The Giekes' house looks exactly like we've left it last round - more than a year ago.
The Giekes themselves, too, look just like we last saw them. But.. something has changed: Tara's lifetime want! Do you remember how at the end of their previous week I realized I had not used the chance to throw an anniversary party and thus fulfill Tara's LTW?
Well... I was determined to do it this week, but found out that she now wants to earn 100.000 Simoleons! It is so unlikely to achieve that at her age (59) that I won't even try. Chester, on the other hand, is still set on becoming Education Minister and needs just one more promotion for that. However, he'll need 4 friends, something Tara will take care of.
Of Tara's original three cats, two are still alive: Sam is now 35...
...and Faline, who was only a kitten when the game began, is 31.
It is Thursday (for some unknown reason, this has always been the starting day at this house), and we indeed find Tara on the phone, working on those friendships in order for her beloved 3-bolt-husband to reach his big goal.
Glenda Greenman walks by...
...and later Paola Picaso.
After Chester returns from work, the couple relax on the bed, relating the day's events.
Friday morning sees Mr. and Mrs. Gieke in the kitchen/dining area downstairs.
When Chester has left for work, Tara starts on the cat-related housework.
There is always something to do.
The Giekes could well afford the repair service, but they have enough time and energy to fix broken household and sanitary appliances themselves.
On Saturday morning before sunrise, Chester is out fishing at the pond.
Something very unusual happens later that day: Both cats die peacefully of old age at nearly the same time.
To distract herself from her sadness (and also to maintain existing friendships), Tara invites as many of her friends over as possible. Here are Trisha Traveller, Jason Greenman and Shaun Singles...
...while one of the Capp PlantSims, Gary Greenman, Carla Reamon, Jodie Larson and Benedick Monty approach the house from the other side.
Chester grills freshly caught catfish for everyone. There is also a platter of appetizers waiting for the guests.
Everybody enjoys sitting under the umbrellas near the pond, having fresh fish and catching up with each other.
The party lasts well into the night.
[On their own initiative, Erin Singles and Chester start singing a Sea Shanty. Carla, who remembers the song well from her native Twikii Island, and Trisha, who travelled the world before moving to New Maximiliania, happily join in..
Sunday morning sees the beginning of autumn. Last night's party was a farewell to summer, it seems. Tara dresses in something more suitable for the cooler temperatures.
Her husband does the same.
Daisy Jacquet and her adoptive daughter Jacqueline are invited over today. Tara is determined to make Daisy the last friend her husband needs for his final promotion.
Although it is now autumn, the afternoon is still sufficiently warm and sunny for the three ladies to have some delicious berry cake al fresco.
Daisy becomes Tara's friend, and Chester returns home as New Maximiliania's new Education Minister. At 66, he has now reached his LTW, and I will not control him anymore.
Very early on Monday morning, Tara wants to catch fireflies. I really don't like my Sims catching butterflies or fireflies, but because Tara won't ever reach her LTW, I try and make as many of her short-term wishes come true as possible. As soon as this picture was taken, I had her release the fireflies.
I get so bored with her (sorry, Tara!) during the day, now that she has no cats to take care of and no friendships to establish, that I send her for a spin in the family car.
In the afternoon, Edwin Sharpe is greeted by Chester.
On Tuesday, Tara wants to go hiking. Upon her return, she is chased by an angry swarm of bees.
A little experiment reveals something the programmers obviously did not think about: You know how your Sims can not burn piles of leaves while it is raining, and a tree that has caught fire after being struck by lightning is extinguished by rain, right? But Sims can light a log fire without a problem, and the flames are not put out by the rain.
The last day of our week with the Giekes, Wednesday, has arrived. Once again, Tara wants to go on a hike, and once again, she is met with the angry bees upon her return.
In spite of her LTW having changed to wanting to earn 100.000 Simoleons, she does not roll a single money-related wish all week. Instead, most of her wants either involve her husband, or nature.
The week ends with Chester being 70 and Tara 66 years old.
It looks as if they'll stick around for another round - who knows, Tara may even have changed her LTW yet again next time we visit here!
Hopefully not. Or i think you will go mad if another ltw changes. It keeps us on our toes, when it does happen. The cats lived a long life, funny how they both died one the same day.
ReplyDeleteYes, I definitely did not expect that to happen, since they were a few "years" apart in age. But the Grim Reaper did not even leave in between their deaths; he simply shifted from one spot to the other, and before I knew it, I had two tiny urns on the floor...
DeleteOh that's annoying about the LTW isn't it? Even if Tara got an elder job she probably wouldn't earn that much, although I suppose she could paint the rest of the time and sell masterpieces.
ReplyDeleteAt least Chester has reached the top of his career with Tara's friend making help. I've had pets die on the same day before but further apart in hours than Sam & Faline.
That's funny about the campfire and the rain. I love their garden parties as well.
Those garden parties are fun to play! Everybody loves to fish, of course, and there is a constant stream of Sims in and out of the house to use the toilet...
DeleteI've been thinking about Tara's new LTW but even with a job and painting all the time she'd probably never make it... And since she does not seem to want to know of her knew goal, not rolling any money-related wants at all, I just let her enjoy the time she has with her 3-bolt-hubby.