The Baldwin-Contender Family - Week 2

Their first week is here. Carlos Contender's first week with them moving in with him at the end of the week is here.

Last round, the Baldwins moved out from their rented flat and in with Isabel's uncle Carlos Contender. It made sense - why should they keep paying rent when Carlos has a large enough house to share with his niece and her family? Therefore, here we are at No. 310 Bay View Drive in Belladonna Cove. 

The upper floor used to look like this, all dedicated to Carlos' boxing. But at 87, he is a happy Hall of Famer and doesn't need the excitement (and risk of injury) of the actual boxing anymore.

The size of the upper floor remains unchanged, but the spiral stairs in the lower right corner now lead to a small landing and hallway with doors off to two bathrooms (one smaller, with a toilet and shower for the kids, one larger with bathtub and a second door, making it an en-suite with the master bedroom in the lower left corner), the master bedroom and the kids' rooms. 

Sofia's room is the pink one in the top left corner, Marcus has the blue room while their parents' bedroom is in teal and orange. 

The children have their furniture from the flat, while Isabel only brought her coffee machine, an orange vase and three paintings, and Benjamin is content with having everything new - there certainly is enough money for that with over 160.000 Simoleons in the joint account of the Contender-Baldwin family.

On Saturday morning, they have breakfast together (minus Sofia, who is only just getting up). 

Benjamin and Isabel are diligently working their way through their respective careers; he wants to be Mayor of The Cove one day, while her contribution to her hometown's welfare shall consist in her being Captain Hero. 

Sofia can't wait to grow up and go to College, where she will start on her lifetime want of having 20 lovers. Marcus has no lifetime want or aspiration yet other than to grow up.

Sofia doesn't feel well on Sunday (food poisoning - I wonder where she got that from) and spends good part of the day reading in bed.

Benjamin is a modern husband and father, doing his fair share of household tasks.

Carlos is happy to have his young great-nephew living in the same house now - the two of them can play together anytime now. He is especially close with Sofia, but she's of course too old now for this kind of game. 

That evening, Benjamin turns into an Elder. Isabel will follow suit in a few days. 

Monday sees a lot of action for the Baldwin-Contender family. The only "boxing" Carlos does these days is having a fun round of "punch you, punch me" with his favourite (and only) great-niece.

Benjamin is promoted to Campaign Manager...

...and Isabel to Vice Squad, while Marcus proudly brandishes his first A+ report. 

In the early evening, he grows up into a teenager - sorry, Marcus, I really should have noticed, and prepared something for you! 

My dice decides on his aspiration being Fortune, and very fittingly, his lifetime want is to earn 100.000 Simoleons. 

He starts right away making his first 100 Simoleons by entertaining his family for tips - everyone loves it, only Sofia prefers to play darts.

Later, she and her beloved great-uncle go jogging together. I told you, they really are very close. 

It snows on Tuesday for the first time this year even though it is already midwinter.

It is also Carlos' first working day of the week, and he has a mug of steaming hot coffee before his car pool is due, while Isabel is working on a batch of vegetable soup for later. 

The snow is the main topic of conversation at the dinner table after school. 

At 1:00 am on Wednesday morning, Marcus gets into a snazzy yellow car. Who is the driver? It is no other than Sally Riley, his best friend - and from the moment he turned into a teenager, he has wanted to sneak out with her. Luckily, all the adults are asleep both when he leaves and when he returns. Phew! So far, there is no romantic attraction between Sally and Marcus, but who knows what spring will bring.

Wednesday is a day off for Isabel and Benjamin, and since the fridge is only half full (or half empty?), they decide to walk to Finer Fare Market intead of ordering groceries. 

While Isabel is busy in a different part of the shop, Benjamin secretly buys a beautiful set of jewellery for his wife: earrings, a necklace, matching bracelet and ring.

The couple then proceed to the rooftop espresso bar and have a quick hot drink before Benjamin mentions how nice a large bowl of Isabel's chili con carne would be on a day like this, and they head home before Sofia and Marcus return from school.

It is indeed chili con carne for lunch. It is also Isabel's birthday today, and she announces that she is about to grow into a gracious elderly lady. 

Unfortunately, her birthday wish of jewellery remains unfulfilled - while Benjamin did buy a ring and more, the game crashed as they were leaving... and neither the groceries nor the jewellery appear as having been bought. GRRRR!!!

Nonetheless, Isabel age-transitions - unfortunately, into a rather impractical and not very stylish outfit. Maybe she'll have to visit a community lot all on her own to buy new clothes; it might be a chance to get back home without the game crashing if I only send the one Sim. 

On Thursday after school, Sofia rushes up to the kids' bathroom and gets the acne cream out. All day she's felt a big pimple building, and now it is time to treat it. 

Oh, the joys of puberty! 

Meanwhile, her mother returns home with a promotion: Isabel is now a Detective, and obviously very happy about it.

Friday is the last day here, since the week for the Baldwin-Contender family started on a Saturday. 

Unfortunately, I lost a few pictures from that day "thanks" to several annoying game crashes, but this one remained, showing Isabel and Benjamin sharing a tender moment before they both leave for work. 

The family is gathered round the dining table for Isabel's tasty berry pie that afternoon, celebrating Benjamin now being a State Assemblyperson. (Carlos has gone for a nap and will eat his cake later.) 

Sofia is very proud of her Dad, and Isabel is talking about how grown-up the kids are, and that it'll soon be time for college. 

