Dallin

It's hard to believe my first-born is halfway to adulthood. Dallin celebrated his 9th birthday this weekend. In lieu of party, he opted for an outing out with his family and choice of one friend. We spent the day visiting the London Aquarium and then had a fun birthday lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe.


Dallin and his friend out in front of the London Aquarium; we had planned on a a day at the zoo, but you can easily see why we went with plan B!


Singing happy birthday to Dallin at the Rain Forest Cafe




Dallin is becoming quite a beautiful writer, and I couldn't resist posting this short story he wrote at school this term. Well done Dallin!

OWEN'S ADVENTURE
By Dallin Ashton
9th October 2008

The midday sun blazed over the St. John's Wood train station. It was not bustling at this hour. People were reading books that made them sleep and have happy dreams. Meanwhile spiders hobbled across the top of the big clock and rats scattered across the dusty train tracks. The air was cool and windy as the squeaks of the tube train whistled into the hall.

As the train finally whistled in, Owen, a dreamy kid who traveled from the station daily, had his eyes closed. Around him was black, no even darker, ebony, it was the darkest colour ever. Nothingness! Owen screamed as he quickly opened his dilated pupils. As Owen looked into crimson eyes, a roar of red blazing fire made him jump and land lop-sided.

Owen squinted his eyes. He felt as if he was floating. He was floating, no flying! He quickly peeled his eyes open and realised he was kneeling in hot crumbled sand, three feet away from the thorniest bush he had ever seen. Out sprinted a dragon! The unusual dragon picked him up and took him into the prickly bush.

Suddenly the dragon landed on a ledge, but within seconds he fell off and flew, tumbling into a tunnel of darkness. Owen was more than a little freaked out because the dragon had two heads! He asked the dragon, "Where are you taking me?" The dragon did not answer.

Owen and Two Heads kept flying down the dark and spooky tunnel. Wind swooped past their faces as bats flapped and shrieked around Owen and Two Heads. The sharp claws of Two Heads let go. Owen was falling so quickly, it was like he was diving.

Suddenly he fell on a train. He was back! "Wow! What just happened?" exclaimed Owen. One thing was for sure, it felt good to be back! Owen sprinted happily to school.