Garrett Newson and Paola Picaso's Second Week Back

We're still with the Newson siblings, and it is Garrett's turn. He and Paola Picaso autonomously fell in love at college, and he moved in with her after they both graduated. This is their second "week" after college. You can read their first week here.

This is Paola's and Garrett's house. It doesn't look like it, but it is actually in Downtown Maximiliania, not somewhere out in the country, and not far from where some of Garrett's siblings live.

Garrett reached his lifetime want of becoming Game Designer last round, when he was still 23 days from Elderhood. That means I don't control him most of the time. He starts Monday morning by cleaning the bath on his own accord.

Paola, on the other hand, is still working towards her big dream of being Education Minister. She returns from work on Monday with a promotion to University Guest Lecturer.

Later, I have Garrett greet Hal Riley.

On Tuesday, Garrett and Paola reminisce their holiday at Three Lakes from last round.

Paola does not have to work today, and so she invites her family over to tell them her great news. "I bet my Mom thinks Garrett and I will be announcing our engagement..." she thinks as Jessica greets her oldest daughter. The couple frequently roll wants about each other, but so far, nothing about getting married.

Paola, her mother and her brothers enjoy a home-cooked lunch while Gary Greenman (Jessica's second husband) looks on.

Later, when everybody goes out to the pond for some fishing, Giselle Goth walks by and is invited in by Paola. You remember Giselle, don't you? She is the only surviving member of the Goth dynasty, after her father and twin brother perished in a fire.

Garrett gets his Silver Fishing Badge on Wednesday while Paola is at work.

She comes back with a promotion to High School Principal.

Then she takes care of what is most likely to be the last harvest of the year. Already it is cold enough for her to don her winter clothes when she leaves the house.

Thursday begins as always - in Paola's and Garrett's bedroom.

It's yet another promotion for Paola: She is now College Senior Professor and needs a bunch of skill points to advance further in her career.

But first, she greets Tom Freshe.

On Friday, Helena Stacks, a close friend since their college days, comes over for a match of chess. Most of the day is spent skilling, talking to friends on the phone and taking care of household matters.

The wish to re-visit Three Lakes kept coming up all week, and by Saturday, I am willing to send the couple there for a 3-day-break. This time, they are not going on their own, but take as many friends and family members with them as possible: Money is not an issue, and the most expensive and luxurious of the hotels there is nearly entirely occupied by their group.

Paola does the checking-in for the whole party.

Apart from Paola and Garrett, I can't control anyone, and so I lean back and watch the group doing their own thing. For Helena Stacks, it means a round in the hotel's indoor swimming pool.

One of Paola's brothers has discovered the pinball machine.

Jessica watches her youngest daughter, Glenda Greenman, getting to know Helena Stacks and Melody Tinker.

The hot springs prove to be quite popular, too.

Melody and Helena catch up on each other's love lives. Jessica listens to the young women and remembers her own turbulent past: Her first husband, Matthew Picaso, left her for his three-bold-love Alexandra O'Mackey. She raised their children alone; it was much later that she met and fell in love with Gary Greenman, who became her second husband and father of two more sons and a daughter, Glenda.

Paola and Garrett enjoy room service with Glenda keeping them company.

The slap dance is learned...

...local specialties are tried...

...and more meals are enjoyed. "We should come back here when they have enough snow for skiing," Paola suggests.

The three days are over quickly. Not everything worked as planned - the maid, for instance, never cleaned any bathrooms or toilets and didn't take the dirty dishes away. Most of the time, she just stood there; occasionally, she made a bed or two.
No tour guide showed up in front of the hotel, but the group was able to go on a tour from one of the community lots they visited. Seems like my "Three Lakes" is bugged; maybe I'll have to replace it with a fresh copy.

Back home, the family are all gathering at Paola's and Garrett's place again. This time, Garrett asks his siblings and their families over, too.

You'd be surprised how many people can play kicky bag together even in a small living room like this!

The berry cake is a big hit with both Newsons and Picaso-Greenmans.

This was a fun week to play, except for the glitches at Three Lakes. And of course, it was interrupted by the problems with my old graphics card.

How long until Paola will have reached her LTW? Are the two of them ever going to marry?