The Indie-Smith Family: Week 11

Every Sims 2 player is familiar with this house, right? It is the Smiths' house that was in our game from the start, originally situated in Strangetown.
In my game, it has hardly changed from the outside, although inside, some rooms have been modified to accomodate the changing set-up and living arrangements of its inhabitants.

We are here this week because of Isabella Indie, her surname being the next on my alphabetical list after Huffington.
Isabella is the half-Alien daughter of Mitch Indie, who was married to Jill Smith, the daughter of Johnny and Jenny Smith who was but a little girl when the game began, and died last round of old age.
Isabella is a Professional Party Guest and has achieved her lifetime want when she landed this job several years ago.

Here sleeps the younger Jill Smith - remember, the original (or "first") Jill Smith-Indie died last round. This Jill Smith was working a member of the Garden Club Committee when the Smiths found out she was one of their "relatives". She is currently working on her lifetime want of having 20 loves and has 6 names on her list so far.

And here is the only original family member of the Smiths still alive: Johnny, who eventually became Mayor of New Maximiliania, lived as a Vampire for some years before turning back to a mortal Sim again. He still holds the position of Mayor and is now 74 years old.

On this Monday morning, Luc Ng leaves a house plant for Jill to say thank you for a successful outing last week.

Johnny indulges in fond memories of his Mum and his sister.

Isabella serves grilled cheese on her own initiative. Jill is grateful - she has been working out for hours already (one of her big wishes is to get fit) and is now very hungry.

At 6:00 pm, Isabelle turns into an elderly lady.

For Isabella, Tuesday starts with a round of harvesting. This is one of the few things I command her to do; otherwise, she is free to live her days and nights as she pleases, since she is on Permanent Platinum. But the plants die if nobody takes care of them, and that would be a shame, I think.

Johnny has a healthy breakfast: a bag of crisps (or is it cookies?).

Today, Jill works on making Pierce Buckingham her next love. And indeed, after several hours of flirting, kissing and other romantic interactions, he becomes her # 7.

Just as Johnny's helicopter drops him (and a vampire colleague, Zaitrarrio Jones) off after work, Charles Capp walks by and is of course cordially greeted and asked inside.
Johnny is a good Mayor - he really tries to know as many of his town's citizens as possible.

Jill still wants to become fit, and so she spends part of the pleasant mild spring morning on Wednesday working out on the back porch.

It is the gardener's day, and the garden really needs some attention.

Johnny returns home early - and not by helicopter. What happened? He took the wrong decision with a chance card and has been demoted.

Isabella knows how important it is to keep fit, no matter your age, and especially so if your job often involves being up all night.

A round of swimming that afternoon finally does the trick and Jill is fit.

It is Thursday morning, and Isabella decides to play a round of Sims on the computer in Johnny's old room.

For a change, all three of them have breakfast together.

Later, just as Luc Ng arrives on Jill's invitation, a thunderstorm breaks loose.

The date Jill wanted to have in order to add # 8 to her list of loves is off to a firey start - but not quite the way Jill had imagined!

While Johnny is still at work, the two ladies join hands in cleaning the upstairs bathroom.

Isabella continues with the housework while Jill has a rest and watches some sports on TV.

[Johnny returns from work - he has been reinstated in his former position of Mayor!

But... who are those people? Part of his congratulations committee? No, I'm afraid they have come for his very last cocktail. Johnny was 78 years old and is the last of the original Smiths in my game to die.

Isabella has just returned from a early morning run on Friday and thinks of Johnny. She as his "relative" (his sister was her stepmother) suffers his loss more than the younger Jill, who did not know him all her life like Isabella did, who was born in this house.

Jill invites Luc Ng over again, and when he asks to bring along a friend, she says yes and is surprised to see Castanea Landgraab.

Even more surprised is she when Castanea attacks her after having witnessed a romantic hug and tender kiss between Jill and Luc. I had not idea Castanea was in love with this townie - or have I simply forgotten about it? Anyway, Luc cheers for Jill...

...but to no avail: Castanea wins the fight.

And as if this wasn't enough already, lightning strikes poor Jill just as she gets up from the ground! Thankfully, a shower, something to eat and a rest on the comfy sofa help to get her back on track, while Isabella makes sure Castanea and Luc leave before any more catastrophes can happen.

"You see, dear, the sun shines again," she cheers her young housemate up over plates of grilled cheese.

And indeed the sun shines again for Jill when she asks townie Ethan Shaw over and makes him her love # 9!

Sporty Isabella is seen again working out on the back porch first thing on Saturday morning.

The gardener is here once more, and Jill tips her generously.

Before midday, I send the two ladies to the park; they don't stay very long, as Isabella has to go to work later and Jill is very tired. But they meet and greet a few New Maximilianians, and so the time is well spent.

Isabella has left for work, and Jill has a nap on this first summery afternoon.

Later, she asks her townie-friend Kennedy Kwa over, and the two of them become best friends and develop a crush on each other.

On Sunday morning, Isabella clears the table of last night's plates. Jill was too tired to do it by the time Kennedy left.

She then takes it upon herself to clean the upstairs bathroom floor.

The week ends well for Jill: She invites Kennedy Kwa over again, and he becomes her 10th love - that's half her lifetime want done!

