For the previous chapter at his household, you can click here.
It is a Sunday in mid-winter when we return to the Rileys. Maybe you remember the somewhat unusual setup of this family; if not, let me briefly remind you of who lives here, and what their relations are:
Here is Etsu Riley, nee Cho. Her mother Vivian has long died. She was considerably older than her second husband, Timothy Riley. After Vivian's death, Timothy found out he had feelings for Etsu other than what he should have towards his adoptive daughter. I didn't really like it, but three bolts are three bolts - and they weren't blood-relatives, anyway - so I allowed Etsu and Timothy to act upon their strong attraction for each other and marry. Timothy died last round.
Sally Riley, Timothy's daughter and "big sis" to Etsu during their childhood and youth, is still here as well. After she reached her LTW last round, she was finally ready to settle down with her 3-bolt-man Hal Capp. Hal took the Riley surname when they got married. Originally, Hal had moved in as Etsu's boyfriend... they had a son together, Charlie Cho, but Hal and Sally were never able to deny how they felt about each other. It took everyone (including myself!) a while to get adusted to the love carousel at this household, but they are all fine now.
Etsu and Hal's son Charlie has just graduated Summa Cum Laude in Philosophy and moves back in with his family. Etsu is proud of his great results at uni, and hopes her son will reach his LTW of becoming City Planner soon.
In the afternoon, Clover Newson (one of Tybal Capp's plantchildren-turned-human who married into the Newson family) passes by this afternoon and is greeted by Sally.
Unlike other households, here I have them greet not only the playables, but also every townie that walks by. Charlie has the Silver Cosmetology Badge and I would very much like to see him with a Gold Badge - I don't think I've ever had that in my game before, and so I give him as many opportunities for practising as possible.
It's green hair for Clover Newson - Charlie thinks it suits him, and Clover is delighted with his new look, too :-)
But haven't we forgotten someone else who lives here? Not forgotten, no. Just waited for them to get up :-) This is Meike Riley, Sally and Hal's daughter.
Stephen Riley is Etsu and Timothy's child. So, through Sally (being Timothy's biological daughter and Stephen's much older half-sister), the children are related - just don't ask me what they are! Neither half-siblings nor cousins, that's for sure.
Meike likes to be in the limelight and entertains her mother and Charlie in the living room.
Stephen is a much quieter child and prefers having his mother read him a story.
Meike meets and greets Giselle Goth (one of Alexander Goth's half-Alien twins)...
...and Caroline Capp.
One of her wishes on Monday was to learn physiology. She is a bright child and learns quickly.
There are several toys dotted around the house. This brick is one of the most popular ones.
Coming home from school, Stephen happily presents his first A+ report.
The three elderly Sims in this household are all on PermaPlat and so I only control them to make sure passers-bys are greeted and the bills are paid. Perseida Powers and Castanea Landgraab (background) are on the guest list this Monday afternoon.
Charlie really liked the green hair on Clover Newson, and proceeds to do something similar for Castanea. She is another one of Tybalt's plantchildren and has unfortunately inherited his down-turned mouth. But when she smiles at her new look, she looks pretty!
On Tuesday morning, Charlie finds a job in the architectural career. He is now a Draftsman.
Before school, Steve and Meike play upstairs in their room.
Melody Tinker is greeted by Hal Capp like a long lost friend. I can't remember now whether they knew each other at uni or something.
Next on today's guest list is Pleasant Servo. and I find out that you can't give Servos a makeover with the cosmetology chair.
Zoe Zimmermann appears at the same time as the school bus. It is Meike's turn today to bring home her first A+ report.
Steve makes a snow angel on his own accord.
Early on Wednesday morning, I catch Etsu tucking her little boy in. I know it's just a computer game, but I find this and the fact that Sim-children hug their parents when they come home from work rather touching.
Charlie is promoted to Architect.
Hal's day as a Celebrity Chef didn't go so well. He took the wrong decision with a chance card and was demoted. Never mind - he remains on Permanent Platinum, and by the looks of him you wouldn't think anything went amiss today.
