The Bell / Wirth Family Album

Just some assorted snapshots from the first weeks of the Bell / Wirth household in New Maximiliania:

The part of New Maximiliania where they live.

A better view of the house. The Smiths live next door.

Issac, as he is when the game starts.

 His wife Hannah.

 Their son Daniel.

Hannah's sister Sharon Wirth, doing ballet exercises at the career rewards object.

Daniel's room, as furnished and decorated by Maxis...

...and later by me, when he turned into a teenager.

Daniel meeting Bottom Summerdream for the first time.

Hannah at a cooking contest. I think the gentleman with the beard is Mr. Goodie.

The Bell Family: Week 6

- - - Update 30.7.2012 - - - Welcome back to the Bell family! This update comes rather soon, because I played the household only a few weeks ago due to Sharon Wirth living there also, and from the letter W on the alphabetical list it does not take very long to start from the top again and get to the letter B. Hannah is now 68. Things between her and her husband (who has, after all, not "done" anything with his sister-in-law - not even a kiss!) seem to go well again, and she was never, not even for a moment, cross with her sister. 

Issac is also 68. Elderhood and being on Permanent Platinum suits him, plus he is happy about their son Daniel having moved back in with them after college. 

Sharon is 61 and still working in the Dance Career. 

Monday morning begins with a broken computer in Daniel's room. Auntie Sharon, always willing to do something for her favourite nephew (he is also her only nephew), offers to repair it - not knowing that, in doing so, she sets in motion a chain of most dramatic events: (And as I have mentioned on this blog before, I intervene very rarely in my Sims' lives) First, she gets electrocuted - not much harm done, you'd think; it happens all the time. 

But then, as she has just gotten up and left for the bathroom to have a shower, the spark that probably caused her electric shock somehow ignites a fire - the computer itself, the desk and the chair all catch fire, sending Daniel into a panic. 

Unfortunately, he didn't stand back far enough, and the flames get hold of him. 

If you look closely, the smoke and flames are even visible from outside; Daniel's room is the one above the porch. 

Issac runs to the rescue, but it is too late - by the time he reaches his son's room, the Grim Reaper is already there. 

And as if one person was not enough for Mr. Reaper, poor Issac is also engulfed in the flames which, for some reason, have not completely died down yet. 

Believe me, it was a horrific scene! I had no idea how far the fire was going to spread; was it going to keep burning until all the furniture in this room was cinder? Or even the whole upper floor? No, the flames were satisfied with two victims... All that remains of Daniel and his father are these two urns amidst piles of ashes from the computer, desk and chair. What a dramatic and terrible Monday morning! 

Sharon, grief-stricken, rings Daniel's many best friends, and some of her own, to pass the sad news. 

She is at a loss as to what to do now. 

Even worse it is for Hannah - she has lost her husband and her son in the space of only a few hours. 

She sits at the empty dining table, joined only by the memories of many a lively family meal there. 

Both Sharon and Hannah are deeply affected by the dramatic deaths of Issac and Daniel (# 27 and 28 to die since the foundation of New Maximiliania). They wander around the house, not really doing anything, having lost all interest in meals or showers, until they find each other on the balcony and start talking about their departed loved ones. 

On Tuesday, for the first time since the fire Hannah manages to eat something. It is just a bag of crisps but it is better than nothing. Issac was 68 when he died; he would not have lived that much longer according to his life bar, but he could have died peacefully of old age, not still under the shock of just having lost his son and then the painful death in the flames. 

On Wednesday, Sharon realises what state the house and garden are in and starts clearing up... 

...and taking care of the garden again. 

That morning, her good friend Goneril Capp comes visiting. She was not invited, but decided her friend Sharon needed a friendly hug, and of course Sharon is grateful. 

Goneril sits with the two sisters, making sure they finally eat a proper meal again. Grandma's Comfort Soup helps in many ways! 

On Thursday, a thunderstorm brings an unwelcome reminder of the fire when lightning hits one of the large willow trees. Luckily, the rain is heavy enough to put the flames out before any damage is done. 

Hannah, who still can't be bothered to dress as she used to do but often stays in her PJ all day, has at least started to greet passing neighbours again. Tommy Ottomas is shocked to see Hannah in her grief; he knew Daniel from university where he was best friends with his older brother David. 

With guests in the house, Hannah finally starts cooking again. No bag of crisps for her visitors! 

Only on Friday, Hannah can bring herself to sweep up the ashes in Daniel's room. 

