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From Alba's diary
Alba: La lalla la... Do you like this song, scarecrow?Scarecrow: Well, it's not bad.
It's such a beautiful morning! It may be because of the thought of that very generous donation, but I'm feeling so optimistic this morning!
And also Olivier seems to be in the same mood, recently he even started to jog a bit before work in the morning. I never seen him so energetic, and for sure this will be good for his health too!
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Winter is approaching on Sulani, and with it will come the monsoon rains. With the work we do this is always an issue we're better to consider carefully, when it rains like this it is practically impossible to do anything outside. But we still have to try to roll up our sleeves, we have so much to do!
Olivier: C'mon, I'm late for work already!
Unfortunately, umbrellas aren't of much use this season, but it doesn't matter. We have so much to do!
Alba: Yes, we would like to open a contract with your analytical laboratory, we have a lot of unknown samples to study. What is it about? Well, we are an environmental agency from Sulani, in recent years we have had a lot of trouble due to the illegal spilling of some unknown wastes in the archipelago's waters, but up to now we were barely able to obtain an indicative molecular structure. So I think you can understand why this is quite troublesome for us...
Over the years we have accumulated so many samples, perhaps this will help us understand more about the origin of those chemical compounds, and about their effects on the environment. And then who knows, maybe we'll even be able to bring some more public attention on this topic also outside of Sulani.
While waiting for the results of the laboratory analyses, we are studying in more detail the effects of that glowing stuff on the local fauna. Could it be poisonous? Now we certainly have many fewer fish and algae than before, and even corals are bleaching at an unprecedented rate. Let's say that we don't have a full explanation for it yet, but I struggle to believe this is just a coincidence.
We've already wasted enough time, now that we have the means to do something incisive we can't afford to slack off any longer!
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From Rowan's diary
Rowan: C'mon, you only have one exercise left.
???: But this is so boring!
Rowan: Irregular past tenses may be a little boring to memorize, but it is important to do so in order to communicate correctly with others.
???: But now I want to see the video with the kittens they're watching, it seems way funnier than this!
Rowan: What… Jenny, Tom, what are you up to? Aren't you watching stupid videos on your phone again, right?
Jenny: (hiding her phone) No, of course not!
Our scout group is larger than ever, but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who actually cares. I mean, why are the others struggling so much in focusing on their homework, or on the garbage we should be collecting from this sector?
Tom: Rowan, do you remember you're not the team leader, right?
Rowan: Uhm...
As if the team leader we have now was capable of doing anything, doesn't she notice how everyone is always slacking off?
Luckily I have now collected all the scout badges I could. At this point, no one can deny anymore that I'll be the most suited candidate to replace her once she moves to enrol in college.
Keeping this in mind I tried to avoid an unnecessary argument, and said goodbye to the others commenting:
Rowan: It's dinner time, I have to return back home. I've finished my part, anyway.
Tom: Great.
Thinking about it, I'm doing so well with the scouts that I could even be promoted before our current leader leaves for college, wouldn't it be great? I have so many ideas about what our group could do, we would become the best scout group in the memory of this little archipelago!
And now I better start studying. Even at school I have a reputation to defend, I can't afford any bad grades now!
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From Alba's diary
Olivier: So, are you ready to decorate the Winterfest tree?
Rowan: Just a minute, Nacho seems hungry.
Olivier: You really spoil that cat!
Nacho: (upset) Mew!
In these last few months we have all been working really hard, we really needed a break. Perhaps a decorated fir tree in the middle of Sulani may seem a little out of place, but I find it still has its charm.
Rowan: I know conifers are supposed to have needles instead of leaves, but these branches are stinging me!
Alba: These trees are very weird, isn't it? Also in New Sixam there are very few conifers species, and they don't look at all like this. You need to go quite far north, to see this very species.
Rowan: Uhm...
He reasoned for a bit longer, before adding:
Rowan: Anyway, are you sure you want to put the tree out here? It could rain.
