Oct. 7

I wish I could go to Staru's forest planet (mine really, since she and I are one and the same) where exotic flowers and trees grow, wild animals roam free and unmolested, plenty of water and food, and soft grass to lie on.

Many lakes, streams, and rivers are located all over, so you always have water. Blue jays, white doves, and other birds are almost always shedding their feathers, and you can pick them up and make clothes out of them. R usually wears the shirt and shorts she brought from Earth, but when she rushed with her sister to Earth to protect Fury's herd, she wears a long gown of shimmering dove's feathers, sprigged with cardinal's plumes, and a long cape made out of the latter. The thread is made of braided spider-webs or silk worm threads, the needle, a rabbit's bone. For an Earthling, sewing these dresses would be extremely tedious work, but we do it easily.

The gold satin shoes we wear on our missions were produced by magic; but the silk tights were hand-woven.

To do this, several silk-worm cocoons would be unwound and the thread strung on a small bamboo loom. We would weave like spiders until we had our tights.

It would be fun to have been Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars. When she and Luke Skywalker were trapped at a chasm and the Storm Troopers were coming, Luke lassoed something at the top of the room and the Princess and Luke grabbed on and swung over.

Oct. 6

(from Staru's narrative)

I told Jane. "Jane, I'm looking for a bolt of lightning that belongs to me."

Jane looked very bewildered. "A bolt of lightning? You own a bolt of lightning?"

"Yes," I said. "Don't you?"

"No, but I'll help you look for it."

I jumped up. "You will?" asked I. "Right now?"

"Of course not!" laughed Jane. "We must wait until the next thunderstorm."

"Why?" In Planet, when I called, bolt and R's would come, whether it was raining or not.

"Because lightning only comes when it rains hard," said Jane. She stared at me. "Didn't you know that?"

"I guess not."

By sheer luck, a storm came only a mere week later. Jane and I rushed outside.

Jane and I watched. 5 thunder- and lightnings came, but at each one I shook my head.

On the sixth one, my wish was miraculously granted. A bolt of lightning flashed across the dark sky -- I knew it at once to be mine!

"My lightning!" I cried. I rushed towards where it had disappeared.

"Staru, come back!" cried Jane.

Tears streaming down my cheeks, I called,

"Come down, sweet bolt of lightning,
coming forth to carry me home--"

"Staru, come back!" shrieked Jane.

"Take me home--"

My lightning came down and struck the ground behind me, illuminating me. Then we were gone.

(Me again.)

Isn't that quite a story?

Oct. 5

I only had time to set these pictures of Mr. Davidson and Might Tango. I hope that someday I might be a famous equestrian.

I have a new friend. His name is Nathan and he's great-o.

Oct. 4

I found a lovely poem in Women's Day magazine. Isn't it lovely?

---> -->
Apology
by Laura Gilpin

You gave me your heart
like a polished apple
and being young
I bit into it,

letting my teeth
pierce the tight skin
while the juices
dripped down between
my fingers.

Forgive me.
It was delicious
and we were both
so young.

I'm going to send a copy to Lori. I think she'd like it.

I only have 23 Wildlife Stamps left. I hope I can get some more. But my finances are being stretched to the breaking point:

Yaba ($.?)
Larkspur (..)
Flicka (..)
Bike lock ($1.47)
Novel ($.?)
Midnight (..)
And countless other things.

If I ever get my books published, I'll buy trips to the poor countries and, with the excess money, I'll give it to the poor people. I'll start relief places so people can get food and shelter and medical care.

It's really not fair for White people to be rich and black, yellow, and brown people to be poor.

Oct. 3

Lori called today at 7:20. She said Allen-a-Dale and Will Scarlett and Robin were coming to see her soon.

I was changed, entirely. Completely swiveled around by the call. My heart is burning hot and I can barely keep the tears back. Life without Lori right down the way is hard.

Fury missed Lightning, she said. I didn't know Fury liked Lightning for anything but inflicting revenge on him.

I wonder if the Swinging B ranch should have cattle, too? I have several little models, but they are 5 calves and one big cow.

I'm going to get the Running stallion for Yaba, but I haven't decided on the color of Larkspur yet. I might make her gray, but I don't think there's a gray Thoroughbred mare. I think I should get the Grazing Mare.

Then there's Flicka. I don't think there are any chestnuts like her in the Breyer catalogue. Hold it! There's Lady Phase! Perfect!

Oct. 2

I went to South School today. Mr. P. is nice. I got a spelling test with pretty hard words.

The other day I found my secret place.

It's by the side of our house, under a little tree with big purple flowers.

I got a piece of wood and a peice of carpet for a seat. I put a board in the tree for a shelf, but there's nothing to put on it. I pinned an unfinished story about Staru up on the wall with cactus spines. It fell down.

I feel like I'm trapped here. Staru lives on a forest planet in another galaxy, and she has lots of hawks.

7:30

I wonder what Julie is doing. Maybe she fought, with the 7 musketeers, for the fort.

Darned watch! It's 8:00!

Oct. 1

I don't know what possessed me to leave you on the desk, diary!