The Monty-Ottomas Family: Week 9

It is already Week 9 for this household, as they are played more often in one round than other households, due to their two surnames. If you want to read Week 8, click here. 

The few remaining members of the once large and influential Monty dynasty live in this relatively modest but welcoming family home. To be precise, it is not really their own family home, but belongs to the Ottomas family.

You do remember Peter and Samantha Ottomas, right? They were in our games from the start, I think; a growing family struggling with little income. All that has changed considerably over the many years since they arrived in New Maximiliania:
First, Peter's mother Dora found love once more late in her life and married into the wealthy Capp clan. She gave her son and daughter-in-law a generous gift of money to use on their modest house.
Then Peter worked his way up the career ladder and became Celebrity Chef (if I remember correctly). He and Samantha adored each other, and their family life was a happy one.
Eventually, the house became too small for all of them, and some of their grown-up children moved out. Tommy (portrayed as a teenager here)...

[...Oliver and Olivia all tragically died in a house fire at their new home, a large mansion elsewhere in town.
But this house is once more full to the brim with a mix of Monty and Ottomas:

Here is Romeo Monty, now 60 years old and on Permanent Platinum since he became Captain Hero 6 days from Elderhood.

His niece Maria Monty is a teenager who looks up to him for guidance a lot - she wants to follow in his footsteps and also become Captain Hero.

Maria is the half-Alien daughter of Mercutio (formerly Monty, with his back to the camera), Romeo's older brother and husband of Sharla Ottomas. Sharla is the younger sister of David Ottomas, here pictured with his wife Lilith (nee Pleasant).
David, Lilith and Mercutio are all on PP, so I largely do not control them. David and his wife are 67, Mercutio is 62.

Sharla, David's sister and Mercutio's wife, is the only non-elderly adult and the only one not on PP in this household. Her lifetime want is to have 6 grandchildren, but her own sons are still only teenagers, so it will take a while before that dream can come true.

On this Monday morning, Romeo makes omelettes for breakfast for the whole family without me asking him to.
It's been a while since I last played here (over 2 years in real life!), but I remember he is constantly thinking of having dates, falling in love and other romantic interactions, even though never about anyone specific.

Sharla and Mercutio have twin sons. This is Odell, who sees himself as future Media Magnate. While I was playing other households, he struck up a close friendship with Lisa Gieke, the girl who grew up at the Senior Residence when I made a mistake and let Tara and Chester Gieke adopt a child.

Orlando is the more sensitive of the two, it seems. He often retreats from the hustle and bustle of the busy household to be on his own. But it isn't as if he didn't love his large family - he wants 6 grandchildren when he gets old.

After breakfast, Romeo goes to work. "Captain Hero reporting for duty!" he smiles.

Hardly surprising, Lisa gets off the schoolbus with Maria, Odell and Orlando.

She has never been to the Ottomas-Monty home before and can't believe she is really having lunch with Lilith, the famous Rock Godess!
Maria tells her aunt that she will start college soon (she has only 2 or 3 days left before the end of her teenage years).

While I am watching someone else in this 8-Sim-household, I hear the "fall in love" sound and quickly check on Lisa and Odell. Indeed they have autonomously fallen in love with each other! They have 2 bolts, and if nothing (or no-one) comes between them until they are adults, they are very welcome to remain a couple.

The evening ends with most of the family gathering in the open plan kitchen, dining and living area downstairs. Maria and her adoptive mother are having a game of slap hands, while Romeo is slightly amused...

...at his nephew Orlando's conversation on the phone with B'Elanna Beaker. "You sure you don't want to become engaged to me? I think you'd make a great addition to our family!"
B'Elanna politely declines; Orlando is far too young for her anyway.

Tuesday starts with Mercutio getting the dreaded blue screen from the comupter. Strangely enough, as soon as I make him stop playing, the screen looks normal again. Also, while Mercutio's action showed "play The Sims 3", he simply sat there, staring at the screen (very much like what a person would do in real life in this situation, I guess!). If it happens again, I will replace the item.

Orlando and Odell get up at 6:00, like every morning.

Under the shower, Orlando thinks of babies. He really does take the Family Sim thing seriously, doesn't he!

