TOP TOP TOP TOP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay, I had some extra time, so I was able to finish my post! Elizabeth M., this happens the day after your post. Here's the next part of the story from Eli's view.

//Eli//

    It is Friday afternoon and I am headed over to horseback riding. This is one of the only times of the day that Kataira and I are separated. For Friday specials, Kataira wanted to sign up for photography, but I wanted to try horseback riding. I hadn't ever tried it before this year. It was fun! Well, okay then. I won't lie. It was not fun at all. How are you supposed to like brushing an animal full of flies, mucking out a dirty stall, and riding on top of a wild animal that could buck you off at any time when you least expect it!

    The day of my first lesson, we had divided into groups. You could pick which type of group you wanted to join. There was a group for kids new to horseback riding, one for experienced kids, and one for a mixture of experienced and not so experienced riders. I picked the mixed group. I figured that I could learn more by watching other kids and copying what they do. Mary-Lee, Takilia, and Karanah were in my group. Takilia and Karanah are the experienced ones, and Mary-Lee and I are the not so experienced ones. I like both Takilia and Karanah because they are both very nice and are willing to help us less experienced students with our riding. Although, I soon discover that I am definitely a "not at all experienced" rider.

    "Come on, Eli, keep up with us!" Takilia calls back to me over her shoulder. We are riding on the grounds behind the school on our horses. Karanah and Mary-Lee went ahead, and Takilia volunteered to stay back with me and my slow-paced horse. Today, the first day of the second week of classes, our teacher, Mr. TashKal, announced that we would be riding our horses in the woods behind the school. I wasn't so sure about that, as I still hadn't gotten very comfortable on my horse even in the riding ring. My horse, Ginger, was a spunky little pony. Takilia joked that the Ginger suited me perfectly because we were both alike in our personalities, me being spunky and all. I'm not so sure that I agree with her, though. I don't eat hay or grass. I go to the bathroom in an actual bathroom, not where I am currently standing. I don't swat my tail to get the flies off my back. And I definitely don't swat my tail at my rider! Karanah says that Ginger does that accidentally, but I'm not so sure. I'm still suspicious of her. The horse, not Karanah. Speaking of Karanah, she and Mary-Lee were coming up the path to meet us.

    "We're coming!" Takilia calls to them. "Why did you come back? I thought you two were going to go all the way to the barn and wait for us there."

    "We decided to come back with you both. It was getting too boring riding alone. We'll walk with you," Karanah offers. I slowly plod of with my horse. I refuse to call her Ginger because that reminds me of my favorite food, gingersnaps, and I can't imagine eating my horse like I would my favorite food. Speaking of gingersnaps, that name sort of fits my horse. Every time she steps on a stick, it snaps and I jump. We soon (or not so soon) get back to the barn. All the other groups have already arrived, tacked (down?) their horses, and left the barn. I carefully dismount, and just in case my horse bucks me off, Takilia holds my horse's bridle. She helps me tack (down?), brush, and feed and water my horse. Then, I help (or at least try to help) Takilia tack (down?) her horse. His name is Spirit. Definitely fits him because he has a really fiery spirit. I'm glad I'm not riding that horse!

    We finish with our horses, and walk over to the cafeteria for lunch. I'm feeling pretty down, partly because it seems like Takilia, Karanah, and even Mary-Lee are better than me. I know, Takilia and Karanah should be better than me, seeing as they both have been riding for quite a few years, but why can Mary-Lee keep up with them when it's her first time riding, and I can't? Takilia senses that I'm feeling down and tells me funny stories about her younger siblings' scrapes. They get into all sorts of trouble from putting paprika into their oatmeal instead of cinnamon (in person--yes, my sister did that once. She did not like it at ALL, so I don't recommend trying it. :-D), to almost setting fire to their own house (in person--no, thankfully my siblings haven't tried that one yet!), to getting locked outside the house at nighttime (in person--yes, that happened to my three year old sister! We got home from an outing, went inside, and didn't notice that she was still outside! She went to the neighbor's house [she forgot which house she lived in], and they directed her to our house. She was crying when she rang the doorbell, and we all felt so badly!!!)! That cheered me up a bit. We arrived at the cafeteria, and Takilia and Mary-Lee headed off to their own tables. Karanah and I walked together over to our tables. All the other girls were already gathered there and they were talking excitedly about something. Karanah and I quietly got our food and joined in the conversation about the upcoming MadrianaGusic.

