Ophelia Nigmos: Week 9

For week 8 with Ophelia, simply click on the "Nigmos" label and scroll down one post.

After almost 2 years in real life, we are now back at the old Spectre mansion for a week. You probably remember that Olive Spectre has died long ago - she was already an elderly lady when the game begun, but her house did not remain empty.

Her niece Ophelia Nigmos inherited the place and moved there after she finished college.

That, too, happened a long time ago, and Ophelia is now an elderly lady herself. She completed her lifetime want of 50 first dates 10 days before reaching elderhood. On the wall are photos of herself and one of her first dates, Ripp Grunt, as well as with the love of her life, police officer Dorian Kauker. Before she got round to marrying him, he was eaten by the cowplant in her garden.
Now Ophelia is 66 and on her own.

Well, not entirely. Her dogs Alegra (left) and Alabama (right) are still here...

...as is her cat Balin. The dogs are elderly, too; Balin is by far the youngest household member.

Until some years ago, Ashley Pitts and his wife Stella (nee Terrano) shared the house with Ophelia, but they have both died of old age, too. By rights, Ophelia would not be alive anymore, either. But she has had cowplant milk two or three times, adding years to her lifetime bar.

On this Monday, she greets first Lilo Landgraab...

...and then Lilo's half sister Perseida Powers. Both women have interrupted her rounds of jogging through the neighbourhood when Ophelia greeted them.

Guests such as Perseida are especially welcome: Without anyone asking her to, she starts to do some gardening.

For Ophelia, Tuesday begins with a game of fetch with Alabama.

Then she decides to go and buy fresh groceries in town instead of having them delivered.

She also hopes to meet a few New Maximilianians there.

Jared Starchild is one of them. Like Ophelia, he loves dogs (and has two), so I am sure the two of them have lots to talk about.

Before heading home, Ophelia has a burger, prepared by one of the townies on their own accord.

At home, she takes care of the bills (commanded by me) and then does a spot of housework such as taking trash out (not commanded by me).
Her thoughts keep going back to the time when she was engaged to Dorian. Poor Ophelia, a Family Sim like her should not be alone!
Interestingly, she rolls the wish to have a date with Jared Starchild.

On Wednesday morning, Ophelia takes a nice hot bubble bath (even though it is summer).

She has a mug of coffee and cookies for breakfast, wondering what it would have been like to have children.
      

Then she decides to let the past rest (at least for a while) and invites Jared Starchild over, plus his two dogs. It looks like he is deliberately keeping a polite distance between himself and his hostess, but later, they have a dream date together - ending up with pink hearts.

Ophelia still thinks of Jared when she cleans the pet beds (on her own accord) on Thursday morning.

Unexpectedly, first Alegra and then Alabama are asked to play fetch with Mr. Reaper. Not totally out of the blue, as both dogs were in their senior years, but last time I checked their lifetime bars it looked as if they both had a few more days left.
On the same day, Balin becomes an elderly cat.

Now there are only Balin and Ophelia left.

Out of habit, Ophelia cleans and fills the second food bowl on Saturday morning, even though it is not necessary, now that there is only one cat in the house.

She wishes to have a date, and since there seemed to be good chemistry between her and Jared Starchild when they met at the shops the other day, I have her ask him over for a date at home.
It is a success (no wonder - Ophelia has more than enough practise when it comes to dates!), and at a few hours later, Jared is fully in love, while Ophelia is still at the pink hearts stage.

Heather Huffington walks by and is asked to join Ophelia and her guest for a bowl of salad on this beautiful late summer evening.

For Ophelia, Saturday consist in doing... nothing, really. She looks at the pictures on her walls, plays a little bit at the computer but generally, as I said, does nothing.
But for me, it is still an interesting day, because it is the first time in my game that I observe a cat sleeping on a counter (or if I have seen it before, I can't remember) - I didn't know they can do that! Of course I knew they can sleep on beds, pet beds, the floor and (I think) the largest of the scratch poles, but not on a counter.

I already knew this, but it is still nice that it was programmed into the game: cats can use the toilet, and if they have the choice between this and their litter tray, they prefer the proper toilet.

Breakfast on Sunday morning consists of a bag of cookies by Ophelia's own choice.

Nothing else worth mentioning happens all day, until just before 7:00 pm, Nellie Newson walks past and is greeted by Ophelia.

"It is nice that I have company for dinner," Ophelia says to the young woman.

She is now 73. Will she see Jared again? Is she eventually going to move to the Senior Residence, or stay here at the old Spectre Mansion?

Garrett Newson and Paola Picaso - Week 3

Click here for Garrett's and Paola's previous week.

Next to the house where Gabriella and Georgia Newson live is their older brother Garrett's place. Well, actually, it was Paola Picaso's place first - she bought it after graduating from college, and had her college sweetheart Garrett move in with her shortly afterwards.

