This diary entry is part 1 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

What an eventful day!

So after breakfast, Dave and David and Sabby and I went over to the new bakery, and got the keys.  We walked around a bit and Sabby and I talked about what we wanted and how it should look, and Dave said “that’s great, but we’ve all already agreed on a plan”, and Sabby and I pouted a little.  But he’s right.  It’s a nice plan, too.  We went home, and Dave and David immediately went over to the Home Depot and ordered a whole bunch of building material.  I guess they’re going to do a lot of the work, but Sabby and I will help if needed.  That’s fine with me.  I’m pretty handy, but not in a “putting walls in a building” kind of way.  It’s good man bonding time anyway, David needs a lot of that.

While they went back with sledgehammers to knock out walls (eeep!), Allison’s mother dropped her off for a few hours with Milo (her dog, it’s a white fluffy small thing.. a maltapoo?)  We piled her into the car and we went over with Marie to Jack’s place to pick up Lily and Grace.

Sooo many dogs!!!!

The… seven?  of us then went over to a dog park and let the dogs run loose.

OMG did they have fun!  First they sniffed each others’ butts… then they just went nuts!  Ran around chasing each other, play-fighting, play-wrestling, just had a great time! Grace was rolling around with all three of them too!  It was cute! After an hour we went back to the house and had grilled cheese sandwiches and mint chocolate chip ice cream!  (It’s Allison’s favorite!)  Then her mother came over and picked up her and Milo!  That was fun!

I like mint chocolate chip too but I prefer the really chocolatey stuff.  You know, triple chocolate fudge chip with hot fudge and chocolate whipped cream!

After that I took Grace home, and went over to HEB to see Jack in his native element!!!  He was happy to see me but busy.  I understood.  He did introduce me to his manager though.  She was standing next to the door looking all managery – not doing anything herself but watching everyone else do stuff.  Yup, manager.  I gave him a quick kiss and while I was there, picked up a few things we needed.

Very quick, though.  The manager gave us a bit of stink-eye.

Right now his job is picking up carts from the parking lot, but I guess they’ll train him as a cashier soon.  A lot of high schoolers and college students work there, so there’s a lot of turnover.

After Jack got home work work, we went on a date.  It wasn’t anything huge, we went to a Chinese place and had some Chinese food.  Jack says he likes it, but it’s not real Chinese food.  I guess the same way HEB sushi is kind of Japanese-like, but not really sushi.  Then we went back to his place, and cuddled on the couch with his family while we watched a movie.

It was nice.  But it always is.  I love the way his family lets us be affectionate with each other without giving us dirty looks.  I had my head in his lap and he was rubbing my scalp.  HEAVEN.

We didn’t really have any time to ourselves but that’s okay.  Maybe next time.

And now it’s time for bed.  It was a nice day.  And it’s cooler outside too!!!

Love you all!!! ❤

This diary entry is part 2 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

It’s Sunday!!!

Well… not that it means much.  I went running, the rest of the family went to church, I came home from running, I did some playing around on the computer, practiced piano, studied Japanese… you know, the usual stuff.  It was a nice, quiet day.  I like nice, quiet days.  Have I said that?  I do.  My life doesn’t seem to have a lot of nice, quiet days.  Aww.

It’s nice and cool (well, sort of), so I took Marie for a nice, long walk.  She had a great time, as always.  Sniffs things, pees on things, sniffs the things she just peed on, pees on them again for good measure… you know, being a dog.  She met a few friends on her walk – she always wants to meet any dog she comes across, and mostly the other dogs are fine with that – they love walking too.

I don’t have any big plans this week.  Classes, classes, more classes, maybe seeing Jack…  but we’re both busy too, so…  I wonder if that’s normal?  Sabby says it is.  But we do have to make time for each other.  I think we will.  Oh, and Halloween is coming up too!  I think Dave and Sabby and everyone are going to be putting the Halloween decorations up soon.  I… still have mixed feelings about Halloween, but I do have my cheerleader costume now, and at least it’s better than the maid costume.

And then the elections – from what Sabby says, that should be kinda painful all on its own, and then… Thanksgiving!  I know what I’m thankful for.  Everything!  I’m thankful for everything!  But I wont’list that out until Thanksgiving!  Everyone will be looking at their watches!  Hahaah!!!

Emiko wants to come over soon.  I think next weekend.  I want to see Aika and Mika, and they want to see Marie, so it all works out!  Maybe we’ll all go to the waterpark again!!  YAAAAAYYYY!!!!!

