2019 Update

I'm still alive...it has been awhile though. I am never good at doing things regularly, as is clearly obvious. Nearly 2 years since I posted last...oops. 😔

Anyways, I shall tell you some stuff I have been up to.

I went to Melbourne for a homeschool conference last week. Ten hours of solid driving with a stop to go swimming (in which I didn't pack a swim shirt and went swimming in my dress ;P). It is so much greener down in Vic. It was nice, cooler than here. I got to catch up with two of my best friends, I hadn't seen in a WHOLE year. I have actually only seen them 20 days in 4 years...doesn't feel that short. But we had a great week. 😄😊

My sister is having a baby in April👶. I am so excited to meet my tenth nephew/niece!💖 I love babies.

I went to a SYO (Sydney Youth Orchestra) summer school in Sydney for a week. It was an intense musical experience.🎵🎻 But I enjoyed the challenges.
And I am doing a bookkeeping course (in book form). So much maths and crunching of numbers😵 I guess it is good for my brain...(calculators are amazing inventions.😉)

I shall endeavor to post once a month. (but I can't make any promises).

Till next time, my good fellows😎

Rose

A June Post

     Ello!!! 

It's the end of June already. Seriously? And *sheepish grins* I haven't even managed a post till now. Which I couldn't have left any later, because then it would July. I totally couldn't miss a month, could I? So because my life is downright crazy and I'm not very organized, I don't have a story instalment. But I thought you might like to know that I am still alive and all that. Also I might rethink Friday posting ( which I have been trying to stick too. ) It is my catch up school day and at the moment I really need it. And my story has hit a road block so   I need a lot of time to tackle it too.

      Moving on, what has kept me mostly from my blogging? One word... Eisteddfod. So last week was the eisteddfod and I needed a whole week to debrief from it. How'd it go? Mostly good. Music was soooo much better than I thought it would be and I was pleasantly surprised at how I went. I got a second and a third. I've been told ( and totally agree with ) that that score is nothing to sneeze at, because the people who beat me have had hundreds of hours of music lessons, whereas I have very much not. But I'm very happy with my improvement and deeply grateful for the lessons I have this year. Plus it was fun. :P Speech and drama, I got a first and two thirds. My first was for impromptu mime, which completely shocked me. I didn't think it would go so well, but apparently I kept it simple and didn't stray from the main idea. ( Dentist's patient :D ) Third for sacred and Australian poetry.

     This is also my first blog post without braces!! Very exciting! :D Now I just have to wear a retainer for three weeks straight ( except for eating ). So I have a bit of a lisp now. :P

      Also second week of holidays I'm going as a assistant leader for a Christian camp. It is mainly aimed at sharing the gospel with primary aged kids who wouldn't normally get a chance to hear it. So I would greatly appreciate prayer for that. I've never done anything like it before. I get to teach part of a memory verse and sing among other things. :)

Thank you for listening to my ramblings, I really appreciate it! :D ♥

See ya in July. ;P

Antonella Rose.

The Belated Instalment and General Post Stuff

I realize it's been nearly a month since my last post. That's a bit scary actually, where is the time going? I took a sick day yesterday, and being home-schooled you have to be nearly dying before you get sick days. ( just joking :P ) And now my ear hurts. Let's hope it doesn't burst, because that would be uncool. And here is the instalment before you all die in suspense as to whom the kidnappers are. ( option two one )

Quick as lightning a sack was thrown over my head and a strange perfume filled my nose. Within minutes I had drifted off to sleep due to the drug.

 I was cold and my head hurt. Upon opening my eyes I discovered it was still dark. I blinked trying to get my bearings and realised I was still in a sack lying on very cold and hard ground. I attempted to remove the sack finding, to my surprise, that my hands were tied behind my back. 

Not good. Friendly people don’t dump you in sacks on the ground and tied hands behind backs.

Now I was in trouble.

But I didn’t have to wait long to find out what kind of trouble I’d gotten into. The sack was abruptly pulled off. I squinted in the dazzling light. A shadow fell across my face. A really big shadow. I slowly raised my eyes upward my heart thumping in my chest. And then my eyes focused on the dwarfish figure of Iggy.

