Click here for week 5.
The Summerdreams live in one of the houses I like most, because they are good to play in, and I did invest a bit more time and energy into decorating and furnishing this one than some others in New Maximiliania. As you know, all buildings you see in this neighbourhood are Maxis-made.
Who lives here at the moment?
Oberon, who is 63 and on Permanent Platinum ever since he became Education Minister at the age of 55...
...his wife Titania, who is 62 and also on Permanent Platinum (she reached that stage only at the end of the last round, when she made her 20th best friend)...
...and their daughter Bottom with her live-in-love Björn Beaker, one of Loki Beaker's half-Alien sons.
Bottom's lfetime want changed inexplicably; instead of becoming The Law, she now dreams of reaching her Golden Anniversary, and talks her new plans through with Björn. Björn is well on the way of becoming a Space Pirate and thus reaching his own LTW.
Bottom's older brother Puck does not live here; he moved in with Angela Pleasant "years" ago.
Oh, and there is Cyan, the family dog, whose favourite pastime still is to look out of one of the bay windows.
Something else apart from her LTW has changed about Bottom: She only has 4 slots for wishes now, just like her parents - as if she'd never been to university. Strange, that!
On this beautiful summer morning on Monday, she greets Florence Delarosa shortly after she has quit her job (not needing it anymore for her LTW, and never for the money anyway).
Later, Björn greets Monica Bratford.
It's been happening time and time again, and this week looks like it will continue just the same: the hydrobot breaks.
Bottom is quick to repair it.
Very early on Tuesday morning, Titania (who, along with Oberon, is treated like an NPC by me most of the time) makes pork chops. Not the healthiest of breakfasts, but there you go.
Bottom is taking care of the special plant.
Tuesday afternoon, nearly unnoticed by me, Cyan the dog dies at 32. He had a long and happy life with the Summerdreams as their much-loved family dog.
Upstairs, in what used to be Puck's room, Björn is doing Yoga.
Oberon and Titania meet in the living room downstairs.
They are as much in love with each other as ever.
On Wednesday, Bottom greets Nervous Singles.
She enjoys nature and is out hunting for bugs a lot of the time. The tent was her wish, too.
Once again, Titania makes pork chops, but this time for dinner.
Thursday morning before sunrise, the hydrobot breaks yet again.
beron and Björn clean up the kitchen - both on their own accord. Björn is very neat and can often be seen cleaning, taking the trash out, making beds and so on.
What a catch!
Titania greets Nathan Gavigan.
Castanea Landgraab pays a visit.
Still on Thursday, Björn returns from work with a promotion to Space Pirate - he has now reached his LTW, 11 days from elderhood. Funnily enough, he now has the same LTW as Bottom, to reach his Golden Anniversary. Usually I don't take notice of my Sims' second LTW once they have reached their first, but this fits nicely, doesn't it!
Early on Friday morning, Bottom congratulates her father on having finally married her mother last round.
When the sun is up, she harvests the lemon tree.
Later, she attempts to tune the grand piano and is successful only after a little accident.
It is Saturday morning, and Björn decides his and Bottom's en-suite bathroom needs a good scrubbing.
Downstairs, preparations for his and Bottom's wedding have been made.
Poor Bottom! Not many of her wishes have come true this week. I don't think I've seen this ever before in my game!
But after I manage to end her silly begging activity, the wedding guests, a mix of friends and family, start to arrive. Here are from left to right Cedric Cooke, Shaun Singles and Justin Kim. Angela Pleasant is approaching in the background.
Titania samples the drinks from the bar that has specifically put on the back porch for the wedding.
A toast by Delilah O'Feefe starts off the party.
Björn and Bottom under the wedding arch.
Björn's sister Beta Beaker (front row) and brother Barry Beaker (back row, the blond man) are there, too, as are his parents (just not in this picture).
Sharla Ottomas enthuses over the flowers while eating her piece of wedding cake.
There is not enough room for everybody at the table in the dining room...
...but there are some more chairs in the kitchen.
Another toast: Here's to the bride, exclaims Justin. (Remind me not to use the toasting set again!)
I quite liked it when I saw Bottom and Björn stealing a private moment in the downstairs toilet for a kiss :-)
Shortly after the end of the party, Björn dons his Space Pirate outfit for the first time and heads off to work. He can't wait to tell his colleagues that he is now Mr. Summerdream!
Sunday morning starts with Björn harvesting the special plant upstairs. There is another one on the back porch, which is harvested by Bottom.
Speaking of Bottom, she is out gardening for a good part of the morning.
The first leaves have begun to cover the ground under the large trees near the pond.
Bottom wanted to make a meal, but then forgot about the bass and squash in the oven.