It is Thursday morning and the computer downstairs has broken down. Charlie successfully fixes it. He needs more mechanical skill anyway, so I have him do such jobs instead of calling the repair service.
Hal surprises me by taking care of the old newspapers that have been accumulating on the front porch.
Shaun Singles has been walking by, and before he is even greeted by anyone, he salvages the trash can (and finds something to eat... yuck!).
Meike has brought home Giselle Goth from school. Charlie can't believe the little girl is telling her class mate about the time when her parents got married, and the unusual setup of the family! Giselle clearly can't make head or tail of this story.
Hal is back to Celebrity Chef already.
On Friday morning, a convenient bug I have observed several times in my game means Meike maximizes her body skill within minutes by skipping rope.
In the afternoon, before they get down to their homework, Meike and Steven happily play with their firefighters' car. This will be the last time you get to see them as children.
Charlie has been promoted to Architectural Planner.
Within seconds of each other, Meike and Steve turn into teenagers. Meike ends up with the Popularity Aspiration and the LTW of becoming The Law, while Steve turns out to be a Fortune Sim who dreams of being a Space Pirate.
Here's another shot of our latest New Maximiliania's teens.
It is Saturday, and Steve makes use of his free time by playing The Sims 3.
Nothing much happens today. The only thing worth mentioning is Charlie giving Meike a new pair of specs.
How much longer until Charlie will finally have his Golden Badge for Cosmetology? It seems to be taking forever!
Is Etsu going to find another man to love? She has constantly been rolling wants for flirting and kissing, although about nobody in particular, and she does not know any single men her age.
Will Charlie soon be on Permanent Platinum, too, and what about his non-existent love life?
Are Steve and Meike going to go to college?
This is the house originally assigned by Maxis to Connor Weir and his friend, Geoff Rutherford. Things have changed 'round here, however; Geoff has long since married Lavender Greenman (one of Rose Greenman's plantchildren) and moved to another place with her. Connor was unhappily in love until he finally met his 3-bolt-lady while holidaying on Twikii Island: native Carla Reamon, who became the first (and so far, only) non-Maximilianian allowed to become a playable. Eventually, when Carla rolled the wish, the two of them were married, and Connor took Carla's surname.
All this happened a long time ago, and now the two of them enjoy their elderhood together. Both are on Permanent Platinum, and so there are only a few incidents where I control them: When another New Maximilianian walks by, I make one of them go out and greet them, and I make sure the bills are paid and the fridge is stocked. Very rarely, I will also accomodate one of their wishes.
Carla is still in her 50s when this week starts.
Connor is considerably older than his sweetheart; he is now 74. What does this week have in store for them?
Carla makes omelettes for breakfast on her own accord.
When it comes to personal hygiene, she is not that good if left to her own devices; more often than not, she will rather just brush her teeth when actually she could do with a bath or shower.
Their 3 bolts changed to 2 when they turned into elders, but Connor and Carla are still as much in love as before, and often hug and kiss.
Connor likes to spend time at the computer; he gives financial advice or simply chats with someone (I like to think it is his with his old friend Geoff).
On this wintery Monday, first Dina Caliente...
...and then Cherry Capp walk by and are duly greeted.
Once she is outside, Carla starts building a snowman. For this native from sunny Twikii Island, snow is still a novelty, after all these years! She can't cope with the cold very well, though, and heads back indoors before the snowman is finished...
...straight to the bar to warm up with a stiff drink.
Later, she has just decided on cleaning the bathroom, when in their bedroom...
...Connor is approached by a guy in a hooded cloak, wearing a flower garland, and two ladies who look as if they were relatives or Carla's. Well, they have nothing to do with Carla - it is of course Mr. Reaper and his Hula Girls, come to hand Connor his very last cocktail. He was 75.
Carla grieves the love of her life. Now she is a widow... what will she do? If it was possible in the game, I would have her retire to Twikkii Island, but you know she can't live there anymore, only acquire a vacation home. But I have a different idea.
Carla's original LTW was to have 20 best friends, and so she still has many best friends in the neighbourhood. Some of them are elders like herself, and have no family or business responsibilities. She invites two of them over: the Larson twins. Jason and Jodie accept her invitation to move in with her. That's three single elderly Sims on Permanent Platinum in the household now.
