The Cleveland - O'Mackey - Picaso Household: Update II

After we've already spent a week at this household earlier in this round because of Justin Cleveland, we are back for another week because of the O'Mackeys living here as well: Jules, seen here with her three-bolt-love Justin...

...her father Gabe O'Mackey, one of only two Sims in New Maximiliania who turned into Plantsims while gardening, seen here talking to Matthew Picaso, who is the 3-bolt-love of Gabe's wife (they never were divorced and still all live under the same roof) Alexandra. Alex and Gabe are both 71, Matthew is 69. Everyone in this household has been on Permanent Platinum for quite a while now, so there is not that much of a challenge here, but I mostly leave them to do what they want and merely observe.

One of the few situations for me to interfere with Sims on PP is when other New Maximilianians walk by; I usually make sure one of the household members greets the passers-by. On Monday, it is Ophelia Nigmos who is welcomed by Gabe.

That's Alexandra O'Mackey, by the way. The painting on the wall behind her is by Justin Cleveland's late mother Marissa; she died some time ago. She was a gifted painter who contributed much to the house; her paintings adorn almost every room.

Justin and Jules have just gotten up and, still in their undies, occupy the kitchen. Justin has taken it upon himself to make omelettes, thinking that Jules really COULD wait those few minutes until breakfast is ready and not raid the fridge.

Later that day, party balloons are put up outside the front door...

...and a birthday cake and bottle of champagne are placed in the dining room. Whose birthday is it?

The guests are all here (from left to right): Johnny Smith, Dirk Dreamer, David Ottomas, Jimmy Phoenix, Tessa Ramirez (almost entirely covered by Alex O'Mackey), Violet Jocque and Ophelia Nigmos. Matthew Picaso (far right) and Gabe (foreground) are there, too. Who is everybody cheering on, then?

Jules! Here she is now as an elderly lady. Seems like only yesterday she was a teenager, suffering her parents' unhappy marriage and glad for the chance to leave for college.

And since Justin is the same age, he turns into an Elder only moments after Jules.

The party guests have a great time upstairs jamming away.

Justin hasn't lost his coolness at the bass! By the way - shortly after his aging up, he spun up the wish to get married. As he and Jules have been an item and firm three-bolters for so long, there is no question as to whom he shall get married to :-)

On Tuesday, Gabe cleans up the party leftovers.

He does not content himself with the kitchen and dining room but goes out to rake leaves afterwards.

Jules is bringing in what is probably going to be the last harvest of oranges for this year. She now has her Bronze Badge for gardening.

The date of Jules and Justin's wedding is set for Wednesday, and it is still sunny and nice enough for the wedding arch and chairs to be put outside in the court.

After the ceremony, we have a new Mrs. Cleveland!

Jules is a radiant bride, isn't she!

Their guests - you've seen most of them at the birthday party already, with the exception of Tara Goth (the elderly lady in the long white gown). I don't think I'll use the champagne set anytime soon again, it is just too stupid that it blocks everybody by waiting for someone to toast.

Good job there is also the wedding cake to eat, or nobody would have ever gotten inside the house. Look at the way Violet Jocque is smiling at Jimmy Phoenix across the table!

Johnny Smith, whose LTW is to have 20 best pet friends, uses every occasion to make friends with stray dogs or cats, and someone else's wedding is as good an occasion as any.

Only after the guests have left do Jules' parents and Matthew get to sit down with her for some wedding cake.

That night, Gabe was - as usual - raking leaves in the vast garden, and I sent Matthew to burn the piles. Unfortunately, the leaves were not the only thing he set fire to.

Of course, Gabe instantly ran over to the fire, and I was quite sure there were going to be two deaths in one "go".

Meanwhile, Alex was talking to her colleague, General Stephen Tinker, oblivious to what was happening outside.

The newlyweds were having their wedding night... a bit different from what Jules expected, by the looks of it!

The Grim Reaper did indeed come for Matthew Picaso, who died at the age of 72. Gabe suffered severe symptoms of lack of water, and I was quite sure his life was to end there and then at the age of 74.

By that time, Alex had come rushing out, devastated by not only finding her three-bold-love reduced to a tiny heap of ashes, but also her husband (who she was on friendly terms with again) closer to death than to life.

He did NOT die, though. By late Thursday afternoon, thanks to the rain drenching his parched body, Gabe made a full recovery.

He even had some orange juice to boost his energy.

Alex recovered from grieving Matthew sooner than I thought. On Friday, she is seen filling in a hole in the lawn, dug by the stray dog Johnny Smith had been playing with at the wedding, I am sure.

She then proceeds to do some gardening on her own initiative.

Something nobody thought of with all the exciting and dramatic events were the bills. You can see the envelopes are already yellow when I sent Alex to pay them.

Paola Picaso walks past the lot (barefoot! It is almost winter!) and is greeted by Gabe. Maybe the girl was deeper affected by her father's death (Matthew Picaso) than we know and has come to see the place where he was so happy with his 3-bolt-love and where he died.

Twice that week, Alex made stuffed rainbow trout for everyone without me telling her to do so.

Gabe passes out from lack of sunlight almost every night and is only revived some time after 7.00 most mornings.

Johnny Smith comes visiting on Saturday, and nobody seems to find it inappropriate that Jules welcomes him in her nightie.

Saturday night, Gabe once again passes out for lack of sunlight, and is quickly covered by the snow that begun to fall shortly before. (Don't worry, he was up again on Sunday after 7.00.)

Jules and Justin love to classic dance together whenever they come across each other in the house.

Both being elderly ladies now and having taken to walking around in their nighties, were it not for their different hairstyles, it wouldn't be easy to tell mother and daughter apart!

That's much better as far as outfits go, isn't it, Jules?

Jessica Peterson is the house guest on Sunday. It won't be very long until we'll reach her household during this round.

We leave the O'Mackey-Cleveland-household with Alex and Gabe being 78 and Justin and Jules being "young" elders. What is the next visit at this all-PP family going to be like? Is more drama in store?