Martens' Diary by Kaitlin

Dear diary,

Today me and my Grandpa had some alone time. We went down to the small, dirty pond (which has no sign of life) in the morning. It is mine and grandpa’s favourite place to go. Whenever we go there he tells me our family stories. Today we had a lot of free time so that means he could tell me a lot of stories. The first story he told me was my great grandma’s (whose name is Marie).

When your great grandma was a little girl (which was when the First World War was on). She used to go to the field hospital every day. She would take her little handmade basket - which was full of eggs - down to try and get some money for her family. On her way to the Field Hospital, she would collect some freshly bloomed bright red poppies. It was the same every day, then one day she had not made a lot of money. On her way home she came across a lonely Tommy. In the middle of a field, he was sat on a small, broken, oak wood chair. Writing in a note book, he was using a tree stump as a table.

She went up to him and asked him if he wanted anything. Instead of answering all he did was throw a piece of paper into a puddle. She asked what it was; he told her everything about it (in the end it turns out it was a poem). She bought it home and now we still have that exact poem by the front door.              

Martens' Diary by Harley

Dear Diary,

                    Today, I got out of bed hoping for a tasty breakfast. As I was travelling down the stairs I could smell: eggs, baked beans, bacon and fried bread (tasty). I sat at my table and then grandpa exclaimed, “I have a surprise for you!”

I replied with, “Is it a fried breakfast?”

“Yep just how you like it.”

I was now eating a fried breakfast and my grandpa came in to sit at the table. When he sat down he was starting to tell me a story about Marie - I had never heard the story before but it sounded interesting - so I listened.

Grandpa told me that Marie used to be a little girl your age and she sold eggs to an Essex Farm. He went on to say - one day when Marie was selling eggs she came across a man sitting on a chair with is notebook on his lap so Marie shouted, “Eggs Tommy!” (the only words she knew in English). The first time she shouted the man didn’t hear so she repeated and the second time the man tared a piece of paper out of his notebook and threw it into a nearby puddle. Grandpa says Marie picks up the paper and the man just lets her take it (I didn’t believe that part). Grandpa goes on to say that Marie took it home not recognising it had a world-famous poem on it and as soon as she got home she put it on her wall (she touched it just thinking every day for luck).

I went on that day just thinking how my grandma met one of the most famous writers in the world, John McCrae. That night I could hardly sleep (Marie didn’t even know his name.) because Marie had a big chance of actually knowing one of the most famous writers in the whole world.

From that day forward, whoever I met I had to ask for their names. That was one of the best stories I had ever heard through my entire life.

Martens' Diary by Ruby

Dear diary,

Today grandpa told me about my first ever Christmas. I almost cried because Christmas was the day when my papa died. Grandpa told me he went out in the morning fog and heard men’s voices but when he walked towards them he found they had gone. After that mum made papa a nice hot drink papa hopped on his tractor and went to plough the poppy field. Grandpa said, “I watched him drive into the mist and that was the last time I saw him again.” As for me I was fast asleep inside the house I didn’t find out my papa had died until I was older, I guess I was too young to understand then.

I wish I could have met my papa but nothing can stop the shell that killed him. Yes, a shell killed my papa he drove over a shell (from world war one) and boom he was dead. It was so sad, my mum and grandpa never set foot in that field again they were too scared to.

I always go past that poppy field on my bike and I think about my papa as I cycle past. I hope grandpa will tell me another story soon. Grandpa does tell me another story I will make sure I write it down.

Martens' Diary by Jaydon

Dear Diary,

Today, Grandpa remembered it was a special day because it was Remembrance Day so we have a minute silence to remember those in the war.  He started to tell me the story about how my father died so my grandpa helped me to remember him.  Grandpa told me, that my dad put on his boots after breakfast one morning and got on his tractor.  Then Grandpa helped him to hitch up the plough in the farmyard onto the tractor.  Then they watched him ride into the mist then that was the last time they saw him alive because he drove over a World War One bomb shell, BANG, he was gone.  That was how he died.  Even though it was a very said day we will still talk about him now.                 

