The Long Way Home. Complete.

[RainBeau]

Agreed. We will be your patient loyal readers.

I keep having to adjust. Since Mariska basically raised him, I keep forgetting that Orange is not her son. So I was quite shocked that he was even able to call her for a date. Then I remembered...but yeah, my Sims are always getting calls from various in-laws to go on dates. It's so bizarre. They have no sense of propriety.

[yruvian]

Agreed. We will be your patient loyal readers.

I keep having to adjust. Since Mariska basically raised him, I keep forgetting that Orange is not her son. So I was quite shocked that he was even able to call her for a date. Then I remembered...but yeah, my Sims are always getting calls from various in-laws to go on dates. It's so bizarre. They have no sense of propriety.

I blinked a couple of times when I saw who the call was from. Mariska, Lemon and Gabriel are getting calls like that very regularly, often from the same sims. This was the first for Orange though.

Don't rush yourself so that you feel worse. We'll be patient. I really like the laundry room. How many days have Mariska and Lemon been together?

I... have no idea. I'll have to start up the game to answer that one, though it will be more than at this point in the story.


And, thanks, both of you. Right now I'm mainly tired, but not dizzy.

I've been thinking and planning about starting an immortal dynasty after this. (Thinking is easier than reading/playing )

[yruvian]

I've finally finished the last skill max I need for this challenge: my riding is also maxed... but, more importantly, our young couple will have a proper indoor wedding this week-end.

I have a lot of building left to do, but at least now I can get back to doing what I like to do most... Paint! It'll be nice to be able to spend some time in the same room as the rest of the household for a change.

The only 'building' that has yet to be unlocked, is the graveyard... and I'm not looking forward to that at all.


Strangely enough, we now have two imaginary friends frequenting the manor again. Both Fluffs (Ben's doll) and Patches (Arthur's) have reappeared, though... neither of them really looks like an imaginary friend. Still, they both are only visible to the owner of the doll. Ben's already trying to make up for lost times... in the hopes of making his father see the truth of his 'insanity'.




He manages quite well... and Fluffs becomes a real boy, right before they both will age up to young adults. Fluffs first thought when he becomes real, is for Majora's feeding bowl, which is rather odd. I'm sure someone has filled it recently. She doesn't eat that much... Or maybe he's just hungry?


I'm not so sure about Fluffs' activities though... Don't dolls burn easily? He actually manages to pick up the handiness skill while repairing the dishwasher too.

(even odder... I can't find the actual dolls anywhere. 1 for Fluffs - 0 for the dishwasher. Yes, I'm hoping the doll unlocks the graveyard, so I don't have to see Mariska die for real <.<. Gabriel has supermaxed cooking while he was working to max out all necessary skills... and with the wishes he gets for painting, it won't be that much longer before he supermaxes that one too.)

[RainBeau]

If you want the doll to unlock the graveyard, why not feed him jelly beans?

[yruvian]

If you want the doll to unlock the graveyard, why not feed him jelly beans?

Too late...

I haven't been playing for a while, just posting the story as far as I have it at the moment. The only thing that I still need to do, is the actual building and finishing up the story line. So someone did unlock the graveyard... and it didn't happen with jelly beans . I just forgot about those for a while, until I started thinking of things that may kill off unneeded mortals in a dynasty. (Yes, my ideas can be quite morbid... but, aside from the 'that would be contemplating murder', it really wouldn't suit the storyline I think I'll be going for. Just thinking up a possible strategy at the moment.)

[yruvian]

After a couple of fails in getting Alexandra Chevallier to move in so we can have a huge party for which she is sure to show up, the university mascot comes calling. Of course, I have to try this! Another chance to learn new things, after I thought I had seen it all! After raiding the bucket and getting acquainted with the llama, I take the aptitude test... and manage to get a perfect score! Now I just have to select a subject... which has just gotten harder. After all, I'll get 18 credits for each one... and all of them sound mighty interesting. I guess all of that skilling has helped prepare me for this.

It will be odd to leave the Lighthearts behind for a couple of weeks, but... I guess they could do with some family time. I'll prepare my needs first, with a nice breakfast and hot shower... and then I'm off to enrol. After all, I'm not too sure whether they'll have the same quality bathrooms as we do. I've gotten rather used to the luxury of the manor.


I... just noticed I'm now able to booby trap the computer. I wonder what the fun in pranking is. I've never really been a child or a teen, so I have never tried it. I'll just buy myself a new flat one to take along to university.

