The Cooke-Dreamer Household: Update 20.05.2015

This Maxis-made house came into our games with, I believe, the Mansion & Garden Stuff Pack. I don't like it much from the outside - a littley too colourful for my taste -, but I really like the way I have furnished and decorated it inside.
Let's get reacquainted now with the current residents. (By clicking on either the "Cooke" or the "Dreamer" label and scrolling down, you will get to the previous week at this house.)
       

The oldest household member is 60-year-old Dirk Dreamer. He still grieves the loss of his father, Darren Dreamer, and the woman who managed to bring back love and joy to his heart after the early death of Dirk's mother, Cleo Shikibu. She became Darren's second wife.
Back then when Dirk was still a teenager, Cleo's best friend Patricia Wan fell in love with Julien Cooke, and the two couples (plus Dirk) moved in together. Julien was abducted by Aliens and gave birth to Cedric Cooke 9 months later.
       

Cedric is still here, although he has a relationship with Helena Stacks (daughter of Jane Stacks and Matthew Hart) and has two daughters with her, Stephanie and Stacy.

While Dirk is on Permanent Platinum, Cedric is still working at his lifetime want of becoming Chief of Staff.
      

Dirk has been abducted by Aliens twice (none of it was provoked by me!) and has two daughters from those trips: Deirde...
       

...and Dora.
       

Monday morning starts with Dirk taking it upon himself to clean one of the bathrooms in the house.
       

Later, I have Deirdre repair a broken tap in the downstairs bathroom.
When the two elderly couples (Darren and Cleo Dreamer, Julien and Patricia Cooke) were still alive, the Dreamers had their bedroom and ensuite bathroom downstairs, while the Cookes were upstairs. Dirk still has his upstairs bed- and bathroom, while the girls share a room with adjacent shower.
       

B'Elanna Beaker comes home from school with the girls today. There are many half-siblings dotted around New Maximiliania, all by the same Alien Pollination Technician. If they were all still alive, there'd be 23 of them! As it is, 20 are still around.
       

Cedric is made Specialist today.
       

Dora receives her Silver Fishing Badge while spending the afternoon at the pond with her sister.
       

On Tuesday, the first thing Dirk does after waking up is playing the guitar. It is a wonder he does not wake up everybody else in the house!
      

Cedric is promoted to Surgeon.
       

Today, it is his turn to get a Silver Badge in fishing.
       

On Wednesday morning, I realize Deirdre never did her homework the day before. She just about manages to finish it before the school bus would have left without her.
       

Carolina Capp comes home with the girls today...       

...followed by Giselle Goth, another half-sister.
      

The girls have the stereo at full blast and enjoy some energetic dancing.
      

When Cedric comes home, it is with a promotion to Medical Researcher.
       

Dirk, who still works as Education Minister, is accompanied by colleague Corydal Capp.
       

The girls enjoy Baked Alaska bought last week at Bubbler's Bakery and discuss fashion. "I do love your dress," Giselle tells Carolina.
       

It is Thursday morning when Deirdre calls the taxi that takes her to college. She has waited until the last possible day, and the wish to go there never went away.
       

On Friday, Dora gets up rather late - she has exactly 12 minutes before the school bus is here!
       

It is Cedric's first day off this week. He celebrates by having a sumptuous lunch of pork chops, still in his PJs.
       

Their cleaner, Remington Harris, had already left for the day. But he comes back - not to do some more work, but to kick over the bin! I wonder why that is. Maybe he was offended by Cedric still being asleep while he worked in the house, and everybody else being at school or work, so there was nobody to greet him or give him his usual generous tip?
      

After Dora has done her homework and relaxed a little, it is time for the three remaining household members to travel to Gustav's Grocery. This is Dora's business; her LTW is to have 5 top level ones, and she better start early if she wants to achieve it.
       

With the help of Cedric and Dirk, she manages to have a Rank 2 business by the time they close the shop and go home.
In the cooling counter visible in the corner, the fish from their own pond is sold.
       

When they come home, Dora surprises me by doing some gardening on her own accord.
       

Early Saturday morning, Dirk has a melancholy cup of tea. Gone are the days when the four best friends were gathered around the tea table together!
       

It is a busy day here, with the repair man and the gardener pulling up in front of the house at the same time as Dirk's car pool.
       

Back at the shop, Dora loses a customer star when she takes too long handling the cash register, and one of her customers throws down their bags and leaves exasperated.
       

On Sunday, autumn sets in, and Cedric browses his wardrobe for something other than his summery flipflops, baggy bermudas and t-shirt.
       

Dora does not want to repeat yesterday's experience at the shop and throws herself into it at full steam. She restocks, has sales conversations with as many customers as she can and concentrates hard on the cash register. The results are a Silver Sales Badge, a Bronze Cash Register Badge and a Rank 3 business.
       

I wonder how Deirdre is doing at college," Cedric says to his young half-sister that evening over dinner. I wonder, too, but it won't be all that long before we'll find out.

Is Cedric going to have Helena and his daughters join the family here, or move in with them at their house, or somewhere else entirely? Will Dora be able to make her shop flourish while she is still at school, and is she going to follow her big sis to college?
Dirk is now 67 and going strong; will he remain single forever?