The Cho-Riley Family: Week 2

The next Sims on my list iwth the surname Cho live in Belladonna Cove and are no other than the original bearer of the name: Etsu and her mother Vivian. 

During the first round, they lived in the rented apartment assigned to them by Maxis, but by the end of the week, that lot appeared to be more and more bugged, with Sims unable to leave it for anything but work or school. Also, Vivian and her upstairs neighbour Timothy Riley got engaged, and combining their two families (and their bank accounts) meant they could easily afford this house at No. 314 Bay View Drive.

"I'm so happy, Tim! Now we can really live together like a family..." Vivian exclaims as she jumps into Timothy's arms (on her own initiative). 

It is Monday morning, and while the girls are off to school immediately, the adults have a couple of hours until they will be picked up for work.

Vivian, as a typical Family Sim, dreams of becoming Captain Hero and is currently working as a Patrol Officer. Timothy is an aspiring Chief of Staff and already a Surgeon, which suits his Knowledge aspiration well. Both rolled the wish to get married last round, and of course I locked that. Unfortunately, she is quite a bit older than he, but that can't be helped without cheating (which I won't do), and so their age gap will eventually mean that Timothy will be widowed for the second time in his life. But that's still a long way off! 

A look at the house shows that all the cheap furniture will have to go. The entrance leads right into an open-plan kitchen-dining-living area, with a fireplace and a door leading out onto the back terrace. To the left side of the house are two relatively large rooms, sandwiching a bathroom.

Here is what I have done:

Top left corner is the master bedroom. The bathroom has received better equipment. The bottom left corner is the girls' shared room. The living room holds a computer desk and chess table. The breakfast bar and kitchen counters are the only things I have not changed. A dining table is in the bottom right corner. 

Here are Sally and Etsu, on whose behalf we are here. The girls have been best friends for a long time and love it that they are now living like sisters. 

Vivian is promoted to Desk Sergeant, which makes for easier hours; she'll now come home at the same time as Etsu. 

That new schedule is altered already when Vivian returns from work on Tuesday with a promotion to Vice Squad - she'll be out for another hour after Etsu comes home from school. But that doesn't take away her being happy about the way things are going with her dream career, and she knows Etsu will not be lonely with Sally around.

Meanwhile, on this beautiful afternoon of golden autumn sunshine the back patio is set up for the important step Vivian and Timothy are about to take, as per their big wish.

Just after this picture was taken, Vivian becomes Mrs. Riley, and Mr. Riley couldn't be happier! (I forgot whether they were 3-bolters before - they definitely were at the wedding, both dressed in formal wear.) 

Of course their daughters are there (I'm a bit disappointed with Etsu's outfit - I would have expected a pretty dress for her formal wear), as are friends Marisa Cleveland, Armand DeBateau, Samantha Cordial and Carlos Contender. 

Glasses are raised to toast the newlyweds, and the party ends a roof raiser.

Vivian is glad to have the day off on Wednesday. When the girls have left for school and her brand new husband for work, she walks to I N Clothing & Apparel, where she stocks up on everybody's wardrobe.

She has long returned by the time first Sally and then Etsu skip off the school bus, the latter proudly announcing her first A+ report. 

She has also brought along a class mate, Brittany Scott, who was adopted by Vyn Scott during the first round.

And when Timothy arrives home, it is with a promotion to Medical Researcher!

At 5:00 pm, the Headmaster's car pulls up in front of the house. If I remember correctly, both Sally and Etsu had the wish to get into Private School, and after Sally gave him a tour of the house, Timothy served delicious pork chops and everybody made an effort to schmooze the man about school (something he did not seem to be much interested in) and work, at 93 of the required 90 points both girls were accepted. Phew! 

Two proud girls look very smart in their new private school uniforms on their way to the school bus on Thursday morning! 

Vivian has reason to be proud of herself, too: She has been made Detective.

And as happens so often in my game, I realise too late that it's time for some Sim or other's birthday... in this case, Vivian and Etsu share theirs and grow up together in the girls' room. 

For Etsu, the Knowledge aspiration is determined - following her big sister Sally, I guess -, and she dreams of becoming a Game Designer. 

Friday is a day off for Timothy, and he uses it wisely to do some cleaning jobs around the house - not only good for everyone, but also for his career, since he needs to max out his cleaning skill. 

After work, Vivian retreats to the peace and quiet of the bedroom for a yoga session long enough to gain the body skill required for her next promotion. 

By the time the girls are off to bed, Timothy manages to max out his logic skill, too.

While the girls and Timothy stay home on Saturday, Belladonna Cove's criminals don't know weekends and days off; Vivian has to go work, but is rewarded with a promotion to Lieutenant. 

"Told you so - once I caught those Llama thieves, the only way was up!" Well, she's more optimistic than I am... Now that she's a Senior Sim, I dread her chance cards, because a wrong decision could of course mean that she is fired, and at her age won't get back to her former career level, ruining her chance to achieve her lifetime want. 

The girls have done nothing but school, homework and skilling all week, and although as Knowledge Sims they WANT to skill all the time, I think it's time for some teenage fun as well. 

Sally has been best friends with Sophia and Marcus Baldwin for a long time and invites them over. They don't know Etsu yet, but the four soon get along like a house on fire. 

Etsu and Marcus play chess, and she can't believe her Mum is scanning the chessboard and figures for fingerprints while they are playing. "Mum... seriously?" she smiles. Yes, Vivian is serious - she needs that skill point for her next promotion. But she soon moves on to scan other items in the house.

It is Sunday, and the entire family is at home. Vivian brushes up on her body skill while Timothy invites the Clevelands over, and also his townie friend Sam Hart. Of course Sam is eligible to become a resident at Belladonna Cove because of his "playable" surname.

In the evening, Etsu makes pork chops for the guests who seemingly can't wait and watch her cooking in the open-plan kitchen. (She's the best cook in the family.)

Finally, before the evening is over, Timothy invites Sam to move to the neighbourhood for good, and he accepts. 

Sam Hart, former townie and currently working as a waiter, must at some stage have worked at a shop - he has a Silver Badge for Cash Register. His skill profile is not very impressive, but as a Knowlege Sim aspiring to become Mad Scientist he no doubt will want to skill, skill, and skill some more. He calls 19,000 Simoleons his own and will invest them wisely at wherever he is going to move now.

I'm afraid this week consisted mainly of skilling - the adults needed it for their careers, and the girls both rolled wish after wish after wish for yet another skill point... hardly surprising, since they are both Knowledge Sims AND it was autumn :-)

I really am worried that Vivian could lose her job with a chance card. If that happens, she might undergo the process of changing her lifetime want - I'll cross that bridge when I'll get there!

Anyway, it was nice to play the wedding, and of course a new addition to the neighbourhood will be interesting to play.