And there is a fourth Sim joining the group: Sharon Wirth. Do you remember her sad story? Sharon used to live with her sister, Hannah Bell, and Hannah's family - husband Issac and son Daniel. One day, Daniel's computer broke, and when he tried to repair it, he was not only electrocuted, but the computer burst into flames. When his father tried to rescue Daniel, both perished in the flames. Hannah was so depressed that she lost the will to live and died not long afterwards. Sharon had some affairs, but never found "The One" for her.
With her and the Larson twins having joined the already wealthy household, this becomes the first household in New Maximiliania to have more than 1 million Simoleons!
The new housemates get along well. There could even be something in the air for Jason and Sharon.
Even Jodie, who always has an air of aloofness, makes an effort to be part of the new "family".
Dina Caliente is still there. She has witnessed Connor's death and the move-in of Carla's friends. Maybe she is waiting for an invitation extended to her? But she is not good enough friends with any of the household members.
Early Tuesday morning, Carla takes out the trash.
Here we go again! It looks like she has never overcome the traumatic experience of the previous round, when a bug infestation dominated the Reamons' lives for most of the week.
Sharon can cook perfectly well, and the fridge is of course full, but she prefers stale omelette.
Jodie diescovers Connor's guitar on the patio.
The Larsons have brought their portraits with them when they moved in. I am pleased to see that the portraits of Jodie, Jason and Ajay Loner (who was Jodie's partner) have survived the move.
Carla spends a lot of time at the piano these days. Well, better that than at the bar!
Jodie does not cook, either, but at least she clears up the dirty dishes.
Dina Caliente is back. Maybe she has not given up yet on her plan to become friends good enough to be asked to move in.
Perseida Powers is next.
On Wednseday morning, I find Jason and Sharon in conversation... this looks good!
But then Sharon decides she rather clean one of the bathrooms, and their relationship does not develop any further.
Yes, it's another bug infestation!
Isn't that young girl cold in her sleeveless dress? Carla seems to wonder about Dora Dreamer.
This Wednesday afternoon, Sharon dies at the age of 77. Maybe it is better that Jason never got involved with her romantically; her death would hit him much harder then, I think.
Dora has had a very good upbringing. She was taught to help others when she can, especially if they are elderly people and clearly unable to cope with their housework. Jason greets Tara Gieke.
And he is intelligent enough to put the trashbin upright again! (Too late to avert the bug infestation, though.)
Poor Carla! Within three days, she has lost her husband and her close friend.
On Thursday, Jason discovers the bar.
Carla greets Gallagher Newson.
He seems to know more about dealing with bugs than Carla, and gets a can of spray out. However, he does not spray long enough for the bugs to die.
Look at what a mess the garden is on Friday morning! Weeds everywhere, overgrown shrubs and hedges, and a hole dug up by a stray dog - not to mention old newspapers and bugs, which you can't see in this picture. Inside, the house does not look much better. Since Sharon's death two days ago, nobody has done any cleaning.
Olivia Ottomas walks by and is greeted by Carla.
Later, Carla has her first shower in days!
On Saturday morning, a magic lamp is left on the patio. Everyone here is on Permanent Platinum anyway, and there is more money than they will ever need, so the lamp will simply sit there.
The first thunderstorm of the year sweeps through New Max in the evening, and unluckily, Carla is hit by lightning. Now all her needs are bright red or orange. What will she do first?
Head to the bar, of course - what did you expect!
I am sure if I had been hit by lightning, a drink at the bar and brushing my teeth would not be my first actions.
Neither would be playing fetch with a wolf.
It takes her until Sunday before Carla finally has a bath.
That was one strange week! Apart from the omelettes on Monday morning, nobody cooked a meal all week. Jason and Jodie still work and so had their meals at work. Carla dealt with her hunger by having one drink after the other. When first Connor and then Sharon died, she seemed to lose the ability (or the will) to behave reasonably, as if she was thinking "who cares".
Jason and Jodie are now 80, and I'm afraid they won't last very long into the next round. What will Carla do when she will be left on her own once more?
