Rodney Scott - Week 1

You have probably all seen this, the smallest Maxis-made house, at some point in your game or in the lots and houses catalogue. It is hardly fit for habitation, because if you put a bed in, then you have no room for a table and chairs, and the other way round. But let's have a look, shall we?

Next to the front door (bottom middle) is a side table with a telephone. To the left, a toilet and sink. Further up (we're moving around clockwise) are a fridge and a counter with another sink. The cheapest stove sits by the back door, and out through that door and down a few steps is an outdoor shower. Back inside, we find another side table and a wood-burning stove in the corner. A single bed could just about fit in the bottom right corner, but then that would be it.
Who moves into such an impractical, tiny place, you may wonder?

It is Rodney Scott, ex townie who has recently become a resident New Maximilianian.

He has only just started his adult life and works as a Horoscope Writer, but what he really wants is to become Celebrity Chef - not unusual for a Romance Sim.

Mr. Humble has left his customary parcel with the computer on the doorstep, and the only empty corner in the house is now filled with a cheap desk and chair so that Rodney can look for a job in the culinary career (without success on this Monday).

The phone rings, and one of the handful of townie friends he has invites him out for a group outing. He accepts, of course, and since cooking is not only his dream career but also on his mind right now as he has not yet eaten, Copur Kitchen Cook-Off is the chosen venue.

While I am watching everybody and am on the lookout for any so far unknown townies, Clarence Gavigan serves chef salad for everyone.

He later adds hamburgers to the menue, and I witness a Contessa turning Calendula Capp into a vampire! Hopefully, vampirism won't be spreading through New Max now; it can be quite difficult to keep a vampire at his or her career, or make them look after children and pets properly.

Anyway, Rodney goes home soon afterwards, and shifts his furniture around so that he can put up a bed for his first night at his own place.

Here he is, bright and early on Tuesday morning. The foldaway bed may not be the most comfortable option, but it was alright.
Before he even gets dressed, Rodney looks again for a position in the culinary career, and again is not successful.

Back from his work at the paper, he first pays the usual Tuesday bills and then tackles the pile of leaves near the path.

Uh-oh... this looks bad!

Really bad!

Several hours and two burnt trees later, it is time to say good-bye to poor Rodney.
I have not had a fire in my game in a while, and certainly did not intend to be this newcomer's stint in New Max so short, but there you go.

There is another Sim with the surname Scott already living in the neighbourhood - we will visit her next.

The Riley Family - Week 4

Click here for week 3 with this family.

After almost two years in real life, we are finally back at my very special family in this game: The Rileys! Not only do they share my real surname, and the first names of myself as well as the other members of the Riley family - last round, they also moved into "my" house, or a house as close to my real life place as I can make it.

Here is Meike with her... niece or something, Jean. This Meike has never really looked like me, but we used to have a similar hairstyle and specs. Now my hair is white and shorter - at 54, as a Sim I would be elderly now, but the Sim-Meike has not yet reached that stage.

Little Jean is the half-Alien daughter of Stephen Riley, born last round. Stephen and Meike are something like great-cousins or half-siblings; their family tree is complicated!

Here is Stephen with his wife Wilma, who is the half-Alien daughter of William Williamson, an original Maxis-made playable student and long gone.

Meike has a son with Shane Cho, Alan. The boy seems to be sleeping with his eyes open!

Stephen and Wilma have another daughter, their first born, Mary. She was born naturally, but through her mother, she is of Alien descent as well.

Meike and Stephen are on Permanent Platinum, but i still control them since there are children in the house, and I don't want anything to go wrong with this family.

This Monday sees THREE birthdays! Alan is first.
He becomes a teenager just as he finishes a shower, hence the picture with walls down.
My dice decides on his aspiration being Fortune - rather fitting, considering what I know about the real-life Alan Riley (who died in 1980 or thereabouts). His lifetime want is to become Hall of Famer.

Then, little Jean grows up - no more potty and crib, no more changing table and smart milk bottles for her!
Things in Mary's room are changed a little so that there is room for two beds to accomodate both sisters.

Last but not least, Mary is now a teenager! Her aspiration is Family, and she wants to become Chief of  Staff some day in the future.
And although none of the youngsters has rolled a lifetime want that involves having children, you know they will have them - the Riley name has to be continued.

Here are our freshly hatched teens, enjoying bowls of chili together. Alan expresses his wish for the two of them to remain best friends. And what shall I say - before the meal is over, these two are in love big style! They are not related, as amazing as that seems, considering their family tree, and so it wil be those two to carry the family to the next generation, if my plans for them work out.