Good job there is a fire alarm installed! Nobody was nearby, and so no harm was done. The week ends without any further events worth mentioning.
By the way, before Bottom and Björn got married, she wished to marry a rich Sim. At a household fortune of over 200.000 Simoleons, I certainly would have thought Björn qualifies as rich, but her wish was not fulfilled by the wedding. Never mind - she had to get married anyway if she wanted to see her new LTW come true. Now let's hope it does not change yet again when I come back to play this household again in the next round!
This is Jared Starchild's fourth week in New Maximiliania since his graduation.His lifetime want has not changed - he still wants to raise 20 puppies or kittens. When we left him at the end of his third week, he had managed to raise 9 puppies already; not bad for someone who has to do it all on their own in a rented apartment without any regular income!
Jared still lives in the same rented apartment. It is the one on the ground floor in the left half of the building.
So far, he has been surviving on what he saved from his student grants. An inheritance on Monday morning sees his fortune grow to 4.273 Simoleons.
Morning, Jared! How is your week going to be like?
This is Strolch, his male dog and the first one he raised from when he was a puppy.
Here is Suzy, his second puppy raised to adulthood, and mother of all the other dogs he has raised so far. Right now, she is taking care of her latest litter of four (only 3 pictured): Stella, Steward, Stina and Struppi.
Monday is rent day, and this means Jared's inheritance is almost eaten up; his bank account is now down to 2.645 Simoleons - and that's before the Tuesday and Thursday bills.
But there is no way Jared can hold a job AND raise 20 puppies at the same time! He is constantly busy, since there is always a pet bed to clean...
...or a dog to wash, food bowl to fill, and so on.
He barely finds the time (and does not always manage it) to greet his fellow New Maximilianians as they walk past the building. On Monday afternoon, he greets Jodie Larson, but that's nearly all human interaction he has that day.
On Tuesday, it is much the same routine. Jared gets up at 6.00...
...does the round of the food bowls and everything else that needs doing around the flat and his dogs.
He does get a phone call from a friend or acquaintance every now and then.
The puppies are not yet fully house trained, as you can see!
But this afternoon, the four little ones grow up - being no. 10, 11, 12 and 13 on Jared's list. They all look identical to their mother, which is why I am not going to show you a picture of each of them.
Sad as it is, Jared knows there is only one thing for him to do before he can encourage Suzy and Strolch to have more puppies: give the four younger dogs up for adoption. The kind officer is soon there to pick them up, and Jared knows they will go to good homes.
Before the day is over, it is time to clean yet another one of the four pet beds in the extra room reserved for his dogs.
The bath tub leaks, but thankfully, Jared does not have to repair it - he can simply ask the Landlord to do it.
The cleaning up afterwards is left to him, though.
Wednesday morning makes more cleaning necessary.
For a change, Jared decides it is time for some human company, and he invites over his two closest friends.
Dirk Dreamer and Mercutio Monty do not take long to arrive.
One of the amenities of this apartment building is the grill on the back deck, and Jared makes hot dogs for himself and his friends.
He confesses to Mercutio that he would actually like to find that special two-legged someone to share his life with, but has not found her yet. Of course she would have to love dogs.
Thursday morning starts like every morning in Jared's life ever since he has graduated: with pet-related housework.
Later, Ripp Grunt walks by...
...followed by Erin Singles...
...and Buck Grunt. Jared never spends much time with any of his guests; usually, they head straight for the jaccuzzi on the back deck, while he sticks to his dog-related tasks.
That night, the next litter of puppies are born on the sidewalk: Star, Silkie and Sally.
On Friday, the most important and first task on Jared's list is, once again, the food bowl round.
Strolch is now an elderly dog.
Ramir Patel walks by...
...as does Perseida Powers.
By Saturday, Strolch is in such desperate need for a bath that he emits a green smelly cloud. He needs a bath every two days or so, and Jared has had the time to give him only one so far this week.
Suzy does not do this often, but she needs some peace and quiet after the birth of her latest litter and retreats to Jared's bed where the little ones can't follow her.
Jared takes every opportunity to train the puppies.
Dinner consists on leftover pizza from the landlord's party for all his tenants.
It may be Sunday - a day of less work and more play for most people - but Jared can't escape the endless round of cleaning pet beds and filling pet bowls.
Circe Beaker walks by and is invited in.
Jared does not want to miss out on the Sunday feeling completely and decides to have a slice of the layer cake he bought at one of the two bakeries in New Maximiliania.
It is early winter, and the first snow flakes begin to fall that afternoon.
An exhausted Jared goes to bed on Sunday night. His next set of puppies to grow up will be # 14, 15 and 16; I think he really will be the first Sim ever in my game to achieve this LTW.
Will he then focus on his own needs some more, and maybe find that special someone in his life?
