To that one man.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR.JOHN KEATS.

That was the first thought in my head this morning. And it was a good thought.

And today will be a good day.

•I curled my hair for John Keats.

•I’m going to watch xc Districts in my jeans.

•It’s John Keats’ Birthday.

•It’s only supposed to rain on AWARDS.

•I get to carry my red umbrella.

•It’s John Keats’ birthday.

•Trouser socks are in my drawer.

•CHOCOLATE MILK.

•It’s John Keats’ birthday.

•My voice is ready for some cheering.

•Did I mention it’s KEATS’ birthday?

•

•

I HEART HIM.

•

“I cannot see what flowers are at my feet…”

-Ode To A Nightingale.

“Point me out the way to any one particular beautous star, and I will flit into it…”

-HYPERION: A Fragment. BOOK III.

“…Like pearl beads dropping sudden from their string: and then another, then another strain…”

-HYPERION: A Fragment. Book II.

“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness…”

-ENDYMION: From BOOK I.

•

And that is why.

Now I’m off to a cup of tea and letters written by Mr.KEATS.

Love.

-Bella.dear

worn out copies of The Outsiders.

i went to an xc meet in men’s jeans and a tan peacoat yesterday. it was delightful. but O so cold. my fingers hurt the whole time. but my feet were toasty warm.

NOTE TO SELF:
WEAR KNITTED SOCKS TO
XC MEETS.
YOUR FEET WILL THANK YOU.

we stopped off at the GOODWILL, Nike Outlet, and COSTCO before we went home. i got myself a Banana Republic Italiano tie, a paper-back copy of The Outsiders (i want to wear my copy out, so i’m going to carry it everywhere), some new kicks to run in, and frozen yogurt. i was ecstatic when i found The Outsiders, but buying new running shoes…

it was like a piece of pie at 6 o’clock in the morning.

cupcakes.

dancing in the street.

sparkly, dangly earrings.

presents for the ones you LOVE.

Ria in DOLCE & GABBANA.

playing soccer in the cul-de-sac.

and valentines.

all that good stuff. getting new running shoes is right up there. seriously. it’s amazing. (i’ve been wearing them all day today.)

now i’m off to play pirates with Franny, Mr.Dante, and Miss Tandy.

love.

-Bella.dear

p.s. 20 days till John Keats’ birthday.

loved it.

•10 hours on a bus (in all).

•strawberry pop-tarts from a vending machine.

•falling in LOVE with the beach all over again.

•the taste of salt water is still in my mouth.

•lots of riddles.

•ultimate frisbee.

•a 3THREE-course challenge.

•i got to watch xc in my jeans♥.

•making a pair of snazzy chopsticks to wear in my hair.

•STARBUCKS® (iced coffee, no milk please.)

•Safe-uh-way.

•a mud pit….well, more like a mud pond.

•tapioca.

•waltzing through downtown SeaSide.

•blackberry picking.

•and this lovely little piece dropping into my head as i ran through the waves.

………………………………………………………………………..

she’d never been. to the ocean that is. she was a small-town girl. the epitome of a small-town girl. she had blonde hair that she piled on top of her head carelessly. a few strands spilled out over her brow, brushing her blue eyes. salty air bit at her lips. her cheeks were a flushed pink. she bunched up her white dress and knotted it at her hip. her small hands shook with excitement as she cupped sand and ran it through her fingers. she was nervous.

he laughed at her and rolled his pants up past his ankles. he’d been to the beach hundreds of times. he practically lived there. his house was only three blocks from the pier. he’d grown up with sand in his toes and salt in his hair and oyester shells in his hands. he pushed his shirtsleeves up to his elbows and ran his hands through his curly, maple coloured hair. he laughed at her again. she seemed almost frightened as the waves crashed down again and again. her feet were planted firmly in the sand. 20 yards from the ocean. 20 yards from a 5 year old dream. 20 yards, and she was scared half to death.

he took her small hand in his big one. “do you want to go in?” she looked at him. “yes.” she said. but she said it hesitantly. he swept her up into his arms. she wrapped her arms around his neck. “you’re going to love it.” he whispered in her ear. and she knew she would. she closed her eyes up until the moment she could feel the water snapping at her toes. she looked down. he was in up past his knees. she held him tighter. “don’t put me down.” she said. he laughed for the third time. he was always laughing at her. but he didn’t put her down. he didn’t want to. he’d waited 5 years for this moment too. and then she couldn’t wait any longer. she wasn’t frightened anymore. she slipped out of his arms and into the sea. it was cold. she loved it. just the way he’d told her she would.

she was content just to stand there and hold his hand. but he was jealous. jealous of the way the waves got to kiss her feet. he wanted to kiss her lips. so he did. and she kissed him back. and he laughed at her. and she loved it.

……………………………………………………………

(it’s been a lovely weekend.)

love.

-Bella

xoxox

the beach

tomorrow i get to go to the beach.

i am so excited i think i might faint.

i ♥ the beach.

we’re headed off on our annual SEASIDE xc trip. over 7 hours on a bus. lots of good food. plenty of salty air. pyramids on the sand. a three-course challenge. over 700 xc runners. 1 amazing mud-pit.

(i ♥ the mud-pit.)

a marching band. OCEAN. walking through downtown SEASIDE. ice-cream. and all the rest of that jazz.

here’s a taste of last year’s mud-pit:

what’s not to LOVE?

i’ll be sure to post some new photographs that i snap at the mud-pit this year.

