Tom's and Ellen's Senior Year at uni is here.
We're staying in Veronaville, now at # 101 Via Veronaville.
He has just graduated and is now ready to tackle the next chapter in his life, and his lifetime want of becoming City Planner.
Before he can start to make plans for the city, though, the house needs planning. When Tom moves in, only a cheap line of kitchen units is already installed as well as a bathroom and separate toilet.
Because Tom has been saving his student grants, he now has almost 12,000 Simoleons to play with. As a Fortune Sim, no doubt he will be having many "buy me" wishes, and I will fulfill them within reason.
Now is the time to ask his college sweetheart over - not just to visit, but for good.Ellen Frost doesn't need to think twice and moves in right away.
Both have majored in Economics and now intend to make their fortune together, Ellen as Veronaville's Head of SCIA. Of course she brings money as well, and they start buying the first indispensable items for the house.
Soon they can have their first meal together and happily raise their glasses of champagne.
Ellen's wardrobe is meager (Tom's isn't any better), and since she shows the wish to buy new clothes, they walk to H&M.
While Ellen chooses and buys outfits in their prefered colours (Tom likes purple, and Ellen is into black, grey and white)...
...Tom is drawing quite a crowd with his freestyling for tips.
Back home, the two of them are winding down on their first day after graduating.
By the way, Ellen has already found a job as Rookie Field Agent and will start on Wednesday.
Tuesday is off to a studious start.
Ellen also wishes to buy a sculpture, and after I have recently read on Twoyys4me's blog about the stealing (and stealing back) of the garden gnome, this was the obvious choice from the catalogue :-)
Tom's search for an opening in the architecture career has not yet been successful, and so he has the afternoon and evening to himself. Two of their friends from uni are invited over, and because Tom has been diligently pouring over his cook books, he produces a batch of delicious hamburgers for Marla Biggs, Emily Lee and himself.
The ladies then hog the chess table and their host is pretty much left to his own devices. He waits up for Ellen, who returns from work at 10:00 pm (with no promotion, because she lost a logic skill point due to a chance card), after he says good-bye to his guests.
Once he improved his cooking skill, Tom started to roll wish after wish about kitchen items, counters and so on. This is the result, and I think it looks quite nice.
On Wednesday morning, not only does Tom find a job as a Draftsman; also, the drafting table is delifered instantly, and set up in the one room of the house that was left empty until now.
Tom can't wait to sit there and start drafting, but of course he has to put in a good day's work at the firm before. He is made Architect right away, even though the shabby car pool doesn't hint at his success.
Ellen has had a good day, too: She is promoted to Field Agent.
Both Ellen and Tom now need several skill points for their next promotions, and on Thursday morning they buckle down with a book about mechanical and at the chess table.
Ellen is sent home early from work, though not because of a promotion. On the contrary; a bad decision with a chance card has lead to her domotion back to Rookie Field Agent. She can't let that smudge her good reputation at work and heads right back.
Many hours later, she relaxes into a hot bubble bath with a smile - she has won her former positon back and is a proper Field Agent once more.
Tom returns from work early on Friday. Meet the latest Architectural Partner at the firm!
Ellen won't return from work until 10:00 pm, but Tom is hungry and wants to tell someone about his promotion. He invites Alan Riley, a former co-student, over for a chat and a burger.
Alan "thanks" his host and friend by stealing the garden gnome!
And Tom steals it back right away. (Sorry for the dark pictures, but this happened at night.)
Ellen and Tom have Saturday off, and since they have both been wishing for a car almost all week, a drive is built and a car bought, which Ellen promptly takes for a spin. (I was hoping for the option to have Tom join her, but there was no such option.)
When she's back, they both change into snazzy outfits, and Tom gets busy in the kitchen while Ellen invites over some of their best friends.
Tybalt Capp, Emily Lee and Phineaus Furley arrive...
...at the same time as Marla Biggs and Chris Cho. Of course they all went to uni together, where we have met them, and since graduating they all live in Veronaville.
Tom is very proud of his Crêpes Suzettes. The serving platter looks almost as colourful as his outfit!
Ellen catches up with the girls...
...and Tom has to explain to a very interested audience exactly how the crêpes are made.The party ends a roof raiser, and Tom and Ellen go to bed tired, but happy.
Over breakfast on Sunday morning, Ellen suggests they go for a holiday after Tom's next promotion.
Winter has only just begun, but already there has been heavy snowfall in Veronaville, and Ellen is glad that Tom is picked up by the car pool and does not drive himself to work.
He returns as a Master Architect - that can't be far from City Planner, I think!
The week ends with them going to bed early, snuggling under the cosy duvet while outside the snow keeps quietly falling.
It was nice playing Tom and Ellen, even though most of what they did was career-related, working towards their lifetime wants. But they also spent time with friends, visited a community lot and were a good team as a couple.
Phineaus Furley is next.
