July 7th

Dear Journal,

I hope I’m doing this right. When I asked my mother what a journal was she said it was like a diary but it wasn’t a diary. But then she couldn’t finish because the phone rung and so she raced over and answered. Like, wow Mom. Thanks! That helps a lot.

Summer vacation has started. I’m truly, honestly sad. Well now isn’t that bizarre. You wait and wait and wait and wait for something, and then you feel sad.

So, Journal, since we’re going to be together for a while, my name is Beth. I’m 10, and I can’t quite solve the problem of who I am yet.

Today I went on a plane ride by myself. No mother, no father, no annoying siblings! I was going to my grandparents.

I was super scared. I got on the plane. It smelled like my little brother’s socks that he filled with stinky cheese and left to rot, then put it in my sock drawer. Remembering that, my stomach felt like a boiling pot of oatmeal. When climbing onto my assigned seat I held my breath. I couldn’t have done that forever. From holding my breath so long I had slumped into the seat and I was feeling dizzy.

“Are you okay, ma’am?” one of the helpers had said. Awakening to my senses I said that I was and took another gulp of air. At that point it smelled so bad that I remembered that I had “borrowed” some of Mother’s perfume for my visit, for my grandparents’ house smelled of bitter baby wipes.

After that, it was a pretty peaceful plane ride. I got off, hugged my grandparents, and you can pretty much imagine the rest.

Before I climbed into bed this night, I wrote in you.

Beth ♡

July 8th

Hiya Journal,

You won’t believe what happened today!!! Just listen. Or read. Or something.

Mother, Father, and all of my other siblings called. Mother and Father said I could stay an extra two days! And, I got this sparkly blue pen! I’m using it to write in you! Grandpa is grumpy. And he still wants to invent a cigarette out of cheese. I told him it would smell horrible in a couple of days. He just said “BAAAAHHHH!” The cheese had reminded me of my little brother, Dennis. He’s one of those — first he’s sharing his secret stash of candy with you, then he’s putting his stinky smell blue cheese socks in your drawer — kind of little brother. Yup!

Mom and Dad are your average lousy parents.

Meg, the oldest sister, is your bossy girly girl.

Today was probably the rainiest day yet. But hey, you know what that means! Grandma and Grandpa took me to see a movie.

It was a mix of action, adventure, and comedy.

There was this part where me and Grandpa burst out laughing. Then Grandma said we were a bunch of goofy howler monkeys.

When we had gotten home Grandma taught me how to knit. Before I had knew it, it was already 9:30. A.K.A. bed time!

Beth ♡

July 9th

Journal. Guess what.

Did I say yesterday was the rainiest day? Well, today is the rainiest day ever in the universe of universes.

(Gramps and Grandma didn’t let me see another movie.)

Signed, a very sad Beth.

July 10th

Journal!!!!!

The rain continues. :(

I’m making a sewing project. It’s, well, it’s GOING to be a picture of 3 sheep, 1 tannish and whitish, 1 white, 1 gray and black, and they’re all going to be in a meadow.

That’s what I worked on for most of the day.

At dinner, there was some gossip. Imagine this —

(a nice quiet family eating dinner.)

Gram = How was work today?

Gramps = BAAAAHH!!

Me = BAH? What kind of answer is…

(Gram had interrupted me.)

Gram = Uh oh.

Me = Uh oh? What?

Gram = What happened?

Gramps = Jack got fired.

Me = Jack? Who’s Jack? What’s…

(Gram interrupted.)

Gram = Why don’t you put your dishes away and get ready for bed. Then read until I tuck you in. Okay Beth?!!!

I did just that. When Grams came in and turned out the light I asked her who Jack was.

Gram said, “Just a friend of your grandpa he met at work. A really good friend.”

Beth ♡

July 11th

Journal! The rain stopped!

I woke up at 10:41am. Yup! I checked the clock. After that, I worked on my sheep picture. I learned cross stitching, rug hooking and even rug latching or whatever it’s called. I’ve been using that kind of really dense cross stitching. I didn’t see Grandpa today. When I asked Gram about that she didn’t hear me. Or at least she pretended to not hear me. Sigh. My wrist is starting to hurt…Geez, after you start writing for a while every night, you get sick of it really fast. Well, good night Journal.

Beth ♡

July 12th

Jornal,

It’s so hard to write, so sleepy. Tell you tomorrow.

Beth ♡

July 13th

Hey Journal!

Here, let me explain about yesterday. First I had pricked my finger on the needle for the sheep cross stitch. Then I was so tired from working on my sheep cross stitch that I took a nap.

Do you know one thing I didn’t tell you? Well, I’m so glad that Gram and Gramps live in the country and not the busy loud noisy city that I live in.

So, yesterday after I took a nap I played in the nice cool country. In other words, I went outside. My head had been up feeling the cool air but then I tripped on a root and fell into a little puddle of mud. It had smelled worse than the plane.

So I went to take a shower but the only soap they had was some baby soap that smelled like carrots, beans, and peppers. Which wasn’t that bad, but believe me, you don’t want to smell like that.

So, I went to bed.

Today, news = Well, I pretty much cross stitched my sheep. I’m  two thirds done!

I played outside. This time with my head down.

Beth ♡

July 14th

Dear Journal

I woke up to the sound of music. Opera. Blah. One day Meg had tricked me into going to an opera show thing.

That’s why, if you’re wondering, I hate opera.

Buckwheat pancakes were cooking in the kitchen. I could smell it. Gram was GF A.K.A. gluten free so we have buckwheat pancakes a lot.

Today I read a book about karma. I thought about that a lot.

There was a picture in the book that was a man sitting on the ground.

There was a ring of dominoes around him. Actually he was part of the ring. He had pushed one end of the ring.

Thought about that.

Beth ♡

July 15th

Journal,

Nothing spectacular happened today. My sheep project is coming out perfect. I have finished the meadow. I look on the back of the masterpiece. This is exactly what I saw.

Tangled knots, loose strings. Droopy cross stitches!??

Ma ma mia.

Beth ♡

July 16th

Hiya Journal,

I’m leaving to go home tomorrow. Gramps’ eyes were red when I saw him this morning. He suggested me and him to go for a walk together since this was going to be the last full day with him.

Sunlight had streaked through the leaves on the trees, making the world look like a greeny golden. I could hear leaves rustling. Twigs and sticks cracked as we stepped on them.

In the mud Gramps pointed out some deer tracks. I’m going to try to add some dialogue here.

Gramps = Jack was a…a good friend.

Me = A really good friend. Right?

Gramps = Yup.

Gramps = Yup. Yup Yup.

Me = Yes, you were.

(Gramps’ eyes were a bit watery now.)

Gramps = …yup.

(A long silence.)

(In a whisper) Gramps = Get down low.

Me = Why?!!!

Gramps = Shhhh!

I got down low through the golden green. A deer gracefully cautiously stepped one by one through a clearing and kept on walking until I couldn’t see it anymore.

We finished our walk. When I got home I lied down on my bed and thought what it would be like to be a deer.

Beth ♡

July 17th

Dear Journal,

At 8:30 AM I had to get up to get to the plane. It smelled fine. It was just that other plane that had smelled.

I stared out the window the whole time watching the country turn into the city. And wondered worryingly about Grandpa.

Beth♡