Music has been played in Walkerton.

And it was played well, I might add.

We got there and my stomach was doing somersaults inside me.

Linda and Mom went out to the car to get something, and I huddled with Critter.

'People everywhere...'

Mom and Linda got back, and we went to the main room. We found a bench, and sat down.

Critter had to go and sit in the very front, on the right. On the left there was a piano.

My leg was bouncing like crazy. My heart was pounding, I was so nervous.

Finally Critter was called to play. My heart jumped for him. I chewed my lip as he announced his piece.

There.

Christopher is done!!

One by one the others went.

The judicature was so nice. I felt more relaxed while he was judging them. He made everyone laugh.

He said some of the kids had hands like brooms, when you want to have your hand like a mop.

He said, if you break a window, you can't fix it. When you miss a note, don't go back.

Finally he was giving the third place paper, the second..and....

Christopher got FIRST!

I was so happy!

He came back and sat down. One minute later, my class was up.

Bam. My calmness was gone. My heart pounded again.

I sat in the number five place, even though I was number four, because someone didn't show.

A girl named Lisa sat on my right, and a girl named Emily sat on my left.

The first person was up.

Then the second.

Then Emily.

She came and sat down again, and I thought, 'That was a cool song.'

I gasped silently as I realized, I am next.

I stared at the woman who would tell me it was my turn.

'Oop, I'm staring..' I thought, and looked in front of me.

Slowly, I turned my eyes back to her.

She saw me staring.

I quickly looked at the ground.

I once again looked at her.

She saw.

I pretended I didn't stare.

I looked at my hands, and looked at my feet, and..I looked at the woman.

"Okay Tiana."

My heart jumped into my mouth. It was my turn.

I got up, and walked to the stage.

"I'm going to play the Sonatina in G-major by Beethoven, the second Movement."

My hands were shaking as I sat down.

Breathe in and breathe out.

And I began to play.

Going good so far..

OH NO! Missed that note. Don't stop though.

Uh oh. I slowed down way to much there.. no.. no.. no.. But I can't stop.

Yeah! I got that part right!

And....done.

Get up.

Go bow.

Sit down.

Emily whispered "Good job."

I whispered "Thanks, and I liked that song you played. I thought it was cool."

Wait.

Lisa's turn.

She's done.

Wait some more.

And the judicature came up.

He said again that we had to have loose hands.

He said to some that you shouldn't play forte too loud. But it depends on the song. He told me I shouldn't slow down too soon. I was kicking myself because I knew I did slow down.

Then, just like before, he started with third place.

I can't remember who got what.

Second place.

I held my breath...

FIRST PLACE!

My smile was hard to contain as I walked back to Mom.

Then Mom got pictures with us and the judicature, and we left for Linda's recital.

We got there and sat down, Critter and I feeling a lot more relived.

I was still nervous for Linda though.

After two people had gone, Linda's class was up.

Linda was the second person to go.

She walked up and announced her piece and sat down at the brand new grand piano and played.

There.

She was done.

She didn't mess up.

The others went, and then the judicature came.

He talked to everyone.

Then, he gave the third place away.

It wasn't Linda.

Second away.

Not Linda.

Hold your breath...

LINDA GOT FIRST PLACE!

She got her picture taken with her judicature, and then we left.

We got pickles before we went home because we were hungry.

We had three pickles each. Yammay.

Then we stopped at Mrs. Lear's.

We made her guess our scores, then we showed her.

She was quite happy with us.

And, after getting pictures with her, we left for home.

Well,

that was what happened in Walkerton.

That's a lot of stress off.

But then, I still have a recital to go to, and then an exam. *Siiiiigh.*

It's happened...

This morning the old, rotten, grub-filled tree has been brought down.

I can see the field!!

We got up this morning to move things out of the way for a truck. Sifto was out, and so was Hunny. The truck rolled into view, so we popped Hunny in the house. Sifto was by the tree in question.

I got the chicken's eggs as the truck backed up toward the tree. It was red, and quite big. It had a 'cherry picker', which is the basket that lifted them up.

I put the eggs in the fridge, and Elena and I ran to our room where we got the full view. The two men were lifted up. They started with the branches on the bottom, which were small. Slowly they worked their way up the tree.

