The Tinker Family: Week 6

This is the Tinkers' house, still the same one they were given by Maxis.

But there is only one person left to live in this rather spacious place: Melody Tinker. She has been on Permanent Platinum ever since she became World Class Ballet Dancer 16 days from Elderhood; another 7 days, and she will cross that threshold.
Both her parents have died during previous rounds. If you want to refresh your memory of what happened in the Tinkers' lives before this round, simply click on the "Tinker" label.

I still control Melody someimes, although she is a PP Sim (and you know I mostly treat PP Sims in my game as non-playables). But there are four dogs living here, too, and I don't trust Melody's ability in taking care of the dogs' needs autonomously.

Two of them, Titus and Tita, are asleep...

...while Leroy (left) and Tilly (right) are out and about.

Melody spends Monday morning giving the dogs their regular baths and mopping up the bathroom floor. By the way, she shows 3 bolts for Edwin Sharpe, a Sim she hardly knows.

Left to her own devices after I have made sure the dogs are well cared for, Melody first plays the piano for a while...

...then reads the paper...

...prepares a group meal (even though she is the only Sim here) of salmon...

...and goes to sleep in her parents' old bedroom eventually.

On Tuesday morning, she first does the round of all the pet dishes in the house.

Then she discovers yet another dog puddle on the back deck.

It is not the only puddle she should deal with today, as the hydrobot breaks yet again! (Maybe you remember that it kept breaking last round, causing a lot of extra work for Melody and her Dad, and quite some excitement for the dogs.)

Tilly turns into an elderly dog today.

Still in her pajamas, Melody greets Parvati Patel, who happens to sport the same hairstyle.

Only on Wednesday morning does Melody clean up the plate she left here Monday night after her lone dinner of salmon.

While she's at it, she gives the kitchen counter a good scrub.

She then decides she wants to paint.

And eventually, she even makes a start on the badly neglected yard, wiping puddles and pulling some weeds on her own accord.

But I have her interrupt her momentous task to greet first Jacqueline Newson...

...and then Francis J. Worthington.

When Melody gets up on Thursday morning, she is VERY hungry.

But instead of having breakfast (from her well-stocked fridge, I must add), she continues working on the painting she started the day before.

Then she exercises a bit at the barre in her room. After all, one does not become (and remain!) World Class Ballet Dancer from painting.

To my surprise, she brings in the mail on her own accord.

By now, she is so hungry I am expecting her to die of starvation any moment, but instead of heading to the kitchen, she picks up the phone and chats to one of the Ottomas boys (I think).

Friday morning at 1:05, Melody gets up...

...only to curl up in front of the bed and die.

Mr. Reaper and I shake our heads in disbelief. Here was a Sim who had everything to lead a good long life, and showed intelligence in many ways - but when it came to food, wasn't smart enough to survive!

Her dogs howl in grief. Melody was 3 days from Elderhood. The Tinker family name has now died out.

Mr. Reaper sits down and watches telly while he waits...

...for the pet adoption service to come and pick up the four dogs.

What will become of this place, so well kept when the Tinkers still lived here as a family, and so neglected now?

Will another family move in and get the yard back in shape? Are the dogs going to be adopted by other Sims?

The Swain Family - Week 7

If you want to re-read Sirius' Freshman Year, click here. For week 6 with the Swain Family, click here. 

I've always liked this semi-detached house that came to our games with the "Apartment Life" expansion pack. It is one of the few rental lots I still play.

Blossom Moonbeam and Erik Swain moved here after they graduated from university. They knew they wanted to spend their whole lives together and got married, last but not least united in their lifetime want of having six grandchildren.

Many years have passed since then - they are now both 67 years old. Here is Erik, still fast asleep on this Monday morning...

...while Blossom is already up, waiting for a decent hour to ring Sirius, Erik's half-Alien son.

Together, Blossom and Erik had the twins Myra and Melrose. They tragically died in a fire at their dorm during their first year at uni, and with them died part of the hope their parents had carried for those six grandchildren.
       

Blossom wonders whether she'll ever see any grandchild at all, let alone six.
       

As soon as it is daylight, she rings Sirius, and he arrives shortly afterwards at his childhood home, coming back to live with his elderly parents. He knows all their hopes rest on his shoulders now.
       

There is just one way to go about it: the quick way!
He instantly invites his uni sweetheart, Gerlinde Gavigan, to move in. Gerlinde meets her (sort of) mother-in-law for the first time.
       

She loves Sirius and hopes she made the right decision in moving in with him - AND his parents - so soon after college, before either of them has had time to start working on their respective LTW. She wants to become a World Class Ballet Dancer, and Sirius dreams of being a Celebrity Chef. Will they succeed and fulfill Sirius' parents' LTW at the same time?
       

Upstairs, the room that used to be Myra and Melroses' finally receives a makeover.
       

All these years, Erik and Blossom left the room exactly as it was when their twins still lived, played and did their homework in here. But now the room need to be adapted to suit the young couple's needs.
       

Everything has to go - except for the drawings the twins made when they were little. Blossom and Erik would never part with them, and so they are moved to a place of honour in the hallway.
      

