Aimee -- Blogmeister

"The Passing of Granny"

My great-grandmother, Granny, was 95 years old when she passed away on July 12th, 2010. She meant a lot to me and was a huge inspiration. She showed me how to be polite and to respect myself and everybody around me. The impact that she made in my life was significant. Forgetting all of the memories and times we spent together is unimaginable!
The story starts on the Fourth of July when I was at a sleepover at a friend’s house. Everything was fine and dandy until the next day when I received a call from my mother to meet her at the hospital. Since she worked there, I thought she would want me to eat a scrumptious salad or sandwich with her. Instead, when I arrived, I saw my whole family gathered in the Emergency Room waiting area. When my mother welcomed me with a warm smile, she said that she had bad news about a family member. It was then that she told me Granny had a heart attack the night before. Although it wasn’t serious, it was almost irrefutable that she wouldn’t make it.
Since my family was almost certain that she would pass away soon, they wanted to start to clean out her house. I remember the smell of all of the cleaning supplies and the look on everybody’s faces as they cleaned. We all knew Granny was dying, so my distant cousins and I were trying to talk and get to know each other more. The favorable part of this experience was that I actually got to talk to those people that I haven’t seen since I was 7. The only time we would have ever seen each other is when Granny arranged it. She was getting older and didn’t have the strength that she had when she was younger. So as time went by, I started to think that I would never see them all again. The feeling was almost unbearable.
When my father rushed into our home with the news that Granny had finally passed away, I couldn’t breathe. I knew at that instant that I would never see or talk to her again. Although the feeling wasn’t extremely devastating because I had been expecting it, I was heartbroken. I wondered and wondered who would keep our entire family close again. Knowing that she wouldn’t be there to keep all of us in touch made me pessimistic.
After her death, the funeral came quicker than I imagined it would. I knew deep inside that this would be the last time I connected with my distant cousins. Even though it was a funeral, I felt like I shared plenty of laughter because we were telling amusing stories about our experiences with Granny. I told the story of how she would always have freshly made delicious berry fruit punch when we would visit her. It wasn’t until after the funeral and when we were arriving at the burial that I honestly busted into tears.
Even though I miss her more and more every day, I know she is in a much better place. I pray for her soul every day. This may sound strange, but every time I see a bright and colorful butterfly, I think of her life and her she was a fascinating and amusing spirit. She was a wonderful woman and will remain in my memory forever. Rest in Peace, Granny.

Personal Connection with Red Scarf Girl
The first connection that I have with this book is that Ji-Li was a very curious girl who wanted to know about everything that was going on in the town. She would want to see the Red Guards in action and see the people who were suffering. While she was doing this, she got in trouble with grandmother because she was being nosey. When Ji-Li tried desperately to see the first fourold sign being destroyed, her grandmother wanted her to come home and not go out for the rest of the evening. Even then Ji-Li went out to see the signs changing as she was buying groceries for her family.
Ji-Li was an outstanding student and friend. She was always supportive of An-Yi, especially when An-Yi’s grandmother committed suicide. Although I cannot directly relate to that situation, I can relate to having a friend when I’m upset. For example, I lost a family member and my best friend was supporting me and always making attempts to convince me to laugh. I also always try to be supportive to her as she was to me. Also, we always try to boost each other’s confidence and self-esteem.
Another connection that I have is when Ji-Li’s teachers are the people who pushed her to do her best. Teacher Zhang called Ji-Li an educable child because he thought she was strong enough to look past her family’s background and be the best person she could be. I feel like most of the teachers that I have had in my life believed in me 100% of the time. A lot of times I would make mistakes and forget things but they would give me second chances and support me in making up for those mistakes.
Ji-Li was experiencing some new emotions when the Cultural Revolution started. She was very scared and unsure of herself. I remember when I started middle school, I was so afraid people would call me names and make fun of me because I was in gifted. We were both scared and not very confident in the way that we were starting the rest of our lives. Even though middle school only lasts 3 years, it is a big step in a person’s education. This is similar to how the Cultural Revolution was a big step in China’s history.
During this period, you couldn’t just ask for something then get it. You had to work very hard for something that you might have wanted. Although I don’t work that hard to get something that I want or need, I still have to earn what I get. When Ji-Li wanted to provide warmth and coziness for her family and herself, she would knit their clothes. She would do this knowing that the Red Guards would not accuse their clothes of being one of the fourolds.