While the teenagers are all at school and her husband and big brother at work, Sharla does her usual round of housework. She has also been trying to befriend Christian Love over the phone and today successfully invites him over.

At 6:00 pm, Sharla turns into an elderly lady, unnoticed by everyone else - even Maria, who happened to be in the kitchen at the same time, was not looking!

Shortly before the day is over, I catch Romeo once again thinking romantic thoughts - and to my surprise, this time they seem to revolve around a specific lady: Arcadia Bradshaw, the repair woman who has been around earlier today!
Strangely enough, Romeo does not show Arcadia in his relationship panel at all, and he can not ring her personally, either. But when I make him call the repair service, she responds and says she'll be over "first thing in the morning".
Well... you know my "no Townies or NPCs" policy for New Max. But you also know I have made an exception to my own rule every now and then. If Arcadia proves to be "the One" for Romeo, I'll let it go ahead.

Maria ponders her best friends while watching her "uncle" David playing the guitar in the back garden.

On Wednesday morning, Lilith happens to bump into Romeo downstairs and, much to my dismay, I see that she is very much attracted to him. She does not "do" anything about her attraction, though, and I hope it stays that way.

Mercutio fondly watches his daughter, still fast asleep at this time of the day. Later today, he will have to say good-bye to her, as she will be leaving for college.

In fact, that is the first thing she does after returning from school that day: ring the college authorities and ask for a taxi to take her there.

When Arcadia Bradshaw appears in answer to Romeo's call, he does talk to her a little, but I discover he has only one bolt for her.

Maria boards the taxi and is gone - not for long! We are going to catch up with her soon.

It is Thursday, and once again Sharla has invited Christian Love. She is working hard on her friendship with him, hoping to be able to ask him to move to New Max permanently before the week is over.

Before dawn on Friday morning, Sharla does some gardening.

Mercutio greets Ramir Patel.

And finally, over a fresh batch of home-made burgers, Sharla and Christian become best friends.

Upstairs, I find a pensive Romeo musing about love and life. Most of his wishes at the moment are romantic ones, even though not about anyone specific.

He wants to have a date, and as money is no problem in this household, I have him spend 5.000 Simoleons on the Matchmaker.
She summons an NPC student named Lexie Hiatt - a three bolt match, yes, but a STUDENT?! I ask you! After a brief chat, he sends the girl on his way and she tells him that she is bored by him, the much, much older man, anyway.

Saturday brings the onset of autumn, and the house with its warm colours looks even warmer surrounded by the trees with their golden leaves.

It is also the day that finally sees Christian Love becoming a proper New Maximilianian, thanks to Sharla's invitation! He moves in - and out again very quickly, as he will take up residence at the Senior Residence where he will also meet his "relative" Sarah Love.
Christian is a Romance Sim with the LTW of woohooing with 20 different Sims - not impossible at his age, but definitely a challenge! He calls 18.000 Simoleons his own and has several items bought on community lots in his inventory. His current job (instantly to be quit) is that of Getaway Driver.
Well done, Sharla!

I realise that I have not yet sent the family to a community lot this week. Unfortunately, the trip to Hunters Park comes too late for Maria, who is already at college.

David grills hot dogs but on top of burning them (he stops cooking - I don't know what distracted him), it also starts raining as soon as he is ready to serve them.
The rain develops into a full-grown thunderstorm, and it also gets dar, which puts a quick end to the family outing. It also means the end of my computer time for the day.

When I started the game again today, this is how I found Sharla, clearing the table of last night's dishes - surrounded by a big swarm of flies. I know Sims can die of this, but it seems to be a graphics bug, as the flies disappear as soon as the dishwasher is closed.

The twins start their day on Sunday morning talking about football, still in their PJs.

Later, Gallagher and Jacqueline Newson come visiting on their own accord.

Romeo still (or again) wants to have a date (with no-one specific), so I have him try the Matchmaker once more. This time, Sandy Bruty appears. She is another 3-bolt-match for Romeo and, as far as I know, not a student. Well, we shall see how this pans out.

It was an interesting week, considering that I left all but one of the adults in this household almost all the time to their own devices. Many a leaf pile was burnt during the first two days of autumn, but no casualties followed.
The twins worked on their friendships and generally had a good time. I do feel a bit sorry for Romeo, and I am looking forward to playing Maria at college.