The Hardy Legacy – Elderbough House (chapter 32 posted)

[SimPenguin]

The Hardy Legacy – Elderbough House

This is my first ever Legacy. I was completely overwhelmed at the thought of doing an Immortal Dynasty Challenge right out of the gate, so I’m just sticking to the simple rules of the Pinstar Legacy Challenge. I’m trying to do a little storytelling to make this palatable to others and guide my gameplay, but my main goal is just to log a (hopefully) successful Legacy. Have mercy on me…  It’s my first try and I’m not a brilliant storyteller.

My set up is as follows:

Pinstar Legacy Challenge Rules with the Matriarchy restriction. I have a short list of Carl’s Immortal Dynasty goals that I might try and reach for personal challenge, but I’m not going to stop the Legacy if anyone fails to reach them. I only mention it because it will probably come up in the storytelling.

I pitched camp in Moonlight Falls at 29 S Falls Ave (which is the sanctioned spot in Carl's Immortal Dynasty Challenge) -- I tried to comply with the rules as I understand them, which is that since this lot is a lot less than $14,700, I went into edit town first and filled the lot with landscaping. Then, when my sim bought the land I had $1300 to work with. I chose to build the "burnt out" house you will see in the story with that money and my sim has basically started the game with $90 in her pocket.

All expansions up to Seasons installed – All supernaturals except witches are turned off in settings and I cleansed Moonlit Falls of those supernaturals before beginning (with an EA mailbox cheat). The full lunar cycle and seasonal spread are selected at default lengths. I only added one lot to the town before starting - The movie lot. Moonlit Falls is completely EA standard other than that.  Edit: When the University EP was released, I added the coffee house and bowling alley to the town.

Chapter Guide

FIRST GENERATION

Chapter One: A New Beginning At The Old Homestead
Chapter Two: Making Do
Chapter Three: Settling In
Chapter Four: I Don’t Know How To Love Him
Chapter Five: Did I say No? I Meant Yes
Chapter Six: Finally, A Home
Chapter Seven: Desperation
Chapter Eight: September Song
Chapter Nine: Going Through The Motions
Chapter Ten: Empty Nest
Chapter Eleven: A New Phase
Chapter Twelve: With Or Without You
Chapter Thirteen: The Flock Returns To The Nest
Chapter Fourteen: A Dream Of The Past
Chapter Fifteen: A Fresh Start

SECOND GENERATION

Chapter Sixteen: The Heiress Apparent Returns
Chapter Seventeen: The Parting Glass
Chapter Eighteen: The Next Generation
Chapter Nineteen: Carpe Diem
Chapter Twenty: Bridgid Takes the Helm
Chapter Twenty One: This Is Why You Run A Background Check
Chapter Twenty Two: Growing Spurts
Chapter Twenty Three: The Dog Days of Summer
Chapter Twenty Four: Paths
Chapter Twenty Five: The Long Snow Day
Chapter Twenty Six: The Field is Properly Played
Chapter Twenty Seven: The Family Digs Out

THIRD GENERATION

Chapter Twenty Eight: THIRD GENERATION - CALEDONIA HARDY
Chapter Twenty Nine: Clouds With Silver Linings
Chapter Thirty: Tarnished Silver
Chapter Thirty One: I Would Not Advise This IRL
Chapter Thirty Two: Just Remember How Easy It Is To Get A Divorce In This Town

[SimPenguin]

Chapter One: A New Beginning At The Old Homestead

Alex Hardy was at a crossroads. She had grown up in Sunset Valley in a large, loving (if a bit mad) family, but the recent death of her fiancé and a general lack of direction in her life had left her feeling at loose ends. She had a strong desire to strike out on her own and try something new. As she sat weeping one night into a pint of Hagen Das, she realized she never had anything that was completely her own. In large, boisterous families such as her own, possessions were community property, momentum decided things for you, and the family came first. Well, that wasn't completely true, she recanted…  There was one thing that belonged just to her - As the oldest daughter she had inherited her dead mother's ancestral home, Elderbough House.