Martens' Diary by Bradley

Dear diary,

Today, my grandfather told me a story about my great-grandmother (Marie) getting married to my great-grandfather (Pete) let me tell you how it went. Marie was out in town, shopping, until she noticed a service at the Menin gates. There were people playing the bugle, surrounding her.

Beside all the soldiers, a man, a soldier- reciting the poem that Marie had on her wall since she was a girl. The poem read:

In Flanders fields the poppies grow,

Between the crosses row on row

And in the sky, the larks

Still bravely singing,

Fly Scarce heard admits the guns below.

Short days ago,

We lived, felt down, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved,

And now we lie in Flanders.

After the service, Marie started to head home, until suddenly the Tommy reciting the poem ran over and asked, "How do you know the poem? You were saying it at the same time as me?”

“I met the person who wrote it and now I know it off by heart,” she slowly replied. Before they knew it they were sharing a drink at the town café. Chatting. Chatting a lot.

The two started to feel a lot closer as time went on and Marie told him about how she got the poem in the first place. She took him to her house - where the poem sat and before they knew it they were husband and wife.

So that’s the story about my great grandparents, Marie and Pete, let's hope grandpa tells us another inspirational story tomorrow…

Michael's Diary by Zia

Dear diary,
Today I was told we are moving house for the new baby. When we started moving all of are things out I felt very upset that we were going to move out of the area. When everything was packed up, we started to drive to the house, my mum told me, “You will still be able to see your friends at school.”
My dad pulled up at the new house and it was a dump. I told my dad that it looks like it is going to fall down. He then replied, “Nothing is going to fall down.” Suddenly the sold sign fell!
We walked into the house and cobwebs were everywhere, dust was all over and it stunk. I HATED IT! I looked all around the house and I was hoping to find a nice room to be mine. As I wandered up the stairs, there was an attic type of room it was horrible. Out of nowhere a gigantic crow flew in the house. It sat on a rusty seat and looked around. When it flew out, I ran down stairs
I asked my mum and dad, “Why isn’t the toilet in the toilet.”
My dad said, "It’s because the old man who used used live here couldn’t walk very well." He then said, “The poor man died here.”
After a few minutes had passed I said “I want the room next to the toilet.”
Mum said, "We thought you would like the top room, because need the other room for the baby.”
I went up to my horrid room and jumped like crazy. When dad came up he told me to stop.

Michael's Diary by Paris

Dear Diary,
I got home from school, when my mum and dad were packing all of my belongings into my suitcase. I didn’t know what was going on, but I went along with it. My dad said that we are moving house, and that I would make lots of new friends where we were going. He asked me to help put the suitcases into the van, as my mum was pregnant. This leads to if my dad wants anything he always asked me!
After that, we headed towards the motorway with all of our things crammed in the back of the van. On the way I was thinking about what the new house would look like; I was kind of hoping that it would be like a palace and nice and clean. We drove into a thin little road and I realised that beside the road there was a sign on saying Falconer Road.
I jumped out of the van, and then I saw the worst house I had ever seen in my whole entire world. My dad seemed quite impressed with the house, but my mum didn’t really look happy. It looked like it was about to fall down it was really crooked.

Michael's Diary by Frankie

Dear Diary,
Today has been horrible, I woke up ready to move house, and I had my bags prepared. I walked into the kitchen to see mum outside on the balcony watching dad moving my things, I didn’t want to move from here because it was a perfect place, but I had no choice since the baby was on its way and we wouldn’t have any space for all of us.
I asked mum if she was coming to the moving van because it was time to go, and I might as well have looked like I wanted to go at least. We went down to the van and dad looked really happy about the house I had a little hope that it would be good.
Me, mum and dad got into the van and started driving towards the new house. I thought the house was going to be absolutely amazing, but I was wrong.

Michael's Diary by Molly

Dear Diary,
As a new day comes it’s time to move to my new home. My mum and dad have finished packing and now we make our journey to Falconer Road. The only reason that we have to move is because I will have a baby sibling soon and there’s no room left at my old house. I am already starting to hate my baby brother or sister. MY LIFE IS RUINED!
After about an hour (it felt like) we arrived. Here we were. I got out of the van and looked up it was the ugliest looking home I had ever seen! Then my dad said to me, “What do you think son?”
I hesitated and stayed quiet then said. “Um it looks like the whole thing will fall down.”

