The Contrary Family: Week 1

At least for a while, we are leaving Belladonna Cove behind and are visiting Desiderata Valley, where the Contrary Family are going to be played. Their Maxis-made pictures give us a bit of a background story for them:

Here are Edward and Opal Contrary as happy young parents of baby Rick. Opal's hair is shorter than now. Their family biography says: "Love and understanding are the foundations of a healthy family life, but can the Contrarys gain enough of it to keep themselves together?"

Rick is a little older in the next picture, and smiling as his Dad reads to him. 

As a teenager, he appears to be totally focused on a computer game while his mother is looking on. This fits in with their biographies. According to Maxis, Opal "loves her job, loves her friends, and especially loves her family. She wants to find a way to encourage her son to do more than just play games, but at least it makes him happy."

Opal's aspiration is Knowledge, and she wants to become a City Planner.

Rick is a Fortune Sim who wants to make his fortune as Chief of Staff. Maxis says about him: "How could Rick's parents ever understand what he's going through? They've never had to deal with the stresses of being a teenager! The only person that seems to "get" him is his best friend, Violet."

Maxis pictures Edward here talking to John Mole. His bio reads: "Content with his life, thus far, Edward is constantly trying to improve himself, seeking knowledge wherever it can be found. He occasionally helps his close acquaintance, Mr. Mole, with tasks."

Sharing his wife's aspiration, Edward's lifetime want is very different from hers: He dreams of being a Criminal Mastermind.

The two men are seen together again in the next (and last) Maxis-made picture. The location is obviously a community lot, and I think the man in the background is Luis Aspir.

The Contrarys' house is on 1026 West Dreaming Drive and looks very typically American to my European eyes. I have always liked the house, even though it is not very tastefully furnished and decorated.

In spite of it looking as if there were an upper floor, there really is only the ground floor, but it has everything the family needs. The top left corner shows a hobby/crafts room with a sewing machine, followed by a kitchen and dining room. A living room with fire place is next. In the bottom left corner we find the master bedroom with small en-suite bathroom, then a family bathroom and Rick's room. Two generous hallways are at the centre of the house. The back garden has a basketball hoop and football goal while the front of the house is welcoming with a bench on the porch.

The welcome committee consists of Dora Ottomas, Julien Cooke and Nathan Gavigan - all Sims we will get to know better further on this round.

When Rick returns from school on Monday, he has to wait for his parents to come from work before he can ask his mother to help him with his homework. Both Opal and Edward have jobs as Dolphin Tank Cleaners - not helpful for their lifetime wants, and so they quit immediately.

Not having to work is nice on a beautiful day like this, Opal thinks as she spends good part of Tuesday morning doing the crossword on the front porch.

Edward meets and greets Natasha Una.

Dinner is a bit of a strained affair when Rick expresses the wish to have a handheld game and his Dad tetchily replies that his pockets aren't lined with gold.

He later confesses to his wife that he regrets his harsh words. "It is just that we need to be careful about money until we both get jobs again," he explains.

Raking leaves in the back garden helps him to clear his head, and is useful for skilling and keeping the place in order at the same time.

On Wednesday, Opal finds a job in the architecture career and will start as a Cement Mixer tomorrow. Only two Knowledge Sims can look at each other so fondly over their books - their idea of a romantic evening :-D

On Thursday, Edward is lucky, too: he finds work as a pickpocket.

Rick teaches himself how to make potholders. His choice of fabric is - hardly surprising - black.

Opal is promoted to Brick Layer.

Edward makes an effort with Rick and joins him at the dining table. They manage to have a good conversation when Edward praises his son for his good grades at school, even in maths, which is not the easiest of subjects. 

On Friday, Opal's smile says it all: She has just received another promotion and is now a Fore(wo)man.

Her husband has also been promoted and is now a Bagman.

Saturday is a day off school for Rick, but both his parents have to work. Opal's effort are rewarded with yet another promotion - she is now Head of the Construction Company she's been working for.

Rick finally makes one of his big wishes come true when he invites the Headmaster of Desiderata Valley's Private School over. 

The assessment visit goes very well, and Mr. Trimble accepts Rick into his fine institute. "We have great sports facilities, too, Mrs. Contrary," he says. "Our young people all love it." So far, Rick's focus was not really about sports, but he is still happy to have been accepted. 

It is already Sunday by the time Edward returns from work - exhausted, but happy: He has been promoted to Bookie.

From their combined bonus money, the couple finally can afford a better bed. A better kitchen stove, an easel as well as a chess table with two cheap chairs have already been bought - not just to impress the Headmaster, but also to further advance with their skills.

Snow has begun to fall in earnest, and when the family wake up, it is Winter Wonderland outside. 

It also happens to be Christmas, and while her husband needs to go to work nonetheless, Opal has the day off and spends a happy morning decorating the tree and lighting the fire in the (still mismatched) living room.

Groceries have been ordered, and Opal watches fondly as her son takes their goods from the delivery man with a smile on his face.

The Jocque family are good friends with the Contrarys - in fact, Sophia is Opal's best friend, and Violet is best friends with Rick - and so they are invited over to spend Christmas together.

Rick has a present for everyone - he has been making potholders for the past few weeks.

Edward returns from work with a promotion to Con Artist. The family are still a bit low on cash, and so every bonus is very welcome. 

It is a lovely Christmas celebration for everyone.

The teenagers head out to the porch for a bit of privacy. While their mothers play chess and their fathers become best friends, on his own initiative Rick gives Violet a backrub. I expect pink hearts to fly, but nothing changes - they are not romantically interested in each other (at least not yet).

Everything was going so well, but then with nobody watching the lights on the tree, a short circuit makes it catch fire!

Luckily, a fire alarm has been installed from the moment they moved in, and the firefighter quickly has the situation under control. 

Edward is so relieved he spends 100 Simoleons of his promotion bonus on a generous tip for Mr. Smith (yes, Smith!). "I am so sorry you had to come out here in all that snow, and on Christmas, too!" he apologizes. 

This was a good week to play. Rick and his parents improved their relationship in the course of the week. Friends were made and promotions gained, and Rick getting into Private School was his personal highlight of the week. Next time we'll visit the family, Edward will turn into an elder, followed by his wife before the second round is over, and Rick is going to go to college.