Florence Delarosa - Week 1

Florence Delarosa has not always lived in Pleasantview's shopping district Bluewater Village. We don't know her place of origina, but the first of her Maxis-made pictures shows her boarding a taxi. She has longer hair and wears a different outfit from the one we know her in. 

Next, we see her standing in front of the place she now inhabits. Her hairstyle is her current one, too, but not her outfit. Her household bio reads: "Looking for a way to say “I love you”? Look no further than Delarosa Flowers. Florence’s arrangements are almost as famous as her delicious pasta dishes. The secret to her sauce? Rose-hips!". 

Her personal bio hints at a mystery in her past: "Born with a green thumb, and graced with old world charm, Florence has a way of winning friends. A recent arrival, rumors about her past abound. What intrigue lies behind her shy smile?". 

The last of her Maxis-made pictures shows her in the private part of her house, the way we know it now.

It is right next to a windmill, and her flower shop is set up and all ready to go.

The shop extends along the entire left side of her house, making up about one third of it. The other two thirds are where Florence lives: There is an open space living-dining-kitchen area, with a breakfast bar and a piano. In the lower right corner is a bedroom. A bathroom completes her personal space, and there is a spacious patio with deckchairs and a grill at the side. The garden sports a small pond, several trees and shrubs as well as flowerbeds. 

Unfortunately, Florence does not really want to keep the flowershop going - her lifetime want is to be Mad Scientist. This fits her Knowledge aspiration, but not her skill profile: She has not a single skill point, only a bronze badge in flower arranging. Apart from Gilbert Jacquet, she does not know anyone yet.

That changes rapidly when the welcome committee arrive, consisting of Chester Gieke, Lisa Ramirez and Stephen Tinker. By the way, for some reason, Florence's week starts on a Wednesday. 

Because the garden is in perfect condition, I have Florence ask the Garden Club over to assess it and hopefully grant her membership. Will Florence become the first Sim here to own a wishing well?

Before she finds out, Darren Dreamer walks by and is also greeted. While the Garden Club's overall verdict is very good and Florence is now a member, she does not receive the wishing well - only a welcome prize of 1,033 Simoleons in cash, which she adds to her funds of 3,095 Simoleons.

Nothing remarkable happens on Thursday. Florence has her meals... 

...and takes care of some garden work. Most of her time is spent skilling, and she talks to some of her new acquaintances on the phone in order to make friends.

Friday is pretty much a repeat of Thursday, with the exception of Wanda Tinker walking by and being greeted. She does not stop, though, and Florence goes back to her skilling.

Florence finally finds a job in the Science career on Saturday. She leaves as Test Subject and returns as Lab Assistant - accompanied by colleague Cassandra Goth! I didn't know she was working, not with her family being so wealthy. 

To boost her friendships (she will need friends to advance in her career), I have Florence invite Darren Dreamer and Gilbert Jacquet over. Much to my delight, Cassandra autonomously falls in love with Darren. 

Things don't get to a romantic stage for Florence with Gilbert, though. The two of them are good friends, and Gilbert has rung every day, but when they sit next to each other on the sofa, not a word passes between them. 

On Sunday, Florence happily sits down at her newly acquired chess board. She'll need more logic points than what she can get from solving the crossword in the daily paper. 

The gardener has her work cut out for her, too. The garden really is a mess, and the gardener has to leave before everything is finished, even though Florence helped by raking the leaves before she went to work.

Florence has the day off on Monday, and since she has not yet been to a community lot and her week is almost over, I send her to H&M. 

She meets and greets several residents of Pleasantview, such as John Burb (whom she has two bolts for!)... 

...and Don Lothario (whom she finds decidedly unattractive).

Back home, Jason Larson walks by and is influenced to do some gardening. 

Florence invites her friends Gilbert Jacquet and Darren Dreamer over. Gilbert plays chess with her while Darren watches TV - and strangely enough, he seems to be holding a grudge against Gilbert's mother Denise. I wonder what happened there!

Later, the two men sit at Florence's breakfast bar, and over plates of hamburgers, Darren confides in Gilbert that he would love to propose to Cassandra Goth.

Good part of Tuesday morning is spent cleaning - something Florence actually likes. She also makes an attempt at some more gardening, but it is impossible to get much done with her busy work schedule.

Her efforts at the lab are rewarded when she returns well after dark with a promotion to Field Researcher. 

Phew! It was exhausting to just watch Florence (and nearly everyone else) to try keeping on top of the garden - unsuccessfully, not even with the gardener coming twice a week, and she's a Garden Club member, too!

I wonder whether Florence will move to a smaller place that's easier to handle, or have someone move in, or get a household help... We'll see!