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Every month Sybrina's Phrase Thesaurus Newsletter features a group of phrases from the Phrase Thesaurus.   Sybrina's Phrase Thesaurus is packed full of descriptive phrases on every subject
...from descriptions of the body, and how it looks, moves and interacts
...to word pictures describing all types of landscapes, waterscapes and skyscapes
...and much more.

I stepped on the air-conditioning unit to look inside Mallory's house. Her mom was at the cabinet pouring a drink. Mallory was back at my house. I invited her over because I wanted to make my dad something like a card. But Mallory was shy when she got to my house. She's always shy. She rang the door and stood there holding her box of books and crayons. When I led her back to my parents' room to ask Dad what kind of card he wanted, Mallory wouldn't even come close to his room to hear. He joked with me a little. Then we went to my room and sat down to make a card.

Mallory looked unhappy, like she was homesick. She wanted to draw a cat on the card and didn't know how. I drew an outline. She started to color it but looked lost. I looked at the yard outside my bedroom window. I love playing out there. When I play alone, I do more interesting things than when I'm with someone else, especially Mallory, who's quiet and doesn't really make up her own games.

Mom came into my room and asked if we wanted to bake a cake. Mallory was very quick to say, "Yes."

We were baking. Mallory was sitting on the stool, holding the measuring cup, following every instruction my mother said. She does what people say. But I tend to like to make up what I do. I was thinking about that -- that maturity is knowing a lot about what you want, not complaining, and trying to get it as long as you aren't mean. I thought about the yard. I love checking the herbs, because I know what you can do with a garden if you're careful. That's something I love about myself.

I put down my spoon. "Mom. I'm going to go outside a second."

Mom raised her eyebrows like I was being rude. Dad came in. "I'll be right back," I said. Mallory liked baking -- she wanted to, and I didn't, so I didn't feel like it was rude.

Since Dad's been sick they've been letting me do strange things like sleep alone in the tent in the yard. At the garden, the herbs looked fine. I kept going and went into the woods. I went almost to the pond, to the road, and it was the back route that lately I've been enjoying a lot, then here. Mallory's mother went over towards the TV. I finally knocked on the door.

She opened up. "Clara?"

I felt sad when I felt like I knew exactly what she was going to say. "Where's Mallory?" I straddled Sam and pet him hard, not looking up yet.

"Is everything okay?" she said.

"It's fine!" I felt rushed because I know what's on her mind before she even talks, and I wanted to get us on a new topic. "I wanted to visit Sam!" I rubbed him hard. "I missed him."

"Is Mallory with your mom?" she said.

"They're baking. I just wanted to visit."

Mallory's mom put a hand on my shoulder and led me inside. I looked at the floors and the bookcases and was excited that I'd come over when I hadn't been invited. I love inventing.

We sat on the couch and I pet Sam. Mallory's mom offered me a drink. I looked behind my shoulders at the glass doors to the pool. "I haven't been out there in a while." We both looked at the doors. She was calm. "Can I go?" I said.

She tensed her forehead like I was sad. I wasn't sad as much as I was excited about being there and the pool.

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