Author Topic: The Long Way Home. Complete.  (Read 77256 times)

Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (45) No more toddlers...
« Reply #105 on: February 09, 2013, 04:24:50 AM »

Little Ben is going to grow out of his crib today... Can you imagine that? I hardly can... I still remember his birth so well... Maybe that's because of the sheer amount of events happening at the same day, but I doubt it. Mariska and Lemon must feel this even worse than I do, being the parents and all. I already fear the day the little birds will fly the nest.




From today on, Mariska will be home alone during the day... but I doubt she'll have trouble filling her days. She's really bent on her gardening now... and she would love to try her hand at elixirs before she ages into an elder. Aside from that, she really would love to practice her painting and sculpting again... because, as she reminded me only this morning, it's not that long before my final birthday. The final pieces of my little gallery will be made soon.

With Benjamin now too big for the crib, his parents will be moving upstairs as well. I've already prepared the first bedroom for them, so at least they'll have the privacy they should have as the only real couple in the house.

Ben, of course, will be moving into the empty bunk in the hallway upstairs, with the rest of us. Like his brother before him, becoming a child also gives him a steel bladder. No one who lives in this house still needs toilets. It gives us all that much more time to do more important things. Like party!

The ballroom definitely serves its goal today. I'll be more than happy once we're able to move the large parties to another lot. It leaves so much of a mess... and even with two maids, they don't seem able to contain the rubbish.

Lemon finally finished his athletics skill, something he's been working towards for several days. I think he wants to prevent the ageing process from making him all baggy and stuff. I don't know whether it's pride or a fear of losing Mariska.

At least everyone's picking up things much faster now, thanks to the skill gain drinks I mix up every morning. It's great to get my mixology up... and it helps the rest of the household reach their own skilling goals quicker as well.


Orange gathered his courage... and asked Lucky to the prom. Of course, she agreed to go... and so he took things just a step further. We now officially have two couples in the house. I think it's really cute, the way these two act around each other.

I guess the next room will be one for them, though I'm pretty sure Mariska prefers them to stick to bunk beds. *grins* For a Hopeless Romantic, she doesn't like the young ones to get too comfy. But the kids need privacy just as well.

(Strangely enough, there's still regularly two maids working at the same time. Both of them get paid too... At this party, there were two females: one redhead, one blond. The redhead was paid and left about two hours before the blond one. So far, they've never finished at the same time.)

Offline RainBeau

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Re: The Long Way Home. (45) No more toddlers...
« Reply #106 on: February 09, 2013, 09:07:04 AM »
They look cute matching. I agree with Mariska, they don't need their own room yet! They can wait until they grow up!
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By samoht04



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Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (45) No more toddlers...
« Reply #107 on: February 11, 2013, 08:39:09 AM »
They look cute matching. I agree with Mariska, they don't need their own room yet! They can wait until they grow up!
I would agree with that too. Can't be too careful... but Gabriel really doesn't see the harm.

Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (46)
« Reply #108 on: February 11, 2013, 08:45:38 AM »

Citrus and I have found another thing to do together. He has been reading the book I bought at the consignment shop and is extremely willing to be my sparring partner. It's quite good for stress relief too!



A free clinic at the graveyard... though there's nothing grave about this place... These sims do have the oddest illnesses and i have to admit... I prefer this over vaccinations any time. I'm the doctor, after all... so I know what I'm doing. So none of them even complains when I tease them a bit.

Only three patients today though. I guess the vaccines did their duty after all. These outings would be a lot more fun without the constant rain however. We've obviously hit the rain season... I'm wet and cold when I return home.


Mariska tells me I shouldn't repair electrical stuff while in a puddle. It's very dangerous. *sighs* Fine, but if I don't repair the dishwasher, who will? Some of the others have a bit of handiness, but if this is a dangerous thing to do, I would prefer it if they stayed away from it.

My witch friend frowns. "I'll start learning Handiness tomorrow, Gabriel. After all, I'm the only one who's at home all day, so I have the time for repairs. Don't count on me for upgrades though! I'm just doing this so you won't get killed during this challenge of yours!" With a huff, she leaves for her bedroom. *shakes head in surprise* And to think I was starting to believe I understood Sims...

Offline RainBeau

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Re: The Long Way Home. (46)
« Reply #109 on: February 11, 2013, 11:52:55 AM »
I enjoy this story. Gabriel puts me in mind of a classic character like the Doctor, always trying to understand humans. And hey, he is a doctor! What are the odds?
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By samoht04

Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (46)
« Reply #110 on: February 11, 2013, 12:30:55 PM »
I enjoy this story. Gabriel puts me in mind of a classic character like the Doctor, always trying to understand humans. And hey, he is a doctor! What are the odds?
His being a doctor wasn't really planned, he just threw that wish right after the hospital was build ;). I guess my game must agree with you...

Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (47) Prom night
« Reply #111 on: February 12, 2013, 04:20:40 AM »


The morning after I repair the dishwasher finds Mariska in the library... learning Handiness. It would go faster if she'd waited until I made her some skill drinks. I already know that it's useless to try and talk her out of this. She may even get all sensitive about it. She already accused me of wanting to keep females to 'female' activities. I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut... even though Lucky is actually the second best handyman in the house, while Orange is the second cook.

*shrugs* I don't really understand why she's so touchy about learning skills. I've never really kept her from skilling in anything. Quite the opposite even. I love to see anyone in the house increase their abilities in any way, so her accusation came out of nowhere.

I do believe I understand her reason to take up another skill though: the plants in the garden have gone dormant, so she won't be gardening that much for a while. By the way, she managed to max out her gardening on her latest trip to the greenhouse, so I doubt she'll be interested in a lot more of that...

I think Mariska is a bit addicted to skilling, really. Maybe it's because I'm doing so much of it that she's curious enough to do the same. Of course, she isn't interested in all of the skills. She stays away from any athletic or logical equipment we have and doesn't even try to make her own meals.

All three of the teenagers are attending prom tonight... Citrus didn't ask the grand question of his romantic interest, Mary Little, but I hope he'll have fun regardless. Raphael promised me he'd keep me informed of the youngsters' actions, just so I would know before Mariska and Lemon if something untoward happens. I may even be able to get the three of them out of trouble if necessary.

"Your little couple is really cute together, you know. Those two only have eyes for each other. I think giving the boy that potion may just be one of the smartest things you've ever done!"

"Thanks, Raph," I mutter, a bit insulted.

"But they can't win against Citrus in popularity! Even without a date, he's still voted prom king! Again. Your best friend really has it made with the teenagers on Redemption. They simply adore him." *smiles*

"Uh oh. Citrus was checking out someone else's date and they started to fight. I hope that won't kill the relationships in high school! You have to start keeping an eye on him, Gabriel... He's been looking for a way to set some booby traps as well! Thankfully, there's a lot of teachers attending the Prom." *sighs* Maybe he has changed when he became a teenager after all.



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Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (48) A day of leisure and a birthday
« Reply #112 on: February 12, 2013, 01:30:29 PM »
I just got some troubling news. It seems one of the elder inhabitants of Redemption Isle will not be with us much longer. Harmony Song told me she is getting ready to meet the Reaper. I wish Grim wouldn't come for 'my' people, but I guess I can't keep him from his duties.

Today is an odd day for us... It's just the three of us. It seems Lemon and I both have the day off. It's our first one too, aside from week-ends, so I'm sure he appreciates it as much as I do. Maybe I should take some time off of making drinks and practising my guitar to spend time with him... but his office called him back in for work last night, so he's probably going to sleep through most of the day.



Mariska suddenly comes up to me and interrupts my practice! At first, I think she just wants to pick up our friendship again... but in the end, she just really wants to paint me. According to her, She's missed having me pose for her. It makes me wonder yet again at the odd way her mind works, but I'm not complaining. Any excuse to spend some time with her is welcome to me at this point.





And look who's joining us as an adult! It doesn't really come as a surprise to me that he would do it at the pool table. The man really seems to spend most of his time there recently. I have played against him once or twice, but I fail to see the sheer addiction the table has for him. He's hard pressed to get off it even to eat and hit the showers!

It seems Lemon's preoccupation with mosquitoes has finally left him. It's quite nice to finally be able to see his face. After a swift trip to the dresser, he comes out a new man, though there is one outfit he doesn't touch. His 'athletic' outfit is actually his old police officer uniform, which still has the original colours. I guess Lemon is just plainly proud to be a cop... and I can't say I blame him either. Having him around sure is a big morale booster for the rest of the community. It seems they feel much safer just knowing there is a super spy on the job.

I could actually hear Mariska arguing with him over too much yellow... and to actually take white as a secondary colour, because... it makes us all look much more of a unit if we all have white as the main colour. *smirks* Maybe we won't be such a ragtag fishing gang next time the family goes out for fish together!