All the while Elena and I were giggling with each other as the third branch fell.

"Well, there goes Sifto's first life."

I counted the seconds it took for the branches to fall. Some were only two, some three. I don't think it took longer than that.

I liked when the bigger branches fell. It was cooler to see.

Another branch, and another.

"Tee hee hee... Sifto was just about to get out too.."

Soon it was a naked tree. No branches, nothin'. It looked very sad.

Mr. Chainsaw-Man began working on the trunk.

He got one chunk off, then was working on another. He stopped a moment, and pushed the top. The whole tree shook.

Mr. Chainsaw-Man turned to Mr. Chopper-Man and said something. Mr.Chopper-Man nodded and then grabbed a rope.

"Hey! They're practicing their lassoing!" I said happily.

Mr. Chainsaw-Man and the other got slowly to the ground. They tied the cable onto the truck.

Mr.Chopper-Man went into the truck, and Mr.Chainsaw-Man went to the tree. He began sawing the tree. He cut a small chunk out of it. Mr.Chopper-Man inched a little forward.

The tree went CRACK! and it fell.

Hurray!!

Well, now we have the tree laying on the ground surrounded by branches. It's fun to climb. So the tree's gone. And I'm happy.

...oh, and Sifto was out of the way the whole time. But as soon as the tree was on the ground, he jumped on it. :)

Yet again...

I think the title says a lot.

Today Elena, Critter and I had another tea. Everything was going fine, but then we got talking of something hilarious that happened it Church.

Elena spewed. Critter was killing himself laughing. I was too.

We calm down enough to take another sip of tea.

This time Elena said something funny.

I burst out laughing.

But, unlike Elena, I don't get it on anyone.

I lean over and get it on the floor. And a little on Elena's chair.

*snort, cough, snort* Then we calm down again.

Elena takes another sip.

I say something.

Bam.

Retry. Elena calms down, she takes a sip...

Bam.

Not always on me. Only a little got on me.

Well, Elena calms down again. I stop laughing and calm down. Critter stops laughing and calms down.

Deep breath.

Whew.

Elena lifts the mug and....

I say it again. Something funny.

I'm covered. Elena grabs a cloth (we always have one handy) and starts wiping up the mess. Killing herself laughing. I was laughing so hard.

But I shouldn't have been laughing because I sucked tea the wrong way.

I was half coughing half laughing. Elena is laughing so hard she flops on the table.

....spilling my tea all over me.

We laugh harder.

I choke, "I can't BREATHE!" And that was apparently funny 'cause we laughed harder because of it.

So, in the end I had to change my clothes. Linda's a witness to how wet I was.

I love our tea parties. :)

Heidi is so cute.

The other day when the Bell's were over, Trenton was sick.

And, I was talking to Heidi happily on the couch. We had a real conversation!

Me- "Hello, Heidi. How are you?"

Her- "Goooood."

Me- "Where's Trenton?"

Her- "He's at home. He's sick. His belly hurts. And his head hurts."

Me- "Oh?"

Her- "Yea. He was crying. He's sick."

Me- "Oh. That's too bad."

Her- "Yeah, he had to go to bed. I said good night. He's sleeping."

Me- "You're right."

Her- "Yeah. He's sick."

And then we watched SpongeBob.

I'm going to need an umbrella.

Ya' know what stinks?

Getting spewed in the face with tea.

Ya' know what double stinks?

Getting spewed in the face with food!


Oh yes.

It's not fun.

At all.

Elena (of course!) and I were on our way upstairs.

We were happily talking to each other at the sink getting a drink.

We also both had a piece of pork.

Elena ate hers quick, and I was just drinking my water.

With food in her mouth, Elena took a sip of water.

And of course just at that moment I say something she found amusing.

Thar' she blows..uh..again.. mateys!

Some landed in my water. Some landed on my arm, some landed on my small piece of pork.

I stood there. No emotions showing on my face, and Elena is killing her self laughing.

I say a simple, "Ooh dear.." Giving Elena a fresh burst of laughter.

I'm going to have to change my blog name to "Tea On My Face". *Siiiiigh*