Series: 24 - June 2023

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

It’s hot today and it’s going to be even hotter tomorrow!  Very high heat indexes.  I’m not sure what heat indexes are but apparently if it’s humid and hot then it feels hotter than if it’s not humid and hot.  Weather is a weird thing.  I’m glad our air conditioner works well!!!  Dave had someone come by a few weeks ago and give it a tune up, and now it’s nice and cold and sucks electricity.  And the car has good AC as well, so hey, modern living for the win.  Dave tells me though that air conditioning actually heats up the outside.  Ever wondered what all those air conditioners do for temperature outside?

I.. don’t want to think about it.  La la la!!!

Beth is doing a little better.  It kind of helped that we took her out to eat today and the waiter started flirting with her.  It’s not like she wants anything to do with a boy she doesn’t know, but at least she doesn’t feel as hopeless, so there’s that.  I told her not to rebound, she’ll find the right guy eventually.  She is putting her heart into her singing right now, which is cool.  She’s not really good yet, but she’s learning.

I think she’s going to sleep on her own tonight.  Aww.  I mean that’s good but she’s nice and warm.

Maybe I’ll loan her Marie.  Marie likes Beth okay.  She likes everyone.  She’s a people dog.

Alright, I’ll keep it short tonight.  Not every day can be interesting!  Right?  Some days are just boringly boring, and sometimes the best days are boringly boring, because, you know the ancient Chinese curse, “may you live in interesting times”.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And I’m full of thinky thoughts today.  I’ve told you I’m not a thinky girl, not like Beth… but I do have my moments.  I’m not dumb!  Really!  I just… don’t think as much.

I wonder why I can play the piano.

I mean, I didn’t know I could play the piano.  Then I went to Orlando, and there was a piano, and I played, and… well… I could play piano!  I also found out I could do something like karate (though I haven’t pursued that a lot), and… I can ride horses, and who knows what else I can do.  When I was found, I could talk, I had all the skills that I’d had before, everything was there – except for my identity.  I had no memories of who I was.

Do I still have the same personality that I did?  I mean, maybe I was a mean, stuck up girl, but now I’m not!  Maybe I wasn’t, but I don’t know!  Maybe I’m better now than I was!

I don’t think about that much because it hurts a little.  There are so many people talking about identity right now.  Identity this and identity that and pride this and whatever.  I don’t care too much about all that!  And one reason is that they think they understand identity, and they don’t!  I understand identity.  It’s everything I don’t really hav.e.  I mean, I have an identity.  Is it my identity?  Or is it an identity I made after I lost everything else?

I am Yuriko.  But Yuriko is someone else too.  I don’t know Yuriko.  I never met her.  But she was me, one day, a long time ago.

Am I sad?  Yes.  No.  Not really.  A little.  I like my life, I love my family, I…  just keep thinking about how much that all cost.  Who else has to pay this kind of price for their life?

Well…  I guess some guy named Jesus?

I dunno.

I went to Liz’s lesson with her today, and we’re doing really good.  The teacher had some feedback for me, and a lot for Liz, but we’ll pull it together.  Oh, and Beth chose her song.  It’s a little beyond her reach, but it means a lot to her, so…  we’ll try to make it happen.

You know what I love?  What I really love?

I love that when I had that big concert, everyone who cared about me showed up, and… and everyone cares about me.  That’s the best thing.  I loved playing and the music and all that, but it was the best when I looked out at the sea of faces after I was done, and many of them were there for me.  Me.  That’s the best feeling in the world.

Better than… well… that’s the best feeling in the wfakksjakgjadkjg CAT WHY DO YOU HAVE TO RUN OVER THE KEYBOARD WHEN YOU GET THE ZOOMIES????

Sigh.

Anyway, that’s what my memories bought.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! it’s me! Lily!!!

It’s Friday!!!

Well.. Fridays don’t mean quite as much to me as they might to an… how does Dave say it… “office jockey”.  But it’s still nice.  I did payroll today and gave everyone their check, and otherwise it was a pretty quiet day.  David comes back from camp soon, and we’re preparing to go to Japan!!!  Sabby wants to hire a general manager for the store, especially since we’re all going to Japan.  I don’t really like that idea because it’s expensive, but it’s probably necessary.  And we’re still doing pretty well, so we can afford it.  It’ll let Sabby spend more time baking anyway, which is what she really likes to do.

We might hire internally, but…  keep that to yourself.  Haha!!!

