Every now and then I travel to a far away place, a place where everything becomes magical, a big house out in the country. It’s not a holiday, but it feels like one! I don’t know if you get it, but on any holiday--I get to spend time with my family; so these trips feel like a holiday. I get this feeling, this wonderful feeling, a feeling I can’t explain. Although, it’s the best feeling you can get! Waking up in the morning and having pancakes with the best maple syrup in the whole world and hot chocolate to stay warm!

In the winter, it’s freezing. Your breath looks like a cloud of mist surrounding your head. We cook rosemary bread and stack tomatoes, avocado, cheese, turkey, and lettuce on top. Since it’s so cold, we make hot chocolate. This is for lunch. For dinner we have pasta, salad, garlic bread, and Ovaltine.

Then I bundle up in bed, turn on the light and read books of fiction or fact, fairy tales and more. I venture off into a different world, a world where anything can happen! This world is amazing! You can you can be anywhere, at any time, in any place you please! My eyes are glued to the book. But finally, it’s 9:30.

" Time for bed," my grandma calls.

"Ok," I say.

I go to bed. But really I’m still awake--thinking of what I’ll do tomorrow.

I wake up. It's 7:30. I walk outside. My grandma is already outside walking among the pine trees. They’re matchstick-like-quills, falling behind me like rain falls from the sky. I smell the crisp air. It smells of lavender and pine. I decide not to go back into the house until it gets bitterly cold, which won’t be until tonight. So my grandma takes me to my favorite market called Huckleberries. We also go out for lunch, and don’t leave for home until 6:30pm. It was freezing!

We arrive home at 7:15pm, our teeth chattering behind our blue lips! I was ready to scream. It was so cold! My Grandma got me a bowl of soup and some hot chocolate. She put a blanket on me and sat me in a warm chair. When I was finished eating, Grandma brought me a book. I got into bed and she gave me an extra blanket, because I was still chilled from the day!

The next morning I woke up at 8:30, which is very late for me. I woke up feeling awful. I had flu symptoms and a fever of 102.6. I felt dizzy and I was drowsy. My stomach hurt and I felt like I was going to vomit. I was getting constant chills.

My Grandma said to stay in bed. She gave me soup and tea in bed, and put on my favorite movie, The Sound of Music. It took a lot of rest for me to get better.

In three days I was well. I was glad, because I was sick of being cooped up in bed! I had only been at my Grandma's for five days, and during three of them--I was sick! I knew I had to have as much fun as I could, because I only had five more days there.

My Grandma said I still had a little fever, but that I was getting better. She was right, because I had to stay very mellow the next day. She let me get out of bed with a blanket and sit on the bench outside.

We talked as I watched her work. The next day I was better, 98.6. Finally, I could have some fun!

My Grandma and I went to town. My coat wasn’t warm enough and she made me wear hers. When we got to town, she bought me a new one! It was blue and was so warm and cozy I felt like I was back in bed!

When we got home she made me more soup and tea, which I was getting quite sick of. I really like soup and tea, but if you have it five days in a row your opinion of it kind of sours!

The next day, my Grandma tried to give it to me again for dinner. I said, "Grandma, if I eat this again I feel like I will get sick again!"

So she took me out to dinner at a little Mexican restaurant and I had a taco. Yum! Then we went home and I went into my room and read in bed again. I love doing that.

The next day I had to leave. I wasn’t so happy about that, but I was happy to be going home. I was certainly happy to be sleeping in my own bed again! My Grandma and Grandpa took me to the airport and watched me get on a plane. Then they left!

When I was on the plane I thought about all the fun things I did with Grandma. I thought about the smell of pine and lavender. I thought of Grandma’s soup, and lying in bed at night thinking of what we would do tomorrow! I thought about my grandparent's house, and how much fun I would have the next time I visit.