Sharon is glad when Opal Contrary and Shaun Singles walk by and asks them in; she knows that without any visitors, her sister will not look after herself at all. 

On Saturday, the sisters take a taxi to the cemetery. (This is Gamesend Grounds, of course a Maxis-made community lot which I have not changed, merely added the tombstones of almost all of the Sims who have died in New Maximiliania so far.) 

One section of the cemetery is reserved for pets. 

This double grave is where Mary-Sue and Daniel Pleasant have found their last resting place. 

Pollination Technician # 9 ("Polly") Smith's tomb is next to where Daniel and his father were buried. 

Here lies Carlos Contender. 

Hannah mourns her husband and her son (she did that without me telling her to!). After a while, the sisters leave the cemetery and take the taxi back home. 

Yet another thunderstorm "welcomes" them - Parvati Patel and Sharla Ottomas run over to see whether they can help, but once again, the rain puts the flames out quickly. 

On Sunday at 6.00 pm, when Hannah has just turned 75, Mr. Reaper appears again. Seems like the old hooded guy has a heart somewhere - he promises to take Hannah to where her husband and her son await her, and she goes with him and his Hula girls willingly. 

Sharon was at work when Hannah died. The moment she gets off the car she knows, and breaks into tears. 

She aimlessly wanders around the house, mourning her big sister. What is Sharon going to do now? She is 68 years old and all on her own in the big house that used to be a happy family home... I don't know yet, but I am sure we will see Sharon again.

The Bell Family - Week 5

 - - - Update 10.7.2012 - - - The Bells are not the reason why we are here today, but it is only polite to say "good morning" to them at the start of their next week, don't you think? 

Sharon Wirth is why we are here, since we have reached the letter W on the alphabetical list. Nothing has changed since we last saw her. She is still working as a Tap Dancer and still far from reaching her lifetime want of earning 100.000 Simoleons, and there is still no special someone in her life. 

She spends her days working, selling the paintings her sister and brother-in-law paint, and reading the music & dance magazine. 

On Monday, Daniel returns from college and moves back in with his parents and aunt Sharon. He adds more than 20.000 Simoleons to the already well stocked household account. He has gradtuated Summa Cum Laude in Drama, and not needing to work will allow him plenty of time for his lifetime want, that of having 20 best friends. 

Today, Sofia Baldwin becomes his best friend # 17. 

Daniel and his Dad are clearly happy that he is back from uni! 

"It feels good to be grown up," Daniel muses over breakfast the next morning. 

It is Tuesday, and winter has well and truly set in with plenty of snow. Daniel builds two snowmen and then seems to really enjoy knocking them over! 

Didn't he just talk about being all grown-up now? :-) 

Uh-oh... It is Wednesday, and something unforeseen happened: I only made Sharon and her brother-in-law Issac dance together, and before I knew it, red hearts appeared above their heads and the two of them were in love! 

While Daniel doesn't know anything of the goings-on inside and greets Heather Huffington... 

...his mother Hannah finds out about her husband's and sister's betrayal and confronts them. (It wasn't even a kiss, you know... But she is terribly upset.) 

On Thursday, Daniel is invited to Sue's Secret Kitchen. By now he knows something is not right between his parents and aunt Sharon. His Dad obviously isn't well. 

And his Mom spends way too much time out in the cold, painting on the balcony. Is this some sort of therapy?

Hannah spends almost all day without getting dressed, and retreats to her son's room in order to avoid her husband and her sister. 

Issac feels lonely and wishes he and his wife could be friends again. 

By Friday evening, Hannah and Issac are at least on talking terms again. Daniel has, by the way, made his 18th best friend today: it is Melody Tinker. 

While Hannah does not yet want to sleep again in the same bed as her husband, she does agree to talk things over in a very adult and civilized manner. 

In spite of this, the next morning I find Issac jumping into Sharon's arms. (Hannah never saw this.) 

It is Saturday, and Daniel greets Björn Beaker who was passing the house on his jogging round through the neighbourhood. 

Daniel is on the phone several times a day to maintain his existing friendships and establish new ones. 

On Sunday, Chester Gieke walks past and is of course promptly invited in. 

And so is Pierre Picaso. 

Hannah and Sharon (not in the picture) both have 3 bolts for Chester, just like almost every lady in New Max. And Hannah does not keep her attraction for this young man a secret! Is she doing this to get back at her husband? Will the two of them save their marriage, or break up over Sharon? How long before Daniel will make the last two best friends he needs for his LTW, and what will he do after that?