That's it - I really like playing this family, and am happy with the conversion of the upper floor, but definitely NOT happy with the ongoing frequent crashes. I have even tried what happens when I go offline once the game is up and running; it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Anyway, we'll soon see them all again when I'll reach C as in Contender on my list. Before that, though, I have another holiday coming up - my third and last one for this year, and then I'll be off work only the days around Christmas and New Year until next year in May. During the next two weeks, I will check blogs and comment, but won't have access to my game.

The Aspir Family - Week 2

The start of my second round with the "new" set-up of my game (two years is not exactly "new", is it - it took me from May 2023 until August 2025 to complete the first round!) begins of course here at No. 250, Main Street in Desiderata Valley, where I will play the Aspir family through their second week. Their first week is here.]

Luis, by far the oldest Sim alive in my game, is now 94. He still works on his lifetime want of maxing out all his skills; I doubt he'll actually make it, but he is certainly giving it an honest try. 

The youngest family member is Pauline, now in the middle of her childhood. Whether on purpose or by accident, she was given a lifetime want even as a toddler and still dreams of becoming a World Class Ballet Dancer (no aspiration other than growing up yet). 

Victor and Elizabeth are living their lives almost the opposite way of what Maxis had in mind for them; according to their biographies, Elizabeth should be the career woman while Victor pines after more babies with her. In my game, though, she is a stay-at-home Mum who works on maxing out her skills when not busy with household things, her family or friends, while Victor is the one who is rising the ranks of his chosen career towards his ultimate goal of being Education Minister.

On this Monday, Pauline and Victor are off to school, one to learn and the other to work. Luis is busy somewhere around the house or garden, and so was Elizabeth until her best friend Hannah Bell walks over (the Bells live close by) for a visit. The two ladies have been best friends since the start of the game, and I like to imagine they go way back, maybe to their school days or even before that. 

Pauline and Victor return from school at the same time, but of course Victor does not ride the school bus (he could, couldn't he?). He has been promoted to Substitute Teacher, while Pauline's grades are improving.

Tuesday is a good day for the Aspirs. It starts quietly with Elizabeth talking to friends on the phone and her father-in-law repairing the computer while Paula and Victor are at school. 

About an hour before her daughter and her husband are due home, Elizabeth has a nap. 

Good things come in threes, they say, and here the first two are Pauline's first A+ and Victor's promotion to Elementary School Teacher. 

Number Three is Elizabeth finally making her Bronze Sewing Badge! Good-bye, potholders... :-D

We all know the erratic sleep patterns of our elderly Sims, and Luis is no exception. It is still pretty much the middle of the night when he wakes up on Wednesday and decides this is a good time to spray-paint the old car he's been working on for a while. 

Winter will soon be over, but today sees the first snow. It is not much, but the freshly painted yellow car makes a nice splash of colour against the grey-green-white ground.

Victor was unlucky with a chance card, but after his demotion to Substitute Teacher, he goes straight back to work and is rewarded for his diligence, getting reinstated in his position as Elementary School Teacher, something that obviously pleases him greatly.

"It used to snow a lot more in winter when I was young, didn't it, Dad?" - "Yes, it did, Son. And it snowed even more when I was a little nipper, nearly 100 years ago!"

A lot more snow has fallen over night, and by Thursday morning, Desiderata Valley is a proper winter wonderland. Pauline's school announces Snow Day, but although Victor works at the same school, he is still required to go in.

Luis has been jogging regularly and is now really fit. Nobody would guess he's 97!

Mother and daughter spend Pauline's unexpected day off together. First, they read and do the crossword. 

Then, they have a cosy chat over their lunch of Mac & Cheese. Pauline would love to go shopping for a new dress come spring, maybe a pink one?

Victor arrives home at 3:00 pm with a promotion to High School Teacher. He will be glad to start an hour later in the morning now! 

On Friday, he is made University Guest Lecturer. He will need to do some studying now in order to make his lectures a magnet for all students. 

Pauline grows up into a pretty teenager. Over the weekend, her room will receive a makeover. My dice decides on Romance as her aspiration.

First, though, she has a makeover herself, getting a much more modern haircut. To celebrate both her husband's promotion and her daughter's birthday, Elizabeth prepares pork chops for dinner. Unfurtunately, they turn out rather overdone, but nobody seems to mind. 

Neither Victor nor Pauline need to go to school on Saturday, and so the entire family decides to hit the shops. Clothes are purchased, and Pauline even gets a mobile phone - although no pink dress, since all of a sudden she isn't into pink anymore.

"Hannah! What a lovely surprise!" Elizabeth is always happy to see her best friend. 

The two ladies have their photo taken in the photo booth, followed by Pauline and her Granddad. 

Then, just as I am sending them home, the game crashes on me... ...and loading it next time, there are none of the purchased clothes in their wardrobes nor do they have the photos in their inventory. Grrrrr!!!! (I have made them walk to and from the community lot, and it wasn't overflowing with Sims.)

Elizabeth spends good part of Sunday morning at her sewing machine, which results in a Silver Badge.

Pauline is happy to wake up in her made-over room, which sports her new favourite colour, various shades of turquoise, aqua and teal. She has kept the pictures she drew as a toddler and child, but everything else is new.

Father and daughter watch their favourite show on TV together, "Simsomer Murders". 

The Aspirs want to observe Family Day. Natasha Una being their only living relative in the valley, she is invited in the afternoon and stays for dinner. This time, Elizabeth makes the pork chops to perfection, and the family raise their glasses of bubbly for a toast: "Here's to a good week!" 

And a good week it has been, although it took me a lot longer than expected due to the many game crashes I've had. It is quite annoying, and I wonder what else I could do to stop them happening - it's not every household (so far!), and sometimes I was certain it had to do with an update on my computer running in the background. But I can not really make out a pattern. 

Anyway - Round 2 has officially begun :-)