Ophelia Nigmos: Week 10

The somewhat dark and mysterious looking house that used to belong to Olive Spectre is probably a place every TS2 player knows. In my game, after Olive's death, it passed to her niece, Ophelia Nigmos.

Ophelia still lives here. She is now 73 and has been on Permanent Platinum ever since she managed to have her 50th first date, ten days before reaching elderhood. You can (re-)read her Week 9 by clicking on the label "Nigmos" and scrolling down to the previous post.

Although she lives without human company, she is not alone: Her cat Balin, now 31, is still with her.

Already last round I thought about having Ophelia move to the Senior Residence. As a Family Sim, she just isn't the type to stay on her own forever, is she.
It is Thursday when she arrives at the Resdience.

For the previous week at the Senior Residence, click here.

The others here are Guy Zimmerman (formerly Wrightley), the oldest at 75; the married Benvenuto and Pauline Broke (she is of course no other than Pauline Aspir, a toddler when she and her family came into our games), who are 71 and 69...

...Heather Huffington, who has never lost her prettiness (she is 60 now) and Charlie Cho (64, son of Etsu Cho and Hal Capp)...

...with his wife Tina, nee Traveller (daughter of Trisha and Trent Traveller).
Everyone here is on Permanent Platinum, so there will be little controlling from my part.

One of the first things Ophelia does after moving in is having a musical session at Heather's synthesizer, put in one of the common rooms for everyone to enjoy.

Pauline takes it upon herself to do some cleaning.

In the afternoon, Gabriella Newson walks by.

Ophelia can't believe the sorry state of the garden and starts clipping the box hedge on her own accord.

Gabriella joins in the gardening without anyone having to ask her. How kind of her!

The cow plant in action... but it is not Gabriella who gets eaten. Instead, a townie named Katherine Bar (not pictured) ends up inside the plant.

The townie is not the only case of death today: In the evening, Guy Zimmerman is invited by Mr. Reaper to join his wife Zoe on the big community lot in the sky. He was 76.

By the way, I have had Ophelia milk the cow plant; she is now back to 69.

On Friday morning, Ophelia collects all the dirty dishes dotted around the dining hall.

Later, Tina Cho (left) invites Johnson Fleig over. He is currently Head of the Aspirational Laboratories and has handed a membership card to many a Sim in New Max.
But now, he happily agrees to become a permanent resident of the town. He moves in (and out again instantly). But why? Fleig is not a playable surname, is it? You're right. But some time ago, I decided to add Sims who have the same surname like people I know in real life, and I have a Fleig family as my neighbours.
It will be interesting to have a Sim visit the Asp Labs and see who works there now!

Ophelia does some more gardening - a never-ending story here at the Senior Residence.

Charlie makes Pork Chops for everyone.

And we have another death by cowplant: Townie Tosha Zarubin.

Look who's doing the milking this time: It is Jill Fleig, a "relative" of Johnson Fleig's! The former townie lady has just accepted the invitation to become a proper New Maximilianian, too. And since she is technically on her first day of adulthood, drinking the milk does not alter her lifetime bar, as it would if I had one of the elderly residents drink it.
Like Johnson, she moves out immediately.

By Sunday morning, Balin's social life is slowly but surely moving to the lower half of the needs bar. Against my usual "no controlling" policy, I have Tina play with the cat and show him love until his social need is all green again. Much as our Sims usually love their cats and dogs, in this household, more often than not the appeal of the poker table beats everything else.

It is also the day when I send the whole group to a community lot. Since they lost one of theirs a couple of days ago, visiting the cemetery at Gamesend Grounds seems the logical choice.
They meet a few other New Maximilianians there but no newly generated townies.

That can be changed, I think, and have townie Christa Hsu freely roaming the Senior Residence - with the desired result: she ends up inside the cowplant.

Sunday seems to be the day for the married couples to spend time together. First thing in the morning, I find Charlie and Tina playing a cosy round of poker together, and a little later, Pauline and Benvenuto share a tender moment in their rooms.

Some of the residents do useful things on their own accord today, too: Ophelia cleans the toilet in her apartment, and Charlie makes stuffed rainbow trout for everyone.
Kennedy Smith comes visiting, but that's about it for anything happening.

Balin is dreaming of goldfish on Monday morning.

Tina does a spot of gardening. Will the residents here ever get on top it?

It is Tuesday, and more gardening is in order.
When the place looks like this, I am rather tempted to direct one or two of the residents to take care of the weeds and overgrown hedges, but I stubbonrly lean back and wait until they remember it themselves.

Ratna Walter has been discovered in the phone book and befriended. He is eligible to become a true New Maximilian, because I know a Mrs Walter in real life. Ratna is a teenager, though, and won't be able to be moved in the normal way eventually - I'll either have to use the tombstone of L & D or send him to college.

Christopher Capp jogs by and is invited in.

Almost unnoticed by me, Balin the cat dies peacefully of old age. Sorry for the less than good picture with walls down and a painting covering part of Heather, but that's where it happened.

And more gardening before the day is over!

Wednesday is Day 7 of Ophelia's week, and the final day here for now. It has been snowing a lot over night, and Pauline happily builds a snowman.

