March 23, 2009, Galveston, Tx., 7:30 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Howdy!  It's me, Teeka! 

I just woke up not even ten minutes ago; I am still sleepy, but I am happy.  Today starts Easter break; that means no school for a week!  That means I can sleep until noon if I want or go to the beach, or hang out with my family (or my friends)!

School's been going well, but I will be glad when our old school has been repaired.  Where I go now is way too crowded; I don't like it!  I get claustrophobic when I'm hemmed in by a whole bunch of people! 

I just hope we don't have a repeat performance of Hurricane (Y)Ike; once was more than enough!  It was because of (Y)Ike that I now go to a different school, and it is because of (Y)Ike that I was displaced for a while until our home could be fixed up to where we could live in it again.

I still see the effects of what (Y)Ike did to Galveston, and it breaks my heart.  Oh, Galveston is (slowly) coming back to life, but there are still people who were displaced or have gone elsewhere to live/find work.  There's also still a lot of debris or damage about that will take months, probably even years, to get rid of.  In other words, Galveston isn't like it was prior to (Y)Ike.

I just wonder what this year's hurricane season is going to be like.  It starts back up again in June; that's only a little over two months away from now.  I just pray and hope we have a quieter season this go around!  I won't be able to relax until after hurricane season has ended in November!  That's six months of worry and fear!

I heard from my pen pals Aurora Borealis in Alaska and Johnathon Sandusky in Tennessee.  Johnny was in the hospital due to congestive heart failure, but he's now back home and feeling better.  I was soo glad to hear this! 

I have been praying for him ever since I found out that he'd been sick. 

As for Aurora, she is busy with school and helping out her family.  (And probably trying to stay warm; where she lives it's always cold!)

I will have to write to both Johnny and Aurora sometime this week when I think about it (or remember)!

The weather here in Galveston has been warm, so much that people have been crowding our beaches.  It looks/feels more like summer than the start of spring.  Very delightful. 

I find myself on the beach after school most days, where I feed the gulls and enjoy windowshopping and going out to eat at Joe's Crab Shack, which is like the best place in the whole wide world to eat seafood!  Yum, but I just LOVE that place!!

Well, the family is up, so I guess that means I don't get to go back to bed.  Bullfrogs; I was hoping I'd get to sleep in until at least 11, but once my littlest brother is up, you might as well forget about it.  He's soooo active, and seeing he's autistic, one has to constantly watch him until mama and daddy get up, then they can take over.  I will write in here again soon; until then, let me wish y'all a very happy Easter!  Have fun and stay safe!

(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Galveston, Teeka Daniels.  :)

P.S.:  Oh!  And let me say this: God bless you too and have a great day!