E

E is for Everglades.

The boat speeds through the narrow passage, gently bouncing up and down on the smooth, glittering surface of the water. It navigates the narrow, maze-like paths with ease. Then we pick up even more speed. The wind is so strong that my eyes are watering and my hair flies out behind me. Soon we start to bounce up and down on the surface roughly, and the boat slows down. Just then, we turn into a big pond. The boat slows to a stop. I don't understand why we have stopped, but when I stand up, I see why. I definitely see why. In front of the boat is a 9 foot alligator.

During the March Break, I went to Florida with one of my best friends, Madi. While we were there, we went swimming, tanning, shopping, and jogging. On one afternoon, Madi came downstairs asking if we have ever been on airboat ride through the Everglades. I was a little doubtful, but because I had never been, we decided to check it out. At the time, I didn't know that it would be one of the most fun things I have done in my whole life. The next morning we set off.

As soon as we got in our boat, we headed off to a warm, quiet pond, where we floated around for a few minutes, chatting with the boat driver. All of a sudden, he stopped talking, and pointed to something in the water. When we peered down, we saw a sort of grey and tan animal, and lots of bubbles. Apparently the animal had been a manatee! I was very lucky to see one this time of year, because they usually aren't around in that area in March. Then we set off to these maze like paths, that were small and narrow. It was really fun though, because we could go really fast down those paths because there weren't many animals there. The path would open up into a little pond every once in a while, and we would look around to see if we could find any alligators, or other creatures. Flying around and above those little ponds were about a thousand pelicans. As we exited the first path, one landed right on the boat. It was practically sitting on me and Madi!!! Eventually it got bored and flew off (but not before a photo shoot of course!).

After some floating around, and speeding through the little paths for a while, we came into a big pond. The boat suddenly came to a fast stop. When we looked around to figure out why, there was a huge ALLIGATOR!!! It was 9 feet long! It was so scary!!! On our trip, we saw one more alligator that was only 7 feet long, but still really cool.

Overall, without this experience, the whole vacation would have been different. By taking the risk, we gained not only a lot of fun, but many memories. I hope that one day, you might get to go on an airboat ride through the everglades of Florida!

Life Lesson: Take risks. Try something new. You might just have the best time of your life.

I commented on Georgia's, and Rowena's blog this week.

N

N is for nightmares. We all have them. Especially the main character in the novel I am writing. We dream as we sleep, and some of our dreams become nightmares and can terrify us even as we sleep. Sophie has a lot of dreams and nightmares about her father, now that he is in Afghanistan, fighting as a soldier. She misses him a lot and worries about his safety. Here is one of the nightmares she has about her father the night he ends up being killed.

Bang, Bang, Bang! I’m in a small, crowded room. But when I look down at my hands, they are not mine. I know them so well. They are dirtier and more wrinkled than the last time I saw them, but definitely his. My heart leaps. They are my father’s hands.

I look around. At the front of the room, there is a long, scratched, wooden table. People are crowded around the table, all trying to see what is on the surface. They all look up in surprise when they hear the banging. Then, they all leap into action at the exact same moment. One person jumps, and runs out the other way, out a door that I can’t see. The main door bursts open, and three soldiers come in. I can see more soldiers behind them. Shots ring through the air.

There are people everywhere, crying out in pain, falling to the ground. Someone walks into the room. He is tall, with a moustache. He yells, “WE ARE UNDER ATTACK, EVACUATE!” As soon as the words are out of his mouth, people are pushing and shoving, running towards the exit. More shots are fired, and there are more screams. There is blood everywhere. I run and run towards the exit, but no matter how fast I’m running, it never come closer. People pour out of side tunnels, and race past me. More shots ring out. The person behind me crumples to the ground. I recognize him. He is the man who told us to evacuate. I somehow know that he is in charge. I spin around; hoist the man over my shoulder, and continued running. After a while, my calves are burning, and I need to stop. The man weighs a lot, and I’m tiring quickly. Just as I decide to give up, the door appears in front of me. I leap through the door. I place the man in someone’s arms, telling them to take him to the hospital. They look at me funny, but then complete the task I give them. I sink up against the wall. Let them kill me, I think.

My limbs burn, I’m starving, I haven’t slept in days. I have lice, and many bug bites. I miss my family so much, it hurts. I want to go home, to be away from here. But I have a duty. No matter how bad I feel, no matter how much I don’t want to be here, I need to go and do my job: to stand up and protect people who can’t protect themselves. And that is exactly what I’m going to do. I stand up, ignoring the sharp, shooting pain in my head, and slowly make my way down the cramped, closed tunnels. I find my way into a tiny room. It is dimly lit. There are two soldiers. One is standing by the door. One is loading a shotgun. Something is wrong. I start towards the door, but before I can reach it, the soldier standing there slams it shut. I turn around, trying to make my voice not shake and say, “What do you want?” He looks me straight in the eye and says in a surprisingly calm and clear voice, “Goodbye John. I’m sorry.” Then a shot rings out, and I’m falling.

