June 2011
(Anne wrote this diary entry at some point after the events recorded in chapters 19-21 of "By a Simple Twist of Fate")
Dear Diary,
Let me begin with an apology before I even start writing. This diary entry is going to be a whiny, childish, "poor me" pity party. I am definitely in a "glass half empty" mood today. Yes, I know I could count my blessings, find reasons for joy, and cheer myself up. But…I don't want to! (I sound like Di used to back when she was three years old. Her bad moods were legendary…especially since it always seemed that on Di's worst days, Nan was always extra cheerful, so the contrast was even greater.)
Anyway, I just feel like keeping this bad mood wrapped around me for a while. It has been one of those days when nothing seems to go right. This summer, there's a new person assigned to the parking space next to mine who continues to drift over the line into my spot more every day. I have yet to meet him…which is probably a good thing considering my mood today. (Channeling my mother's opinions of male vs. female drivers, I assume it is a him because I'd hate to think of any woman being so incapable at the ability to pull straight into a parking space.) Anyway, because of the limited room between our cars today, I spilt my coffee while squeezing out of my car. Then, I ended up stepping into the puddle of coffee…which promptly soiled my cute new summer sandals.
Those same sandals met yet more problems when it started to rain while I was walking back from Second Cup. Ironically, I had gone there to get a fancier coffee than is available in the staff lounge in the hopes of improving my mood. Good idea, eh?
I should stop whining but let me tell you about my less-than-interactive classes today. No one seemed to be engaged in our discussions. It was like pulling teeth to get participation all day…probably they were all reacting to my mood? But, like the song says "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to." So, it's my bad mood and I'll nurse it if I want to! (Yeah – I still sound like a toddler!)
Thankfully, I had the common sense to text Gilbert mid-afternoon to tell him that I was having "a day" and just wanted some quiet time tonight. I don't actually know where he and Shirley are this evening – but they are kindly giving me the place to myself. One of the advantages of being married for so many years is that we both have learned how to deal with each other's moods. Thankfully, we easily relate to each other's desire to have solitude! (I really need to stop thinking nice thoughts about Gilbert – it is ruining my bad mood with flickers of happiness…)
Now, where was I? That's right…since I am whining and feeling self-pity tonight, I will tell you about the other thing that has been under my skin the past few weeks. I'm jealous! It isn't a full blown giant green-eyed monster sort of jealousy, but it is enough to cause a twinge now and again. Why am I jealous, you ask? Well…here's the thing. I have diligently kept Rilla's relationship with Ken a secret since December…and had to keep it all by myself for the first 10 or 12 weeks until the girls found out in March. Then in April, I finally "met" Ken on the phone that one day – but that was essentially an accident when Rilla was trying to stop listening to me. Now, however, it seems that everyone has met Ken in person…except for me! Well, not everyone (Gilbert and the boys still don't even know Ken exists), but Ken and Rilla have had dinner at Joy's house and so Joy, Dan, Jake, and Izzy all have met him and have seen the two of them together as a couple. Add to that the fact that Rilla and Ken have started having coffee with Mrs. Weisz on occasion. Granted, Mrs. Weisz has no idea who Ken is, but she's gotten to spend hours with him…and I haven't. Even Seraphina has gotten to meet him…although she certainly doesn't know of him as Rilla's boyfriend…but nonetheless, she's met him! And here I am, concealing important information from my husband every day and yet feeling like an outsider in this situation that I am smack in the middle of! So, dearest Diary…don't you think I have a right to my jealousy and pity party tonight? Thanks, I think so, too!
Ok. It is now time that I finish this Jonah Day by going to bed. For, as I well know and have often told my children, "Every morn is a fresh beginning, Every morn is the world made new." **
** Quoted from Anne of Avonlea (chapter 12 "A Jonah Day")
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Author's Note:
As always, a "thank you" goes out to kslchen for her allowing me to play in her world and for providing me with insights so that my diary entries mesh appropriately into her AU.
Also, I want to thank oz diva and DrinkThemIn for the research assistance they both provided for this entry.
To DogMonday: Thank you for your review to my last chapter and for your reviews to each "Twist" chapter. Since you don't use a FanFiction account for your reviews, it is fun for me to be a "fly on the wall" and read kslchen's Author Note responses to your reviews each week.
As far as how to read the other reviews that have been left for "Anne's Diary," I would think they would be viewable in the same way you see "Twist" reviews. Here's the options that I've found to access the reviews for a story:
1. On phone using FF website: the icon for reviews is at the top right corner of the chapter page, or to the right side of the story title when looking at the list of stories
2. On PC using FF website: click on the red "reviews" link next to the story title when looking at the list of stories. If reading a story, the link for reviews is found in the header of the story (where it shows the rating, word count, etc) and is accessed by clicking on the number of reviews.
3. In the mobile app: the icon for reviews is at the top right corner of each chapter page, and the whole list of reviews is at the bottom of the information page for the story.