I think Sabby’s a little worried about me.  She reads this too, though she generally leaves me alone about it, and I think she worried sometimes that I’m really sad about having lost my memories.  I guess I am, a little.  I mean, who wouldn’t be?  But as I also say, I paid for what I have now, in a way.  I have a family I bought and paid for with my memories.  Or something like that.  Not literally, but… you know.

We got a surprise storm tonight!  It hailed!!!  Not really bad hail, but I hear they got pounded over in Cedar Park!!! Awww!!!  And Allison has a swim meet tomorrow!!!  I hope she does well!!! She says she needs to be there at 5:15 AM!!! That’s early even for me!!!

Otherwise, the girls are over tonight, we’re playing games and doing fun girl stuff.  You know, like doing each others’ nails and talking about boys…  well, not much boy talking tonight because of Liz, but still fun stuff.  We’re still not allowed to play “truth or dare”.  No one’s fighting that rule too hard.  For one reason or other, that game has never turned out well.

Okay, not much else to talk about tonight!!!

GIRLPILE!!!!!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And I’m not talking about me or Jack!!! It’s the weather!  It’s HOT!!!  A hundred degrees and high humidity!!! We didn’t go anywhere today except for church!!!

So I didn’t write yesterday.  The girls were all over all day, and we played games and eat chocolate and played more games and ate more chocolate and talked and chatted… we went to the mall too because, hello! Girls!!!  I mean, how can you dangle a perfectly good mall in front of a group of girls and not expect us to go!!!

It’s funny, because I’m the oldest, Sabby expects me to be the grown up and shuttle them around and everyhing.  Well, Liz is actually just a tiny bit the oldest, but still.  I have to drive them there and make sure they don’t spend too much, and… well, it’s still fun.  It’s fun to try on clothes and go to the food court and try on more clothes and…  we bought something but not much.  Things are expensive now!!!

So we were all tired so we just went to bed and made a nice, comfy girlpile.  Yes, it’s really warm outside, but that’s why God made AC.  Right? Haha!!!

We went to church this morning and their parents picked them up at church (well, except for Liz, she never goes to church).  The organist was sick, so he asked me to sit in on the piano.  I really didn’t want to, but they needed me, so I took a few minutes to look over the music and did a passable job.  I don’t know how to play the organ, though.  I should maybe learn?  Or not.

It’s different when you’re playing in front of people you know…

Anyway, it was so hot today, we just stayed inside and were a bit more lazy than usual.  Even Sabby didn’t mind that I just played on the computer and chatted with Ai and Rebecca and friends.  And it doesn’t look like it’ll be getting any better anytime soon.  Oh well, that’s summer in Texas.  Thankful for air conditioning.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And it was even hotter today!!!

It was so hot bad people went to hell to cool off!!!

Hahaa!!!!

I don’t really like the heat.  Especially when I’m trying to run in the morning and it’s already 80 degrees.  Awww.  And Marie can’t take a long walk, she just goes outside to do her stuff and then right back in!!!  I don’t blame her!!!

Liz’s concert is next weekend, so she and I are doing a lot of practicing.  I like that she treats me like a professional now – I guess performing in my own concert (well, along with an orchestra, of course) gives me a bit of cred.  I still have a lot to learn – a lot of it is muscle memory and I’m still relearning a lot of the technical stuff, but I guess it works out alright.

She’s not jealous though.  Liz doesn’t usually get jealous and she’s pretty good at violin in her own right.  It’s just something else we can share.

Jack’s family finally found a new house.  They’ve been waiting for the prices to go down a bit, and, well, they have.  I guess paying rent every month is a bit expensive, so it makes sense.  He’s moving up to one of the towns up north where it’s a little cheaper, but still staying in the area, so that’s good.  Just a little longer drive to see him, I guess, but that’s okay.  I don’t think I’d like it much if he moved up to, say, Temple, but Georgetown-ish is okay.  I’ll probably help them move if they don’t try to move at the same time as Liz’s concert.

David gets back home this weekend too.  I guess he’s having a pretty good time, all told.  They’re still watching him like a hawk, and I don’t blame them.  If I ever meet his “girlfriend”, well… she’s a bit young to have a long talk with, but I’ll give her the stink-eye.  I have a pretty potent stink-eye, if I do say so myself.  Maybe I’ll add an eye twitch, too.  I guess it’s a bit hot to do too much outdoor stuff, so they’re doing a lot of arts and crafts.

Beth’s doing a lot better.  I guess time does heal all wounds.  Or most, anyway.

Oh!  Rebecca might be moving to Texas too!!!  I guess… there’s some new laws out there in California that they’re not too happy with.  I guess we’ll see how that turns out.  Robert’s company does have an office in Dallas, so… we’ll see.