(lol. I love the sounds and moves he makes when practising mixology. I've never used that skill much in my games, but it's a lot of fun.)
(Citrus has been busy lately: nearly everything that can be, has been booby trapped. I haven't seen him do it, but, since he's the only one of the kids that regularly gets a wish to place a booby trap, I'm rather sure it was him <.<)
(Lifetime achievements added to the list of those that have the points: Office Hero, Professional Slacker, Entrepreneurial Mindset and Multi-tasker. Mariska only gets Multi-Tasker, because... she doesn't have a job, nor will she ever have one. Gabriel adds the 'Better Mixologist' to his own.)

Offline RainBeau

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Re: The Long Way Home. (48) A day of leisure and a birthday
« Reply #113 on: February 12, 2013, 02:36:05 PM »
But if she doesn't have a job, why does she need multi-tasker? As I understand it, all that does is raise your job or school performance faster.

Happy birthday to Lemon! I wonder why Mariska is acting so strange...
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By samoht04

Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (48) A day of leisure and a birthday
« Reply #114 on: February 13, 2013, 06:36:38 AM »
But if she doesn't have a job, why does she need multi-tasker? As I understand it, all that does is raise your job or school performance faster.

Happy birthday to Lemon! I wonder why Mariska is acting so strange...
Because I had to give her something ;). Multi-tasking in real life helps with everything, so at least it sounded appropriate enough.

Maybe she's just tired of being home all alone all the time... and Lemon was asleep most of the day. When she interrupted Gabriel, he was the only other person awake in the house. I didn't even realize Lemon was up when the screen suddenly panned to him having his birthday.

Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (49) Citrus brings home a 'friend'
« Reply #115 on: February 13, 2013, 06:43:17 AM »

Another day, another emergency... This time I am going to check the health situation at the military base... and I immediately notice a certain lack in the build. My mistake... and I rectify it immediately. After all, we can't have any possible recruits without a proper toilet to clean, right? I add this little shack to the side, so they can put those tooth brushes to good use.

(He needed the second door in the military building underneath... and I hadn't noticed it actually was a door. So Gabriel is now in effect testing his own building skills ;).)




Finally, young Citrus has gathered his courage! He asked Mary Little over after school... and started working on their relationship a bit more. It seems he's found another Family Oriented sim on the island too! It's been a while since the prom where they fell in love, but I think their school days have been spend gazing into each other's eyes.

I've overheard Lemon and Mariska worry about Citrus... They were starting to think he was never going to find someone to care for. At least now they'll be put at ease. I suppose they forgot about Mary after so many days without another word about her.

Benjamin decided he also wants to become a vocal legend, just like his youngest uncle. I... think we may be getting more performers onto the island than serious people. Even so, if that's what he wants to do, who are we to stop him?

Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (49) Citrus brings home a 'friend'
« Reply #116 on: February 13, 2013, 09:15:15 AM »
All buildings that have been build at this point in the story are now also shown in the Building Redemption-thread. Now that the build-thread is up to date with the story, I'll try and keep both of them at the same point in time, so the build-thread will not be updated nearly daily any more.

Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (50)
« Reply #117 on: February 13, 2013, 09:48:15 AM »
And with that, it's Friday again! I dread this week-end however, as it's one with more than one birthday again.

Even though I haven't maxed out cooking yet, I've finished two of its challenges without even trying. One more level to go... and another skill reaches its end. I should be more careful about making fish/meat recipies though, as Orange is a vegetarian... and he's getting sick every time I forget.


I also believe the inhabitants of Redemption Isle are getting to know me... These two items were in the mail for me. I suppose it's not much of a surprise that I'm partial to sunflowers when you look around the mansion... The ballroom alone sports eight of those vases. It's just such a cheery flower, you know. And... it always turns towards Mother, which kind of reminds me of home.

Something must be wrong with the heating system at the school I think. The teens have had to fix the boiler several times already, sometimes even together. I wonder what's going on in there...

Offline Magz from Oz

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Re: The Long Way Home. (49) Citrus brings home a 'friend'
« Reply #118 on: February 13, 2013, 03:30:58 PM »
I love sunflowers too.  I enjoyed your update.  That school boiler has been on the fritz for years.  High time they just replaced it! ;)
Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

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Offline yruvian

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Re: The Long Way Home. (49) Citrus brings home a 'friend'
« Reply #119 on: February 14, 2013, 06:21:56 AM »
I love sunflowers too.  I enjoyed your update.  That school boiler has been on the fritz for years.  High time they just replaced it! ;)
I don't really like the real life sunflowers, but I just love them in Sims 3.

lol. Yes, that school boiler really has seen better years. I don't think I've ever had a game where it didn't need to be repaired at least once (for games when I had teens, that is).

 

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