The Ramirez Family: Week 5

For week 4, click here. 

Here is the Ramirez house, still the same one that was originally given them from Maxis. Checo Ramirez left the family a long time ago to live with his 3-bolt-love Kristen Singles; he died of old age at the Singles house before he had a chance to see his lifetime want of having 3 children graduate from college come true.
      

Lisa has always coped remarkably well with Checo's leaving her. Having their son Ramon to take care of certainly helped.
To my dismay, I find out that Lisa's LTW has changed. Originally, she wanted to have 20 best friends and had been doing quite well during the last round, with 12 best friends so far. Now, she wants to become Criminal Mastermind! Not only is that a LTW I dislike (last but not least because of the extremely ugly work outfit and nighttime hours), but it is also unattainable for her at her age.
Well, there is a magic lamp in the house, so maybe she'll make use of that at some stage to gain permanent peace of mind.
Ramon's LTW has not changed: he still wants to see 6 pets reaching the top of their career.
       

And of course, there is Tessa, Lisa and Checo's firstborn. She has moved back in with her mother and little brother after having graduated Summa Cum Laude in History. Her LTW was to become Game Designer, something she reached early on during the previous round.
So far, her only serious love interest has been Sally Riley. The two of them once had an affair (to help Sally with her LTW), but while it was nothing more than that for Sally, Tessa has never forgotten, and nobody else has captured her interest in the quite the same way.
As Tessa is on Permanent Platinum, I will rarely control her.
       

For Ramon's LTW, two pets are part of the family: Alabama...
       

...and Roux.
      

On Monday morning, the computer breaks, and I have Tessa fix it.
       

Alabama is taken to work.
      

I'd forgotten I've given the Ramirez' a maid (and a gardener)! Actually, Lisa and her children could cope with the house work, but I rather have them concentrate on supporting Ramon's pets so that they will reach the top of their careers, and we all know how much work taking care of pets is if you are a responsible dog or cat owner.
      

Perseida Powers gets off the school bus with Ramon today.
      

Tessa is demoted (due to a chance card, of course), and today as for the entire week comes home with NPC colleague Geoffrey Copur, who is never seen out of his cow mascot costume. Today as for the rest of the week, I have Tessa say good-bye to her colleague immediately.
       

A nice shot of Roux and Ramon on the settee.
      

On Tuesday morning, Tessa decides to take care of breakfast on her own accord.
       

Roux is promoted to Seeing Eye Pet.
       

Lisa has a cold and spends good part of the day resting on her bed. See the magic lamp? I am not sure whether I'll have her using it; she is doing well right now without it.
      

Alabama comes home from work a few hours after Roux, with a promotion to Understudy.
       

Tessa is back on her old job as Game Designer.
      

Ramon never fails to make sure his pets know how much he loves them, and appreciates them working so hard for the sake of his LTW.
       

On Wednesday morning, the sink breaks. There is plenty of money to this household, so they could easily afford the repair service, but I don't want to wait for that and have Lisa repair it instead.
       

Roux is promoted to Rescue Pet - that means the top of that career, and the first of six down on Ramon's LTW-list!
       

Happily, Ramon rings Roux' work place and tells them his cat won't come to work for them anymore. He lets Roux have a well-deserved day of rest before he signs the cat up with a showbiz agency.
I actually don't know if the LTW requires for six different pets to reach the top of their careers, or whether it will work just as well with two pets reaching the top of three different careers each. Does any of my readers know?
       

Alabama is promoted to Stunt Double.
       

It is spaghetti bolognese that night at the Ramirez house, prepared by Ramon.
     

Thursday morning sees Lisa at her beloved sewing machine while Tessa is watching a movie. Just as Lisa's LTW has changed since the last round, nearly all her custom-made outfits have disappeared from the household wardrobe, except for the ones they were wearing. So I have her make them again (as I remember them), which is fine because she rolls the wish to "sew a project" every day.
      

Just when the school bus drops off Ramon in front of the house, Alabama's car pool from work arrives - with great news: Alabama is now a Star and has reached the top of the showbiz career! That's two out of six for Ramon's LTW.
      

By now, Roux has started in the showbiz career, and returns home having been promoted to Understudy.
       

It is Friday morning, and Tessa plays with Alabama. With his dog, Ramon has followed the same tactics as with his cat: calling the work place to quit, have a day of rest and then sign up for a different career.
       

It is a fine spring day, and Tessa is happy to have one of her mother's hand-made dresses to wear.
       

Lisa seems to feel the cold a lot more than her daughter and chooses to still wear boots, a heavy jumper and a scarf when she goes out to clean the dog house.
      

Roux has to learn the command "play dead" if there is to be another promotion. Ramon has fun teaching this command.
      

Saturday morning sees Tessa playing with Roux. For the cat and the dog in this household, life does not only consist of work and learning commands; everybody makes sure their fun and social levels are not neglected.
       

Ramon enjoys chilling on the swing. Last round, I thought I wasn't going to send him to college, because he doesn't need it for his LTW. But having observed him this week with his wish of going to college never disappearing, I have decided to let him go.
       

So, early Saturday afternoon, he makes that phone call. Tessa can't believe her little brother is now almost grown up and will go to college! We'll soon meet him there again to find out how he's doing. Meanwhile, his pets will keep working towards his LTW.
       

Lisa is getting all nostalgic. It feels like when Tessa left home all over again!
       

Tessa wants to distract her mother and prepares a delicious chili con carne.
       

While it is still dark on Sunday morning, Alabama returns from work with a promotion to Therapy Pet.
       

Mother and daughter work in the kitchen, to feed the pets and themselves.
      

When they sit down to enjoy the omelettes Tessa has prepared, they both can't help thinking that now it is just the two of them. Tessa would have so loved for her mother to find a good man after the disappointment with her father, and Lisa would like to see Tessa being happy in a relationship, too.
       

Sunday afternoon, Tessa writes her diary. Here, she thinks of Ashley Pitts...
       

...and then invariably her thoughts move on to Sally Riley. Will the two of them ever meet again?
       

A welcome distraction in the shape of Miranda Capp turns up.
       

The two women get along well.
       

Their animated conversation is only interrupted when I make Tessa go out to greet Graham Grunt. "Have you come to see my brother? I'm afraid he has left for college yesterday," Tessa tells him.
       

In fact, Miranda and Tessa seem to get along VERY well...!

Nothing has "happened" between the two of them, and I really don't know whether Tessa will actually ever find someone to love who loves her back. Lisa is now 70 but still seems to have a good many "years" ahead.
Are Ramon's two pets going to make his LTW come true between the two of them, or will he really need six pets?