When Nancy finally figures out who the kidnapper is, she is terrified. I was terrified! It was a good thing that the kidnapper was put in jail immediately. I don't want to give anything away, but the kidnapper confeses to the murder of Peter and Lisa AND the attempted murder of Michael and Missy. I would recomend this book to anyone who wants a page-turning thriller. I can honestly say that this was one of the best books that I have ever read!

Nancy Eldridge’s experience of loosing her children is unexplainable. I couldn’t imagine the pain and suffering that she would be going through! It was a good thing that she had her good friend, Dorothy, or else she wouldn’t have found Michael and Missy. It is also good that she was married to Ray Eldridge and not Carl Harmon. Boy that would have been weird! I honestly don’t understand how a person could have the heart to murder two innocent children. Nancy was a good mother though.

“Where Are the Children?” by Mary Higgins Clark is about a young woman, Nancy Harmon, who relives a tragic experience that happened a few years ago. Years ago, her two children, Peter and Lisa, were kidnapped and murdered. She fled the area because too many people were accusing her of that murder. Now, she lives in Cape Cod, Maryland and everything seems to be going great. She met Ray Eldridge; they got married; and had two children, Michael and Missy. Nancy becomes tense when she notices that those children were kidnapped one morning. This story is mostly about Nancy’s experience of losing her children…again.

I am currently reading "That Summer" by Sarah Dessen. This book is about a girl named Haven and how her life gets turned upside down during the past year. For example, her dad gets married to the "Weather Pet", Lorna Queen. She is the weather girl for the same news channel that Haven's father works for. Also, her sister, Ashley, is marrying a boring man named Lewis who doesn't seem to fit her personality. Haven can't help getting taller and taller. Everything seems to be going downhill until she meets Sumner, her sister's ex-boyfriend who made their family perfect. She wants to relive that amazing summer that she and her sister spent with Sumner and everthig was perfect... or was it?

The book, “Walk Two Moons” was one of the best books that I have ever read. I enjoyed the suspense and the shocking ending. When Phoebe’s mother disappeared, I thought that the “lunatic” had taken her. The “lunatic” was a young man that stopped by the Winterbottom’s house and asked for Phoebe’s mother. After all, the “lunatic” hadn’t taken her, but she went to see him. Crazy, right? Then, the “lunatic” was discovered to be the sheriff’s son! Wow! Then… the “lunatic” wasn’t the one who was writing the mysterious letters… it was Ms. Patrige. Ms. Patrige is the blind lady who lives next door. Wow! What an ending.

The book that I am currently reading is “Walk Two Moons” by Sharon Creech. I am about halfway through the book and I have to say that it is one of my favorites. This book is easy to read and has a great storyline. It is about a girl named Salamanca (Sal) and her journey with her grandparents to visit her mother. Along the way, she tells stories about her friend, Phoebe Winterbottom, from Euclid, Ohio. Phoebe’s mom recently disappeared and no one knows why. Phoebe has a sneaky suspicion that the “lunatic” took her. The “lunatic” is a man that came to the Winterbottom’s house and asked for Mrs. Winterbottom, but she wasn’t there. Now, the “lunatic” is leaving mysterious messages on their doorstep. Phoebe and Sal are scared to death about what happened to Mrs. Winterbottom.

Bullying is when a person makes fun of you or is mean to you in any way and knows that it will hurt you in some way, but doesn't think about it. Some things I experienced while watching someone get bullied would be shame and a sense of guilt. I have seen someone making fun of another person and I haven't done anything about it. I just stood there and watched. If you or someone you know is being bullied, you need to let an adult know as soon as possible. You want to do everything in your power to make sure that you or the person you know is safe. Some things that I, as a student of Paul Breaux, can help stop bullying by telling people to stop it or you can also get the principal to make an announcement over the intercom.

The book that I am reading is “Hope was Here.” I usually relate this book to “A Solitary Blue.” “Hope was here” is about a girl and her aunt and how they learn to make a living together and “A Solitary Blue” Is about a boy and his dad making a living without his mom. I really like this book because it is realistic fiction. Not only because it could happen, but because it is so sweet and I like how G.T. wants to live his life to the fullest. I do agree with G.T. running for governor because he wants to live his life to the best it can be. I think that he had a right to do that! Right now, I still feel like this book doent relate to my life yet.