[The camera is focused on a seven foot tall Christmas tree (currently bare) in corner of the family room. One can easily see snow blanketing the ground through the sizable picture window. There's a fire going in the grate, and two fluffy orange cats are dozing on the hearth.

Next to the Christmas tree are various plastic bins clearly labeled with ( Read more... )

( cut for sensitive material )

Today was the final day for the Oban Festival. The estate was decorated with paper lanterns. I visited Tatsuhime Shrine along with Grampa and Yakushiji-san, and I wore the yukata that Kanji made for me. We even stopped by the Samegawa River, where many people had set loose small boats with candles and votive pictures attached to them.

I feel as ( Read more... )

[Well, that had been a fun night! Drinking, karaoke, dancing, barroom brawling (upon which they'd been promptly tossed out). Best. Boy's. Night. Out. EVER ( Read more... )

Suffice it to say, Kaito and Hakuba's plan went off without a hitch. When Dojima brought the two teenagers to the Shirogane estate, the last thing Naoto expected was to be greeted by a host of people jumping out and yelling "Surprise!" She'd never admit it, but they'd nearly given her a heart attack...

It was several moments before Naoto could ( Read more... )

[The video opens with a tiny Naoto tearing down the halls of the Shirogane estate in what appears to be a red Radio Flyer wagon. Her English foxhounds (both of which are now in the prime of youth) are hitched up to the wagon with a variety of belts and leashes). Several members of the hired staff have to leap out of the way in order to avoid being ( Read more... )

I was poking around the attic this morning for some reason and came across an antique camera that belonged to my great-great-grandfather. I didn't even know something like this was still up here. I suppose this proves that everyone in the Shirogane family are notorious packrats, but at least its one way of preserving our personal history. There's ( Read more... )

I had a rather strange dream last night...

I was the leader of a five man team known as the Defenders of Earth. Mello was my sidekick and second in command; Matt was our brainy computer expert and technician; Kanji was the android with a human heart (who constantly carried a kitten on his shoulders); and Yosuke-senpai was... well, pretty useless ( Read more... )

Grampa has finally returned from his trip overseas! I'm so happy to see him again! It's a shame that I had to miss his birthday...

...Which is why I've decided to plan a surprise birthday party for him this Saturday at the Shirogane estate. I want to invite all my closest friends to attend. It's been far too long since the estate was host to a large ( Read more... )

[Two people are speaking: Naoto and an older man. The voices are slightly muffled, and the sound quality has a bit of static. Italics are Naoto's Grampa speaking.]

--nd this incident has given me pause, Naoto. Coming face to face with my own mortality, I know I won't be around forever...

Grampa! Don't say such things! You've still got many years left ( Read more... )