Okay!  I gotta go!

Love you all!!! ❤

This diary entry is part 3 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

I’m tired.  I don’t know why.

Nothing really big happened today.  Beth and I went to class, ate lunch, and studied.  I met the boy she’s interested in.  He seems nice.  But boys… you never really know, do you?  she looked so besotted, though.  I’ll have to talk to Sabby.  I won’t ask her to make an exception, but…  maybe we can work something out.  She’s usually so independent and strong-willed, but she actually got him a soda and… giggled!  She never giggles!!!

I guess I can’t say much.  Sometimes when Jack’s around I’m all blushey and giggly too.

After Dave finished work, he and David went over to do some more work on the shop.  They have to hire licensed people for some things – electrical, plumbing, etc.  But they can frame up walls, do floors, etc., just fine, so they’re working on that.  Dave knows some tradespeople who can do the stuff that needs licensing.

David seems perfectly happy to use power tools.  God help us all.  At least Dave’s supervising him.

Well, Marie needs to be walked, so I’ve gotta go walk her!  We’ll talk soon!!!

Love you all!!! ❤

This diary entry is part 5 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

Subscriber content inserted, you know the drill.

Life is a little scary right now.

I don’t pay much attention to politics and wars and stuff.  I mean, I’m a seventeen year old girl!  My biggest worry should be whether to get the black or pink dress at the mall!  Right?

Well..  kind of.  You know what I mean.

But Dave and Sabby sat us all down last night and told us about all of the stuff going on in the world, how there’s a chance it could impact us, and how we need to be careful and protect ourselves if necessary.

It’s scary!!!  I don’t know who’s right or who’s wrong but the idea that someone can bomb us from the sky!!!  Awww!!!!!!

But they also said that even if that happens it’s not the end of the world, life will go on somehow.  I hope so.  But I hope it doesn’t happen more.  I guess we just move on and hope for the best.

Tonight I drove over to Jack’s house and spent some time with him after he got home from work.  I told them how I was feeling and that I was a little scared.

His mother gave me a hug.  “It’ll be alright,” she said.  “It will.”

“I know,” I said sniffling.  I went home, my heart heavy and light at the same time.  I really do love him, and now’s the time to spend with your loved ones, I think.

Like you!

Love you all!!! ❤

This diary entry is part 6 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

A pretty quiet day, thankfully.

You know, run, walk Marie, classes, study, dinner.  All that kind of thing.  Nothing big going on at all.

I’m still a bit worried but what are you going to do, right?  You can worry or you can just hope for the best.  No matter how bad things seem, there’s always hope.  Right?

At least that’s what Sabby says.

I wish, some days, it didn’t seem so hard to believe that.

Oh well.  Marie needs walked, and time for bed.

Love you all!!! ❤

This diary entry is part 7 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

I feel a little better.  Not perfect, but better.  Could be worse, I suppose.  Sabby explained that while the situation might be bad, some people are trying to scare us, and that’s not cool.  So…  we shouldn’t be scared.  Dontcha think?

All the girls came over tonight.  Even Allison and Milo!  I’d invite Grace but she’s a bit young.  We ate pizza and drank root beer (YUM!!! did I tell you I like root beer?) and ice cream (mint chocolate chip for Allison).  Yum pizza!!!  Then we watched a movie (Allison wanted to watch Encanto again and none of us cared so, Encanto it was) and then we played games.  It was lots of fun!!!  Now we’re going to make a girl-pile…

Dave and David went over while we were girling it up and did some more work on the shop.  They hired a plumber and electrician to do some of the trade stuff, and they’re making lots of progress!!!  They’ve been working on and off all week after work.  It’ll take a while to finish, though, I guess.

Emiko’s coming over this weekend!  Yayyy!!!  It’ll be nice to see her and the girls.  I haven’t seen them for a while.  And we’re going to the waterpark too!  Double yay!!!  Maybe Jack can come with.  But even if not… WATERPARK!!!  And we’ll take Grace!!  Grace loves the waterpark, and you know how it is with Grace.  What Grace wants, Grace gets.

Well, most of the time.

Okay!  Marie and Milo need walked, and then girl-pile for us!  Marie likes the company!!!

Love you all!!!  ❤

This diary entry is part 8 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

WE WENT TO THE WATERPARK!!!