She had never visited it herself, but her mother had told her stories about the proud matriarchy that had run it for 10 generations. Her mother’s passion for her heritage had led Alex to feel for it as deeply as her mother had, even though she had never known any of women who carried the line before her. The line broke when her mother strayed, following the man she loved to a town far away. Although the family fortune dwindled long ago, the house survived for Alex's mother to inherit when her own mother had died before Alex's birth.

That is where Alex would go, she resolved -- To her ancestral home in Moonlight Falls. Lord knows what state she would find it in, having been abandoned for over 30 years, but it was *hers* and she could be *alone* and build a new life for herself.

She headed for Moonlight Falls as soon as she could manage, leaving everything behind -- Her family, her things, her past. It took every cent of what little money she had to get to there, but that didn't trouble her…  She had somewhere to live, after all. And she was smart and resourceful -- She could get a job no problem and it wouldn't be long before she would be on her feet.  Only, when she arrived…



She had not received word of what had obviously been a catastrophic fire. Nothing remained of the lovely home that had been her only connection to her ancestors. Tears burned her eyes and for a moment she felt defeated. Would she have to return to Sunset Valley?

No! She resolved to restore the grand old house. To literally build her new life and begin a new legacy… Ten more generations would live in this house. Ten more generations of women.

This is Alex Hardy - Founder:




Sign: Leo
Traits: Flirty, Brave, Adventurous, Gatherer, Genius
Favorites: Electronica, Hamburgers, Lilac
LTW: Chess Champion

She’s actually the first sim I ever created, years ago. You wouldn’t think your first sim would be a keeper, but I keep going back to her for some reason.

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Two: Making Do

All the plans Alex had made to renovate her new home and find a job would have to wait a few days. Her main concern now was how to shelter and feed herself while she stockpiled a few dollars to get a roof over her head and eat. She didn’t want to start a job until she had at least a shell of a house to live in.

After a little exploration of the town, she had worked out a plan. She would try to sleep and bathe at the public buildings in town for a few days while she searched for collectible rocks and minerals to try and sell at the consignment shop. She could pillage a few gardens for food while she built up enough money to get the basics fixed at the house.

She also tried to meet eligible men whenever she was at the Alchemy Shop selling stuff and cutting gems.



Once she had sold off a few things, her first purchases were a tablet, an umbrella, and a sleeping bag so she could pretty much sleep anywhere she needed to. She preferred the fire station though as it had beds, showers, entertainment, you name it! She started to teach herself painting while listening to podcasts.



She decided to go to the summer festival with the fellow she met at the Alchemy shop above – She liked him (in spite of his grumpiness) thought he might make a good potential mate. Alas, he had aged to elder since the last time she saw him and since marriage and a family was still a way off, that eliminated him.



So she moved on and continued her campaign to hunt/sell collectibles. She really enjoyed the collectible hunting and enjoyed many unstructured days doing so, making frequent visits to the Alchemy Shop to consign what she had found. A drifting leaf brought her to her senses…  Summer was coming to an end and she would not be able to keep up this camping when the weather got cold. And she did not have much time to waste if she was serious about her life plan. She had amassed enough funds to get a start on the house and needed to focus on finding a job and a partner. Serendipity agreed - No sooner had she made the decision, she met Chester Swain at the park.



She had managed to go for days with seeing few men and had been a little worried about being able to find someone when the time came, but there he was… Bells rang when their eyes met. After a short chat she found he was straight, single, of a compatible sign, a police officer, and older than comfort allowed -- If things were going to work out for them, they would have to grab the opportunity quick!

When it rains it pours! She was enjoying the glow of loving again when a day later, completing an opportunity, she met Gladsten Famwell.



She fell even harder and faster for Gladsten! He was a little older than Chester but more handsome. Oh, decisions! And she didn't even feel ready yet to get married and start having babies. But these two guys were so perfect.

As the days passed, she found herself drawn more and more to Gladsten. She liked a guy who lived in a trailer, but dressed like a million bucks.



Although she really didn't know anything about him and she couldn't get him to talk about himself. They became best friends almost instantly, but romance was a little more stubborn.