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What do you think about Sophie's nightmare? If you have any suggestions, please post them in a comment.

Life Lesson: Nightmares can be very powerful and scary, but sometimes our nightmares are trying to tell us something. Listen.

P

P is for parents. Parents nag. Nagging, nagging, and more nagging. Sure, that's what most teenagers think of their parents, but is there more? Parents are there for you when you need them. They watch over you, and make sure you stay safe. They love you no matter what you do.

Parents nag. But have you ever wondered why parents nag so much? Think about it. Parents just want you to be the best you that you can be. Most parents feel that this is their mission in life: to give you the best childhood ever. By nagging you, your parents could actually be trying to help you. (I know, it doesn't really feel like it, does it?) Just think:

Version 1: (nagging) It is 6 in the morning, and time to wake up for school. You decide to put your alarm on snooze and catch a few more winks. But then, just as you're getting to that nice, calm, and relaxing doze, your mom or dad come into the room, muttering under their breath about how you are going to be late if you don't get out of bed this very minute. After a whole lot of nagging, you stumble out of bed, and get ready for school. On your way downstairs, you remember that you have a test today. Whatever, you think, no one else will remember. But of course, your mom or dad is at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for you. "You never mentioned last night that you have a test today!" they exclaim. "If you start to study now, you might have enough time." You start to argue, but it's no use. They hand you the book and tell you that you need to study now, and that nothing is going to change that. You glare at them, but take the book, and sit down to study. After half an hour, and some hard studying, you're feeling a lot better about the test. Your parents test you on the material to build your confidence, and then say that you'll need to eat something, then run and catch the bus. You tell them that you don't have time to eat, because the bus will be here any second. They shove a piece of toast into your one hand and an apple into the other, and send you out the door. When you get to school, you ace your test, and have a great day.

Version 2: (no nagging) It is 6 in the morning, and time to wake up for school, but you sleep on. You forgot to turn on your alarm the night before, and no one reminded you to. At 7, you wake up, take one look at the clock, and dash out of bed. You get ready in world record timing. As you sprint downstairs, you remember you have a test today, but quickly dismiss the thought. Who cares? It's not like it counts for anything. You make a quick decision to skip eating, and attempt to catch the bus. As you make a mad dash towards the road, you can see your bus pulling in. You run faster than you have ever run before, and just make it. As you sit there, staring out the window, you realize that you didn't pack yourself a lunch. Your stomach growls with the thought of food, but it's going to be a while before you have some. When you get off the bus, you have a pounding headache from being so hungry. By the time you get to the class that your test is in, your head pounds every time you move. When you are handed the test, you try, but you just don't understand. You fail the test, and have the worst day of your life.

As you can see in the examples above, your parents' nagging could actually be for your own good. A good nagger is like a good coach!

Life Lesson: Parents have good hearts. They want you to succeed. They want to help you be your best you. They love you like no one else can. Be grateful.

S

S is for summer!

I wake up at 10:30, walk lazily downstairs and make myself breakfast. Then, I have some orange juice, and head out for a bike ride. When I get back, at 1:30, I have a nice cool shower and head out to my friend’s house for a sleepover. We go swimming, watch a movie, and then have some dinner and go to bed. When we wake up, we head out to the beach to play some beach volleyball and relax in the sun. On the way back, we grab some ice cream. I get two scoops of my favourite, strawberry banana. This is heaven. This is summer.

What do you think when you think of summer? Well I think: Free. Nothing I have to do, nothing that is due the next day. This is what summer is like.

In the summer, all kinds of opportunities are just lying around, waiting to be used. You can go to camp when you want to meet new people and have a blast, have a sleepover marathon when you want some company, or go for a swim whenever it gets too hot. You can go and lie in the sun if you’re having a lazy day. You can go for a bike ride when you’re bored, have a nap when you’re tired. There are no boring lectures, no adults telling you to tuck in your shirt, or to sit up straighter.

My favourite part about summer is having so much free time to do whatever I feel like. During the school year, there is never a second I have to myself. I feel like I’m constantly at school, or doing homework. But in the summer, I have all day to do whatever I want, whether it’s a lazy day or an athletic day. It’s up to me to decide what to do with my time.

Sure, free time is great, but sometimes when I have so much free time, I almost want to have something to do. Like if it's the middle of summer, and I'm sitting around bored, sometimes I'll pick up a book, try out a math problem, write a poem or do a Sudoku puzzle. It almost seems like when I'm in school, I want it to be summer, and to have tons of free time. And when it is summer, and I'm bored, I want to have something to do, like I do when I'm in school. I guess what they say is right! People are never happy with what they have.

Life Lesson: Don’t waste one second of summer. Enjoy it to its fullest. Be happy with what you have, not what you want.

I commented on Lyndsey's blog this week!