“Good morning, lassie.” He grinned down at me. “Isn’t it a lovely morning?”

“You!” I gasped. I opened and closed my mouth in shock. Whatever I had expected it was certainly not this. As I had this thought I anxiously wondered if Hínnior had anything to do with it. I had liked the short, old man.

“Me indeed!” Iggy cackled. Or tried to. Half way through he broke out into a coughing fit.

“Mas’er, are you alrigh’?” Izor said as he ambled up with concern evident in his voice. Funny how I hadn’t noticed him before. Hard not to notice an eight foot giant, one would think.

“Fine, fine. I’ll be okay,” Iggy croaked to his faithful manservant. It, however, did little to reassure Izor.

“What do you want with me, shorty?” I asked.

“I highly recommend you don’t call me shorty. Remember you’re the one tied up on the ground,” He said this in a dark voice which Izor visibly cringed at. If he was cringing maybe I should be afraid too. “As to why you are here, I want to know something.”

“What?” I inquired cautiously. After all I’m sure people don’t go to such great lengths as kidnapping just to ask you when your birthday is. But I was also pretty sure I had nothing of that much interest to tell Iggy.  

He didn’t seem to agree.

“Last night,” he murmured, almost to himself, “last night how’d you do it?”

Now I was thoroughly confused. “Do what exactly?”

“Don’t play stupid with me!” he shouted, “You know precisely what I mean.” I stayed silent not wanting to agitate him more which was actually harder said than done. He took a deep breath and started talking to me like I was three, “I’m sure you haven’t forgotten already, but to recap last night you were chased by the Hélior hares, were you not?”

“Umm, yes.” I warily affirmed. I still had no clue where this was going.

“So how come you’re still alive? Nobody survives the Hélior hares. Not unless they have strong magic. So what magic did you use? I command you to divulge your secrets right now!” Iggy, red in the face, was breathing heavily now. I sensed it would get rather ugly if I wasn’t careful, but I didn’t quite know how to let him down gently, so I decided to put it simply. Hopefully he would accept the truth, and not explode.

“Ahh, well, actually I didn’t use any magic at all.”

“None at all?” he stared at me in disbelief.

“Nope.”

“Then how?” He demanded.

“With a stick,” I answered, but hurriedly add when he glared, “a big stick and I hit it against a tree and snapped its neck.”

He continued staring at me intently. Finally his eyes narrowed and he snarled, “I don’t believe you! Fancy killing a Hélior hare with a stick! No one escapes them without magic. I see we are going to have to do this the hard way. Izor, search her!” He delivered this command curtly to Izor, who had been watching the proceedings quietly. He started as if someone had hit him with a stick.

“Bu’,Mas’er, I couldn’  possibly!” He protested loudly.

“You can and you will!!” shouted Iggy spitting saliva in his rage.

“Honestly, Izor, are you going to let a tiny man who comes up to your kneecap boss you around?” I asked exasperated at his cowardliness. Obviously the thought had never crossed his mind. You could tell by the furious concentration now clouding his brow.

“Izor, listen to me!! I am your master. Do as I say!” Iggy was hopping up and down in his rage now. Izor seemed to come to a decision after this outburst. “

“Mas’er, can do i’ if he wan’ i’ done so badly!” he countered defiantly. Good for you, Izor, I thought. Iggy definitely did not agree. His face turned scarlet and he started frothing at the mouth. It took him several minutes to recover from his speechless rage.

“You are a disgrace to your kind!!” he spat, “You will regret this.” Izor, to his credit, didn’t even flinch. When Iggy saw that he wasn’t going to back down his eyes hardened.

“I will do it myself then. And you,” he turned his attention to me again, “you will regret the moment you opened your mouth when I am finished with you.” He started toward me with a malicious glint in his eyes. Suddenly a whistle echoed through the clearing.