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Three: Settling In


By the time she had decided she definitely wanted Gladsten and attempt to move their relationship to the next level, it was fall and she had scrapped enough together to get the walls of the new Elderbough Manor up. 



She had *barely* managed it. There was not one cent left for anything beyond the basic structure.













With no furniture or appliances she would be “camping” for a while longer.



At least it was in her own home on her own land. And, perhaps soon, she would have a special someone to share that home with and help with funds to move in properly. She knew Gladsten was far from wealthy, but anything would help at this point.

[Louise56]

Very good start, the house look awesome! I'm looking forward to more chapters.

[SimPenguin]

Thanks, Louse56! I'm sure my score won't win any contests, but I will consider it a huge personal success if I simply make it through to the end. I've played for years and never turn on aging and cheated my way through the day, cancelling needs... To actually play by the rules of the game for once is rigorous!

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Four: I Don’t Know How To Love Him

Alex dedicated herself to painting and trying to woo Gladsten, who remained frustratingly immune to romantic gestures. They were best friends and there was clear attraction, but try as she might, it just never developed into love. She wanted him – bad - but time was growing short… He was so much older than her. Even if she won him, she could not count on having him long and they would have to work quick to have babies, which she would likely have to raise by herself.

Alex threw herself into dating.





There was one glorious, epic date Alex would remember forever… Gladsten came over and they skated together by moonlight on the pond for hours.





Gladsten loved the house and didn’t mind the rough accommodations, so Alex invited him to spend the night. As friends, of course.





He stayed all the next day as well and they had so much fun that when the sun set, they suddenly realized it was the full moon and they were surrounded by zombies. Alex locked the doors quickly and insisted that Gladsten stay another night, just to be safe. It was terribly romantic being under siege, with nothing to do except pass the time of day together. Mostly they danced…


 
Unfortunately, even after two romantic days together no real progress had been made in the relationship. More days flew by with scant results on all fronts – romance, skills, work, etc. Alex began to despair. She had always assumed she would join Law Enforcement, but with all the upcoming responsibilities of family and skill building, she just couldn't realistically see herself successfully climbing that ladder. And she needed money - a lot of money - to finish the house, to invest in properties, etc. So she decided to focus her efforts on writing instead. She had always wanted to be an author and while it seemed like a bit of a cop-out to switch to an easier profession, it would allow her to work from home and was an achievable goal. She could write about her family and the rebuilding of the house. Later, about childrearing. She sat down to start the next day.



Then things started to go horribly wrong… On the first snow of Winter Gladsten aged up to elder, dashing any hope Alex could make starting a family with him work. Another night spent weeping over a pint of Hagen Das. She thought it over and the next day she invited Gladsten over to tell him that her life path just couldn't include him in it.



She couldn’t do it. Before she could stop herself, she was throwing herself at him and taking him to her (recently purchased) bed.



She didn't care. She didn't care! And when they had exhausted themselves and fell asleep, she knew deep inside that she was pregnant.



The night after Alex discovered she was definitely pregnant, she dreamed of Gladsten. She couldn’t wait until she could convince him to marry her.



The next few days went fast… Alex was so busy with wooing Gladsten, writing, and reading baby books, there still hadn't been a chance to talk about marriage. And then she was in labor…



She wanted to have this baby at home. This home that she was so painstakingly restoring and would be the heart of the legacy she was creating. She wanted the baby to have an extra special bond with it and know that its life had started here. And please, please let it be a girl…



It was a boy. She named it Bartholomew.

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Five: Did I say No? I Meant Yes

The first chance after the baby was born that Alex could grab a few free minutes, she invited Gladsten by to see it and talk. And talk they did. Alex finally knew why it had been so difficult to get close to Gladsten… He had commitment issues! But between the baby and breaking that final communication barrier, he was finally in love with her. She wasted no time asking for an engagement and he said yes. What little time they had left, they both wanted it to be together. He would even be able to give her more children before they parted, though he would never see them grown.



They celebrated in bed. Alex prayed it would lead to a baby girl.



