystery but this one is better; all equiped with secret passages, danger, injury, death if I remember right. It’s a good young adult mystery. (Geez, this is so boring all ready)

“Things Not Seen” and “A School Story” By Andrew Clement: Oh my goodness, I think these books have really chaged who I am. I had a HUGE crush on the main character of “Things Not Seen” because he gets turned invisible by an electric blanket and a meteor shower! Is that not the most sexy thing ever?! Of course, as a fifth grader, I don’t think I would use “sexy” but he was very attractive. Though he had to go for the blind girl in the end. And “A School Story” really was the model of what I wanted my life to be for a long time. A sixth grader writes a book, sends it to her editor mother under a fake name, and in the end gets it published. It plays out much better than that sentence tells but it seriously changed my life. Seriously.

“The Young Wizards Series” By Diane Duane: These ones were a huge part of my life too. I read these all after we moved to our La Vista house so like sixth or seventh grade. What I loved about these books was they pushed my brain farther than it had gone with anyother books. I know I told you before. They are a little like American Harry Potter except the magic is WAY more complicated and scientific. Like it actually makes sense. Amazing. Ask Michaela, she read these too. I really need to reread all these because the ninth book came out this year. What’s amazing is the author wrote the first book in the eighties and is now releasing the ninth. These books take FOREVER for her to write because they’re so complicated. Geez, I really need to reread these; just thinking about it.

“Phoenix Rising” by Karen Hesse: Oh sigh; literally. This book really could easily be turned into a Hallmark movie but it’s not. It’s really not. It’s about a small fictional town with a power plant that explodes or something, and how the refugees deal with the radiation. I almost cried at the end; and I can’t help but thinking of this when I hear someone say “Shep”. Oh David! I love you! Sorry, I couldn’t help it. AAAAhhhhh!!!!

“The Star-Spangled Secret” by K.M. Kimball: This one gets me frankly because it has an undertone of a romance, and it’s a mystery. Oh and the danger. Can’t forget the danger. It’s about a girl whose brother goes missing off a boat during the revolutionary war. I used to know it backwards and forwards.

“The Two Princesses of Bamarre” and “Writing Magic” by Gail Levine: Even though this woman wrote “Ella Enchanted” too I liked this one way better. It’s very Ella Enchanted-y in that it’s whimsical and very fable-y and there are elves, and a death, and a love interest. Sigh. Why does a death always make it? Frankly the the only part of “Writing Magic” I remember is her talking about Corpal Tunnel. Ehehehehehe… Anyway, it was her talking about writing for fun and getting started and stuff. When I was in middle school I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to be a writer; but…mmmm…not going to happen I think. Still, made me love books more.

Hehehehhehehe, “Sleepy Ella” by Angela McAllister: Sigh, what can I say, I used to have this book memorized. It’s just part of my life. Face it. A little girl goes wandering through a fairy land to find the perfect treasure so she can go to sleep. In the end, a star is the perfect thing to hang over her bed. [insert your AAAWWWWWWW here]

“The Perilous Gard” by Elizabeth Marie Pope: In theory, this book is really creepy. A young noble girl wanders into the land of evil fairy people that comitt human sacrafice? Oh dear. It is really creepy, but it’s still good. It’s been a while but the memory seems so dramatic. And when I found this one at the library for sale I very nearly shrieked. Jessi was with me actually and she didn’t understand why I was so excited. I was almost bouncing.

And last but not least “Pickle Things” by Marc Brown: This isn’t on my shelfari but frankly, shelfari doesn’t deserve it. It’s about if everything in the world was made of pickles! I would totally send it to Andrew Sims but unfortunately it’s kind of a family item. When we were little we read this book all the time. And when I say little I mean like I was three and Tess and Jonah didn’t excist yet. Epic. I giggle at the thought of it.

Farewell Bugs Goaty!

Love, DFTBAOYD, Pickles, And All That Jazz,

                                                                                           Ella/Bow Wow

Dear Miss Cara,

(Written on the 14th)

I feel very accomplished at the moment because I drove four miles home from my pointe class without killing anyone! And I went a little out of our way to drop off someone. Therefore I feel superduper.

Yum, I’m drinking some hot chocolate and eating a few Fig Newtons. A combination from heaven if you ask me!

Now that I started making my own clothes I can’t stand anything in the store! My mom and I went to Walmart and I couldn’t find a single thing I liked, at all. I did find a watch that was on sale for three bucks. It’s funny because now whenever I put my wrist near my ear I think “What the heck is that ticking noise?!” only to discover it’s the watch. So smart I am. Sigh.

Oh my gosh. This show is making me so hungry. Grace and I are watching “The Food Budda” on TLC. This food looks so good!!! Arg! Those Fig Newtons aren’t going to cut it! Sigh. Now I’d love some brusle sprouts. Those things are good and that is random.

(Written on the 15)

OHHHHHH, let’s see. First thing to come to mind…… My uncle and his family from DC are coming in for Father’s day tomorrow. The baby is a year old now; that’s a little scary. We don’t see them enough I think. I hope they really do move here. But he hasn’t heard anything yet.

YOU JUST TOLD ME ABOUT THE GRADUATION BOOK! Great, now I’ll never be able to sleep.

Oh, what else. My mom wouldn’t let me drive Michaela home today because her mom didn’t know about it. But I did fine! And this was during rush hour too! No faith. Sigh. But then I did drive home four miles so that’s cool. Crazy people make me nervous though. So does Grace. She gasps whenever we go over a bump. Goodness.

Oooo, the scab over my burn has come off but now there’s a scar. It didn’t even hurt when I got it but now there’s this massive thing on my arm. I feel hardcore. At least it’s not on my face; that’s a little too scary. New Moonish unfortunately.

I’m afraid Grace will get the Humane Society on our backs with the treatment of her cat. She and my mom are making a dress from a pattern and Grace is making a matching one for Pepper. Granted, she looks very cute in it but who knows? Maybe she’s very uncomfortable!

Perhaps I’ll switch back to my normal theme on here. Wait! There’s an alternate design! I’ll try that. Perhaps that will be better. You did beg after all!

Did you know Jonah’s name would be Sophie if he was a girl? I think it would be weird to have a Sophie in the house, but I’d prefer him as a girl frankly.

UHG! I can’t see the keys! And I can’t listen to the old Willie Wonka music now without thinking of that stupid show! Totally ruined for me! Sigh!

Fare thee well Cara.

Love, DFTBAOYD, Pickles, And All That Jazz,

     Ella