For week 5 at this household, click here.
You have been with me at two households with Beakers in them already. Now we have arrived at the third and last one on the list: the original Beakers.
A long time ago, I moved them from their castle-like house originally given them by Maxis to this sprawling one. Like all buildings in this neighbourhood, it is Maxis-made. It is not exactly my favourite house; way too large (it takes a Sim ages to get from A to B) and not very beautiful. But it has served the Beaker family well, and for now, this is where they'll stay.
Loki and Circe have been empty-nesters for a while now. Circe is 66 and has been on Permanent Platinum ever since she became Business Tycoon 2 days from Elderhood. Loki is 3 years older than his wife. His lifetime want was to have 3 children graduate from college; this came true when his youngest, Beta, graduated. So when I entered the lot, I expected to see him on PP, too. But - like so many other Sims in New Maximiliania, his LTW has inexplicably changed. He now wants to max out all skills, something he is most certainly not going to manage in his short remaining life time. I will focus on fulfilling everyday wishes for him as much as possible instead
On Monday morning, Beta and her niece B'Elanna, Circe's and Loki's granddaughter from the deceased Barry, move in. Of course Monica Bratford comes along; she is so attached to young B'Elanna that it was unthinkable not to invite her to live here, too, and the house is easily big enough.
Loki wonders about Monica and how close she and his son Barry really were. Would they have gotten married, had Barry lived longer? She is so much older than he! But love isn't an age thing, is it.
B'Elanna gets to have the old nursery, where her auntie Beta used to sleep in the pink bed and her brothers Björn and Barry in the two blue beds. She discovers Beta's old clothes in the dresser and changes into one of the dresses.
Not for long, though - because that same evening at 6.00 pm, B'Elanna turns into a sporty-looking teenager. The lot decides on her aspiration to be Pleasure. Her LTW is one I've not had in a while: 50 first dates!
An hour later, at 7.00 pm, Monica is picked up by Mr. Reaper. In spite of her downcast appearance, she actually goes happily; at 76, she has had a long and fulfilled life. Also, she hopes to be reunited in the otherworld with Barry, the love of her life. Or with Andrew Martin, the first love of her life? We shall never know.
Circe is now the only Sim on PP in this household, and I do not control her. She gets up early on Tuesday morning, and while the rest of the family is still asleep, she gives financial consulting.
Beta remembers well how she and her brothers used to take turns feeding the fish and cleaning the tank when they were children.
B'Elanna makes her first attempt at getting a date when she greets Alon Livingston, the Paper Boy. You know I usually try to limit my Sims' interactions to other playables, but 50 dates are not so easy to come by, and therefore B'Elanna will date whoever she can. Of course, she has only just met Alon and so the option to ask him on a date does not yet appear.
There is an easy solution for a rich kid like B'Elanna, though: the Matchmaker. Without giving it a second thought, the girl hands 5.000 Simoleons over.
And just as the school bus is pulling up, Ricky Cormier, her first Matchmaker-induced date, appears. For B'Elanna's LTW to be fulfilled, it does not matter how good or bad the dates go - they just need to happen, and a date counts as such even if it only lasts a few moments. B'Elanna manages to have a super-short (lame) date and get to school in time.
Meanwhile, Beta makes use of her parents' lab to boost the skills for her next promotion.
Glenda Greenman comes home from school with B'Elanna, but her host has other things in mind than hanging out with a class mate:
The Matchmaker's services are enlisted again, and this time, a young man named Renaud Santander lands on the doorstep. Once again, it is only a very short, very unsatisfying date, and Renaud leaves never to be seen again (I think).
Bad dates make a Sim's needs plummet, and before she can think about more dates, B'Elanna should take care of herself a bit. She has cake with Glenda...
...then the two girls hang out in the sauna... (still the only one in the entire neighbourhood, i think)
...and end the evening watching TV together and talking about whether they want to go to university or not.
Beta is promoted to Elite Operative; the hard work in the lab has paid off.
