The Cordial / Green Household

Do you own the Sims2 expansion pack "Apartment Life"? If yes, then you will have probably had a good look around Belladonna Cove, the new neighbourhood that came with that expansion pack, and maybe you have played on this lot, which is the Cordial sisters' home. In my game, it is still home to the Cordial sisters, but we are not in Belladonna Cove anymore; instead, we are in New Maximiliania, my special neighbourhood where ALL Maxis-made Sims live, and where ALL Maxis-made houses and community lots are to be found.

The back of the Cordial house looks like this. I quite like the house and I think that, should the current inhabitants ever decide to leave (or die), I am going to have another family move in. For now, though, the Cordials are very much alive :-)

Kimberly Cordial was obviously destined by Maxis to become a dark witch, and so that's what she is in my game. However, it is not all she wants from life; being a Knowledge Sim, of course studying magic holds a huge appeal for her, but actually she dreams of becoming a City Planner and is well on the way of achieving that goal. Her current job is Architectural Partner, and she has 8 days left before turning into an Elder.

Her twin sister Samantha is an infallibly good witch, as you can see from the glow emanating from her. Her aspiration is Knowledge as well, but she wants to become a Game Designer and works as a Power Leveler at the moment. Samantha shares her bed and her life with...

...Gabriel Green, who is 5 days away from Elderhood and the third Knowledge Sim in this very intellectually-minded household. Gabriel's lifetime want is the most typical for any Knowledge Sim: he wants to max out all his skills. Right now, he has maximum Mechanical and Logical skill. Oh, by the way, he and Samantha are a 3-bolt-couple.

It is Monday morning, and Kim still prefers flying to work instead of getting on the car pool. Maybe in winter she will change her mind.

Upon her return from work, she is offered a membership card to the My Muse II - Art Studio. Plus - and much more important for her - she has been promoted to Master Architect today.

Goneril and Albany Capp come visiting, much to Samantha's delight.

This is what it looks like when a witch does not walk or fly somewhere but instead uses the ability to magivestivium herself from A to B. Goneril and Albany hardly blink; they are used to all sorts of odd behaviour from the witchy twin sisters.

Very early on Tuesday morning, Gabriel gains maximum enthusiasm in Science.

Kimberly may be a dark witch, but that does not mean she has no friends. Tamara DeBateau is in fact a good friend and drops by in the afternoon.

Samantha returns from work with a promotion to Real Time Strategizer.

It is Wednesday, and the sisters sit together at breakfast and talk about how glad they are to be best friends for life.

Autumn usually means leaves, leaves and more leaves, as any Sim who has even just one tree in their yard knows only too well. Samantha does not need to rake them, though; all she has to do is cast a spell...

...and the leaves are gone.

Friday's event most worth mentioning is Gabriel's birthday: he is now an Elder.

One of his birthday presents is a membership card to the Platinum Gym.

Winter has begun, and Samantha changes into her witch outfit, as it is a lot warmer than her pretty summer dress.

Kimberly follows her sister's example.

Saturday night, Samantha comes home on Permanent Platinum: she has just been made Game Designer! In another two days, she will turn into an Elder.

On Sunday, neither Samantha nor Kimberly need to work, and Gabriel has not held a job ever since he moved in with the sisters. Therefore, the three of them visit two community lots only accessible to witches. First, they go to the Fortress of Eternal Darkness.

Kimberly gets an impressive stock of reagents and potions needed for spells (money is not a problem at this household with two well-earning adults).

When Samantha asks to purchase something as well, all she gets from the evil witch is a rebuke.

Never mind, she knows where to go: The Palace of Neverending Light is their next stop.

Of course, the infallibly good witch does not hesitate to give Samantha all the ingredients she asks for.

Back home, Trisha Traveller is invited in, and Samantha casts a spell on her that makes the recipient instantly happy.