During their previous week, they were very affectionate with each other, but neither rolled the wish to get married. Now as I enter the lot, the first wish that I see on Garrett's panel is "get married". Yay, I think - until I notice that, for some reason, Garrett gets up in the middle of the night and refuses to go back to bed, even though he is still rather tired.
It takes me a few moments to work it out: Garrett and Paola are not friends any more!
Checking both their memories, I find that at some stage in the past, Paola must have been kissing Corydal Capp, and got caught by Garrett. Nothing else happened between the two, but she was definitely in love with Corydal.
Now she still loves Garrett, but he does not even have friendly feelings towards her at the moment.
Maybe this brief flirt made Clover Newson so hostile towards Paola when she was visiting the Newson family the other day. After all, to Clover it must seem a double cheat - Corydal is his brother, Garrett his brother-in-law.

A reminder of happier times; souvenirs from Three Lakes and a photo of Garrett when he was a little younger. (By the way, Garrett is on Permanent Platinum, so I only control him occasionally. Paola has not yet reached her lifetime want of becoming Education Minister.)

On this Monday evening, when they both return from work, Paola is determined to patch things up with Garrett. He has retreated to the study, playing computer games. "Can we talk, please?" she asks, and Garrett does not refuse her.
After several rounds of talking, making jokes, appreciating him and even tickling him, Garrett is Paola's friend again. Phew! I hate situations like that in real life, and do not want them for my Sims, either.

Garrett is up early on Tuesday morning and finds he can not concentrate very well on what he is looking at online - thoughts of Paola and that he almost lost her are on his mind.

When their car pool arrives, they leave together just like they have done so many times before.

It is Wednesday when Paola is caught playing a video game during lunch time and is demoted. (Strangely enough, her job is still shown as that of High School Principal - that was the last one I'd noted down for her anyway. Maybe that is why she still does the whole "Look at me and what great things I have achieved today" routine!

Paola is so happy she and Garrett have made up. She shows her affection for him all the time.

sThursday after work, Paola invites Ryker Love over. She has been talking to him on the phone every day this week, and now they are friends. Hopefully, Ryker will soon be eligible to move to New Maximiliania permanently, as he is one of the few townies with the same surname as a playable.

Stephen Riley happened to walk by and was also greeted. He heads straight for the fishing pond, where Ryker joins him soon afterwards.

With their guests, Paola and Garrett sit down for dinner before it is time to go to bed.

Friday is unremarkable and ends with Garrett stargazing.

Saturday starts with a thunderstorm. Lightning hits the telescope in the garden, but as it is raining hard, the flames die quickly.

Garrett and Paola have the weekend off, and Paola invites Ryker again.
While she prepares lunch, the two men sit in the living room, chatting about uni. Ryker is unsure as to whether he should stay on to complete his courses or move to New Max and start "real life", as he calls it.

By Sunday, Paola is best friends with Ryker Love. She invites him over, hoping to persuade him to move to New Maximiliania and join his relatives here. But to my dismay, he refuses, and I have Paola hug and entertain him to make the friendship not suffer too much.

Sundays often mean family days for my Sims, and the Newsons are a large family: Garrett invites them all over today. It is raining as they arrive...

...but that does not make him any less happy to see his siblings and their partners.

Fortunately, it is still raining when lightning strikes the tree in front of the house. The fire is quickly put out. Did you know the skunk also notices the fire? It is the first time I notice this in my game, I think!

"The sun is out again, we should all take advantage of the beautiful afternoon," Jacqueline suggests after she and her husband Gallagher, sister-in-law Georgia and brother-in-law Garrett finish eating their blackened catfish.

The balmy summer night sees most of the siblings fishing from the pond, and the week that started so troublesome for the couple ends on a very positive note.

I was disappointed that Ryker did not accept Paola's invitation to move in - now it will be a while before I'll play this household again and she can try once more.
Garrett and Paola kept rolling wishes for each other, but not to marry. I wonder if that will ever happen!

The Newson Family - Week 7

If you want to read Week 6 at this household, click here. 

This Maxis-made downtown house is going to be our stop for the next week. Of course you know that we're not yet through with playing all the Newsons; this is still the "main" household.

Gavin Newson still occupies the bachelor pad on the ground floor. He is now 54 and still hopes to earn 100.000 Simoleons by selling his paintings.

The master bedroom is Ginger's and Clover's. There may be an age gap of 19 years between the two, but there are also 3 bolts - and two hearts full of love for each other.
Ginger would still love to graduate three children from college, and with two already having achieved that, it looks like she is well on the way. But unfortunately, her third child, Nelson, died years ago during a fire at college.
Clover simply dreams of the day when he'll turn into an elderly gentleman and can finally celebrate the Golden Anniversary with Ginger.

sGinger's eldest son, Nigel, moved back in after college. He is steadily working up his way in the sports career, wanting to achieve his lifetime want of being Hall of Famer.

