The Landgraab Family: Week 4

The fourth week at the Landgraab mansion is about to start! It is Monday, and Malcolm's fortune amounts to 199.237 Simoleons, plus his community lot business "Bluewater Salon & Spa". He is now 8 days from Elderhood and has so far managed for his home business (an indoor swimming pool in the annex) and the "Bluewater Salon & Spa" to reach business level 10 - that's three more to go before he will have reached his lifetime want. His half-Alien twins, Lance and Lilo Landgraab, will grow up to teenagers in three days.

Lance does not want to look like all his half-brothers (why is it that the game always assigns the same hairstyle to all the little boys and girls?!) and changes his hair to a "wilder" look. Is that a hint of the rebellious teenager to come?

Lilo is still the cute little girl with the big eyes and braids as before.

With two top level businesses already under his belt, it is time for Malcolm to expand his empire. He purchases the "Stratford Strip", a - you guessed it - Maxis-made community lot that was created for Veronaville.

The shop sells video games and magazines in one part and clothes in the other. (The blonde lady here is Heather Huffington, and Malcolm can be seen in the back flanked by Carla Reamon and Jennifer Burb.)

Heather Huffington becomes his very first customer, and the "Stratford Strip" reaches Rank 1 on the day of its opening - all done by Malcolm on his own!

By the time the kids return from school with classmate Charlie Cho, Malcolm is already back home.

He tells his son and daughter about the new shop and listens to what they tell him about their day at school.

Tuesday morning sees the twins enjoying a bit of playtime to boost their moods before school.

In the meantime, the Butler serves burnt breakfast while the smelly dishes from last night's dinner are still on the table! I would have thought the butlers have more sense than that... Good job the children usually eat at school!

Malcolm tips the gardener, the cleaning help and the butler, hoping that his generosity will inspire them to do their respective jobs better.

After that extremely busy first day yesterday, he realises he can't keep the "Stratford Strip" going all on his own, and hires two employees:

DJ Verse and Gerlinde Gavigan. DJ is assigned to restocking, while Gerlinde's task is to sell. She already came with a Bronze Sales Badge; DJ didn't have any experience working at a shop.

Gerlinde seems to have a real talent for selling and makes her Silver Sales Badge on her very first day on the job! That surely deserves a higher wage, which is promptly granted by Malcolm. Here she is convincing Jason Greenman that he simply can't go on without owning one of the games on the shelf behind him. The shop is on Rank 2 by the time Malcolm closes for the day; as usual, he wants to be home in time for the kids.

Today, Lilo and Lance have their half-sister Wilma Williamson in tow.

Can you see the picture in the middle? It is a photograph of the twins, relaxing on their Dad's bed. Malcolm loves to look at it and proudly displays it on his chest of drawers between some of his favourite books and the first Simoleon he ever earned with his home business.

It is Wednesday, and Gerlinde has advanced further in the art of sales: she now has her Gold Badge.

Malcolm has been working very hard to understand all the strange buttons on the cash register and finally makes his Bronze Badge, serving Angela Pleasant and Hal Capp. The "Stratford Strip" reaches Rank 3.

That afternoon, just after 6.00 pm, Lance and Lilo grow up into teenagers. Lilo keeps her hairstyle, but the kimono outfit will have to go. Lance's cornrows were randomly given to him by the game. Their aspirations were, as always in New Maximiliania, decided by lot: Lilo is a Fortune Sim like her Dad and wants to become World Class Ballet Dancer. Her brother sees life more from the Romantic than the materialistic side and dreams of being a Celebrity Chef (an unusual LTW for a Romance Sim, don't you think? But then again, Ballet Dancer is not exactly Fortune-y, either, is it?)

While the teenagers are at school, Malcolm and his employees raise the "Stratford Strip" to rank 4. Later the same day, DJ makes her Bronze Badge for restocking.

The Butler and the cleaner, Remington Harris, do their best to keep the Landgraab mansion spic and span in the meantime.

"Now that we're almost grown up, Dad, can't we come to the shop with you and help out?" Lilo suggests over lunch.

So for the first time this afternoon, Malcolm takes Lilo and Lance with him to the shop. Together, they give the atmosphere there uch a positive boost that it reaches rank 5.

Friday morning sees Malcolm earning his Silver Cash Register Badge. With his own and his employees efforts combined, the "Stratford Strip" is now at Rank 6.

After a break at home and making sure his children have done their homework, Malcolm once again takes Lilo and Lance back to the shop with him. Lilo really is a bright young lady; it is only her 2nd day behind the counter, and she already has her Bronze Crash Register badge.

Lance has not been idle, either, and gave DJ Verse a hand with the restocking of the shelves. He now has Bronze Badges both for restocking and for sales.

Saturday morning, Lilo mentions college to her Dad for the first time. Of course, it will mean losing their very valuable help with the business, but Malcolm loves his children too much to prevent them of a good education. The "Stratford Strip" is flourishing on that day, which sees all three Landgraabs working for their customers all day. DJ Verse gets her Silver Restocking Badge, Lilo gets Bronze for Sales and Silver at the Cash Register, and the shop itself reaches first rank 7 and then rank 8.

Sunday morning starts with Malcolm preparing omelettes for himself and the kids. He has not finished yet when the Butler comes in and obviously had the same idea. Really, he should SEE that this is a task that's already being done!

The "Stratford Strip" reaches Rank 9, and Malcolm finds there are so many customers now that he can hardly allow his employees or his children any breaks. Because he does not want to close the shop for a few hours until everybody has had something to eat, gone to the bathroom, had a rest or some fun at the pinball machine, he goes for the next obvious solution and hires two new employees: townies Rose Dal...

...and Jordan Lawson. The latter has been working as a Criminal Mastermind until very recently, by the looks of it!

Sunday evening sees Malcolm one step closer to his lifetime want: The "Stratford Strip" is now on Rank 10!

Back home, there is only one thing left for him to do before an exhausted Malcolm falls into bed: Purchase his third community lot and fourth business (counting the home business). He chooses "Ramirez' Fine Furniture", which has stood empty ever since the founding of New Maximiliania. When we'll revisit the Landgraabs in Round 5, Malcolm will turn into an Elder pretty soon. We'll see what the furniture shop looks like, and how things are going to go for Lance and Lilo. Will they already attend college, or stay a bit longer in order to help their Dad with his latest business?

This was hard work and took longer than your average Sim-week, with all the time spent on community lots, but it was fun! I am glad, though, that the next household will be without a shop again :-)
Either Malcolm or the business lots are bugged; he is never able to promote one of his employees to manager. He often gets the wish but the option never shows up when I click on the employee under "management". Never mind, it works just as well without a manager.