Alba: I really hope not, at least today!
Rowan: In any case we better get moving, the others will be here soon. I can finish this, while you two can finish preparing the lunch.
Olivier: It doesn't seem like a bad plan, you know?
Alba: Hi Iris! Be patient for ten minutes, the lunch it's almost ready!
Iris: Great! River has been complaining about how hungry he is since before we left home!
Iris: But this scarecrow is a robot just like Techna, right?
Alba: Yes, I was shocked when I realized it!
Scarecrow: You should have seen your face, ha ha ha!
And then people say that robots have no sense of humour. I challenge you to talk to our scarecrow for more than ten minutes, my dear diary, without bursting out laughing. They're a born comedian, that's it.
Iris: It's always strange to come here for Winterfest... I mean, this doesn't really feel very winter-like.
River: We can't say that there was any snow at home, anyway.
Iris: Well, that's true, New Sixam is way too warm for it too.
Rowan: So, how did your graduation exam go? Have you already enrolled at any college?
Iris: Wait, slow down! I want to take at least a month of break before I get back to studying!
River: Ditto!
Rowan: C'mon, how can you two not be thinking about it yet? I've already read all the university brochures, and I'll start sending out applications for possible scholarships soon! The Sim City University seems the best one, but the Tech Sixam one doesn't seem bad either, and...
River: (laughing) What a detailed research on the topic! Do you still have time to sleep at night?
Rowan: Not much actually, but there are so many things to do!
Iris: Ehy, River was joking. Didn't you notice?
Rowan: Oh.
Sometimes I forget how young my brother Helios was when Iris and River were born, it's incredible to think that they are already practically adults. River is also already looking for an apartment to move out and live on his own, doesn't it seem crazy to you too, my dear diary? Time flies, that's for sure...
And I'm not the only one who thinks so.
Alba: I remember them so well when I saw them for the first time, they were so little and cute! Time just seems to pass by so fast...
Kate: Or, rather, it means that the rest of us have just aged more than we realise.
Alba: Well, that's hard to deny too...
Erika: Hey, young ladies, that's where you were!
Alba: Erika, so you managed to come too! How are you?
Erika: Not bad, all things considered.
As always, we talked about a lot of things. Despite Rowan's concerns regarding the possibility for rain, that afternoon had been surprisingly sunny and warm, and it had passed by in the blink of an eye.
Erika: Changing topic, do you have any other information about that organization Drew belonged to? It's been a long time since I heard anything about it on TV, did the police manage to solve that case?
Kate: Well, officially I shouldn't follow this case anymore, but it's not like I can avoid hearing what my colleagues who still work on it say at the office, so...
Saying this Kate nervously twisted her hands. She always complains about how boring her new assignments are, I'm pretty sure she misses working on that case in person.
Erika: and what did you hear?
Kate:… That, whoever the culprits are, they know what they're doing. Every now and then the police manage to arrest some suspects, but they are always such small fish that they have no useful information. This is why the news no longer talks about it, the investigations are practically stuck with what I had discovered shortly before Drew's arrest.
I remember how my father often said that we Millers always seemed to be involved in the weirdest situations. Considering the problem of illegal waste dumping here in Sulani and the mysterious organization Drew was part of in Tech Sixam, both I and Helios couldn't agree more with his statement. Who knows why it's always us, I wonder.
Iris: Hey, what are those long faces? It's time to open the presents, c'mon!
Well, perhaps at least on Winterfest we should avoid thinking about this worrying stuff, don't you agree, dear diary?
We'll still have to roll up our sleeves, for sure, but we'll think about it again tomorrow!
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§HermioneSims§ corner
Hi everyone! It's time for a small comment again.
This time, I want to point out that, during the Winterfest shown at the end of this chapter, there were a few sims ageing up autonomously.
Alerts, alerts, both Lily and Mirko are elders already! The end of this generation is closer than it seems, I have to hurry up!
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