I've lost track of this thread so much! Can somebuggy please explain all that's happened?

Kat, welcome back! Missed ya! I had gotten to wondering where you had disappeared to...

I'll work on compiling a list of all the activities the GenkuSuh girls (and boys!) have been up to. It might take a while since we've been posting a lot, but I'll try to post them soon.

Will post later...

//Callen//

I turned around in my swivel chair and looked at my cork board again. Monday I was competing with my Shakespearean group, reciting monologues. Tuesday I was doing an ostrich dance, an ostrich race, and a hippo race with Rome and Lavendar. Wednesday I would watch my friends and check out the competition. Thursday I was going to do Archery with Darius (he could now stand a couple minutes in a room with me without feeling totally awkward. Getting better :/) and help coach with Fencing. Friday I would relax and watch a few of the art shows. I checked my watch and grabbed a helmet, my bow and arrow, 'Your Hippo and You' book, a tape recorder and a stack of papers to practice my monologue, a fencing sword, and shoved them all in a gym bag. I lugged the bag out of the dorm room and headed to my first stop, the ostrich courses. Rome made that weird ostrich noise when he saw me and flapped his wings. I ruffled his back feathers and he nudged my arm. "Hey boy. How's it goin'? My gosh, you're hungry. You haven't drank anything, hope you're not sick. The animals are getting sent off tomorrow, so this is our last practice on the home turf. Let's make it good, huh boy." He did the ostrich sound thingy and sipped some water, as if to show me that he was ready. I chuckled and grabbed his saddle, tossing it over him. I took some fly spray and squirted it around his face and put an eye gaurd on him. All ready to go, I strapped on my favorite blue helmet and led him out to the arena. We raced across the track and performed my choreographed dance with him, stretching across his body and moving his feet and neck in a beutiful way that the ancients had developed for a funeral ceremony. I let him free in the open air pasture and grabbed the gym bag, making sure that his show tack was still shiny clean. I headed towards the hippo center. Once I got to Lavendar's stall, I climbed inside and pulled out a bucket. Setting it upside down in the corner, I opened up 'Your Hippo and You' book and did the trust building excercises that it said to do. After about a half hour, I went to the library. Writing it down a bunch of times, I recited my Titania monologue from A Midsummer Night's Dream almsot perfectly. I recorded it on a tape recorded and adjusted my tone of voice, designed an Elizabethean outfit to wear, made a note to drop it off by the Sewing teacher, and hope that it would be deliverd my Sunday. I grabbed the gym bag and exited the library, headed towards the archery range. I shot dozens of arrows, more than half of them hitting bulls eye. A few people came to watch, but none tripped me up, Every once in a while I heard a rustle in the trees, but ignored it. I went to the gym and stabbed a few people in Fencing, then (FINALLY) looked at my watch. 10:38.Oh, gosh, I had to go to dinner. It might not even be open. I ran into the cafeteria just in time to the last lunch ladies there, serving a few kids who looked as tired as me. Gosh, I must've looked a mess. My hair that was in a nice bun this morning was probably a tangled rats' nest. My make up must've been horrific, and I was sweaty and panting form working for hours.

COuld you also make something like this, guys? 

Monday:Irish Dance, Ballet, Romeo and Julliet, Chorus, Piano/Orchestra

Tuesday:Hippo race with Lavender and Horse racing with Rex

Wednesday:Hurtling with Rex

Thursday:Fencing match and Sprinting

Friday:helping at the art table

 Alamea—

Therewas so little time and so many things to practice. I hardly ate my breakfastand was outside with my fencing sword before most people were up. A fewstudents stood around talking, dressed and ready to fight. I swished about witha dummy and then was asked to fence.

A girlwith long red hair and freckles was my opponent. She fought well but I had mymoves. I stroked and slashed at her until beads of sweat ran down my cheeks. Ifinally won, took off my helmet and shook hands with her.

“You’regood!” I exclaimed.

“So areyou. I hope we see each other at the tournament!” She said.

Ismiled at her, changed and walked out.