Okay!  Bedtime!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

And it was even hotter today!  Can you believe it!!!  No one went outside to do anything.  Liz came over and we rehearsed,, but otherwise it was too hot to do anything but stick your head outside and say “holy … it’s hot!!!”

But it’s supposed to cool down a little bit tomorrow – it might be below 100!!!  Amazing!!!

That made it a pretty boring day, so…  how about I tell you what cat-girl did???

She made a… well… page on a site that’s not good for young eyes and ears!!! Or even older eyes and ears!!!  And, well… she dressed with cat ears and a tail!  only cat ears and a tail!!!

And don’t ask how she got the tail to stay!!!

But here’s the thing.  She did it off the clock, she didn’t mention us, and, well…  there’s not a whole lot we can do about it.  She took what we said to heart – she’s behaving at work.  Dressing up like a cat in a maid outfit, sometimes licking milk out of a bowl and exaggeratingly washing her face with her “paws”, but…  we can’t really say much.  That’s kind of her job – to be cute and attract Japanese tourists to make us money.  But she does make it hard!!!

How did we find out about it?

Well, that’s a story in itself.  Let’s just say that someone who knows her and knows us, umm… found it.  Yeah, found it.  I’m sure completely innocently, not looking for it or anything.  Sigh.

I don’t know what to think about her, if I’m being honest.  She’s nice, she has a really big heart, she’s always happy and cheerful, and…  she has absolutely no boundaries at all when it comes to her body, and it’s actually a little, well… creepy.

Skintight girl and anime girl are doing their things, too.  I guess something for everyone.  They’re a lot less, um…   flagrant about it than cat-girl, though.  They just like to dress up and take on a character.  Cat-girl…  I don’t know.  I hope she doesn’t get into trouble someday.

Oh well.

Things are down a little at work – I guess the economic situation is starting to hit peoples’ cookie budget.  We’re brainstorming ways to add products that are a little less expensive and a little more practical, but we haven’t come up with much yet.  We’re still doing well, though, and Japanese tourists somehow keep showing up!  They want to see us, and a Buc-ees.  Go figure.

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

It was hot! Then it boomed!!!  Boom boom!  Hahaha!!!

And now it’s not quite so hot.  Yay!!!

It was a boringly boring day.  I like boringly boring days but it doesn’t give much to write about.  Liz and I practiced some more, she has her lesson tomorrow and her concert/recital this weekend.  I’m sure it’ll be fun!!!  We didn’t go out and do much because, well, hot.  So just puttered around the house and was thankful for air conditioning.  Dave and his workers aren’t always so lucky, he has to go out to jobsites in 100+ weather wearing his white hard hat and dress clothes.  Doesn’t seem fun, but less fun for his team, I guess.  He makes sure they’re well taken care of though, he’s good that way.  They usually do whatever work they need to do in the morning and clear out at 1 or 2 before it gets unbearable.

I guess it’ll be a short entry tonight.  Only so many ways I can say “Liz and I practiced”!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

It was cooler today AND stormy!  Yay!!!  When I say cooler, I mean something like 95 degrees.  Get out the sweaters!  Hahah!!!  But this is central Texas in summer, you take what you get, I guess.

Liz and I went to her lesson today, and she got some final pointers from her teacher.  It’s interesting how different violin technique is from piano technique!  I don’t have to worry about being on pitch, I’m always on pitch!  Everyone has to adjust to me!  But Liz has to stay on pitch AND all the other stuff too!!!

But she’s ready to go.  We’re on for the weekend.  She’s got a recital with a few other students, but she’s pretty advanced, so…  it’ll be fun.  And afterwards we’ll go out for chocolate pancakes… or whatever she likes.

She actually seems to have gained a taste for Japanese food, so maybe sushi.

Jack went to see a career counselor, and he’s going to take a test to see what his aptitudes are.  He’s not really all that physical, he runs but not like me, but otherwise he seems to prefer just kind of lounging around.  I suggested maybe he should learn how to code, see how he likes it.  He didn’t seem all that enthused but promised he’d give it a try.  Hey, that’s all a girl can ask.

Alright, bedtime.

Love you all!!! ❤

Even you, you silly-billy.  You know who you are.

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

And I’m wired again!!!

But not quite in the same way.

So Friday Liz and I spent all day rehearsing, until Sabby told us we’d rehearsed enough, and to cut it out, and besides the girls were coming over and we should spend our time being girls and not musicians.  So we did our normal Friday night stuff, you know, played games, ate chocolate and pizza, and basically had a fun night.  We watched a movie – or tried to.  We watched one of those new Disney movies, but about ten minutes in Sabby made us turn it off.  Something about “not in this house.”  So we watched YouTube instead.  There are some really funny old videos!!!  We got on the group chat and all watched the same videos and laughed our butts off!!!