1. Iggy spun around just as Izor came charging across toward him. He swatted the little man like a fly and he went flying into some bushes. Izor and I waited breathlessly waiting for him to reappear.

But he didn’t.

2. Preston shot up from behind a wall of brambles and released an arrow. It sped through the air hissing as it went and ended in a thunk as it hit Iggy in one of his legs. I saw Preston drawing back for another shot presumably this time at Izor. I shouted out, “Preston, no! The big one’s a friend!” He released.

I didn’t know if he’d heard me.

3. Two cloaked figures seemed to materialize into the middle of the clearing. One raised its arm and pointed in our direction. A blur of fur bolted, heading straight for us. I squeaked in fright as it leaped upon me.

Okay. I really struggled writing this one for some reason. Probably why it took me so long, I guess. 

Tomorrow I'm going to a Sydney Youth Orchestra intro workshoppie thing. I'm supposed to play first violin, but I'm not entirely sure I can do it. But we'll see how we go. And I'm playing two songs in our local eisteddfod. And some other songs with our orchestra for the eisteddfod too. So my musical life will be hard work this term. How is your music coming along?

Now, I have to go. 

See ya'll later!

Antonella Rose 

Poppy is Back!!!

   Well hello again. :P Poppy is back today. She may get slightly concussed. But at least she's still alive. I felt slightly dramatic writing the fire scene, but hey I like how it turned out I hope you do too. Option 1 won. ( it was a close thing ;P ) 
(By the way, I forgot to mention last instalment option 2 won because one of my sisters broke the tie for me.) And here it is,

   I awoke to find myself back at home outside the fringes of the woods. But something was wrong. Very wrong. I smelt the air and shivers shot up my spine as I smelt the unforgettable scent of wood smoke. I spun around to see a sight that sunk my heart to the very tips of my toes. My beloved home was burning. My thoughts jumped immediately to the rest of my family. With a cry I began to run toward the swirling mass. I charged in through the front door which was hanging crookedly from its burning door frame. The smoke stung my eyes, and for a horrible moment I could see anything. With sobs tearing my throat, I wiped away the tears and swept the kitchen with a burning glance.

Nothing.

I could feel the heat burning fiercer every breath and hear the creaking of the roof beams as they neared collapsing point. I ran through to the bedrooms scanning each hurriedly for any sign of them.

Nothing.

My heart felt like tearing in two and tears blurred my vision once again. But the creaking beams were louder now and I knew I only had seconds to get out before the house collapsed. I spun around and charged back the way I’d come. As I entered the doorway to the kitchen I heard the bedrooms’ roofs come crashing down. I felt the glowing sparks as they burned through the clothes on my back. I tried to increase the pace to get out before I was buried alive in burning embers, only I couldn’t. The smoke was making me dizzy and tired. I crashed into a chair and stumbled losing precious seconds. I ran over the flaming door which had fallen over, and nearly made it to the end of the porch before the whole thing collapsed.

Nearly.

The porch roof caught the back of my head as I jumped off. I sprawled on the mercifully cool ground, the world spinning round and round. I felt groggy and stupid. All I wanted to do was lay my head down and sleep. But there was something I had to do first. What was it again? I was sure it was something to do with the family. Maybe I would remember in the morning. My head inched closer to the ground, but a thin tendril of thought was harassing me. Why wouldn’t it let me sleep? Slowly through the thick fog a path cleared until I saw the faces of my beloved family. I had to find them! I tried to crawl forward, panic rising in my heart. But I only managed a few feet. I couldn’t go any further. I felt like my body was letting me down. My family needed me!! I needed to save them. Through the confusing fog of panic a little voice whispered,

“What if they don’t? What if they got away already?”

Now I felt even more confused, but then I remembered I hadn’t seen any bodies in the house. Surely that meant they had gotten away? I didn’t know for sure, but it made me feel slightly better. Enough for my aching head to take advantage of. The dark edges of unconsciousness crept through and eventually everything faded from view.