On this Monday morning, Nellie moves back in. She does not need to think twice when her mother suggests it. Now she will focus on becoming Education Minister.

Nigel returns home with a promotion to MVP.

Nellie settles in by browsing the old family photo album.

Meanwhile, Nigel works on his body skill.

Nellie is lucky on Tuesday morning when she finds a job as a Substitute Teacher on the Simternet. As a Family Sim and having grown up as part of a large group of adoptive siblings, it is hardly surprising that she is thinking of adopting a child herself. So far, she has not shown any romantic interest in another Sim, and she does not need children for her lifetime want - but who knows what the future may hold for her.

She returns from work that afternoon with colleague Paola Picaso in tow. Paola lives, if I remember correctly, with Garrett Newson - we'll find out soon.

I always had Paola down as a rather nice Sim, but for some inexplicable reason, she is all set on attacking Clover. Ginger does not know what is going on here, but she tries to get Paola away from her husband, and not much later, politely asks her to leave.

Early on Wednesday morning, Gavin finds the shower at his ground floor bachelor pad broken and decides to fix it himself instead of waiting for the repair service.

Clover gets up, still holding a grudge against Paola Picaso. I really wonder how my Sims sometimes become enemies!

Nigel's sweetheart is Hailey Hart - you remember her, don't you? She is Matthew Hart's half-Alien daughter and lives with her children Harry and Hannah in a modest house. Recently, her adoptive half-sister Fenya joined her to help with the kids.
Hannah is Nigel's daughter, and he wants to invite them all over for his last day off before work starts again for him.
Unfortunately, Harry has to go to school and can't join his Mum, while little Hannah is still a toddler and is not brought along, either. But Nigel is happy to see Hailey, who greets him with a long, deep kiss and firm embrace.

Just then, Nellie returns from work. She took the right decision with a chance card and was promoted to Elementary School Teacher. (It was a chance card I'd never seen before in my game!)

This is what Ginger loves best: As many of her family at the table as possible! She is happy to meet her son's sweetheart but would also love to get to know her granddaughter, little Hannah, and Hailey's other child, Harry.

She ends the day by flying the kite in the back yard on her own accord.

Thursday passes without any particular events. Nellie goes to work (and is successful with another chance card, although not resulting in a promotion this time), the others read the paper (as Clover does here), talk to each other or to friends and family on the phone, and generally have an unremarkable day.

On Friday, Ginger practises boxing on the ground floor. (She did not roll the wish to be fit again, but I think it is what she would do, with a husband 19 years younger than herself.)

"Here's to us, Clover - we'll make it to that Golden Anniversary yet, you'll see!" she happily exclaims over glasses of champagne with the grilled cheese they have for lunch.

Today, Nellie and Nigel happen to come home from work at the same time and just as the groceries delivery van pulls up in front of the house.
Both have a promotion to report: Nellie is now High School Teacher and Nigel Superstar.

He is the first one to use Nellie's career rewards object, the book shelf that allows a Sim to study ALL skills without needing the necessary objects, as a chess board or telescope for logic etc.
In Ginger and Clover's master bedroom, there is enough space for the shelf, a comfortable settee and a reading lamp.

Ginger feels that two promotions in one day calls for a family gathering. She calls her siblings Gabriella, Georgia and Garrett over, while Gavin prepares turkey for dinner.
It is a lively and fun evening, in spite of Gavin having burnt the turkey. Garrett suggests they get a gaming console for the TV so that they could all have competitions.

There is no end to the promotions when on Saturday, Nigel returns as Assistant Coach.

Nellie looks lovingly at her Mom as Ginger serves grilled cheese (again - well, it is her secondary aspiration, determined by lot!).

Others their age would maybe spend Saturday night club-hopping or at some bar or restaurant, but the Newson siblings sit quietly over their books, skilling.

Sunday morning reveals the first snow of the year. It does not stop Nigel's flash new car pool from picking him up for work.

I've been waiting for this to happen - if you use the clean bots, hydro bots or others in your game, you will have made the same experience: After a few days in use, the bots invariably break and cause havoc.
Here, it happens just as the family is getting into the car, driving to...

...the Café Petit. I almost let the week pass completely without sending the Newsons to a community lot.  A cosy café is a good place to visit on a cold day, isn't it.

Several other Sims seem to think so, too. There is a mix of townies and New Maximilianians, but to my dismay, I find the cake counters empty.

Never mind, says Gavin and prepares delicious Layer Cake for everyone who wants a piece.

Back home, I have Ginger turn off the amok-running clean bot. Nigel repairs it, and the others help cleaning up the mess.

The week ends with everyone going to bed - except for Nigel, who is stargazing as he's been doing almost every night this week.

There is one more Newson left on my list, Garrett. His household will be played next.