It is Wednesday morning, and Circe joins her husband in cleaning one of the two bathrooms without anyone asking her to. She is a rather neat Sim.
Today, B'Elanna tips Alon Livingston generously. The option to ask him on a date still has not appeared.
Meike Riley gets off the school bus with her, but is left to her own devices all afternoon, because B'Elanna is busy...
...with her 3rd date, Callum Capp. This is the first time (and will remain the only time all week) that the Matchmaker summons a playable Sim this way. Callum is one of Miranda Capp's sons, I think.
Sadly, we have to say good-bye to Loki at 6.00 pm. He was 72, and although he should have been on PP, the game decided otherwise.
Circe has, by the looks of it, still a long time ahead of her. She can not imagine having to spend years and years as a widow; the two were a couple very much in love with each other, and she will miss Loki terribly.
Good news are not far, though: Beta is promoted to Head of SCIA that night. She is now on PP, 20 days from Elderhood. Well done, Beta!
There is still time for two more brief dates before B'Elanna has to go to bed: Alvin Pons is # 4...
...and River Ngai # 5. So far, none of her dates has been a 3-bolt-candidate for B'Elanna, which is just as well, because with the exception of Callum Capp, they are all NPCs.
Thursday morning sees Beta cleaning the other bathroom. Now that she is on PP, she is not controlled by me anymore. But it looks as if she has the same good cleaning habits as Circe.
Speaking of which - poor Circe is still very much affected by her husband's death and often interrupts what she has been doing and cries.
The gardener has just left with the message "Your plants are in wonderful condition" - I don't think so!
B'Elanna's dates this afternoon are Jack Day...
..and George McCarthy.
She has two bolts for the latter, and I allow her to extend the date a little longer than usual.
The first thing Beta does on Friday morning is play the piano, soon joined by Circe.
B'Elanna wishes to play at the pinball machine - a typical wish for a pleasure Sim. If I am not mistaken, the Beakers' place is the only private residence in the 'hood with their own pinball machine.
Her friendship with the paper boy has progressed to the point where they greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. But a bug in the game prevents Alon from appearing in B'Elanna's phone book when she wants to ring to ask him on a date.
Circe greets Benedick Monty.
I make her get the mail - no bills, but two smelly cards for B'Elanna from her bad dates.
As nearly every day, the girl is not alone when the school bus drops her off. Today, one of her many half-brothers is with her: Gunther Goth, son of Alexander Goth.
It is a beautiful summer day, and I have B'Elanna grill hot dogs on the patio.
Guests Gunther Goth, one of the Broke twins (Benvenuto, I think) and Benedick Monty enjoy the al fresco meal.
There is just enough time for B'Elanna's date # 8: Ratna Walter, yet another townie.
She needs a better date to get her aspiration level back up, so I make the two of them dance together. All goes reasonably well.
But when B'Elanna wants to hug Ratna good-bye, he refuses.
It is Saturday morning, and Circe starts the day with a bubble bath.
B'Elanna spends another 5.000 Simoleons and gets a date with Elmer Miguel.
Circe surprises me by grilling hot dogs on her own initiative.
Date # 10 is Amar Hamilton. That is one fifth of B'Elanna's LTW achieved.
On Sunday morning, Beta winds the clock without me telling her.
B'Elanna gets herself a bowl of cereal for breakfast.
Gunther Goth pays a visit to his two half-sisters (he, B'Elanna and Beta have the same Alien father) on his own accord.
The gardener is here again - there is plenty to do for her!
B'Elanna's three dates for today are Abhijeet Turner...
...Randy London...
...and Juan Harris.
As long as the two of them just talk about dating, everything is fine. But at soon as B'Elanna tries to play with Juan or dance with him, he refuses, and the date does not end well.
Is it because Beta has put on weight that she decides to serve salad for dinner that night?
The week ends with Circe cleaning the kitchen counter.
That was an eventful week, and probably the last we've seen of the Beakers for a while. A move-in, two deaths, one LTW fulfilled and 13 dates - it was fun to play in spite of me not liking the house!
Next will be Marla Biggs' household.
