The O'Mackey Family: Week 1

After we have spent a week with Alexandra O'Mackey, it is now time to visit her ex-husband Gabe and daughter Jules at their house, not far from Alexandra's place in Riverblossom Hills. For the O'Mackey family, Maxis have provided a few pictures to illustrate their background story; some of them I have used for the chapter about Alexandra's first week. Here we can see Alexandra and Gabe when they were still a family, with their little daughter Jules, at he house where Gabe and Jules still live. ]]>

When Jules was a bit older, her mother divorced her father, leaving him to raise her alone. 

She grew into a teenager, and here we see her at what is obviously meant to be school, developing a crush on Jacob Martin. Her Dad can be seen through the window in what we assume is a class room. 

This ties in with her memories and Maxis-written biography, according to which she "loves her dad but wishes he didn't have to teach at HER high school. She dreams of being a Journalist someday and is thinking of writing a story following the life of Daisy Greenman." Maxis may have intended for Jules to get into Journalism, but rather typically for a Popularity Sim, she imagines herself as Riverblossom Hill's future Mayoress instead. 

Gabe's brother is Jason Greenman, husband of PlantSim Rose Greenman, and stepfather to Rose's plantbaby Daisy (who we have seen grow up into a beautiful woman, and not a PlantSim anymore). Jules is seen playing here with her step-cousin Daisy when the Greenmans came visiting the O'Mackeys.

Gabe has found love again in the shape of Patricia Wan, according to Maxis. Jules is apparently not happy about this, as his bio shows: "Gabe is a lovable nerd who is in love with Patricia Wan. He's a teacher at the local high school and is oblivious to the conflict between his daughter and Patricia." 

Their family bio says: "After his wife left to become a Dread Pirate, it took Gabe a long time to trust again. Is his relationship with Patricia meant to last? Will Patricia and Jules be able to work out their problems and realize how similar they really are?" 

We'll see how things develop, and have now arrived at No. 211 Huckleberry Lane, the O'Mackey home. It is a cold Monday in winter with plenty of snow. 

The front door opens straight into a generous lounge which in turn leads to the kitchen/dining area in the top left corner and a staircase. A door at the back of the dining area leads to a greenhouse. Another door leads back to the lounge, from where a small bathroom with toilet and shower is accessible, with a door to Jules' very modestly furnished room. 

The upstairs landing is Gabe's study and where I have placed his career rewards object, the bookshelf that allows a Sim to study ALL skills from books, even body. Gabe's bedroom and a relatively large bathroom make up the rest of the top floor. 

Here are Jules and Gabe after he has returned from his teaching job at Jules' High School. Gabe's aspiratin is Knowledge, and he is already in the right career for his lifetime want of becoming Education Minister.

They have hamburgers for tea, and Jules turns the conversation to how grown up she really is. Right now, her biggest wish is going to college, but we'll see whether the wish remains. 

With his daughter in bed downstairs, Gabe retreats upstairs to acquire the skills he needs for his next promotion.

Tuesday starts with Jules wishing to call Jacob to chat. They may not be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore, but they are best friends for life. (Jacob is in college now anyway, isn't he?) 

After school, Jules has a couple of hours to herself until her Dad arrives. Gabe notices she has not yet done her homework, and helps her. How fair is it when your Dad happens to be a teacher and helps with your homework, I wonder!

Morty Roth walks by and is invited to have a burger with Gabe. They know each other through school, I suppose, since Morty's daughter Sandra is a teenager and must be attending Riverblossom High just like Jules, where Gabe teaches.

On Wednesday, Gabe takes the wrong decision with a chance card and is demoted to Elementary School Teacher. He takes it all in his stride, though, and smiles as he walks back to school straight away for the rest of the working day. 

At 1:00 pm, a happy Jules skips off the school bus, brandishing her first A+ report card.

Two hours later, her Dad returns with good news, too: He has just been reinstated at his former position as High School teacher.

Gabe is busy before work on Thursday morning, unclogging the downstairs toilet. He could well afford the repair service, but he is a Knowledge Sim and wants to know how to do things himself.

He is busy again after work, looking after the recently planted tomato seedlings in the greenhouse. 

Father and daughter conclude the evening by a game of chess. 

The weekend is off to a good start for Gabe when he returns from school on Friday afternoon with his colleague, friend and sister-in-law Rose Greenman. 

While Jules plays chess with Auntie Rose, Gabe relaxes with some gardening. Now that the snow has gone for good and spring is already starting to feel a bit like summer, there is always something to be done outside. 

Jules helps with household chores on Saturday morning. All week, she has been pretty good at doing the dishes and making her bed, even without anyone telling her to. 

Once the house is spic and span, the O'Mackeys make their way to The Hills Community Centre. Just as they arrive, who should happen to walk by but Alexandra! 

Gabe bumps into Morty Roth, and the two men have a friendly chat. 

Meanwhile, Jules gladly engages her Mum in a "girls talk" - she's all about boys these days, wishing to flirt and go steady, but with no potential candidate in sight. 

Later, she spots her parents having a brief game of Myshuno together. It soon gets dark after that, and everyone heads home. 

We find Gabe in the greenhouse on Sunday morning. His tomato plants are coming along nicely. 

Jules wishes to throw a party and invites just about everyone she knows, friends or not, and to my surprise, they all follow her invitation. There are Auntie Rose and "cousin" Daisy Greenman, class mate Sandra Roth and her Dad, and of course the person she most wanted to see, Jacob Martin who's come all the way from college just for the day. 

Her Mum is invited, too, as is Cleo Shikibu - not Cleo's housemate though, Patricia Wan. 

Alexandra and Sandra can't wait for Gabe to finish making Blackened Catfish and tuck into bags of crisps and cookies. 

Jules is REALLY happy to see Jacob, and the feeling is mutual. However, with him at college and her still a teenager, they are unable to rekindle the old flame. 

Some TV is watched and conversation made. 

One conversation in particular looks interesting: From Sandra's and Jacob's expressions and gestures, I assume she asks him "What about me?!" while he says that he "Can't help it - I'm a young adult and you're a teen, we're not meant to be!" 

This is where the week with the O'Mackeys ends. Gabe is not much closer to reaching his lifetime want, but at least he has not dropped out of the education career after that chance card. Jules has stopped wishing for college - for now. She still wants to flirt and go steady, but the only teenage boy she knows right now is the paper boy, and she doesn't like him one bit. 

Is Alexandra going to come over more often now? What about Patricia - she and Gabe have not seen each other all week, in spite of being in love, and Gabe has not rolled one single wish about her.

The next family on the list to play are the Ottomas' - but it'll be at least three weeks before I will have an update, since I am leaving for my annual Yorkshire Holiday on Monday :-)