The Newsons - Week 9

Week 8 with this part of the Newson family is here.

This Maxis-made townhouse has been the Newsons' home in my game for a long time now.

Clover Newson is the reason why we start our round of Newson households here; his is the first name on my alphabetical list.

Clover is one of Tybalt Capp's plantchildren who turned fully human when they were adults. He married Ginger Newson, who is quite a bit older than he, but age has never deterred a 3-bolt-love, has it!

Ginger's lifetime want of graduating 3 children from college will never come true. She had 3 children, and all three went to college, but one (Nelson) died in a house fire.

Clover's chances at reaching his LTW are good: He wants nothing more than to celebrate his Golden Anniversary with Ginger.

Ginger's remaining two children are grown up and have returned to live with their mother after uni. This is Nellie, her youngest. The CC hairdo I gave her has disappeared, so I'll find another one for her.

She is an aspiring Education Minister and currently holds the position of College Senior Professor.

Her older brother Nigel is Ginger's firstborn. (The boy who perished in the fire was Nellie's twin.)

Nigel is on his way to becoming Hall of Famer; once he's done that, he'll be on Permanent Platinum and not controlled by me anymore.

His girlfriend is Hailey Hart; Hannah is the daughter they have together.

Gavin is Ginger's brother and the same age as her, 68. Most of his time is dedicated to painting; with each sale of one of his masterpieces, he gets closer to reaching his lifetime want of earning 100,000 Simoleons. The ground floor bachelor pad/studio is his.

On this Monday, Nigel is promoted to Hall of Famer. Congratulations! He has reached his lifetime want 8 days from Elderhood.

That calls for a celebration, and he invites Hailey over. Friend Pablo Picaso is also here. Have you never heard of that thing called privacy, Pablo?

Nellie also returns from work with a promotion: She has been made College Dean. Now she will need several skills before that next - and I believe last - promotion will be within reach.

Summer has well and truly arrived on Tuesday, and Ginger changes into a sleeveless dress.

She and Gavin sometimes reminisce about their beginnings in New Max - they were just orphaned teenagers then, looking after their four younger siblings. Times were not easy, but together, they made it, and they made it well!

Wednesday is Nellie's day off. She should really be working on her skills, but she has also deserved some fun. Her idea of fun is clothes shopping with just her Mum - a "girls' day out", so to speak. The taxi pulls up at the same time as the repair service arrives; as is often the case in my game, some household appliance or other breaks nearly every day.

At H&M, Ginger and Nellie make their choices, and Nellie instantly changes into one of her new outfits. Of course, the ladies do not neglect greeting fellow New Maximilianians.

Ginger is particularly pleased to bump into her youngest sister, Georgia.

Back home, Hailey has come visiting. Unfortunately, Nigel is out working, and she gets into an argument with Clover. The argument quickly turns physical, and after the fight is over, I click on Clover to make him ask Hailey to leave. To my surprise, he has the option to buy her off with 50 Simoleons! I do that, and Hailey says "Alright, I'll leave you alone... for now", or something like that, and naffs off. I have certainly not seen this in my game in a very long time, if ever!

Ginger and Clover spend Thursday morning quietly in their bedroom, reading and writing.

Nigel spends a lot of time in his uncle Gavin's bachelor pad. Here, he looks rather pensive.

On Friday morning, I watch Gavin hastily shoveling down his breakfast. He is now 72 and nobody knows how much time he has left; he does not want to waste any, but returns to his easel as quickly as possible.

Ginger takes advantage of the light summer breeze and flies the kite in the back yard on her own accord.

Clover has prepared a platter of appetizers. "But who needs appetizers with such a wonderful woman as my wife around," he muses.

Ginger's siblings Georgia, Gallagher and Gabriella have come over for the party. What party?

It's Clover's birthday! The kitchen is so full of people that it is hard to take a picture of him blowing out the candles on his birthday cake.

And here he is, New Maximiliania's youngest senior citizen!

After the guests have left, Ginger and Clover spend a cosy evening together.

Nigel is first up on Saturday morning.

Another celebration is due today: Ginger and Clover's Golden Anniversary!

Clover carries a tray with two glasses and a bottle of champagne...

 ...to clink glasses with his wife first.

Only then, everybody else's glasses are filled, and a toast is raised. "To my lovely Ginger, the most wonderful wife any man could ever wish for!" Clover exclaims.

Now that he has reached his lifetime want, I will only occasionally control him.

On Sunday morning, Ginger and Clover meet by the mailbox. They are still a firm 3-bolt-couple, and it is great to see them seek each other's company almost all the time.

Nigel invites his daughter Hannah and her older brother Harry (not his son) over. Their aunt Fenya comes along, too, as does Hailey; but because of the animosity between Hailey and Clover, I send her away after a cuddle and kiss from Nigel.

Ginger thoroughly enjoys making grilled cheese for others, and especially for her granddaughter Hannah. She considers Harry her grandson, too, and Fenya is of course also welcome. Harry asks Ginger whether it is true that her brother Gavin paints almost all day, every day?

The week ends with Gavin painting and Nellie stargazing. She still has not all the necessary skills for her next (and last) promotion, but we're working on them! Also, there is no love interest in her life at the moment - she somehow never has the time for anything but her career. Maybe that will change once she reaches her goal.

How much longer will Gavin and Ginger be around? Is Gavin going to make the 100,000 Simloeons? He would be the first Sim in my game to manage that by only selling paintings and not holding a job outside the house.

Are Nigel and Hailey going to move in together and become a proper family with Hannah and Harry?