Kimberly is not a dark witch for nothing - she casts a spell on an unsuspecting Sim (who does not live in New Maximiliania), conjuring a bodiless servant who attacks the poor innocent woman and beats her up. The week has ended, but it won't be very long until we return, since Gabriel Green lives here as well and the letter G is not that far from C down the alphabet. Will the 3-bolt-couple Samantha and Gabriel get married? What will the sisters be like as elderly ladies? Is Kim going to reach permanent platinum, too?

- - - Update 24.12.2010 - - - Back at the Green / Cordial household, we find nothing changed since we last left. Gabriel and the sisters are friends with Tara and are happy that she and Alexander Goth got married.

On Monday, Kimberly is made City Planner and has now reached Permanent Platinum just like her sister!

A little later that afternoon, first Samantha turns into an Elder...

...and then Kimberly.

Gabriel has just maxed out his cleaning skill; that's one step closer to reaching his lifetime want of maxing out all skills.

It is winter, but no more snow than what you can see here has fallen.

"Now we are a pair of old witches," the sisters seem to be thinking!

On Wednesday (Gabriel has just maxed out his cooking sill), a Gypsy Lady leaves a magic lamp on the doorstep. At the moment, nobody has any immediate need for it, so it simply stays there.

Spring is here, and the garden is in need of some work.

It is Thursday, and Kimberly thinks, why not ask the Garden Club committee over and apply for membership?

Soon, the members of the committee are busily evaulating the garden.

To make it nicer, Samantha even casts her "beatificus locus" spell. But to no avail - the committee announces that there should be either more plants or those already there need to be taken care of better.

With the weather being warmer, the sisters decide on changing their outfits. Kimberly looks like this now...

...while Samantha has gone for a quite different look.

It is Friday evening, and Gabriel has just maxed out his creativity skill - that was the last remaining one, and he is now, at 61 years, on Permanent Platinum as well.

On Saturday, Gabriel is busy in the kitchen all morning, preparing lobster thermidor and a delicious cake.

Outside, chairs and a wedding arch are placed. Yes, you've heard right - finally!! How long have Gabriel and Samantha been engaged now?

The guests arrive: (from back to front) Luis Aspir, Hannah and Issac Bell, David Ottomas and Sandra Roth...

...as well as Bianca Capp (what a faux pas - SHE is not the bride here, so why is she wearing a veil?!), Benjamin Baldwin and Brandi Broke.

Samantha and Gabriel do make a lovely couple, don't you agree?

The guests all agree!

After the short and sweet ceremony, everybody goes inside to enjoy the food Gabriel has prepared...

...and the music.

That is one happy bride!

Gabriel is happy, too, and the party ends as a roof raiser.

On Sunday, Samantha wants to try again with the Garden Club. But the head of the club, one Tiffany Zarubin, informs her that the committee does not think that the garden had enough time to grow since their last visit, and asks her to ring again tomorrow. (This was the first time I tried this, and I didn't know that there has to be a certain number of days before a Sim can apply for membership again!)

Do you remember how poorly Klara Vonderstein was when we last saw her? Well, she seems to have made a full recovery, and when she happens to pass by on this sunny Sunday afternoon, she is invited in.

Later, she and Silvia Singles (who came past here on her jogging round) enjoy a game of kicky bag with their host Gabriel.

Sunday after dark, Kimberly gets on her broomstick to fly to...

...the Crypt O'Night club. Do you know why I sent her there? One of her turn-ons is Vampirism, and I would like her to meet a male Vampire - who knows, it could be her chance to find a three-bolt-man!

Count Gregory does not take long to appear.

While Kimberly is trying to have dinner...

...rather unsuccessfully, I have to add...

...the Vampire joins the crowd on the dance floor. Kimberly gives up on trying to order decent food here, and approaches the Count. She starts by telling him a joke, but after a few moments she finds, strangely enough, that instead of feeling attracted to him, she has a crossed-out bolt of chemistry for him. So she gives up on her quest for tonight and takes her broomstick to fly back home. 

How are the three of them going to spend their time now that they all have fulfilled their lifetime wants? Is Kimberly going to be successful in finding herself a man? Will the Garden Club accept them as members?