So Emiko and Aika and Mika came down (It’s Aika’s birthday soon!) and we all went to the waterpark!  It was loads of fun!  But the waterpark always is!  Splashing and zooming and laughing and NOT losing my top this time!!!  YaaaaYYYYY!!!!

Chlorine smells like fun.  That can’t be healthy.

I couldn’t think what to get Aika for a present, so I gave her some chocolate.  She seemed to appreciate it.

After we were finished splashing around and having fun, we came back to the house and Sabby made us dinner.  David and Dave were over at the shop doing poundy and sawy stuff, so it was just us girls.  That’s fine, sometimes boys just get in the way, y’know?  I mean, they’re great to have around, but not all the time.  We watched a movie and played games, and they headed out for Houston.  I’m going to go see them there in a little while.

Oh, speaking of going to see people, I might be going to LA for a couple of weeks around Thanksgiving.  I’m not sure, though.  My birth father invited me and it seems like it might be fun, but…  but I’m not sure.  Maybe just one week.

Oh well, I guess live a little, right?

Anyway, I gotta go.  Marie’s whining.  Of course Marie’s whining.  She’s a dog. It seems like that’s all she does.  That, and eat, and walk around, and sleep.  But I guess that’s why we love her, right?  I was watching some ratting videos on YouTube, where dogs catch lots of rats.  Maybe Marie would enjoy that.  I’ll have to see if I can find some people who want to take her ratting.

Oh well.  Gotta go.

Love you all!!! ❤

This diary entry is part 9 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

So it was mostly just a normal Sunday today.  The rest of the family went to church, I went for a run and took Marie for a walk.  After that, we all went to the pancake place and had a nice breakfast.  Yay!!!  David and Dave went off to the shop to do more work, and I just did some work on this website, and some other stuff.  A lot of stuff has been going on, it was nice to have a little quiet.

Jack came over a little later with Grace and we took a walk.  It was nice.  We held hands and Grace kept running ahead and jabbering like a madgirl.  It was cute.  But she started getting tired and we had to carry her home.  She fell asleep on my shoulder.  Aww!!!!  It was a nice walk, though, and somehow it was nicer than some of the “real” dates we go on.  I mean, I like those but… this was nice too.

Dave grilled tonight and Jack and Grace ate with us,, and Liz came over too.  Grace loves his grilling too!!!  But then, who doesn’t?

It was a nice day.  A nice, quiet day.  And we need those sometimes.

Love you all!!! ❤

 

This diary entry is part 10 of 31 in Lily's diary dated 16 - October 2022

Hi! It’s me! Lily!

It’s a HOLIDAY!!!

Columbus Day!!!

Jack got the day off from school!  I got the day off from school!  Beth got the day off from school!  EVERYONE got the day off from school!!!

Well, Jack did work some today.  But after he was done, Liz and Beth and Jack and I went to the mall!!!  We haven’t been there for a while.

I… don’t think it’s Jack’s favorite place.  Oh, don’t get me wrong.  He didn’t complain, and he walked with us, and we held hands, and he liked the food court, but..  all us girls were bouncing around trying on dresses and body wash and all sorts of other stuff, and he… well…  just tagged along.  With a little, unreadable, smirk on his face.

I asked him what he was thinking.

“Oh, nothing much.  You girls seem to be in your element here and…  I can’t figure out why.  I mean, all you’re doing is running around, trying stuff on, and…  how can that be fun?”

That actually made me stop and think.  It’s not a bad question.  What’s fun about going to the mall and trying stuff on?

But then I thought about how Beth tries stuff on and I try stuff on, and Liz tries stuff on, and we giggle and say how cute it is and maybe even buy something, and…  it’s about the friends.

Going to the mall by myself isn’t fun.

“Oh,” he said.  And he seemed a bit happier.  I asked him why.

“Because you’re including me,” he said.  “I’m a guy and trying stuff on and doing all the girl stuff at the mall isn’t fun…  but I love you for trying to include me anyway.”

I giggled and dragged him over to the “secret store”, and… well… tried some stuff on, and asked him for his opinion.

You ever see how a dog, when they’re really happy, let their tongue loll out?

Maybe jack will never be the same.

Hahaha!!!!!

Don’t tell Jack, but I bought something in secret!!!

In “Secret”!  If you get my meaning!

Hahaha!!!!!

Anyway, I’m home now.  Jack had to go home and do some stuff with his family.  I’ll see him soon.

Marie needs a walk!

Love you all!!! ❤