|Live in a world of pure imagination|Gracie's Realm Version 4.0|

|<3|Writing- The Blog|<3|

I'm not sure how much I'll be able to do this; I might be too busy, but here is a sort of online diary of my life. Of course, there won't be anything too personal in it! Sorry if that spoils it for you! If I find anything else, like a poem, songwords or something I want to write, I will also. It's the power of free expression!

|<3|25th July 2005 at 2:37pm|<3|

Today has been a sort of resting day, although I've spent most of it revamping the site, so it isn't like I've been doing nothing, I guess. It was nice to be able to get up when I wanted, however, with no books to get ready or uniform to wear or whatever. Go holidays!

Yesterday I did a LOT- it almost feels like it was over two days! It took ages for me to get to sleep last night simply because my legs were killing me from all the running around I did! Basically, I stayed with Dad from Friday night until yesterday morning when I'd asked him to bring me home in the morning because I knew I had a lot going on later that day.

I got back to find it tipping with rain. Mum was staying with a friend and so I thought I'd probably have to walk up to church in the pouring rain, not something I'd mind, but something which would delay my journey and make me late for the service. I phoned Hannah to see if I could meet her to walk up to church with her (so I wouldn't arrive looking too stupid), but luckily I spoke to her Dad, Hugh, who said he'd give me a lift up there, and after a frantic 5 minute rush I was in his car before meeting Hannah and THEN going up to church.

Church itself was quite peaceful. We had a Christening, something I ADORE to see, and sung two of my favourite hymns, which really brightened me up. Pathfinders was okay, but I was a little restless, probably because we were going to have a Pathfinders party shortly afterwards! After the service we mucked around a bit and tried to salvage the balloons from the younger boys, Ben and Edward, who were stamping on them. Fun, but tiring.

Chervon, normally playing tennis, was actually there. The guy can do some hilarious girl impressions, which he did practically every 5 minutes. He, Tom, James and occasionally Ben took it in turns to play cricket indoors. Twice I was "injured" by Chervon, once on the thumb and again on the chest. Unfortunately I wasn't able to kill him, although I did try. ^_^ The person I thought seemed the most unusual was James, actually, as he was rather quiet in comparison to his normal self. Maybe he was just bored, but I doubt it.

Then myself, Steph, Becky and Hannah went round to Ange's briefly to pick up the food for the party, where I also got my first glimpse of Amy's new boyfriend Pierre. Back in the church we had a nice lunch of pizza, quiche, sausage rolls, salad, tomatoes, etc. It was fun, and James, now more himself, kept being a "rhythmical idiot" with Chervon to the music, kindly provided by Hannah.

Before pudding we played Twister, with everyone cheating several times, followed by a giant Jenga game, which was a lot of fun. We split into two teams, the opposing team called "Team No Name" and although ours was already "Team Pink", everyone else (not myself) changed it to "Team Bill and Gill." I complained that I don't actually like the name "Gill", to which James responded;

"Do you think I like the name BILL?" Which is a good point, if you think about it. ^_^

Unfortunately our side lost but it wasn't me who made the Jenga fall over, which meant it was quite a special occasion! Hannah then had to go to Crusaders, which meant she had to leave early, and James left briefly for a cricket D of E thing whilst we ate pudding and played a strange game with dice which resulted in us all getting tied up. Once Bill returned, all of the kids started playing Hide and Seek in the church, which was a LOT of fun. I discovered that there is a GIANT basement under the church I had never known about.

Perhaps the most embarassing thing, though, was when James and I both decided to hide behind two DIFFERENT sets of tables. Both of us had really good hiding places, actually, and were the last to be found.

The thing is, you see, that Becky found me shortly after she had been found, and, instead of telling Corina where I was, tried to cover for me, saying things like; "I think Grace is in the basement," or, later on, when James was also yet to be discovered, "I bet they're upstairs." She kept on like this for a while, and when Steph had been found, said; "I think Gracie and James are outside." Steph then said; "Oooh, Gracie and James are OUTSI-IDE..." in a suggestive manner, and everybody laughed. If I could have seen my face right then I know it would have been bright red, partly from the embarassment as well as from trying to supress my laughter! Especially because I knew Bill was only about a metre and a half away. Luckily we were both found shortly after, which was a relief, well, sort of, because then everyone kept teasing me about it, including James himself.

After the party I was able to go round to Steph's, and we ended up being joined by Bill and Chris shortly after. For a while the four of us played Gran Tourismo 3, something I happen to be reasonably good at, purely because my Dad has the games himself. Chris had never played before but got the idea very quickly, even though I still had considerably more experience. I then raced James three times, and won every single race, purely because he kept accidently spinning or doing an awful bend in each one! I told him that "The best girl had won" afterwards, and I was only just saved from an attack from him by Chris, who from now on I want to employ as my bodyguard! Steph also kept playing "A thousand miles" by Vanessa Carlton, which was great because it is also one of my favourite songs!

After a quick tea Steve dropped us off at Christ Church Orpington for a service about "The summer passion". Summer passion, if you do not know, is a Christian youth event with teaching, concerts and activities to help the local environment, something I'll be helping to take part in this August; it should be fantastic!

The service was also fab, with some of my favourite Christian songs in it, ones like "Blessed be your name" which really set you free inside, and got me clapping and raising my hand and so on. We also had some prayer in groups, and it was nice to feel that there was a big group of St. Johns youths there, I thought. I also saw LOADS of people I know, from Guides and several other places, which was really nice.

Afterwards we all mucked about outside, Chris protecting me from James a few times again! He also ran up behind Ange, Amy and Pierre when they had left to go to the car and gave Pierre a surprise "hug", with the result that we all fell about laughing for a while after.

And then, finally, we went home, after a VERY long day. My hand aches from writing so much! Ugh. Thought I'd put some of the lyrics to "A thousand miles" down though, I'd forgotten just how much I like that song!

Making my way downtown
Walking fast
Faces pass
And I'm home bound

Staring blankly ahead
Just making my way
Making a way
Through the crowd

And I need you
And I miss you
And now I wonder....

If I could fall
Into the sky
Do you think time
Would pass me by
'Cause you know I'd walk
A thousand miles
If I could
Just see you
Tonight.