Gerlinde has her first meal with the "in-laws". She finds the situation somewhat awkward and nervously chats away about modern music, with the Swains listening politely.
       

The evening meal is a lot more relaxed affair, just a piece of cake with Sirius out on the patio while it is still mild enough outdoors. "You know, my parents married only after my older siblings were born. With their death, the Moonbeam family name died, too; my parents still find it hard to cope with all that."
       

Oh, by the way, I have given her a little make-over. This hairstyle suits her much better than the old one, doesn't it!
       

On Tuesday morning, Gerlinde is successful with the job hunt and finds a position as Tap Dancer.
       

After talking to her "in-laws" first to make sure it is convenient, she invites her whole family over: parents Nathan and Mary Gavigan (Mary is not pictured), big brother Isaiah and his wife Ariel Capp (their son Caleb is at school), and twin sister Gesine.
The two families get along reasonably well. Even Gesine, who used to be so difficult at college, makes an effort.
       

"So this is the man who wants to make my daughter happy," Mary thinks. She likes him instantly.
       

"Are you working on twins, dear?" she says to Gerlinde with a significant glance at her daughter's belly, when they have cheese cake later.
       

Her siblings have some cake with Gerlinde, too, and she insists that this is very healthy food indeed.
       

So healthy she wakes up on Wednesday morning with a baby bump!
       

She proudly dons her maternity wear.
       

Blossom wonders whether they should not have adopted two children after the twins' death; that way, she'd surely have at least two grandchildren by now.
       

Gerlinde takes good care of her and her unborn child's needs, with Sirius hardly leaving her side. He has not yet found a job in the culinary career and uses the time without work to brush up on his skills.
       

Sadly, Blossom is handed her very last cocktail by Mr. Reaper that evening at 6.00, just as she turns 70. Only an unborn grandchild for her - but she still gets a platinum headstone, as her daily wishes were fulfilled as much as possible.
       

Blossom was not his biological mother, but Sirius is devastated by her early death nonetheless.
       

On Thursday morning, I find Erik in the kitchen, clearly expressing his unhappiness. "Why did my Blossom have to go so early? She was so much looking forward to our first grandchild..."
       

Erik hopes that at least he will be around long enough to welcome Gerlinde's and Sirius' baby into the family.
      

At 10:08 pm, just as Gerlinde goes into labour (in the bathroom - where else!!)...
       

...Sirius is invited to visit his Alien father aboard his space ship.
       

Meet the twins, Clarence...
       

...and Helen Gavigan! Clarence has his father's eye shape (and, unfortunately, also no nose) but his mother's complexion and eye colour. Helen is green like her Dad but her face is shaped more like her Mom's, I think.

Why have I parted from my usual way of naming babies in the game, starting with the same letter as their surname? Because only a week ago, my friend and running-partner has had a baby! I've visited the little girl and her parents in hospital. Her name is Claire Helen, and my friend explained that they were looking at names in the family tree and found Clarence. In honour of little Claire Helen and her parents, the twins are named Clarence and Helen.
       

While Sirius is still space-travelling with his other Dad, Gerlinde looks after the babies.
       

But she is there to welcome him back when Sirius returns. He has not brought back the usual "souvenir" male Sims take home from an Alien visit, as I was secretly hoping but not really expecting.
       

In his opinion, he has never seen a more gorgeous baby than his little girl. "Green like me," he sighs happily.
       

"We should invite Gerlinde's family over again soon, so that they can meet the little ones," he suggests over lunch with his father.
       

For Gerlinde, it is the first day at work...
       

...and she comes home with a promotion right away. Still in her Tap Dancer outfit, she is now a Ballroom Dancer.
       

It is Saturday morning, and the scene in the Swains' kitchen is one you are no doubt all familiar with: empty bottles, and a constant travelling to and from the fridge with the babies!
       

"I am glad your Alien heritage has been passed on to your children," Erik tells his son.
      

Sirius and Gerlinde are as much in love as ever. So far, neither of them has shown the wish to marry.
       

As always on a Saturday when playing on a rental lot, the landlord has ordered pizza.
       

And most convenient it is, too, since the Gavigans are here again - this time, Gerlinde's brother Isaiah has come not only with his wife, but also with their son, Caleb.
       

"Great to see you again, sis!"
       

Isaiah is well versed in childcare - he has lived with the Capp family and been around when there were several babies, including his own son.
       

In fact, the twins prove very popular! All Sirius can do today is make sure the empty bottles are picked up.
       

Gerlinde had to go to work in spite of her family visiting, but is rewarded for her good work ethics with a promotion to Flamenco Master (here still in her Ballroom Dancer outfit).
       

Sunday morning reveals that she is pregnant again!
       

In the afternoon, first Helen...
       

...and then Clarence grow up into toddlers.
       

While Gerlinde has a well-deserved and badly needed early night, Sirius and Erik take care of the twins.

Erik is now 74 - will he live long enough to see his next grandchild (or -children)?
Are Sirius and Gerlinde going to marry, and will they be able to stay in this small semi with their growing family?
Is Sirius ever going to find a job in the culinary career?