Click here for Week 8 at this household.
Here is the Smiths' house, pretty much as it was when it was Maxis-built for the Smith family, at least from the outside. Inside, a lot has changed over the past 8 or 9 years since I have been playing this neighbourhood.
But why are we here anyway? Not for Johnny Smith; the letter S is still a long way off on my alphabetical list.
But his sister, Jill, married Mitch Indie, and we have arrived at the letter I.
Sadly, Mitch died a long time ago. Much as Jill misses her husband, being widowed gives her more freedom to follow her lifetime want of having 20 lovers. Last time I played here, she had reached 13.
Jill is now 61, by the way, and Johnny 60 - actually, he is the older of the two, but because he died during a brief stint as a vampire and was resurrected, he missed a few years and is now "younger" than his little sister.
Johnny has been on Permanent Platinum ever since he became Mayor, 13 days from Elderhood.
Here is Isabella Indie, Mitch's half-Alien daughter and Jill's stepdaughter. Isabella is working hard at becoming a Professional Party Guest. She still suffers whenever she witnesses her stepmother romantically interacting with another man, even though her father died years ago.
Matthew Smith joined the family last round. He is a former townie (member of the Garden Club), but as she has the same surname as this playable family, he is treated like a relative and was allowed to move in.
His LTW is to max out all skills, so you'll find him skilling most of the week - and doing almost all the house work, as it increases his cleaning skill. Matthew is 61, like Jill.
On this Monday, Jill manages to make best friends with Jill Smith. I've had her down as yet another townie eligible to move in the moment I knew her surname.
She joins Matthew, another relative of hers and former fellow Garden Club member, for breakfast. "So you've moved here now and say I should do the same," she says.
I decide to send the family to a community lot on the very first day of the week, mainly because Isabella rolled the want to buy new clothes. Jill is happy to meet new possible candidates for her list of lovers; here she is talking to Shane Cho.
Meanwhile, Isabella makes her purchase.
On Tuesday morning, Johnny (who is mostly not controlled by me) is busy at the computer. He still lives in his old room, which still looks the way it did when he was a teenager. Very modest for a Mayor, isn't he!
Isabella is tending her career reward plants.
Jill has invited Benvenuto Broke, and the two are obviously having a good time.
She always works at two relationships at once: One to build up a friendship, and one who is already her friend to turn into a lover.
It is a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a refreshing dip in the pool.
When Isabelle comes home that day, she is proud to announce herself as New Maximiliania's latest Professional Party Guest! Now that she is on Permanent Platinum (14 days from Elderhood), I will control her very little.
Later that evening, Jill asks Jill to move in - and she accepts!
I am surprised to find that the "new" Jill Smith has the same LTW as the old Jill Smith (now Indie): To have 20 lovers. The younger Jill immediately quits her job as a Specialist; there is plenty of money in this household, and I want her to focus on her LTW.
In order for hers not to clash with the older Jill's, I decide to have the ex-townie-Jill focus on townies, while Jill Indie will find her lovers among New Maximilianians.
To make the day even more memorable, Matthew maxes out his mechanical skill. Well done!
The next day, Wednesday, sees Isabella, Matthew, Jill and Jill share a meal of lunch meat sandwiches with visitor Benvenuto Broke.
He becomes Jill's lover # 14.
The younger Jill is not idle, either: Her # 1 is Abhijeet Deppiesse.
It is Thursday morning, and without me having told her to do so, Jill cleans the bathroom next to her bed room.
Jill and Isabella bond over a game of Sims3.
Uh-oh... I didn't think of that when I had Jill invite Shane Cho over, and he asked to "bring along a friend" - in fact, he brought along Charlie Cho, a relative of his, who is # 12 on Jill's list of lovers! Needless to say, the scene does not go down well with anyone, and Jill quickly says good-bye to both men.
On Friday morning, I find Johnny playing with his science toy.
Jill makes another attempt to add Shane Cho to her list, and indeed he becomes her # 15.
It is again a mixed group of household members and visitors who sit down for dinner that evening.
On Saturday morning, I find Jill looking at her own and her mother's portraits. How many years have passed since then!
Beau Broke becomes her # 16 that day.
And the other Jill adds townie Neil Cameron as # 2 to her own list.
Sunday morning has Johnny up early, but still remaining in his room for a while, thinking about "cousin" Matthew.
Autumn has arrived.
And so has Alon Ruscewicz, Jill's date for the day. Seems she has a thing for elderly gentleman wearing bandanas!
Matthew maxes out his cooking skill.
Jill thinks this may well be the last time to use the grill this season and makes hot dogs for everyone.
Later, Jill and townie Hyun Nanale (or something like that) end Sunday evening with a competitive game of SSX.
This was another fun round to play, with a new addition to the household, one (Isabella) reaching her LTW and the others working diligently at theirs.
Is Matthew going to live long enough to max out all skills? Will the two Jills complete their lists of 20 lovers soon, and will there be a permanent love interest for either of them? Are there any more Smiths in the neighbourhood waiting to be found?
- - -
For 2017, this was my last post. I will do a head count and publish New Maximiliania's annual stats as I do at the end of every year; just look at the top of the right column of this blog, under "Pages", where it says "Lists & Stats".
Happy New Year to all of you!
