Howdy!  This is your friend in Arkansas, Reagan Laura Peterson, writing!  Figured an update on what I've been up to is in order, so here goes nothing!

I am ready to kill my stupid little brother Johnathon and my baby sister, Lindsay.  Johnathon is nothing but a pest, and Lindsay cries all the time; ma is getting worried, so she is taking her to the doctor, to see if there's anything wrong with her.  I hope there isn't, but something's gotta be done about her endless crying; I'm about to go nuts from her screaming all of the time!!

The only peace I get is when she's asleep for her nap.  This is when I seem to do my writing or get my chores done.  Then I watch television (usually my "Little House on the Prairie" or "Mulligan's Stew" dvd's; I've seen 'em gobs of times, but I enjoy 'em!  :) ), anything to try to drown out the baby's cries.

Yesterday, Johnathon made me mad.  He purposely kicked "Jewels", my little dog, when she snapped at him.  I think he was annoying her; this is why she got angry and tried to bite him.  All he did was laugh; I was ready to wish that "Jewels" would bite him, so she could teach him a lesson!  You don't treat animals like that!  Animals need to be treated with love and kindness, not being mean or cruel to them!

I told ma about it; Johnathon is now grounded until ma says otherwise.  I say good because Johnathon is a mean little snot!  I love him, as he is my brother and all, but I am not going to tolerate bad behavior or meanness!  There's no call for that!  None!!

The weather here in Hope, Arkansas, has been nasty-rainy.  Not a day fit for anyone--unless, of course, you happen to be a duck.  The river up a ways from us is getting swollen from all the rain we've had; in fact, they, the weather bureau, is thinking of issuing a flood watch if the rains don't ease up soon.  I'm tired of staying inside; I'd much rather play outside, among the juniper bush or on the tire swing!

Maybe that's why Johnny is being such a B-R-A-T!! 

And the other day, Johnathon threatened to put "Spike", our iguana, into the stew pot before pa caught him.  I don't know what's wrong with that boy; he's always doing stupid stuff to get our goat!  (Or maybe just my goat; in any event, he's annoying as all get out!!)

I personally wish ma or pa would send him to Alaska, where he could be eaten up by a polar bear!  Then I wouldn't have to worry about him anymore!

School starts back up in a few weeks.  I will be in the fifth grade.  I am sorry to see the summer vacation come to an end; I have had a lot of fun, except for putting up with my baby sister and my little kid brother!  I just wish there were more kids near where I live; there's a lot of adults, but hardly any kids.  We live way out, near the hollar, in the country.  We have to go into the city of Hope (downtown) in order to do anything; where we live, there's not much to do except maybe a gas station, a church, and a rural meat market.  Boring!

Well, ma's calling me, so I will go for now; I will write another day.  Until then, this is Reagan Peterson signing off; take care and God bless!  Pray that something can be done for my annoying little brother and that there's nothing wrong with Lindsay, but something has got to be done about her constant crying!!  Bye for now!

~Love, your Arkansas friend, Reagan Laura Peterson.  :)