For the previous week at this household, click here.
We're taking a break from Strangetown and spend some time in Riverblossoms Hills, starting at the house on Welsh Lane were Patricia Wan, next on the alphabetical list, lives with her best friend Cleo Shikibu and Cleo's partner Matthew Smith.
What's the taxi for, you may ask - is anyone going to a community lot on this Monday morning?
No - the taxi is there to take Patricia to her partner Gabe O'Mackey. Matthew says good-bye to her, and Cleo would have done, too - only she's in the shower at that very moment.
Anyway, the ladies will remain best friends; it's just that Patricia really feels she should leave Cleo and Matthew to live as a couple without her as a "fifth wheel", and of course she loves Gabe and wants to be with him, too.
Here she is a short while later, having breakfast for the first time as a family. Both Gabe and Patricia very much hope that Gabe's daughter Jules will come to terms with her Dad and the (relatively) new woman in his life living together; so far, she has only become friends with Cleo but has zero relationship points with Patricia.
This is Patricia's new address, No. 211 Huckleberry Lane. I have added windows to the dormers and (stupidly only after I took this picture) a window to Jule's bedroom on the ground floor, which has so far been windowless.
With Patricia moving in, the household account swells to a very healthy 26.000 Simoleons, and with both her and Gabe working full time, there are no financial worries.
Gabe, who sees himself as Riverblossom's next Education Minister, has been promoted today from High School Teacher to University Lecturer and brought his colleague Rose Greenman along to help celebrate. Patricia has been promoted from Horoscope Writer to Sports Columnist and went straight back to work, returning with yet another promotion and colleague Stella Roth in tow. She is now an Investigative Journalist, and the career rewards object is hers.
Patricia has the day off and once she has gained the skills she needs for work, she does a spot of fishing from the pond in their front garden. "Not what I had in mind..." she frowns when she pulls up an old boot at first. But next is an impressive salmon, and after I have her stock the fridge with it, she goes and prepares a delicious meal with her catch all on her own accord.
Patricia has been wishing for a while to give someone a gift, and when she realised that Jules forgot to take the painting of her mother when she moved to college, she carefully wrapped it and presented it to her sort-of step daughter together with a heartfelt letter. The two ladies are good friends now, and Jules is really touched by this kind gesture.
"It's great to see you, Jacob! You've always been a decent kid and good friend to Jules, and you've grown to be a decent man."
We will of course see Jules and Jacob at college, but it'll be a while - and if I remember correctly, Jacob has been in a relationship with Sandra Roth last time I played him. But that doesn't mean he and Jules can't be best friends for life.
It was good to have Patricia move in with Gabe. The two of them are a nice couple, and while she has reached her lifetime want this round, he is not far off. I wonder if either of them will roll the wish to get married when spring sets in.
It's all peace, love and harmony at this household now; Alexandra O'Mackey has neither visited nor called. Strangely, although the three household members have been taking turns in looking after their fruit tree and vegetable beds, they don't seem to be successful at gardening; what produce they were able to harvest was "bland". Maybe that is because this neighbourhood doesn't have summer? (Maxis has set the seaons to winter - spring - autumn - winter.)