There was no reason to wait to get married and they had few close friends so they had a private, moonlit wedding the next night by the pond. Alex thought her heart would burst from how beautiful it was and the joy of having finally won Gladsten's heart.

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Six: Finally, A Home

Now that Gladsten and his dog, Sophie Dog, were finally part of the household and there were babies to think of, Alex's camping phase was properly over. Some hasty renovations were made to finish the upstairs walls and get the kitchen functional. Gladsten brought very few funds with him, but it managed the bare bones.



The engagement night tumble did result in pregnancy. Alex prayed for a girl.

Everything was frantic for a while - Keeping Bartholomew happy and trying to manage two people's LTW's and careers was chaotic and exhausting. Gladsten's career and LTW were woefully behind which added stress to the situation. Alex was trying to juggle a pregnancy, a new novel, and logic skill improvement. No one was enjoying life much and they scarcely saw each other beyond taking care of basic needs. Trying to keep the dog happy was a constant battle.



On the bright side, a few paychecks over the next week helped furnish the upstairs and put together a proper nursery and master bedroom.













With the downstairs cleared out, they could have proper table to eat at and add a few things to the parlor.





Luck continued to spit in Alex’s eye when the baby came - another boy.



She named him Blake. Hot on his heels was Bartholomew's aging up. Bald toddlers are creepy, so he got an immediate makeover.





Then Alex had her own birthday and immediately went into a mid-life crisis. The dog got taken away for neglect the same day.



What a perfect evening to try for another baby!  NOT.



Of course, Alex was pregnant again (the man is FERTILE).

Blake aged up soon after.



Surprisingly, the next few days were quite calm and productive - Now that the boys were toddlers and Gladsten was finally back at work (between the wedding and the paternity leave, he had been home for ages), Alex had a pretty good run at the easel and had even gotten out to the consignment shop once.

Even though he was working again, Gladsten was able to find time to be with the boys and help care for them.



Eventually Blake got a makeover. (Bald toddlers are creepy.)



Funds were coming in more steadily now and life was starting to get good... Then the arrival of baby number three set things back to their chaotic norm. Alex went into labor just as everybody needed feeding and Gladsten was moments away from leaving work, bars low. :::sigh::: It seemed impossible for Gladsten to achieve any goals at this point, he had gotten such a late start.



OMG, you have GOT to be kidding me - Another boy! And, oh great, he's evil. So frazzled by this, I forgot to take a picture and I named him Brody. Brody Hardy. Yes. It *is* a stupid name. Are we allowed to change them?

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Seven: Desperation

Alex was beginning to panic. Gladsten wasn't going to be around much longer and still no girls. On one of her out-of-the-house-because-I'm-going-stir-crazy days, she visited a psychic in desperation.



The gypsy woman had no idea if girls were in her future, but she was able to provide a bit of old gypsy wisdom - Eat 10 pieces of watermelon after conception, before the bump shows, and a girl will be likely. Alex had hoped to stay clear of magic, but she was desperate. She’d do anything for a girl!

Gladsten was always willing to try, all she had to do was bring him to bed.



Then she ate the fruit and crossed her fingers. This was it. If it wasn’t a girl, she’d lose her mind. She simply couldn't handle more children! If there was even time for more…

The day she began to show was the day Bartholomew aged up to child.



The decision was made to send him to Military school to follow in his father’s footsteps because his random traits included disciplined and brave. Even though Alex did not have a strong bond with him, she found herself a bit sad at seeing him go.



But boarding school would be a must for the spares if she was going to meet her goals and raise the Heir properly. They had tried to pre-educate Bartholomew as best they could and accomplished potty training fully, but not the other two skills. He had read many books and played will all his toys. Not very good, but it was at least something. Hopefully it would be enough.

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Eight: September Song

The day came that Alex finally felt confident enough to paint a portrait of Gladsten. She felt melancholy as she painted. He had been so handsome when she had met him and she never had a proper chance to enjoy it. Why couldn't he have been 29 days younger?



That night she sat by the bed as he slept, watching him between naps and rocking as she thought...



