Every night she would go to sleep，thinking of the cloud city and what it would be like to see the sunset beneath her feet，or what it would be like to sail across the Lava Sea on a steam powered gnome-made ship，or to safari through the alive jungles，meeting and greeting with the vegetarian headhunters. She，d dream of doing these wonderful worldly things with the love of her life.
Elizabeth lived with her mother，her little sister，and her step-father named Ray. Her biological father left her and her mother when Elizabeth was only five years old. Elizabeth，s mother，a year later，met and married Ray，a simple coal miner but a responsible one.
Every time Elizabeth would talk about flying on a magic carpet with her Persian prince named Hektor，or riding inside a-horse-drawn carriage with her French impressionist boyfriend named Jacque，or sailing the seven seas with her pirate king named Clair，her mother would smile slightly and say，“That，s nice，dear. Now eat your pudding.”
One day，she received a scroll from her biological father. He wrote，“Elizabeth，I，ve been on a great and grand adventure across the globe！ I，ve seen the old oak tree in the middle of Palm Springs！ I，ve dined with the elves of Qual！ I，ve rode on the backs of the stone bulls in Orga！ It has been a lovely experience！ But I miss my lovely daughter. So，on your 13th birthday，I will whisk you away and show you all the wonders of the world！”
Elizabeth was ecstatic. She was more excited than she had ever been. She was finally going to see the world！ And with her father，her real father，no doubt！ She began packing her clothes and her shoes and her bug spray，as her 13th birthday was fast approaching.
Every day and every night，up until her 13th birthday，Elizabeth could think of nothing else and nothing less than the wonders of the world she would get to see： the unending caves，the glowing rivers，the chocolate swamps… And she would be with her father，her real father.
Her birthday came and went，but her real father did not arrive. Months went by and Elizabeth became sad. She stopped dreaming of the Ice Cream Castle. She stopped thinking of the mechanical city. She stopped wondering to see the giant eagles at the top of the mountains. All she did was not talk，and eat her pudding.
On her 14th birthday，her stepfather Ray walked into her room. He was covered in ash and soot， as his day job was to mine coal. He seemed to have an extra thick layer and Elizabeth was hardly able to see his eyes.
“Elizabeth，”He said，coughing，dust coming out of his gray-caked lips，“I know this isn，t much，but I have something for you.”
Elizabeth looked at Ray，s hands. It was a book.
“What，s that for？”Elizabeth asked.
Ray said，coughing.“It，s a manual on how to operate a hot air balloon.”
“What would I need that for？”Elizabeth asked，bewildered .
“Because I made you one.”Ray said，wheezing .
Elizabeth looked at Ray. He was from head to toe in ash，soot and dirt. She knew he wasn，t a rich man，but he was a responsible and nice one. He was a quiet one，but he listened to everything going on around him. She quickly deduced Ray was working overtime to make enough money to buy the parts necessary to make a hot air balloon. For her to fly around the world and for her to adventure.
She burst into tears.
“Oh，don，t cry…”Ray said，embarrassed，“Sorry. I know. It，s not much. But it，s the best I could do…”
“No！”Elizabeth said，crying，“It is the best gift I have ever received！”
“Really？”Ray asked，scratching his head，“It，s not a fancy plane or a horse carriage or a power train. It，s just a hot air balloon.”
Elizabeth smiled the biggest smile in her history. She cried out of love because the love that she finally saw just couldn，t be contained inside of her 14 year old body. She rushed into Ray，s arms to give him a hug. Dust and soot drifted around them.“Thank you，dad，”Elizabeth whispered. Ray smiled.“You，re welcome.”
Here love is on her side.
