The first week with this household is here.
We are back in Riverblossom Hills for our second week this round at 204 Old Barn Road. You already know that this is Betty Goldstein's house which she shares with her old friend Catherine Viejo and the son and grandson of their deceased friend Linda Martin.
And it is of course the Martins we are here for. Andrew, who still wants to become Criminal Mastermind, still does not find an opening in the Criminal career on this Monday.
His son Jacob is a thoroughly nice kid but does not have many skills (yet). With just one mechanical point, it takes him multiple attempts to tune the piano.
Autumn has begun, and with a garden as large as Betty's, there is plenty to do - no chance for Andrew to get bored, even though he is still unemployed.
In the afternoon, Jacob's closest friend Jules O'Mackey comes visiting on her own accord. Betty greets her and ushers the girl out of the rain and into the house.
She and Jacob eat Andrew's slightly overdone hamburgers before settling in front of the TV for a video game. Jacob can't believe how good Jules is at this!
Tuesday is an unremarkable day. For Jacob, it consists of getting up, going to school, doing his homework and then join the neverending gardening.
His father has been raking leaves all day, regardless of the rain. Once again, there was no job for him on the simternet.
Betty is pleased with the young man Jacob is turning into. "Our Linda would be so proud of her grandson," she thinks.
A minor crisis occurs on Wednesday morning when Betty discovers an infestation of bugs in the kitchen.
An exterminator is called who deals with the situation so quickly, Betty and Catherine have barely time to introduce themselves to the guy with the dreamy gaze.
The episode seems to have affected Betty more than it should have, and by mid-morning, she is coughing badly and not feeling well at all.
That afternoon, she dies at the age of 64 - way too early.
Andrew, who had been worried about her all day since she had reacted so badly to the bugs in the kitchen, runs to the rescue...
...but it is too late: Betty is gone. Catherine is devastated.
It doesn't help that Jacob has to leave for college later the same evening - it is his last chance to go.
Betty's tombstone is placed in her beloved garden. (There is no cemetery - yet - in the neighbourhood.)
Not even the apples Andrew harvests on Thursday morning are any good - it is as if the tree was grieving, too.
Catherine misses her friend so much she can hardly eat.
To dispel the gloom at least a little bit, Andrew and Catherine head to the Town Center Grocery (they need to stock up on food anyway.)
Andrew does the shopping...
...while Catherine fails miserably at grilling ribs at the grill - and she's actually a really good cook.
Still, the place is alive with neighbours who come here for a chat or a game of chess, and the outing certainly helps the grieving friends.
Back home, to my surprise and delight, Andrew finally encounters a three-bolt lady: Formerly unknown townie Robin Hogan walks by in her pink polka dot dress and pigtails, and it is love at first sight!
Like a pair of teenagers, the two spend the afternoon playing video games. They part with a kiss, and Robin is definitely going to be back for more!
Sadly, later that evening, a second tombstone is placed next to Betty's - the friends for life are now reunited in death. Like Betty, Catherine died way too early at 65.
It is hard to believe, but by Friday, Andrew has still not found a job in the Criminal career. For now, he's good financially - has the large house and garden all to himself and more than 7,000 Simoleons on the bank, and he could sell off a lot of unneeded stuff from the house. But he has a lifetime want to fulfill, too.
He has more success on the romantic front: Robin comes over...
...and it is clear what's on her mind. Three bolts are three bolts, no doubt about that!
A romantic meal on the porch follows before it is time for Robin to leave.
No job on Saturday, either, but Andrew's mind is elsewhere anyway :-)
Winter has set in, and the bare branches mean there won't be any more leaves to rake for a while - but there is still plenty to do to get the garden ready.
Of course, Robin is over for another visit that evening, and she openly tells Andrew that she thinks the two of them make a great couple. Andrew certainly does not disagree!
By Sunday evening, Robin and Andrew's relationship is firm enough for her to move in:
Robin Hogan, Ex-Townie currently working as a Pickpocket
Aspiration: Fortune; Lifetime want: Become Hall of Famer
(The irony of her working in the career Andrew so desires, but her not wanting it at all, is not lost on me!)
Robin adds a healthy 13,000 Simoleon's to the household account, boosting it to over 20,000. Her skill profile is relatively good, and she has a Silver Badge for Cosmetology. There were no items in her backpack, but she has 8 friends (all of them townies).
If you want to know how the two celebrated Robin's move-in, here's how...! Honestly, that garden is a never-ending source of work, even in winter.
The week ends with Betty's ghost appearing in the en-suite bathroom off Andrew's bedroom.
Next time I play this household, I may move the tombstones to a community lot - only I'll have to create one first, or place an existing cemetery lot in the neighbourhood.
This week was a mix of sad and happy times for Andrew, just like real life can sometimes be. I am glad he found a 3-bolt-love, but a bit disappointed that once again an entire week went by without him having a chance at getting started on his lifetime want.
Next, we'll visit Jacob for his first year at college.