I'm going to start with Technology I think. 2 terms and the maximum number of credits. Let's see if I can get a degree in one journey. Mariska wishes me a great time and a lot of success before I leave. She's even prepared some paintings for me to sell, so I can live in style if I want to. She does warn me to concentrate on studying and not to fall into the partying university students are want to do. *shrugs* As if I would.

[RainBeau]

'A flat one' oh Gabriel is so darling and naive. It's called a laptop, sweeting.

Side note--is he holding hands with the Llama or is that my imagination?

Good luck at University!

[Magz from Oz]

Side note--is he holding hands with the Llama or is that my imagination?

No I think that's just the angle of the screenshot.  Gabe has a smartphone in one hand.

Great update yruvian, i'm glad you're feeling better. 

[PrincessMimi]

Side note--is he holding hands with the Llama or is that my imagination?

Haha. Hahahaha. It DOES look like they're holding hands .

[yruvian]

'A flat one' oh Gabriel is so darling and naive. It's called a laptop, sweeting.

Side note--is he holding hands with the Llama or is that my imagination?

Good luck at University!

"Why would they call it a laptop? Tabletop, sure, but laptop?"

Thankfully EA made sure the laptops cannot be used the unhealthiest way possible: on one's lap. And... I love his naivety .

No I think that's just the angle of the screenshot.  Gabe has a smartphone in one hand.

Great update yruvian, i'm glad you're feeling better. 

Haha. Hahahaha. It DOES look like they're holding hands .

Just some friendly hand-holding, mind you. No romance intended 

[yruvian]

Once I arrive at the university complex, they ask me how I want to live: in a dorm, a fraternity or in a separate house. I want quiet, thank you very much. I'm not very interested in waking up in the middle of the night because some of these students are partying all night! Neither do I care much for cleaning up after 'roomies'. I'm actually looking forward to some privacy for a change... so, I rent out the Dedham Domicile on 202 Melville Road, which just happens to be the largest home available right now.

The place will go through some changes before I'm finished here, I'm sure.


I suddenly remember the dusty old lamp Mariska gave me a while ago. I guess I should clean it up a bit and use it to spice the place up a little.



Well, that was unexpected! The genie told me he will grant three of my wishes... so I guess I'll ask him for some more simoleons to decorate the place further. I wonder how it feels to be stuck in a lamp for your entire life, but right now, I don't have time to socialize with him. So he'll just have to spend more time in the lamp. Don't want him to get in the way of my study time. I will look into a way to free him once I'm home again though.

It's odd... I just realized... when I think of 'home' now, I think of Mariska and her family, not of Mother and my brethren. Even so, I'm still working on my way back, though... it feels less urgent now.




Now that was scary! I've seen a lot of strange things during my life, but I've never seen a sim light up that way! He has been rather charitable though: 100.000 simoleons have been added to my account. That should be enough to change the place enough for my stay over here.

So, I merrily start spending on upgrading the place, the main event being this baby:


On the more practical side of things...
The new floor plans.

On the top floor, you have the bedroom, bathroom, ready room, arcade, laundry, art studio and study.


On the ground floor, the kitchen, dining room, butler's parlour (what, you didn't think I was going to clean up over here, did you?), living room and one room I haven't decided on yet. I'm sure it will be filled up soon enough. If not, there will likely be some purpose for it during one of my future stays here.



Most of the decorations are Masterpieces painted by Mariska.

[yruvian]

Don't rush yourself so that you feel worse. We'll be patient. I really like the laundry room. How many days have Mariska and Lemon been together?

They've been together for 79 days in my game . I just checked.

[Swirl-Girl]

Ooh, updates!
I am still dutifully following along, loving the the story!

[RainBeau]

Wow. Talk about improvements! That is so unlike me. I just don't build. You, obviously, do.

[yruvian]

Ooh, updates!
I am still dutifully following along, loving the the story!

Thank you

Wow. Talk about improvements! That is so unlike me. I just don't build. You, obviously, do.

Thank you

But in truth, I didn't change the house itself. As far as I remember, I only changed wallpapers, floors, stairs (not sure about that even) and the furniture. The outside looks exactly the same as it did when Gabriel moved in (I even left the curtains, to keep the exterior look identical).

I couldn't really force Gabriel to sleep in a cheap bed after getting used to the mansion's comfort, could I? I also think that Super Sleeper is one of the best EA store items I've ever bought. Unlike most other store stuff, I think I will be using that one a whole lot . Aside from the Monte Vista stove, I think it's just about the best premium content I have. (Though... I haven't tried out everything I have yet. Starting to get quite a nice collection of premium items <.<. Buuuut... the latest interesting ones are a bit out of budget for the moment. Not really interested in Aurora Skies, but... the nursery items? Want.)