The sunlight tickled my eyelids, and I groaned as I tried to open them. My head felt thick and heavy. I rolled over onto my back, the movement setting my head throbbing. I groaned again as I raised myself to a sitting position. The sight before me brought tears to my eyes. There the only home I had ever known lay reduced to a smouldering pile of timber. I blinked away the tears and tried to focus. If Mamma, Poppa, and Preston hadn’t been in the house then they must have left before I got there.

Which means there should be tracks.

I scrabbled to my feet, ignoring the pain that shot through my neck and head. I ran to the place where the front door used to be and scanned the area. My keen hunter’s tracking eye saw three hurried sets of foot prints going in and out of the house. Probably when they realised I was missing. After a few minutes I was able to concluded they had left the house before it had started to burn.

And the foot prints led into the woods.

New fears shot through my mind. What if they had been attacked by the Hélior hares? I’m pretty sure Poppa and Preston could take on a dozen easily, but what if there were more? A lot more?

Perhaps they had left me a clue?

I ran to the edge of the blackened circle and peered all around. A note would have been destroyed, and what other kind of clue could they leave? But my mind was clutching at straws and I looked a second time. Was that something sparkling in the early morning sunshine over there, or were my eyes playing tricks on me? I scrambled over the charred beams and slipped in my haste, burning my foot on the hot embers still hot under the thin layer of ashes. I proceeded with more caution, prepping myself for a disappointment. After all nothing could survive a fire like that.

Could it?

I was wrong. Again.

I grabbed a stick and poked around the shining object. I cleared the ashes from its surface so I could see it clearly. I started in surprise as I saw it was a gem of some kind. But I know we never had such a one in the house. It was dark, dark blue nearly black, and scattered with shining pinpoints of light that seemed to dance and sparkled. Different colours swirled before my eyes strangely calming and beautiful. I touched it cautiously, but to my surprise it was felt cold. Which was weird since it had practically been cooking in its little pile of embers. I picked it up and felt its smooth surface. I tucked it into my pocket and made my way back to the safe ground. Where had it come from? I was thinking furiously upon this and what my next course of action should be, when I heard a stick crack.

1. I spun around and gasped. There stood my family, scratched and bleeding, but alive! But they were looking at me strangely. What was wrong with them

2. Quick as lightning a sack was thrown over my head and a strange perfume filled my nose. Within minutes I was drifting off to sleep due to the drug.

3. I slowly turned and saw to my horror a hare nibbling the sweet grass just outside the woods. It glanced up and froze, its nose twitching a million miles an hour as it saw me. It slowly advanced towards me.

Well, what do you think? Sorry the options weren't a little more thrilling but it's late.

We going to a community rally tomorrow. My family is going to be singing an item. And there will be lots of people. I'm not good at talking to people I don't know. I do find it easier to talk to younger strangers than ones my age, but hopefully I can make some new friends.

The computer is all fixed and so here is my header thing. I wish to thank Jane oh so very much for making it for me. You're the best!!! And I think it's beautiful. :P

Anyways, my bed is calling me. Good-night!

Antonella Rose 

Broken Computer

   So our computer is broken. Yep, broken. So I can't do much since I can only use Mum's IPad. If I was more organised I could have written the next instalment on this, but I only thought about it today. My apologises. 

    Instead I'll write quickly about a concert I did on Wednesday. My music teacher puts on a concert every term, and this term I played a song on my violin. The theme of the concert was courage. You were supposed to play something that wasn't too easy. I played Concerto in la minore by Alberto Curci. It was four pages long and a felt a little bit too long, but I think it was alright. I was nervous at the beginning and you could tell because my playing sounded shaky. But after a few bars I was better.   My teacher accompanied me. It was only the second time I'd played the song to the piano. People said it was good so I'll take their words for it.

   In farewell I'll tell you some good news. I'm getting my braces off in June!!! Okay that is still quite a way off, but I'm still excited about it. It'll be weird not having them anymore. I have had them for two years and three months. That seems like a really long time when you write it down.

   Anyway, see ya!!