And guess what happened the ‘AUCTION’ sign fell down. I knew something would. I may have tried to blow it down! Told you ‘KIDS KNOW BEST!’
As we walked inside there was a chair lifter thing (that get elderly people upstairs). As mum gives Dad her special plant....

Michael's Diary by Lisa

Dear Diary,

I was just at home today, like I am every Saturday morning, when mum and dad told me that we are moving house. And even worse, TODAY! We are only moving house because apparently, “there won’t be enough room for all four of us.” And by ‘all four of us’ she means: Me, mum, dad and my new sibling. Yes, my mum is pregnant with a little sibling who is going to take all of my attention away from me! 
So me and dad were moving things into our van so that we can take it all to the house, Dad seemed extremely excited but to be honest I’m not entirely sure why. We lived in a massive flat, and now he wants to move us to a stupid little cottage, with our stupid little baby. Mum keeps saying, “This will be better for us because remember your new family member!”

We got into our brand-new, bright blue van and started driving to the house. On the way I tried to look on the bright side, let me see: I’m moving away from ALL of my friends, I’m getting a stupid new sibling, this sibling is ruining my life and apparently, this place is in the middle of nowhere! There's absolutely nothing good that is going to come out of moving to this place!

We finally got there, (after like FOREVER, which just shows you how far away from everything, including my old house, it is) Dad got me and mum out the van before showing us his ‘new’ grotty house. It’s a dump!! I can’t live here! It’s so stupid that it looks like it is about to collapse! There is no way that any of us can survive in this place for a day and none of us have actually been in it yet, even the baby won’t survive and they are lucky because they can’t see it yet. I can’t believe this! The walls are rotting; the doors and windows are stained! NO WAY!

We went inside the house and it stunk! I went upstairs and looked around, the attic was awesome! It had dust, cobwebs and spider webs all over it! Including Spiders! YESSS!

Michael's diary by William

Dear diary,
Today I was told that we are moving out of the flat. When I was at school I was worried that I wouldn’t see my friends. When I got home my mum told me that I had to help them move all of the furniture and toys. When we finished moving stuff in the van I got in and sat in the middle and put my hood up and just looked down.
When we arrived my dad was so happy but when I saw the house me and my mum were not impressed. It looked like it was going to fall down - I think the vines are still keeping it up. I was going to say it was the baby’s fault but I held that in and looked sad. When I went in,  I went straight up to the top there was a window but it was broken and a bird flew in. It was going crazy it made me jump. It looked at me then flew out. 
I went down stairs and my dad told me something I asked if I could have the room next to the bathroom he said no. So I went upstairs and sat on my bed and wrote this diary.

Michael's Diary by Dalton

Dear Diary,
Today we moved to a new house down Falconer Street. I wasn’t looking forward to moving but when we turned up; I wanted to go back to our old flat near my school.

When I got inside, I had a look around my dad was so amazed but I wasn’t. When I got upstairs to the attic I was shocked how many cobwebs there were. There was a window missing from the room and there was a dark orange cloth hanging on a railing. When I pulled it down there was a black crow screeching across the attic, so I ran to the edge of the stair hoping it would fly out and then it flew to its nest.
When I was walking downstairs, my dad told me a story about the old man that lived here before us. He told us he died whilst sitting on the toilet and then said it was a joke but then my dad said he died by drinking beer in his kitchen and then he collapsed and it smelt like old socks and rotten fish down the street. 
I said to my mum, “Can I have the room next to the toilet please?” 
My mum said, “No I am using it for the new baby.” 
Dad said “You can have the one upstairs so you can have more privacy” so I went off stamping upstairs and having a tantrum because I didn’t get my room that I wanted. I went and lay on my mattress and relaxed and the dad came up and said, “Can you help move the stuff because I don’t want your mum to move anything,” so I went downstairs and helped.

Michael's Diary by Tyler S

Dear Diary, 

Today, was without a doubt the worst. 

At about 10AM this morning, I just got told that we are moving house. Even though mum did say that I will still see all my friends at school, it just won’t be the same. The reason why we are moving away from a perfectly fine flat, is because of this baby that mum is supposed to have. 

