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The flakes are coming slow, Teasing me Making me want to control it  So it can cover the ground But it is only tiny flurries, Teasing me Makes me want to go out, And build snowmen, Throw snowballs, sled But it is only tiny flurries, Teasing me My breath is fog outside Disappearing into the air Drifting away White clouds that burn my eyes I can’t resist going out But when I do It is only tiny flurries, Teasing me Alexander December 2007
 * __ Tiny Flurries __**

February 19th 2008 Dear Miss .Johnson, We are still doing the project. We have gotten to a sad point in the story. A good thing is Mr. Fridley, who is the custodian, but he is really nice to Leigh. This week the question is about the // Do you have a pet? // Yes. Her name is Cecilia. She is a weird type of breed and I can’t spell it. She is a very calm dog except when she hears arguing. She does not fetch stuff but she really likes to be petted. If we try to throw a tennis ball to her, she just looks at it. If we throw it to her, it just knocks her on the head, and rolls away. She is really fun sometimes, because her way of playing is biting your hand. So if she is in a playful mood, she jumps on you, and then bites your hand softly. She is starting to lick peoples noses. She weighs 10 pounds, and is nine yearts old. She is about up to the knee on a person. Cecilia is a good dog.

Hope you respond, // Alexander //


 * Have you ever heard of the person who signed the Declaration of Independence first? Or the person who was the richest man in New England at one time? Read ‘Will You Sign Here, John Hancock’ which is a great historical nonfiction book written by Jean Fritz to find out. **


 * This story is mainly about John Hancock’s lifetime. There are some things about the war between America and England. There are also some things about how the Declaration of Independence was written, and lots of interesting facts on the history of America. **

John Hancock - He is the main character in the book. He signs the Declaration of Independence first and is also really rich. He is so rich, in fact that by the age of 27 he is the richest man in New England.
 * My book report book also has a lot of characters. They are: **
 * John Adams - Was the leader of the Continental Congress before he became America’s 2nd president. **
 * Thomas Jefferson - Prepared the Declaration of Independence. Not mentioned much in this story. **
 * Dolly Quincy – Is the youngest of the Quincy sisters, and John Hancock’s wife. I don’t know if she should be included as an important character, but she is pretty important throughout the story. **


 * My story begins in Boston. John Hancock lives there. His** **parents died when he was 7 years old. He moved to his rich uncle. His Uncle died when John was 27 years old, and now he became the richest man in New England. He also had all these ships, but one year there came bad news from his ship. King George (the king of England) had sent a Stamp Act, and that was a bunch of taxes because England doesn’t have enough money for military purposes. But the next year the news was good. England repealed the Stamp Act. So John Hancock threw a tremendous party. Then, he met his future wife and got engaged to be married. He actually didn’t get married because English soldiers stopped in Lexington for a short battle, the place where he was going to be married.**

**John Hancock had to escape from Lexington, and when he was safe, he couldn’t just go back to Lexington. He was one of the delegates from Massachusetts, so he had to go to a meeting with representatives from all of the 13 Colonies, to decide what to do about England. John Hancock then went to Philadelphia for the meeting. There, many people shouted “Huzza! Huzza!” at him. Then John became president of the Continental Congress (which is not the president of the U.S.A). He focused a lot on his signatures. Also, all the members of the Congress wondered if they should declare their independence. Some said ‘Yes, now’, some said ‘No, not yet’. But on the rainy afternoon of July 2nd, they decided to declare their independence. The Declaration of Independence was prepared by Thomas Jefferson. And when it was ready to be signed, John Hancock signed first, with giant swishes and swirls. Then he said “There. King George can read that without his glasses.” If America won the war, he would be honored as First Signer. If America lost, he would be hanged first by England. After that, he wanted to fight in a battle. He was so sure he would fight in the battle that he rearranged his face. But John Adams nominated George Washington 1st and Samuel Adams seconded the nomination. John Hancock never felt the same about the Adam’s after that, but in 1778 he finally had the chance to fight in a battle.**

He wanted everyone to like him in the story. Well some people probably want everyone to like them, when they don’t have any friends or if you are in trouble. John Hancock was a pretty selfish guy, but in the story it says it in a good way. He just wanted everyone to like him. ** ** **
 * John fought in the battle and got very wet and cold. The French officers were mad because they were feeling unappreciated. Some people were criticizing them for leaving Rhode Island in to much of a hurry. What they needed was someone to keep them happy. And who was New England’s Number One Host? John Hancock, of course. He houses 120 French officers for many weeks. They also win the war between America and England. Then John Hancock becomes governor 11 times and buys many new, glorious things. He wished to be vice president but John Adams won. He also wished for his children to survive him. He had had two children and they both died. One died when she was just a few months, another died (called George) when he was trying on a new pair of skates. George was 9 years old at the time. John Hancock became very sick with leg and head aches when he was pretty old. He died in October, 1793. **
 * The author’s purpose for this story was to tell an interesting story and show some facts that you wouldn’t know without reading this story. Did you know that in 1775 King George had 500 pounds for Johns head? If you didn’t, you have to read this story. **
 * I have a few connections for this story. They are; **
 * The Wishing Stone, people say, is what got John Hancock what he wanted. Well, if I wished on a Wishing fountain would I get what I wanted? Probably not. This connection is to show that John Hancock might just have got what he wanted out of random luck, not the Wishing Stone (the wishing stone is a stone in Boston that you need to run 9 times around it and then stand on top of it and make a wish). **
 * Long ago, how much was money worth. If it were worth a lot, would 4 billion be more than Bill Gates 4 and a half billion (or something like that). Is John Hancock as rich so he has about 3 and a half billion if he were still living?
 * This book is a really good book and I would recommend it.


 * I haven’t eaten in two days. I go to a restaurant because I am really hungry. I feel like I could eat a house.**
 * At the restaurant I get all the food there. There are hamburgers and hot dogs, pizzas and pasties, ice cream and icings. The sushis are filled with rice; the rice is the best rice I’ve ever tasted.. It is smooth and icy cold. But I also want some hot dogs, with have ketchup on them. The hot dog bun is perfect, not rough. It feels so smooth. I take a bite out of the hamburger. WOW! I can still eat more. The Bar-B-Q chicken is sprinkled with a bit of spice, covered with sauce. The rough texture is hidden under the smooth sauce. I eat slowly to savor the taste. The spare ribs are perfect, too. No bones in the meat. Fantastic. My desert is the best. I have apple pie, lemon pie, pumpkin pie. The pumpkin pie is topped with spices. You can taste the touch of cinnamon. The ice cream has whipped cream on top. Smooth, good, whipped cream. I am full now. I will come back in two days.**