Dear Journal...

Dear Journal,

 It looks like I’m going to be staying at the island a lot longer because I promised Garvey I would stay longer to help Peter heal. I am happy that everybody agreed to proceed with my idea as long as Garvey stays on the island with us. I do think staying on the island longer will help Peter heal easier, and I also think I will find the peace within myself. Peter and I are talking now. At first he didn’t talk at all, but then he started to talk to Garvey and eventually talked to me. I really hope this works out. I want to be friends with Peter, we both just have to try. I know I will follow through, but will he be able to commit to friendship and forgive me?

Dear Journal...

Dear Journal,
 A few days ago, Edwin came to visit. He told me that Peter tried suicide. I was shocked. He attempted suicide because of me. I never intended this to happen. After Edwin told me, we sat in silence for a while. After the awkwardness, I proposed my plan to bring Peter to the island. He obviously said it would be impossible.
 Today, as usual, I was doing the daily routine, I got out of bed, and took my hike up to the pond. I finished my soak and then rolled my anger away with the ancestor rock. When I was starting my descent down the hill, I heard a faint motor... Almost like a small aluminum skiff was coming in. I thought to myself, Nah, it can't be Edwin. He was just here a few days ago.
 Apparently my legs thought otherwise. All of a sudden, I started running back to camp. Surely enough, Edwin was coming in to shore with the little aluminum boat. There was someone else with him though too. A medium sized fishing trawler was coming to shore also. I could see Edwin alone on the skiff, but on the trawler, I could make out three figures. My guesses were, Peter, and his parents. Sure enough, when the trawler and the skiff reached shore, it was Peter and his parents. 

This is the pond. I got a great image!  This was in early November I believe.

I found some sparrow eggs today. I thought it was so neat. So I decided to take a picture. The eggs remind me of the baby sparrows I found while I was laying there after the mauling.

My wood stock. I've been protecting it from the rain with a tarp.

Dear Journal...

Dear Journal,
 Winter is near over, but I still haven't been soaking because once I get in, I get right out because its so cold. I have been rolling the ancestor rock though. I think I will start to soak when it warms up a little. I have also been staying cooped up in  my cabin because its so cold out on this island. I would rather be carving on my totem than sitting  all day. 
 Out here its beautiful. It may be snowy, wet, and rainy, but I like it, its beautiful. The only thing is, I just wish I could share it with someone. Edwin hasn't been coming lately. Maybe he'll come in the next week or so? I hope because I'm low on supplies (food) and I am so lonely. When I talk, I am blown away by the sound of my voice.. I sound like a girl, with strep throat or something. 

Dear Journal...

 Dear Journal,
Edwin visited today and he noticed my totem. He immediately noticed my start of a canoe that I ruined. He said, " I see you've attempted to make a canoe?" 
 I replied hesitantly, " Yes, but I realized it was wrong so I stopped. " Edwin seemed to understand. He says that Garvey moved back to Minneapolis. Edwin told me that Peter wasn't doing well at all. I feel terrible. I know there is some way to help him. But how? this question has frequently reached my mind ever sincethe mauling.  When Edwin next visits, surely I'll have some idea of how to help Peter. Well I better be making supper because its near dark and I've yet to start a fire.

Quiz!?!

1) What role does Edwin play?
    
      A: A Tlingit elder nurse.
    
      B: A Tlingit elder who visits Cole often on the remote island.
    
      C: A Frog.

2) Why is the world a hot dog? ( Choose the best answer.)
    
      A: The world is a hot dog because a hot dog is what you make it. Just like                   life is what you make it.

      B: The world is revolved around Cole Matthews.

      C: Hot dogs are delicious.

3) Cole is on the Island for what reason?

      A: He attempted suicide.

      B: He is on the island to explore for school.

      C: Cole dramatically beat up a kid named Peter Driscal and ruined Peters and his own life.

4) Cole has a father named?

      A: Bill

      B: Gary

      C: William

5) The spirit bear is colored

      A: Purple

      B: Grayish- white

      C: Brown

6) The book 'Touching Spirit Bear' is written by

      A: Jennifer Lopez

      B: J.K. Rowling

      C: Ben Mikaelsen

7) Does Peter Driscal beat up Cole at some point in the book?

      A: Yes, near the beginning of the book.

      B: No.

      C: Yes, near the end of the book.

8) Do Peters parents agree to let Peter stay on the island with Garvey and Cole for Peter to heal?

      A: Yes, Close to the end of the book.

      B: No

      C: Yes, Close to the beginning of the book.

9) Does Cole have a girlfriend?

      A: Yes, her name is Jenny.

      B: Yes, her name is Cindy.

      C: No.

10) Does Cole change?

      A: Yes, actually quite a lot.

      B: No, not really.

      C: Yes, but only a tiny bit.













Answers: 1) B. 2) A. 3) C. 4) C. 5) B. 6) C. 7) C. 8) A. 9) C. 10) A

Dear Journal...

Dear journal,
 Garvey and Edwin left a few days ago, and I have already collected a lot of wood. I have stocked it and put a tarp over it to keep it dry. The wood should stay dry. My cabin is cozy, and I need a bed frame. I think I'll make a table and chair too. I have been soaking in the pond, and rolling my anger away with the ancestor rock every day. I actually don't feel like i'm healing at all. If only I knew what the secret was... Anyways, Edwin told me I had to figure it out on my own. I found a long log that could be used as a totem. I started carving a canoe out of it but I knew it was wrong so I ruined it and started to carve a bear. I wonder what I will carve after the bear is done.

Pictures

 This is where I got and soak every day. It may not look cold but its Freezing.

This is the Island where I am staying at for a year because I beat up Peter.

This Is my cabin I have built with my own hands. To buy the supplies, I had to sell all of my things back home. I had to do this because I Burned down the original that Garvey and Edwin had built.

I got to capture a picture of the spirit bear. As soon as it realized I was there, it bounded away towards the underbrush.

I have carved this totem for something to do. I carved a bear, a beaver, a dolphin, an eagle, and a circle to represent Circle Justice. Before I carved the animals, I tried making a canoe. but i new it was wrong so i ruined it and started making my totem.

Edwin and Garvey coming in to visit me. This was before Garvey moved back to Minneapolis. 

One night I had seen some dolphin. I danced the dolphin dance and the next day I carved a dolphin.

All About Me:

Hi, I'm Cole Matthews. I am changed in a way I can't explain. I used to be angry, and foolish. I was always mad for stupid reasons. My father used to beat me. Although he didn't know any better because he was beat when he was younger by his father too. My mother always dressed nicely to make a good impression to cover up the sadness in her life. 
                            I was always bailed out of jail by my parents, but not this one time. see, I beat up this kid named Peter Driscal. I got mad at him. I smashed his head into the ground and he and I had payed consequences. I chose to do this thing called Circle Justice instead of getting booted to jail. Well, circle justice got the better of me and sent me to a remote island in Alaska. I was mauled and left to die for weeks, maybe even months by a rare animal called a spirit bear. Finally my parole officer Garvey, and a Tlingit Indian Tribe member, Edwin, Had came to rescue me. Circle Justice didn't know whether they should believe I was mauled and send me back to the Island, or decide that I had wasted my only chance on that Island. I did want to go back. I wanted to experience beauty. The island had changed me. I realized that everything around me was beautiful and I wanted to experience the beauty again and again. In the end they ended up sending me back to the island. This time though I had to build my own shelter- with the guidance of Garvey and Edwin- and I also had to buy my own supplies. I had to live there for a year total. This time I did not want to mess things up.