Later, Heather greets Perseida Powers and a townie by the name of Cooper Seifert. As I know a Mr Seifert in real life, he, too, may eventually become a proper resident of my neighbourhood.

Ophelia's week ends playing poker with co-resident Heather and their guests, suggesting to fry some eggs for a quick dinner.

I am now determined to use the residents here mostly for befriending townies and NPCs that are eligible to become New Maximilianians. Since they are all on Permanent Platinum, there is not much else for them to do.

The Newson-Picaso Household - Week 5

For the previous week with this family, click here.

Right next door to the part of the Newson family we visited last "week" lives yet another Newson household:

Garrett (left) with his half-Alien son Ned (the toddler) and live-in love Paola Picaso (right).
The other two Sims in this picture are Kennedy Smith, a tourist-townie who recently moved to New Max, and Prezioso, one of Paola's brothers.

On this Monday morning, Garrett can be found tending the small vegetable patch. Normally, I would hardly direct him, as he has been on Permanent Platinum ever since he became Game Designer 23 days from Elderhood. But with a toddler in the house, things need to run as smoothly as possible, and so I still direct Garrett more than I would do otherwise.

Paola has not yet achieved her lifetime want of becomeing Education Minister; she currently fills the position of College Professor. Here she is, about to make Smart Milk for her step son before the carpool will pick her up for work.

A Nanny looks after little Ned during the day. At first I thought she was going to spend all day fishing, but she then showed herself to be a rather diligent lady; after having put Ned in his crib, she cleaned the toilet, took out the trash and made Garrett's and Paola's bed.

An hour after Paola returns from work, she turns into an Elder. She will have to work hard to achieve her lifetime want - five friends are needed for her next promotion, and hopefully, she won't be fired due to the wrong decision with a chance card, as she is now too old to get back to her former position.

Garrett is home from work an hour after Paola and instantly turns into an Elder, too.
By the way, Paola has rolled the wish to get married right after her age transition!

Tuesday is quickly told; the only remarkable thing is Paola gaining her Silver Badge in gardening.

Just like yesterday, she finishes work an hour before Garrett. The Nanny leaves, and Paola reads to Ned under the tree in the front garden until the little boy's Daddy comes home, too.

It is Wednesday, and once again the Nanny is here. She really does take good care of Ned while his parents are at work.

A repair man had to be called for the broken dishwasher.

At 6:00 pm, Ned grows up - his toddler time was very easy, he was an undemanding and uncomplicated little boy, and I am looking forward to seeing him make friends at school.

Thursday is Ned's first day at school. He returns home to find the Nanny waiting for him; it's only another hour or so until Paola is back from work, but his parents do not want him to be on his own. In the evening, it is Paola who helps Ned with his first homework; his Dad is so tired from work he had to go to bed immediately.

To make up for the time their little boy has to spend without his parents, Garrett and Paola sit with him for breakfast on Friday morning. "I am going to get an A+ real soon," Ned is convinced. "I'm sure you are, darling," Paola replies.

After school, Ned has a long, leisurely hot bath. The Nanny is still here, and soon Paola and Garrett will also be home.

Garrett arrives just as Paola and Ned are building a snowman together. Like yesterday, he has to go to bed right away. The elderly Sims' sleeping pattern does not easily agree with full-time work!

Before Ned goes to bed, he and Paola play chess. Like many half-Alien children - especially when they were fed Smart Milk as toddlers -, Ned is an extremely fast learner, and acquires several logic points with one single game of chess.

The weekend is here! On Saturday morning, Ned boards the family car with his parents. Where are they headed?

St. Simius, and I am sure you can guess what for:

Paola and Garrett are tying the knot!
As it was Paola's wish to get married, Garrett takes on her surname and is now Garrett Picaso, while Ned is still Ned Newson.

Even the Unsavoury Charlatan applauds!
More family members were invited, but not everybody turned up. I am sure you can make out Gavin and Ginger Newson.

The wedding cake is a big hit with everyone, and Garrett fondly remembers their first date.

Ned sits with Auntie Ginger while the bartender has chosen the Unsavoury Charlatan for company.

Later, he talks to his Uncle Prezioso (who is not really his uncle, as Ned is no blood relation to Paola, but she is so much his mother that her brother is family to him just as much as his Dad's relatives).

And now it is Sunday, which starts for Garrett and Ned with a cosy hour of reading. It is nice that Ned still loves having his Dad read to him, although he can very well read on his own.

Over breakfast, he asks his parents whether they could all go on a holiday together. "I can't see why not," Garrett replies.

In the afternoon, Paola invites her other brother over, Pablo, who could not make it to her wedding. Her sister-in-law, Lilo Landgraab (Prezioso's wife), is also asked. Ned is always eager to talk - must be the Newson gene in him, part of a large family.

The week ends with Lilo autonomously trying to pet the skunk, and getting sprayed in return.

This was a nice week of easy playing. I hope to see Paola reaching her lifetime want next round, before it is too late, and wish for Ned to meet a few children his age; maybe he will bring a class mate home from school next week. Also, I will try and keep Garrett's promise of a family holiday in mind.