I didn’t post because it was late and Liz had her recital so we just went to bed.

Liz was a bit nervous but we seem to calm her somehow.

So today I dressed up (didn’t wear my very fancy gown but wore my somewhat fancy black dress) and we went to the recital.  Liz was nervous but I reminded her of last year, and said her boyfriend would be there this time.  That seemed to make her more nervous, but I just said it’d be fine.

And we went out and did it!!!

Her boyfriend hooted!  No one else did!  Haha!!!

She gave him the stink-eye but also a little bit of a smirk.  I know that look.  She didn’t mind, and I bet he got properly kissed tonight.  Hahah!!!

So she did her song, and it was like time flew again.  It seems like that way whenever I play, especially with someone else.  Time just flies.  It’s like thirty minutes takes five minutes – though thankfully her piece didn’t take thirty minutes.  After she was all done, she bowed, we went backstage, and she just gave me the biggest hug.

It was sweet.

She shook hands and let everyone told her how good she did after, and then she left with her boyfriend.  I presume to get properly kissed.  Haha!!!

I spent some time with Jack too.  Tomorrow, he’s going to be starting to pack up for his move, though his family didn’t completely unpack from the move from Ohio.  We’re going to go down and help him, even though it’s still really hot.  Aww.  And I hear Allison’s moving too, we’ll help her out when it’s time too.  She’s got all those legos!!!  But I’m sure she’ll like her new place, Georgetown is a nice city, and a little less.. .well… Cedar Parky than Cedar Park. Hahah!!!

And she’ll live closer to the waterpark!!!  I think, anyway.

Anyway, I made sure Jack got properly kissed too.  It’s been a while.  But everything at his apartment is up in the air.  Hey, he’ll be living closer to Allison too!!  Maybe she can play with Grace more!!!

Grace is a little sad about moving, but she hasn’t lived there long, so she’ll be fine.  Besides, she’s got Lily (the dog) to hug.

Ohhh… I almost forgot, Liz’s birthday is coming up!  I have to think of some way to get her back for that trick she pulled on me last year!!! Hahaha!!!

Some people were wondering if cat-girl’s going to get in trouble for having that website.  The short answer is no, the long answer is, probably not.  We found out by accident, she kept it to herself and keeps that separate from her life as cat-girl.  So we told her as long as she doesn’t drag our business into her cam-girl stuff (or vice versa) then she can do what she wants.  But if it starts leaking over, then we’re going to have a problem.  She can be a bit impulsive, but she’s not dumb.  She understands.  And so do we – her body does make us a lot of money, just, umm… not like that.

I saw a bit of one of her videos.  Ummm…  well….  not doing that again.  I always knew she was really pretty, but that… ummm… that wasn’t pretty.  Eww.  I guess I’m not going to be wearing a rainbow any time soon!!!

Okay!

Love you all!!! ❤

Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!

And what a day!!!

So after church we went over to Jack’s place and helped him move.  Liz’s family came over too (he is her cousin, after all), and we started putting stuff in boxes and that kind of thing.  It was pretty fun, and they bought us pizza too, which was nice.  Grace seemed pretty sad.  I asked her why and she said she had some friends in the complex she didn’t want to leave.

I told her just because she’s leaving the complex doesn’t mean they’ll stop being friends.  She sniffled and said that she had friends in Ohio too, and now she almost never hears from them or sees them, and she doesn’t like leaving friends.

Aww, poor girl.  But I told her that when she moved from Ohio to here, that she made new friends, and think of the new friends she’ll make in her new place.  She perked up a little at that.  We told her to go play with her friends while we packed, and she gave me a hug and ran off.  She’s so cute!

A lot of their stuff is in storage, so we didn’t have too much to pack, and it was mostly done by the end of the day.  They’re hiring movers to move everything, so they’ll come by in the next couple of days and move everything over, packing up was the hard part.  Jack seems a little sad too – he’ll probably have to find a new job.  But maybe that’ll be good for him.

We went up to his new house and he showed us around – it’s really nice.  A bedroom for Grace, a bedroom for him, a master bedroom for the parents, and a guest room too!  And an office for his father!  It’s in a nice area, and Grace and Jack get their own bathroom!  I guess it works out.  I guess they have pretty good jobs!!!

Okay, I gotta get some sleep!  That was a lotta work!  And it was hot!!!

Wednesday’s going to be VERY hot!!! Awww!!!

Love you all!!! ❤