Week 12 with this family is here.
The left of the two semis here has been home to...
...Sirius Swain and Gerlinde Gavigan for a long time. In fact, Sirius was born here, to his human father Eric Swain and an Alien father from outer space.
The two of them have been together for many years and love each other dearly, but neither has ever rolled the wish to get married. That has not stopped them from having four children together: Clarence, Helen, Gary and Gavin (with the latter two still being at uni).
Both are on Permanent Platinum and get little guidance from me. They are the same age, too: 65.
The week here starts on a Saturday. On this beautiful autumn morning, Helen - who wants to follow in her father's footsteps as a Celebrity Chef one day - serves breakfast on the patio, but only Clarence (a man who wishes for nothing more than having 50 1st dates) joins her.
Later, he once more engages the help of the Matchmaker to get two more first dates under his belt; both to townie ladies who he has no particular attraction for.
My count is at 31 now, but somehow, along the way something must have not counted - the game insists he has not reached 30 yet, as per his big wish since last round.
Gerlinde still performs as a World Class Ballet Dancer, but she is more exhausted now when she comes home than she used to be. Sirius is quick to help her relax under his expert hands.
As every day, Helen looks for a job in the culinary career on Sunday morning. But also as every day, there are openings in all sorts of careers except for the culinary one.
Maybe it is better that she was not successful today, as she has caught a cold and is rather unwell.
Her brother passes his time (at least some of it) juggling bottles and doing other things Pleasure Sims like to do.
There is money in the family, but not so much as to become careless about engaging the matchmaker, and so Clarence tries to have more 1st dates without her help. He resolves to ask anyone who passes by for a date - as long as he has not had one with them in the past. Sometimes he is successful...
...and sometimes he isn't. (By the way, this is not Santa without his hat and beard - it is no other than Goopy GilsCarbo, famous townie everyone who has ever played TS2 knows.)
It is Monday morning, and Sirius is at Gerlinde's ballet barre for a warm-up. In the course of the years, he has picked up quite a bit from her, and at 67, he can still move with impressive agility.
Monday also means the rent is due. Clarence takes care of that.
Neither Sirius nor Gerlinde have to work today, and the family's food supplies are getting low. It is only natural, then, that I send them to the BV General Store.
Clarence is looking forward to meet potential 1st dates.
He has a few lucky hits and a few unlucky ones before he decides to call it a day and grab some food instead. His sister is playing at the pinball machine under the VERY interested eyes of Matthew Cho.
Back home, Lindsay Louie, a townie spotted frequently, walks by and is asked for a date - successfully.
And a little later, Clarence's 1st date # 30 (as by the game's count, not mine) is no other than Marsha Bruenig. I think she has aged well!
The whole family gather round the dining table that night.
And Gerlinde takes it upon herself to clean up afterwards.
Helen is yet again unsuccessful with her job hunt on Tuesday.
The day does not get better when Gerlinde tries to grill ribs on her own accord and sets the grill on fire.
Luckily, it being a rented property means the fire fighter is there in no time, and quickly has everything under control while the family gather outside near the road.
I find Sirius at the easel a bit later. As a Celebrity Chef, it is important for him to keep in touch with his creativity.
It is not yet 7:00 in the morning when Jason Lewis rings the doorbell. I wonder what he wants at this early hour, and it turns out he complains about the dirty dishes on the patio table!
The day goes by with Clarence stopping every townie (strangely, only men pass by today) and ask for a date. He manages to get up to # 36.
Late in the evening, Sirius returns from work with Calendula Capp in tow. But when did she turn into a vampire? My infrequent playing could mean I have simply forgotten, but maybe I really never saw it happening while she was visiting a community lot on her own accord.
As so often, Sirius and Gerlinde share a tender moment on Wednesday morning.
Clarence goes through his list of names. "Fourteen more to go..." he muses.
Good job he has been checking his list, because when Lisa Gieke walks be, he politely greets her but does not ask her on a date - she was his # 14 way back.
Nonetheless, she is the famlly's guest for the day, and Clarence keeps approaching every passers-by he has not met before. That way, he manages to get up to 1st date # 39.
Thursday still turns out to be a really successful day for both Clarence and Helen.
First, Clarence greets a townie passing by, and the man immediately suggests to arrange a blind date with one of his acquaintances. Of course Clarence agrees, and the same thing happens with other townies, so that he ends the day with 46 first dates - only four to go, unless the game's count differs again from my own.
Then, Helen finally lands a job in the culinary career! Her Dad is as excited as she, and congratulates her for having become Executive Chef right away, swearing he had nothing to do with it.
Helen does not start work until tomorrow and makes the most of the day brushing up on the many skills needed for her first promotion.
On Friday morning the Christmas decorations come out. Helen and Clarence have known these items since they were toddlers, and welcome them like old friends. The house is too small for a big Christmas tree, but the tiny one does the job just as well.
It is also Helen's first day on the job. Funnily enough, now that she has finally started to work towards her lifetime want, she has romantic thoughts and wishes - and winter has only just begun, with spring still months away.
Clarence manages to ask several passers-bys on dates today, some men, some women. Chloe Gonzaga (maybe familiar to you in her much younger version) is his first date # 47. I count dates # 48, 49 and 50 as well, but once again, the game has other ideas, and Clarence's lifetime want is not fulfilled today.
This is where the week here ends. We will be back next round with the letter G as in Gavigan. I already wonder what I will do once the younger two boys return from uni - there is really not enough room here for six adults, but I am not sure who would be most suited to move out to their own place.
It is also most likely my last full "week" with a household this year - it is New Year's Eve tomorrow, and I will update my list of deaths and births and do a head count of New Max, as has been my habit for many years now.
Stay warm and well, have a Happy New Year, and keep simming - or at least reading my blog :-)