She knew in her soul that this would be the last baby, boy or girl. Gladsten's life bar was short…too short. He would not make his goals before he died. He would not see his children grown. They would never have any time to just hang out with each other and play, like those two glorious days before they were lovers when the zombies attacked. It broke her heart that he would be leaving her so soon. Even though he was in the same house now, they scarcely saw each other they were so busy. And she regretted that she would never know what it was like to be held by that Adonis she had wooed - their physical relationship began after he aged.

The next morning, Bartholomew headed off for military school and caring for the remaining children seemed quite manageable. Brody aged up to toddler the same day.



Little Bridgit came into the world while Alex was finishing Gladsten's portrait. Thank goodness for old gypsy women! Like all of Alex's children, she was born at home. When Bridgit was old enough, she would learn why.



With the portrait out of the way and the heir issue settled, it was time to start ramping up the writing and focus on herself, big time.



Suddenly, it was Blake's birthday and with horror Alex realized he had completely slipped through the cracks on pre-ed. they had managed a few potty sessions, but nothing else. Blake was the only child so far to receive an imaginary friend and that was good, as he was about to age up with virtually no attention from his parents. Alex resolved to do better with Brody. And, certainly, the Heir.



With traits like loves outdoors and loves the heat, the School of Peace and Love seemed the best choice for Blake. Hopefully his evil trait and lack of pre-education wouldn't make a total mess of him. You can see the resentment and jealousy in his eyes…



They have one last family meal before Blake heads off to school. No one has much to say to each other.



“Good riddance to bad rubbish,” thinks Blake as heads out the door to get a life. (I’m growing rather fond of this spare.)

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Nine: Going Through The Motions

Life fell into boring routine for a while – Care for Bridgid, skill up Brody, write, work… All the hours of tabcasts Alex and Gladsten had listened to while they were caring for the kids or doing mundane tasks help thing move along swiftly, but both of them were still quite low in their careers. And Alex hadn’t even begun to work toward her LTW.

Bridgid, of course, got a lot of attention.  Her father doted on her:



Brody aged up to child in the middle of all this.



Like Blake, his pre-education was not as good as they had intended, but there were only so many hours in the day, sacrifices had to be made. His traits didn’t really suggest an obvious path, so it was decided to send him to the Military Academy like his oldest brother.

Bridgid aged up to toddler and both Alex and Gladsten tried to focus on getting her as educated and skilled up as possible between work and daily needs. Alex successfully taught Bridgid potty and talking. Both Alex and Gladsten shared the walking lessons. Life was routine, but full – Still no time for Alex and Gladsten to be together and they only saw each other when handing off Bridget for something.









Bridgid would always play and learn in spare moments and would likely have several skill levels to show for it.





Mom and Dad found a few moments here and there to spend play time with her.







Alex was nearing her own elder stage so she took a moment to paint her self-portrait.



Alex wasn’t the only one to have melancholy moments - One night I caught Gladsten starting out the window for no reason (not something he was prone to doing)…



Shortly thereafter, I caught sight of the “expire” command in his action que. I started to screen cap like mad because I thought OMG, this is it! But then Bridget began to cry and he went to put her to sleep in her crib and while he was doing it, the command disappeared! He glanced up once before continuing on with his business.



Take that, Death! He is *not* ready to go!

Not long after, Bridgid aged up to child…



… and received an immediate makeover.



Alex and Gladsten debated long and hard about what school they would send Bridgid to when the time came, if they decided to send her away at all… In the end, her traits so far (good, friendly, and daredevil) seemed to best fit the professions Prep School would lead to. With Luck, she would be comfortable choosing the Medical career, as the family needed money to further the house restoration. Bridget didn't need to go away until the weekend was over, so there were a few days at home with the family. She dabbled in various hobbies, finding that her pre-education had given her a big jump in some areas. The next Monday she was off to school…

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Ten: Empty Nest

The first few days Alex and Gladsten had the house to themselves, they could hardly believe the freedom they had to power-jam on job/skill building. They got more done than they had in *weeks* when the kids were around. Neither paid much attention to day or night and their sleep was off kilter from the clock…





On the third day, they collapsed into bed together for the first time in ages and slept the entire afternoon. When Alex awoke at dinner time, she found that they had been so focused on work the full moon had snuck up on them - In a few moments they would be under zombie siege!