So we moved all of our stuff – which wasn’t much – into a transit van that dad hired for the day.

The journey there I thought was way longer than the hour it should be. But that might just have been me because it was awfully boring cooped up in the middle of the van and we were on the motorway, so it might have just been me imagining it. We stopped down this road called `Falconer Road`. Dad seemed overly excited about this, “Amazing new house!” Mum didn’t look as enthusiastic as dad, but tried to show a smile.

“Ta, da, da, daaa!” Dad cried, as he gestured his hands towards the house, “what do you think?” 

I was absolutely speechless. I had to say my most honest answer, so I replied “It looks like it’s about to fall over.” 

Dad reassured that the house wouldn’t fall down, but I still wasn’t convinced.

Michael's Diary by Kaci-Shaye

Dear Diary,

Today I got home from school and dad was packing up all our belongings and then putting it in a blue, small van. I wasn’t happy at all I loved my home, my school and all my friends. My dad asked me to help him take my mattress into the van. I asked dad why we are moving. He replied because ‘We live in a tiny flat and we have a baby coming, also we have a lot of neighbours that will complain about the baby.’ We all got buckled up and set off.

As we was travelling to our new house I saw a lot of starlings (well I think it was starlings) flying above in the grey sky. I moved side to side to get comfy in the dusty, old van. We drove into a little street called Falconer Road.

I jumped out of the van in excitement when I looked up my feelings fell into the ground. It was a disaster; it looked like Spiderman decorated it for his 5th birthday. It looked like it was built in the 1800's. Dad thought it was amazing, mum was impressed but not that much, anyway the house looked it was a dump.

Michael's Diary by Harry

Dear Diary,

My day has been rubbish! I’ve moved from a two star flat to a zero star house which someone’s died in. If you step on the carpet a mist of dust comes up in your face and anywhere you go cobwebs are all over you.

We started moving about 6:30 in the morning and my arms are still aching from moving my heavy lamp down three flights of stairs. I’m sick and tired about everyone going on about the baby.
 “Can we go and get that football I wanted from the store today Mum?.” 
“No because we are going equipment shopping for the baby.” 
SEE!!

Finally, we were all ready to go so we got in the hire van. I really miss that place but Mum said you can still see your friends and go to the same school but we just live in a different place.

It was a 20 minute drive from our flat so it would take a while to get to school. Dad pulled up near the new house and he was ....

Michael's Diary by Anesha

Dear Diary,

I woke up this morning feeling good, until my mum and dad told me that we were moving houses because my mum was pregnant and was having a baby soon and the flat was not big enough so we need a house.

So we had to take all our stuff down the stairs and because mum couldn’t do it I had to do everything that dad asked me to do. Getting down the stairs felt like 14 hours but really it wasn’t. When we got it all downstairs we put it in the van and I put my seat belt on and off we went. When we got there the name of the road was Falconer Road. It was like half an hour away from my friends and my school.

We get out of the van and I was nervous to see what the house looked like. Hopefully it was nice maybe it was a mansion you never know. We got out the van and I was ready to see my new house I saw it and I was shocked how they can have picked this awful house it looked like it was going to fall down it was disgusting what kind of person would have lived in this house.

My dad asked me if I like it. I didn’t answer...

Michael's Diary by Isabelle

Dear Diary,

Horrible. Just horrible. I can’t that this actually happened to me. It’s all because of this baby as well, the baby is not even here yet and I’m already annoyed with it.

So today was as usual. I went to school, I had lessons, and I had a math test today. Then I went home after that (again as usual) but when I got home my parents had a ‘huge surprise’ for me. At first I had my usual thought of when Dad says it’s a ‘huge surprise’ it’s not that big of a deal but little did I know that this surprise was more like bad news. “We know we’ve told you this a bit late but…” Dad paused, “We’re moving house!” 

I was speechless, and not in a good way. This was the worst ‘huge surprise’ Dad has ever given me. 

A few seconds later, Mum said, “Don’t worry you’ll have you own room at least.” 

I replied “But when are we moving?” 

They looked at each other then back at me. “Now!”