What with her birthday and all, Jean's sleeping pattern is not yet where it should be, and so she is up very early on Tuesday morning. I take advantage of that and change her hair colour and style (the real Jean Riley is blond) as well as her outfit, and then send her for a nap so that she will be well rested when it is time to go to school.

It is the first day of snow this winter.

The teens return home two hours before Jean. Their first stop is the wombrat. Everybody in this house loves Panda, and the family often roll wishes about playing with Panda - even wishes about cleaning the cage!

Wilma returns home with her final promotion: She is now Mad Scientist and has achieved her lifetime want, 7 days from elderhood. Congratulations! Now all three adults in the house are on Permanent Platinum, but I shall still direct them as long as there are kids to look after.

Speaking of kids, Mary and Alan find a whole new way of raising that low after-school fun level.

In the evening, each household retreats to their own space. Upstairs, Alan has his tea with his Mum.

Downstairs, the three "girls" eat together; Stephen is out working.

He comes home late with Gesine Landgraab in tow. Another busy day at the Riley house ends.

I find Mary with this funny graphics bug early on Wednesday morning - last thing before going to bed, she had been cleaning the shower, and apparently the "squeaky clean" bubbles have been following her to bed!

Later that morning, the Gypsy Lady leaves a magic lamp on the porch. Immediately, all three children wish to make a wish - none of the adults roll that wish, probably because they are all on Permanent Platinum already.

These two have just had their very first kiss, up in Meike's bedroom :-)

Alan is first to rub the magic lamp and make a wish. He is a Fortune Sim and so wishing for wealth would come natural, but the family already have more money than they will ever need. The real Alan Riley died young (in his 50s, several decades before I entered the family, and so I never had a chance to meet him), and so I have the boy wish for a long life. Stupidly, his wish is granted right away, setting his age back to the first day of teenager - now he is four "years" younger than Mary, although they were born the same day. It's not really a problem, but I did not intend that.

For Meike, Thursday begins with a spot of reading in her favourite yellow armchair.

Today is Jean's turn to make a wish with the genie. She has wished for peace of mind - and her wish is granted instantly, as she learns it is Snow Day and she does not have to go to school :-)
With the genie also listening, Steve reads to her out on the patio until they get too cold and I send them in (the genie disappears into his lamp, of course).

Alan and Mary both rolled the wish to go steady with each other - my plan for them seems to be working out!

Early on Friday morning, I catch Meike thinking about getting engaged. So far, she has not rolled a single want about the father of her son (Shane Cho), but spring has begun today, so who knows!

It may be spring according to the calendar, but the layer of snow is still as thick as in winter when Steve and Wilma find a way to not feel the cold outside.

Jean jumps off the school bus with her very first A+ report!

Her Dad is delighted and very proud of his little girl.

Of course, big sis needs to be told, too, and is duly impressed.

There is no school on Saturday, and nobody has to go to work, either - the perfect day to send the Rileys to a community lot. As Mary's wardrobe is seriously lacking in choice, the taxi is to take them to where that can be remedied.

H&M is that place, and after Mary has made not only her own choice but also bought some outfits for Alan and her little sister Jean, the taxi is called again to take them back home again.

Here is Mary in one of her new outfits, thinking of getting engaged one day - and she already knows who her future fiancé is going to be!

Speaking of Alan, he mooches around in the downstairs living room. What's his problem? Well, his Mum has invited his Dad over. Meike and Shane rekindle their friendship and love with several kisses and some flirting, while Alan feels a little left out. He does get along well enough with his father, and can even hug him. But when he attempts a son-and-father-kiss, Shane doesn't want that.

Never mind! It is Sunday, and here is Alan in the new guitar t-shirt Mary chose for him yesterday. Whether the relationship with his father will improve over time remains to be seen.

Meike spends some quiet time at the computer before the car pool comes to take her to work.

Stephen swings Jean around.

With Meike at work and Stephen busy elsewhere in the house, Alan and Mary hang out in the living room, soon joined by Jean, and with Wilma reading the paper at leisure.

Let me end this week with the Rileys showing you Jean having fun before bed time.
It was a busy week but very enjoyable to play, especially since this is "my" house and the Rileys are "my" family.

Next time I play this household, the adults will turn into elders right on the first day of the week. I plan to send the teenagers to uni, hoping they will not fall in love with other students there but remain together.