Last night I stayed up after everyone else was asleep and read Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt in its entirety. Winnie Foster made the right decision, and that toad will live forever. But for some reason I can't get over how she passed up Jesse's proposal and decided to go on in life. The day I find someone to grow old with will be the happiest day of my life, the day I know forever I will have him to make me laugh and cry and smile and sing. And he'll be well worth the wait. So tonight what childish novel should I stick my nose in. It only took me till 12:48 to finish the 139 pages of Tuck and I felt ecstatically accomplished. The storm is raging outside my window and it feels like the rain is falling sideways onto my window panes, so I've got my blankie and my flashlight and it must be time for an adventure. I think I'll pick up one of my favorites: Gwinna by Barbara Helen Berger. It has pictures and my daddy bought it for me a long time ago. Whenever I would read it the same song would come on the radio...which sadly now I can't remember the name of or who sings it. But when your feeling whimsical, here's a hint: pick up some kiddie lit, be it a Magic Treehouse book or a picture book, they are all beautiful. Some of my favorites include; Amelia Bedelia, Madeline, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon, Corduroy by Don Freeman, Not Just a Witch by Eva Ibbotson, and The Man in the Ceiling as well as A Barrel of Laughs A Vale of Tears both by Jules Feiffer. Thank you Mr. Feiffer for teaching me about the sanctum sanctorum. Now Gwinna and I are going flying beneath the cover of thunder and lightning and rose smelling pink blankies. Some things will never change...