About half an hour later, all of our stuff was in the van and Mum was still trying to convince me that moving is going to be better for me. “You’ll still get to see your friends; you’re not moving school remember.” she explained  but I ignored her and climbed into the van. Car journeys are fun but when the place you’re going to is the place you’re staying they end up being so boring.

The journey seemed to go on forever but then we finally arrived. I know I shouldn’t really say this but this baby has ruined my life. If it wasn’t for this baby I would still have been living at the apartment with my family, happily. We all got out of the van and of course the first thing that Mum picks out is her beloved plant and plant pot that her grandmother had given her when she was my age. Anyway about the house. “Tardar!” Dad shouted and trust me the house was nothing to be proud of.

Skellig Diary Entry by Tyler W

Dear Diary,
Today was a mix up of all emotions; it felt like someone had grabbed: fear ,sadness, happiness and my dad’s lame jokes into a blender; blended everything. Then fed it to me as the worst day of my life.

It all started when we began leaving our old flat, flat 984D Crimson House, Gullig Avenue in my town, we had to lug a lot of furniture down all eight flights of stairs so we were very tired. We dragged everything from my mattress to mum's old plant.
My dad said that the move was for the best and that the flat was too small especially now we are having the baby. Of course we couldn’t have a single conversation without dragging that stupid baby in to it. Honestly that boring baby has been in the lime-light for the last five months and it will be in it for the rest of my life. Every inch of that ride to the new house felt like a mile, all I could think of is how much I would miss all my friends and the area I lived in. I knew it would be hard but that really proved it.
When we finally arrived on Falconer Road my dad was all excited. Which kind of passed it on to me and mum but for the way dad was, anyone would have thought he had bought the house Jamie Lavolorala lived in. Me and my mum were ready to see the house of our lives but what we did see, is what we didn’t see coming.

Stood before our eyes was a run-down terrible old structure, Stig of the Dump lived in a nicer dump than it. There was an old rickety fence hanging on by one hinge. Just beyond the fence was an overgrown garden that had longer grass than the Amazon jungle. The house its self was covered in mould and moss. There were windows missing and bricks crumbling and we couldn’t see the rest of the house due to the overgrown leaves, branches, bushes and trees. I said that it looks like the house was about to fall down (and it did look like it was).
When we had climbed through the dirty garden and arrived inside, I started to explore. The whole house was tatty and disgusting. There was a toilet in the lounge and I asked dad and that was an opportunity for him to use one of his jokes. Dad said that the old man couldn’t move and needed a toilet near him (that part is true) but then he had to say that he died on it as well (that part was false and not funny) Mum did say that he died in the kitchen though. I wasn’t sure how to reply to that. I asked if I could have the room next to the bathroom but the baby had to have that room mum said. Stupid thing! After that I came to the rickety room dad said was mine and came to write this.
 My dad needs me to help him with some more furniture now so that’s it for today.
 Bye diary

Skellig diary entry by Jack S

Dear Diary,
I was having a great day when, out of the blue, we suddenly had to move house because there’s a baby coming! It’s all the stupid baby’s fault, that’s the reason we’re moving out!
Once I had packed my things, we finally got to see the house, we drove off and, guess what? It’s a dump! It looks like it could fall down at any second, it probably will, I’m expecting it to anyway.
The baby hasn’t even been born yet and I already hate it, I didn’t get the room I wanted because of it and I’ve had to move house because of it, it’s ruined my life! My bedroom is in the attic, my window doesn’t even have glass in it! Just a gaping hole! Doesn’t help that a fat crow flew in, dad’s temper hasn’t gotten any better either.
There is also a mysterious shed in, what I’m assuming, the back garden, I don’t care if there are just garden tools, I’m going to find out what’s in there!

Michael's Diary by Olivia

Dear Diary,
Today was the worst day of my life I got told that we're moving!! So on the way to ‘the new house’ mum and dad were talking about how everything is going to be perfect with the new baby and everything. I already hate this baby its ruining everything. When we finally get to the house dad's face lit up like he’s eating a big mac from McDonalds.
The house is horrible it looks like its going to fall down. When we actually get into the house after walking through the jungle that’s outside of our ‘lovely house’ as dad likes to call it.