A tintof sunrise was glowing on the sky. I had on dark blue shorts and a purple tanktop. I assumed that the teachers wouldn’t be out at seven in the morning so Ihadn’t bothered with the scratchy GenkuSuh uniform.

Istretched, did some push ups and a split. Then I started to jog around thetrack. After two laps, I sped up and started to run faster. My speed picked upmore until I was sprinting around the track. The wind whipped around my hairand it felt good in the cool morning air. It was eight when I got off thetrack.

Mymouth was dry as I chugged down water.

Back inmy uniform, I decided to pay Lavender a visit as a break. She was bathing inmud when I came in with a handful of papayas.

“Mygood little girl.” I petted her wrinkly skin as she chomped down on the fruit.She gave me a look, wanting more. I smiled and attached a rope around her neckand we made a few calming rounds around the track. I then brought her back andgave her a few more papayas.

It wasmid morning when I walked upstairs to get my riding clothes. I had only riddenRex a few times that week and I felt bad that I hadn’t had time for him.

Myriding uniform consisted of dark brown pants with light brown leather insidesgoing from the bottom down to the insides of the shins. Over that, blackleather boots and a pressed white collared shirt. I took a helmet, too, thoughI seldom wore it.

Out inthe stables I put Rex’s sadle on his back and his bit on. His sleek white furwith brown spots seemed so careful and familiar. I jumped onto his back and westarted to trot around the hall. After we’d warmed up, I took him out and wetook a round around the gardens. After two hours of excersise and practice, Iunsaddled, filled his water trough, gave him hay and left for my choruspractice.

Choruspractice was scheduled for about fourty-five minutes. We started with vocalexecises and then switched to our first song, a ballad, towards the end we hada round going on.

Thesopranos included Kataira, Eli and myself. We went through the rows and eachperson sang: “La.” It sounded perfectly beautiful as the twins sang like larks.I myself always felt shy when singing so my voice seemed to crack but Katairahad assured me that I shouldn’t be scared and that everything would go well.

“Alamea!Should we meet in the afternoon for Irish?” Eli asked.

“Yes.What about four?” I answered promptly.

“Perfect!”Kataira and Eli said in unison. We all giggled and I walked with then to thelunch room.

Aftergulping down my lunch I ran to the theater room to practice for the play. I hadbeen cast as Julliet, a role which I was very proud of. Romeo? I still didn’tknow. I ran in carrying my script, dressed in a long dress. My hair had beenput into ringlets so I was ready for the romantic balcony scene. A voice sofamiliar started to recite.

Dirkwalked out onto the stage and I almost fainted with sickening delight. The restof the scenes passed in a dreamy blur and I rushed out as soon as I could.

Next Imet for orchestra. I sat down at the piano and the instruments started to playthe beautiful start of “Die Moldau”. The violins were brought in and then thetinkly high notes from my keys mixed with the strings making a lulling sound.

I knewwe would do well in that category, for the players were quite strong.

Irushed over to ballet with a pile of scripts and notes in my hands. I got somelooks but nobody said anything.

“HiAlamea.”

“HelloLily.”

Lilywas dressed in a snow white swan costume. She was the strongest and best dancerso she had been chosen to play the swan in swan lake. I was one of the smallerside roles. I didn’t care much though. Dancing was fun anyway.

Thelast scene where Lily was held up in the arms of the prince seemed so real thatI almost stopped dancing to stare. She was amazingly beautiful as she was heldup in a dainty position. The teacher and some watching students clapped, webowed and I left for the meeting with the twins.

We hadour costumes ready. Kataira and Eli could sew well and so could Lily (she’dpromised to help.) We started tapping and doing our scene. We spread our armsand tapped. The music made my spirit jump excitedly. The dance teacher yelledcommands and pushed us but I still couldn’t stop smiling. After an hour we hada break and then went on. It was six fifteen when it finally finished.

Iparted from the twins and ran into Classroom Fourteen to meet with Karanarahand the others about the art expedition. We had plans for our booth and how we’dpresent the works. Karanarah drew beautifully a true artist. By eight, I wasout of the meeting and ready for dinner.

I atewith Callen (we discussed Lavender and other hippo topics), the twins, Lily andKaranarah.

At ninethirty, I fell into a deep sleep, ready for the nearing MadrianaGusic.

Someone please post!