   Antonella Rose

The Forgotten Magic

  Look at that, we have a title for this novel now. :) This makes me happy :P

I hope that you enjoy this third part. I'll be very grieved if you can't pronounce the names, and I hope you'll forgive me if that be the case.

 Here it be :D

“I don’t know, but they’re gonna get it. How dare they bash my door down… or try to anyway.”

He started hobbling toward the door with an indignant cry. I stared in surprise.

   “No offence or anything but what exactly are you going to do?” I asked.

The door creaked ominously, but still held. I was unsure how it had managed to stay in one piece so far. Whatever was on the other side was pretty determined though.

  “I’m goin’ to give them a piece of my mind, and a lecture on other people’s property.” He declared still steaming with anger.

  “And just how are you going to do that?” I asked not a little sceptical. Ok, the man could turn himself into a cat, but I couldn’t see that coming in handy. He turned and smiled saying mysteriously,

“Oh, I have my ways.” He winked at me and turned back to the door. I looked around and saw the table. I crawled under it grabbing the fireplace poker as a weapon on my way. Whatever was behind that door sounded big and I wanted to be able to defend myself. Hínnior grasped the door handle and tugged it viciously. The door opened with a spooky creak, and revealed…

A giant.

Like I mean a real giant. It was easily eight feet tall, and probably weighed five hundred pounds. My heart leaped into my mouth, and I gripped my poker till my knuckles were white. To my surprise Hínnior didn’t seem the least bit perturbed by the sight of the thing. I gaped as a little man stepped out from behind the giant. He was up to the giant’s knee. He was a dwarf by human standards, but next to the giant he was miniscule. Hínnior opened his mouth to speak, but the little man beat him to it.

“Honestly, Izor, I asked you to knock not break the door down.” He said with a frown. The giant lowered his head and scuffed the ground with his giant toe.

“I’m sorry, Mas’er.” Izor whimpered with a lisp. “I did no’ mean to. Some’imes my s’rength does me no good.” He sniffed and sighed. It was bizarre. Here was Izor, eight feet tall, reduced to a sniffling, cowered servant by a man who came up to his kneecap.

“I’m terribly sorry, Hínnior. Izor doesn’t know his limits yet.” The little man apologized.

“Oh, that is alright, Iggy. The door will hold more of Izor’s knocking any day.” Hínnior boasted.

“Still as proud as ever over that door,” grinned Iggy. Through this conversation I still hadn’t moved from my shelter under the table. Now at Hínnior’s invitation, the duo moved inside. Iggy immediately noticed me hiding.

“I see you’ve got a new pet, my friend,” he said boring his jet black eyes into mine. Despite my misgivings about this dwarf man my blood boiled at the mention of me being a pet. It did make me wonder if Hínnior kept humans as pets, but only briefly. I scrabbled out from under the table and drew myself up to my full height. Even so I only came up to Izor’s waist.

“I am most certainly not a pet!” I said indignantly my eyes blazing. Somehow this was funny to both Hínnior and Izor who both burst into loud laughter. Iggy only let a ghost of a smile touch his features.

“Oh, leave her be, Iggy. I found her here when I came home. She was taking refuge from the hares.” Hínnior explained.

“What kind of a name is Iggy anyway? Sounds a bit childish,” I said just a little smugly. I was convinced I’d found a way to get back at the man for calling me a pet.

I was right.

Iggy turned red and steam could have been coming out of his ears, although I could have been imagining that part. Obviously I’d hit a tender issue with the little man.

Fortunately for both parties, Hínnior interrupted before Iggy exploded.  

“Now, now, no need to get our arms in a twist. I’ll have no fighting in my house. But what are you we going to do about you, lassie. You can’t stay here.” Hínnior said thoughtfully.

“I definitely need to get back home.” I said suddenly worrying about how Poppa, Mamma, and Preston were faring since I hadn’t come home. I certainly didn’t want them out in the woods with those hares around looking for me.

“Well, we could point her the way and shove her outside,” suggested Iggy grinning with delight.

“I refuse to budge a step out of this hut with those crazed things out there.” I said coldly.