Will Isabella just keep on doing what she's been doing, with nothing more exciting than the occasional thunderstorm and burning shrub in her garden?
Is Jill's next week going to be as good as this one in terms of her lifetime want?
Are the ladies going to find another housemate (preferably with the surname Smith)?

Heather Huffington: Week 5

It is Heather Huffington, one of the original students that came to our game with the university expansion packs.
Heather has reached her lifetime want of becoming Rock Goddess already a while ago, when she was still 15 days from Elderhood. She has maintained her pretty face, but not quite her slim figure. I only direct her occasionally to pick up the phone, greet passing Sims or pay the bills; other than that, she can do as she pleases.

One of the things she loves doing most is playing on her synthesizer, and that is what she does for most of Monday.

In between (and after a quick nap early afternoon) she greets Kennedy Smith...

...followed by Gavigan Gavin soon afterwards.

Shortly after dark, she age-transitions. Welcome to Elderhood, Heather!

Hardly surprising for long-time readers of this blog, Heather moves to the Senior Residence the very next day. It would actually be Tuesday at her house, but here, it is Friday. Let's just pretend she's been on a mini break while her stuff was being moved and her former house dissolved.

The other residents here are Francis J. Worthington, the oldest here at 74...

Pauline Aspir-Broke, who is 63 and lives here with her husband Benvenuto Broke (not pictured - one of Brandi Broke's sons and now 65), Charlie Cho (son of Etsu Cho and Hal Capp), 58, with his wife Tina Traveller-Cho (not pictured; 57), and Guy Wrigthley-Zimmerman, now 69.
Everyone at the Senior Residence is now on Permanent Platinum, so not much directing from my part will happen.

Oh, and Kim is still here. The cat is now 30 and still going strong.

On this Friday, Pauline decides to do something about the smelly dishes in the communal dining room, left there from last night's dinner.

Tina does a spot of gardening; not enough to get on top of the overgrowing hedges and weeds everywhere, but at least she shows some good will.

She is also the one who has Jill Fleig in her address book, and calls her over for a visit. Remember, my new policy about townies is that not only townies with surnames the same as the pre-made playables are eligible for permanent residence in New Max, but also townies with surnames that I know in real life. A Mr. and Mrs. Fleig live just down the road from me, so now I am trying to make Jill move in with a friend.
Stacy Stacks was just walking by and has also been asked to come in. You can see her in the back, playing with Kim.

On Saturday morning, I observe a tender moment between husband and wife, Benvenuto and Pauline Broke.

The head of the Aspirational Laboratories is Johnson Fleig - another NPC eligible for permanent residency in New Maximiliania. Here, Ben greets him.

The day goes by with the usual rounds of poker and Sims sleeping at irregular hours. Nobody bothers to cook a meal.
It is already after dark when Pauline does a bit of gardening on her own accord, while guests Clover Newson and Ophelia Nigmos meet in the orchard for a chat.

Saturday has already quietly slipped into Sunday when Ben remembers that they have guests, and that those guest might by hungry. He prepares turkey, but little of it is eaten - almost everyone is fast asleep in their beds.

Before daybreak, Charlie Cho is out gardening, He is so busy and doing so well I don't want to interrupt him to greet Beau Broke who - unusual for this time of day - is walking by.

Later, I catch Heather doing what she does best - thriving in male company! She is a Romance Sim, after all, and no harm is done - Charlie is happily married to Tina, and Francis - who is single like Heather - does not make a move.

Once again, the two Fleigs, Johnson and Jill, are invited over, and when Gary Gavigan walks by, he is also asked in.

When Francis returns from work, he is approached by a hooded figure with a scythe.
Bye-bye, Francis! He was 77. Now Guy Wrightly-Zimmerman is the oldest Sim here at the Senior Residence.

Charlie makes dinner for everyone without being asked to.

Monday morning sees Kim fast asleep on one of the many beds.

Heather shares her synthesizer with all the residents here, and occasionally, she plays for a while herself.

Two of the residents go to work today, Guy and Charlie. So far, the only working Sim showing any interest in not working is Pauline - she rolled "stay home from work" at the start of this week (not "retire" - no Sim in this neighbourhood has ever wished for that!).

After a nap, Heather just stays in her room, resting on the bed and thinking of the many men she has known in her life. Yes, also a delivery man.

Unnoticed by me, Kim dies that evening. The small urn is close to one of the window seats Kim used to love so much. The cat was past 30 and had a long, happy life here.

On Tuesday morning, Heather seems to be in a particularly playful mood and plays in the bathtub.

Pauline does a spot of cleaning.

Guy has been demoted because of the wrong decision with a chance card. You wouldn't believe a demotion could make a Sim so happy, but maybe he prefers working as an Astronaut again to being a General.

Jill Fleig has been asked over again, and while Guy is serving salmon on his own initiative, Pauline and Jill work on their friendship.

Wednesday is the 7th day of our week with Heather Huffington. We find her first thing in the morning at the poker table, surrounded by her male co-residents here, while the other two ladies are still asleep.

Cooking today falls on Charlie, who makes chili con carne for everyone.

Heather wonders whether she will have a romantic relationship again at her age.

We end this week with a picture of Kim, the ghostly cat. So far, all Kim's ghost has been doing is floating about the place; nobody has been scared yet.

Who of the human residents will leave this place next, and who is going to arrive to take up residence here?
And how much longer before Jill and Johnson Fleig will finally move to New Max for good?