R

R is for Rowena. Rowena is one of my best friends in the entire world. I have known her since I was four years old. Because we ride the bus together every day, we get to spend quite a lot of time together and we really know each other well. She is always there when I want to talk, and she never lets me down. Sure she's pretty quiet, but when Rowena does talk, it's either HILARIOUS, or definitely worth listening to. She can make me laugh when I'm close to tears, and she can give me great advice when I'm confused.

Rowena loves horses just as much as I do. Sometimes we end up seeing each other at competitions. Rowena even has a barn right at her house (which to me seems like heaven), so she spends a lot of time with horses, and knows A LOT about them. She is a great person to talk to when you have questions about horses or when you want to talk to someone who will understand what you are dealing with. She has a pretty crazy horse named Max, who she loves to death. Honestly, I have no idea how she stays on Max! He is very energetic and faster than the wind! Max is a bay, which means he is brown, with a black mane and tail. He has a white star, right on the middle of his forehead. He is so cute! (Not as cute as Mister T, but a close second!) Max and Rowena are a pretty funny pair. She can be quiet, responsible and mature, while he can be cheeky, spunky and spirited. Perhaps what they say is true: opposites do attract!

Rowena and I aren't opposites though. We have a lot in common (not just horses). We share a lot of the same interests, ideas and opinions. We can work well together because we have similar styles. Rowena and I both find the same things funny and when we start to laugh~warning~it can be dangerous! Remembering to breath can be a challenge. I really enjoy the time I spend with Rowena.

Life Lesson: Good friends help you navigate the long journey of life. Good friends are always there for you. Good friends never let you down. Have a good friend. Be a good friend.

As Walter Winchell once said, "A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

T

For all of my life, I have always wanted a horse. I started taking riding lessons when I was four years old, and have loved horses ever since. I never in a million years ever thought that I would get a horse of my own, but on June 25, 2008, my dream came true.

Mister T is a Welsh mountain pony cross. He is chestnut, which means he has a reddish brown coloured coat, mane and tail. He has four white socks, which means the bottom of his legs are white, and a white stripe on his face. He is 12.1 and 1/2 hands tall (1 hand is equal to 10 cm). The boundary line between a small and medium pony is 12.2 so Mister T is a small pony by just 2.5 cm! Because he is so close the boundary line, we are often pulled aside at shows to have him remeasured.

Mister T and I compete a lot. Because he is quite small, the only hunter competitions that we can enter have pretty small jumps (2.3 - 2.6 feet). (Hunter is based on how pretty you and your horse look while working together. You need to have a good position, and a fancy horse to do well in hunter.) Because we like to jump bigger than that in competitions, we tried entering jumper contests. (Jumper contests are a race against the clock, with bigger jumps than hunter.) The jumps were 3 feet, which is pretty big for a pony like Mr. T, but we did really well, and I really enjoyed it. We decided to continue doing both hunter and jumper shows. I had a great, but busy summer last year, finishing in second overall in jumper.

My pony has a lot of nicknames. Everyone in my barn has a different name for my pony. I usually call him Mister T, or just T. But here are some of the other names that people call him: T-Pony, T-Boy, Tea Time, Mister, Ponykins, T-T, or Shrunk In The Wash. (Shrunk In The Wash is his show name, or his official name, whereas Mister T is his barn name.)

I tell everyone that T is my pony, but that doesn't say enough about what he is to me. He is always there for me. He is always so happy to see me. When I'm sad, he cheers me up. When I'm stressed, he calms me down. He accepts me no matter what. He is like a best friend, or a brother. As Winston Churchill once said, "There is something about the outside of a horse, that is good for the inside of a man."

Life Lesson: Animals are there for you when humans are not. They listen when the world won't. They give you advice when the world is silent.

L

L is for Lily. In the novel that I am working on writing, there is a sweet seven year old girl named Lily, who is the sister to the main character, Sophie. Lily has medium length blonde hair, and clear, blue eyes. She is kind, cute, and best friends with the world. She loves life, and everyone in it. As soon as you meet her, she becomes your best friend. She loves animals, and often brings strays into the house, feeds them, and then takes them to her neighbour, who is a retired vet. The vet checks them over and helps Lily find new homes for each of them. Lily has a cat named Simba, who she pampers and loves.

I was inspired to create the character Lily from the book, The Hunger Games. In that book, there is a character named Prim, short for Primrose, who is the sister of the main character, Katniss. Katniss is very attached to Prim and will do anything to spare her from the hardships of life, just like Sophie would for Lily in my novel. She tries to put herself before Lily, and tries to spare Lily from the grief and anguish caused by her father's death.

One thing that I have learned from writing about Lily, is that life is always easier with a friend to help you along the way. I have also learned that when you do good things to others, they are willing to help you out when you are in need. I think that we can all learn a lot from Lily, and I hope that once you read this, you will be inspired to do something nice for someone else.