“No, I don’t think we’ll send her out there, Iggy.” Hínnior said glaring at Iggy.

“Oh, well, it was worth a try,” whispered Iggy none to quietly to Izor. That sent Izor laughing again.

“I think it be best if you sleep here tonight and we’ll send you on your way tomorrow.” Hínnior concluded. I agreed with a nod though I was pretty sure I would sleep a wink tonight with these weird people around. I settled in the corner on a pile of fur coats. Despite my intentions to stay awake and listen to their conversation, I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. Running form hares will do that I suppose.

I was sleeping sweetly when a sudden shriek pierced my consciousness. 

1. I awoke to find myself back at home outside the fringes of the woods. But something was wrong. Very wrong. I smelt the air and shivers shot up my spine as I smelt the unforgettable scent of wood smoke. I spun around to see a sight that sunk my heart to the very tips of my toes. My beloved home was burning. My thoughts jumped immediately to the rest of my family. With a cry I began to run toward the swirling mass.  

2. I jumped to my feet and grabbed my poker. I looked frantically around for Hínnior and the others, but the hut was empty. Panic filled my heart as I ran to the door, and swung it open to reveal a terrible sight.

3. My eyelids shot open. I sat up cautiously my hand groping in the darkness for my poker. My hand closed over it and I pulled it closer. I looked around and was surprised to see the others fast asleep still. Seriously? I pulled off the blankets and tiptoed over to the figure I though was Hínnior. I was about to shake him awake when I noticed something odd. I peered closer and saw that this man was clean shaven. My heart leaped and I slowly back away. That man couldn’t be Hínnior and he was too small to be Izor, and too large to be Iggy.

“Where am I?” I thought horrified.

Right before I backed into a chair. 

Voila! I hope that makes you happy. 

We're going golfing tomorrow. I've never been before so hopefully I'll manage. :P My brother likes to go, and so does one of my friends. She will be there tomorrow so that will be helpful. That is if it isn't cancelled due to the rain. We're getting quite a bit of it but I don't mind too much. It's rather nice. Which is a good thing I guess since we'll be getting more. 

I must say adieu now. Sorry for the shortness of this, but duty calls.

Arrivederci!

Antonella Rose 

Can't Think of a Post Title

   As the title suggests I can't think of a title. Does anyone else do that? It's because I don't really stick to one topic when I blog, I suppose. I've had a pretty boring week to top it off. Right at this instant I think only Wednesday was eventful. ( it usually is :P ) We went to a Spirit of Anzac thingie. It was very cool. They gave you head phones and a Iphone which automatically played tracts which explained the different exhibits. You could collect items on the Iphone too. I got forty-two which wasn't too bad, but I probably missed some, because I was rushed through the last few. I was just reading/ listening at the same time which, by the way, is a little bit tricky. And so I got left behind the group. Apparently they waited half an hour on the other end for me and my sister. But I like to take my time and read the plaques. Anyways that was lots of fun.
   Now, I'm trying to think of a title for this story, but I'm not having much luck. The Secret Stone of Shimmering Something. You get the picture? That's what I'm coming up with. I often think the title is the hardest part of story writing. Well, I have till next week to think of something.
   I'm currently reading the fifth Brotherband book. I kinda zoomed through book four so I'm not entirely sure how much I retained, but hey I enjoyed it. Any of you reading something exciting at the moment? Flipping from one side of the coin to the other, Writing. I am currently struggling to write a short story for schoolwork. It's called Serving with a Smile, and it has to have three incidents building to a climax in just 500-800 words ( I believe it is somewhere around that ). How do you do that exactly? I think I've discovered I don't do well when I have to plan out a story and then write it. (Especially such a short one. I like longer stories.) Which was why I thought a choose-your-own adventure story would suit, because I can't really control the story-line. I like to just jump in and go with the flow, I guess. Not sure if that's a good thing.
    Wrapping up with a question, Do you find my blog enjoyable/interesting? I feel like I just ramble on about my life and go into too much detail.
     Anyways, good-night. :D
          Antonella Rose