Tears filled her eyes as the memories flooded back into her mind. She looked over at her sleeping husband and it took her breath away… He was still here. There was still time to simply enjoy his company. At age 104, who knew how much time, but it was more than she ever thought she would have the last time they had seen an evening like this.

She ran downstairs to lock the doors and prepare his favorite meal, Autumn Salad. They would have another zombie siege date night and it would be glorious!  It was. They shared a meal...



They made out…



And they danced the through the entire night in each other’s arms.





In the wee hours of the morning, when it was safe to go outside again, they skated together on the pond.



As the sun rose above them, Alex suddenly remembered it was her birthday. Today she would age to elder and this part of her life would truly be over. She was so grateful to have had these last, perfect moments with Gladsten to hold in her memories through her remaining years.

Some random, lovely, Winter exterior house shots (because I *never* get tired of Seasons):









(The view across the street from the house.)

 

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Eleven: A New Phase
   
That evening, Alex aged up. She was pleased with her new look.





It was time to start investing in some properties, so the next morning she purchased the Gypsy wagon. Mostly because it was really the only thing she could afford, but she also felt fondly toward it (because of the help with Bridgid).

Alex and Gladsten’s one year anniversary came within a few days and as a present, they did something Alex had been wanting since the day she started the house - install fireplaces. They could only afford to do the first floor, but when the time came to do the upstairs, everything would be in place for easy installation. They also decorated the parlor and dining room properly.







Alex started to invite over opponents to play chess with to work toward her LTW while Gladsten focused on becoming friends with his boss, the last real barrier to his promotion.



Life was good and a lot of progress was made. Then, on the first day of Spring, Bartholomew returned home from school…



It was incredible - Gladsten had lived to see his oldest child grown!  Alex was overcome with emotion as she watched Gladsten embrace his son.



As a graduation present, Gladsten passed on his Multi-Tablet to his oldest child.



Bartholomew Hardy – First child



Sign: Scorpio
Traits: Flirty, Brave, Disciplined, Good, Handy, Hydrophobic
Favorites: Country, Tri-Tip Tofu Steak, Hot Pink
LTW: Martial Arts Master

Family income still being what it was, Bartholomew could waste no time finding gainful employment and signed up with the Military the next day. He would be working with his father! Who, incidentally, was only one promotion away from topping his career and achieving his LTW (Astronaut). With the schmoozing he had done over the last few days, it was likely that his trip to work the following morning would push him to the top!

Living accommodations also needed an overhaul…  The nurseries were packed up and Alex and Gladsten moved into the renovated red room.



Batholomew moved into their old room and made it his own.





The exciting, eventful day finally ended and Gladsten fell asleep in his new bed, exhausted.



He died that night at age 109.







Alex was utterly devastated. (I cried a little bit too.)

[SimPenguin]

Chapter Twelve: With Or Without You

The next morning, as Bartholomew was preparing for his first day of work, he fell to pieces.



He had been so looking forward to working with his father… They missed the chance by a hair. And the cruelty of snatching success from Gladsten when he had been so close to reaching it was unbearable… One more day and he very likely would have achieved not only level 10 of his career, but his LTW as well. It was heartbreaking.

Alex called the kids to let them know...




…and built a shrine in the bedroom.



She threw herself into writing to keep from thinking about things. She kept the photo she and Gladsten had taken shortly after their marriage at the Winter Festival next to her for comfort at the writing desk. Sometimes the grief overtook her.





When Bartholomew was at work, she found herself alone in the house for the first time since he was born, so long ago. The silence was deafening. She had so looked forward to the day when she would be on her own again and could devote herself to work and chess, but now it was here she could do little more than sit and mope.







The next full moon, she couldn't sleep.



She was past tears - all she could do was hurt as she remembered...