十二岁的伊丽莎白幻想着爱情，童话中的那种爱情，有富贵的王子，或者闪耀的骑士，或者内心纯粹而又富有潜质的农场男孩。这种童话中的男子会在一次冒险中带着她飞奔到很多很远的地方去，让她看看在那栋位于大激流市的小房屋中没有见过的那些事。
每天晚上，她都会做梦梦到云城以及在那儿欣赏脚下日落的景象，或者乘一艘小矮人制造的蒸汽船横渡熔岩海的景象，或者游猎穿梭于生机盎然的雨林，遇到素食主义的猎头族，还和他们打招呼。她会梦到自己怀着对生活的热爱做着美好的尘世之事。
伊丽莎白和她的妈妈、小妹妹，还有她那位名叫雷的继父住在一起。伊丽莎白的生父在她只有五岁的时候就离开了她和她的妈妈。而伊丽莎白的妈妈在一年之后就遇到了普普通通但富有责任感的煤矿工人雷，并嫁给了他。
每次伊丽莎白谈论自己和她的波斯王子赫克拖尔坐在魔毯上飞来飞去，或是和她的那位身为法国印象派画家的 男朋友雅凯同乘一辆单马拉的马车，或是和她的海盗王克莱尔在七大洋中航行，她的妈妈就会浅浅笑道：“亲爱的，那很棒哦。现在吃你的布丁吧。”
一天，她收到亲生父亲寄来的一轴信卷。他在信上写道：“伊丽莎白，我已经进行了一次伟大又隆重的环球冒 险！我已经在棕榈泉看过那棵老橡树，已经同夸尔的小精灵们共进晚餐，已经骑过奥加斗牛石的石背，这真是 一次美妙的经历啊！但是我很想念我可爱的女儿，所以，在你十三岁生日的时候，我会带你飞去看看世界上所 有的奇观！”
伊丽莎白欣喜若狂，她感到前所未有的激动。她终于要去见见世面了，并且和她的爸爸一起，没错，她真正的爸爸！当她的十三岁生日快到时，她就开始将自己的衣服、鞋子和防虫喷雾一起打包。
在她的十三岁生日之前的每一个日日夜夜，伊丽莎白所想象的没有其他，无外乎是她将会目睹到的世间奇观： 无穷无尽的洞穴、灼热的河流、巧克力沼泽……而且她会和她的爸爸在一起，她真正的爸爸。
她的生日到了又过去了，但是她的亲生父亲却没有赶回来。几个月过去了，伊丽莎白变得很难过。她不再想象冰淇淋的城堡，不再想象那座机械之城，不再想去看群山顶上的巨鹰。她只是不再出声，默默地吃着布丁。
在她的十四岁生日那天，她的继父走进她的房间。由于他日间的工作是采煤，他全身上下都是灰和煤烟。他似乎多出一层厚厚的表皮，而伊丽莎白几乎都看不见他的双眼。
“伊丽莎白，”他说着，咳嗽了一声，他结了灰块的双唇间吐出灰尘，“我知道这个并不值钱，但我有东西要给你。”
伊丽莎白看了看雷的双手，那是一本书。
“那是干什么用的？”伊丽莎白问。
雷咳嗽着说：“这是一本关于如何操纵热气球的手册。”
“我要它干吗？”伊丽莎白困惑不解地问。
“因为我已经给你做了一个热气球。”雷喘息着说。
伊丽莎白看了看雷，他从头到脚都是灰、煤烟和尘土。她知道他并不是有钱人，但却是个有责任心的好人。他是一个很安静的人，但是他会倾听发生在他身边的所有事。她很快推断出雷一直以来加班的原因就是为了赚够钱去买做一个热气球所必需的零件。为了她的环球飞行，为了她的冒险之旅。
她突然大哭起来。
“哦，别哭了……”雷尴尬地说着，“抱歉，我知道，这个不值多少钱，但却是我能做到的最好的……”
“不是的，”伊丽莎白哭泣着说，“这是我收到过的最好的礼物。”
“真的吗？”雷问道，挠了挠头，“它可不是一架昂贵的飞机，也不是一辆马车，更不是一列动力火车。它只是一个热气球。”
伊丽莎白露出了她生平最大的笑容。她是为爱而哭，因为她最终明白的这份爱是她十四岁的身体所无法容纳的。她冲进雷的怀中给了他一个拥抱。尘土和烟灰飘浮在他们身边。“谢谢你，爸爸。”伊丽莎白轻声说道。“不客气。”雷微笑道。
原来爱就在她的身边。
whisk
【释义】n. 搅拌器；扫帚；毛掸子 vt. 拂，掸；搅拌；挥动 vi. 飞奔
vegetarian
【释义】n. 素食者；食草动物 adj. 素食的
responsible
【释义】adj. 负责的，可靠的；有责任的
impressionist
【释义】n. 印象主义者；印象派作家
adventure
【释义】n. 冒险；冒险精神；投机活动 vt. 冒险；大胆说出 vi. 冒险
lava
【释义】n. 熔岩；火山岩
safari
【释义】n. 旅行；狩猎远征；旅行队
ecstatic
【释义】adj. 狂喜的；入迷的 n. 狂喜的人
soot
【释义】n. 煤烟，烟灰 vt. 用煤烟熏黑；以煤烟弄脏
manual
【释义】n. 手册，指南 adj. 手工的；体力的
The Last Jar of Jelly/ 最后一瓶果冻
Our children grew up on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Even my husband and I sometimes sneak one in late at night with a glass of milk. I believe that the Earl of Sandwich himself would agree with me that the success of this universally loved concoction lies not in the brand of peanut butter used，but rather in the jelly. The right jelly delights the palate，and homemade is the only choice.