—————————————————

we gave Daryel a little present and bunch of balloons for his birthday yesterday. funniest thing ever. he clipped the balloons to the back of his shirt and practiced soccer like that. it made me laugh. i can’t really think of anyone else but Daryel who would run around with a bunch of balloons trailing behind him while passing a soccer ball back and forth. Miss Tandy and i were glad he liked it. his exact words, “You’ve made me the happiest man alive!”

——————————————

i suppose i’ll go work on some little stories i have going. i’m actually really inspired right now.

(i wish i could bring my typewriter on the bus.)

love.

-Bella.dear

James and soccer.

yesterday was the 1st! xc meet of the season. it was amazing. to just go and sit and watch in {my little green dress} and jeans. so amazing. i loved it. i fell completely head over heels for it. running in xc is grand, but watching xc…..a.m.a.z.i.n.g. i ♥ xc. but you already knew that…

after the meet we stopped for some food at Lamb’s THRIFTWAY. 3 Arizona® Tea drinks, 1 half-gallon of mint chocolate chip ice-cream, and a cashier who was a notorious flirt. his name was James. he asked me if i needed help taking my 4 items out to my “car.” what a surprise he would have gotten if he helped me out to my BUS. i think i would of laughed to see his face. but i tried to sweetly decline his offer so as not to embarrass him. but the look on his face when Miss Tandy and Lala mia walked up…priceless. i think that’s what someone looks like when they won the lottery. so last night, James the cashier won the lottery. for about 5 minutes. till we walked out the door.

today we played some indoor soccer practice on the tennis courts. smashing. i love indoor soccer. i scored a goal. which didn’t really feel like a real goal, but hey, it works. my team dominated. we won the championship–never lost a game. but i had the coach on my team. not.very.fair. but still smashing.

now Gracie is on. Lala mia is getting all excited about soccer. she just had to watch Gracie. i have this feeling from what Miss Tandy is saying that we’re going to be spending a lot of time over in the cul-de-sac kicking empty bottles over. i think i might like that.

love.

-Bella.dear

and the Senator came to town…

town meeting with a Senator today. at 11:30. i cannot wait. but i think the sweater i’m wearing makes me look like a little girl. BOTHER. maybe i should change it. should you look older when you go to a town meeting?

(i shall get some splendid writing bits from this. juicy stuff to be sure.)

love.

-Bella.dear

p.s. i passed my online coaches test for xc. i am so happy.

for the love of the sport…

i’m taking what seems to be a 5 hour test on coaching just so i can be a volunteer for xc. it will be worth it. i’m sure. anything is worth it for cross country. gotta’ ♥ xc.

{i’m wearing a Hawaiian dress.}

and i would kill for some Mary Jane flats right about now. (just to wear during this test….)

love.

-Bella.dear

.xc and orchards and IKEA.

i miss certain things today.

i miss MISS KIRSTIE RAE. and the way she can drink more than one pot of tea by herself. i miss how she and Stephanie talk together-just like they know what the other is going to say. i miss her adorable little house. i miss her adorable little room. i miss her love for San Pellegrino. and Dickens. and letters. i miss the way she woke up early to milk the goats (she is the BEST goat-milker i.n.e.v.e.r.). i miss her O so much. i just do.

i miss TOMATOES. i haven’t had tomatoes in forever. and i know it sounds silly, but i ♥ tomatoes. i miss them.

i miss the WINTER. the snow. the cold. the wearing tights and sweaters and coats. putting on argle socks. shuffling around in boots and slippers. bundling up in plaid scarves. blowing on cold fingers. actually having cold feet. i want that so badly. i’m tired of the heat. tired of hot feet.

i want certain things today.

i want to write in my NOVEL. i want to feel the words roll off my tongue and laugh at what i say. i want to smile because i like it. i want to feel like i accomplished something good by reading what i write.

i want to eat another of Lala mia’s DOUBLE CHOCOLATE WHITE CHOCOLATE CINNAMON COOKIES. no explanation needed.

i want to finish CECILY. i’m almost done. 50 pages left exactly.

i want the XC SEASON to start. i want to go to the first meet. in my jeans. and take pictures. and cheer. and bring cookies. and watch everyone run.run.run.run. i want to smile at all the runners with their hearts pounding in their chests so hard they think they might fall out into the dirt and they woud just run right over them.. i want to hear the noise. i want to watch the top 5 walk up to awards and humbly take their little ribbons and medals while the rest of the kids scream and clap away. i want that.

i want to make Miss Tandy a LITERATURE LIST for school. i get to be the lit teacher this year. if only the students would actually read the works on the list….Romeo and Juliet isn’t that long…

i love certain things today.

i love I ♥ NY shirts. and i don’t even have one. i think i need to get one. that, or make myself an I ♥ IKEA shirt (and i’ve never even been to IKEA…).

i love CHERRY TREE ORCHARDS. i decided yesterday that i will be a writer with a cherry tree orchard. i will sit in my cherry trees and write away. or on my front porch overlooking the orchard typing. i would stroll through it everyday in my J.Crew rainboots. i would pick basketfuls of cherries. i would love living with a cherry tree orchard. and i don’t even really like cherries.

i love the STARS. my Popi taught me how to find the North Star last night. and Orion. and the Big Dipper. and this W. it was marvelous. absolutely marvelous i tell you.

i love JET PUFF today. i love it when we buy it in bulk and i can eat it by the spoonful…now go eat some yourself.

love.

-Bella.dear