The Wisewoman of Forgotten Hollow -- Legacies in Rotation (Nov 15)

[MarianT]

The Cottoneyes 1

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
My visitor was Hunter Cottoneye, originally from Riverview. "I found the perfect place in Strangerville," he told me. "It's an underground bunker, with corrugated iron walls, impervious to bullets and fae spells, too. It still needs some chain link fencing and barbed wire, but I can take care of that when I make some money.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"I was worried at first that there wouldn't be any fishing nearby, but I found a good spot up in the hills. Anyway, who's the babe out back exercising on the treadmill?"
"That's my guest, Summer Holiday," I told him, "and I don't think she'd appreciate being referred to as a 'babe.'"

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hunter left, or so I thought. A little while later I looked out back and saw that he'd made Summer's acquaintance.
"Sorry about that," I said when she came in. "Hunter's a good guy, but he's a little erratic. I hope you're not too offended."

"Oh, no," said Summer. "I think he's very open and direct. It's refreshing to meet someone who's so honest. But yeah, I should probably tell him that most women don't like being addressed as 'little lady,' and that it's not very polite to ask someone if they're married right off the bat. Anyway," she coughed and looked a little embarrassed, "I'm having dinner with him tomorrow."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The next day I took the precaution of tucking an expensive Virtuoso Violin into Summer's backpack before she left. I had a feeling that she wouldn't be coming back from the date. The first text she sent me confirmed that: OMG, Hunter looks so manly from the back. I feel so safe when I'm with him, like he could take on anything from a rattlesnake to a grizzly bear. There weren't many rattlesnakes or grizzly bears in any of the towns I knew of -- well, bears in Granite Falls, but they weren't dangerous.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hunter went to freshen up while we're waiting for our meal. He told me that he gets his muscles from hauling in 50-pound tuna.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And he showed me a picture to prove it. But I would have believed him anyway; Hunter's the kind of guy who's just not capable of telling a lie. Just so you won't worry, we're going over to his place after dinner, and I don't know when I'll be home.

And that was the last I heard of Summer for a few days.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
So anyway, we're married. She sent me a long text later.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hunter gave me a ring that he said belonged to his grandmother. He said she was a real lady, and I was just like her, but younger and prettier, of course. According to Hunter, I'm the prettiest hop-toad in the whole swamp. I've garnered my share of compliments over the years, but that one's a first.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And then he scooped me up in his arms and carried me over the threshold as if I didn't weigh anything.
 
 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I think some people would say that we should have waited until we got to know each other better, but we're both enjoying the adventure of becoming acquainted. I like finding out that Hunter's favorite movie is Diamonds are for Sims. I'm not surprised he likes it; the hero looks just like him.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Also Hunter was much impressed when he saw what I could do with his sparring robot. He's encouraging me to keep practicing. He says it's a dangerous world we live in, and he's all in favor of me learning how to defend myself in case he's deployed overseas.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
At the moment our work schedules don't allow us to spend much time together, so Hunter often goes fishing while I'm at work.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He's also getting to know the guy at the curio shop, Erwin Pries. Hunter says he's very knowledgeable and should be teaching at a university instead of selling colander hats. Hunter says we don't need colander hats because our corrugated-iron walls offer enough protection.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But he did buy a new vest and a book about the Simanatti. I think we should save up the money for when the baby comes, but I guess 25 simoleons won't break the bank. And that reminds me -- thanks so much for the violin. Hunter had the essentials, but because of your generosity, we were able to get something more comfortable than an air mattress, and I now have a good stove and refrigerator to work with. Thanks again, Aunt Willow, love, Summer
P.S. You're welcome to come visit. Just bang on the door 3 times, pause, and then bang 3 times again.

[reggikko]

I like Hunter already, dagnabbit.

[MarianT]

The Lee-Scotts 1

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Dear Miss Wisely,
I hope that's the right way to address you. Summer refers to you as 'Aunt Willow,' but I don't feel we know each other well enough for that. Anyway, your invitation to her to join you has made a huge difference in our life, and a big difference to Summer, too. She tells me that she's very happy with Hunter in Strangerville -- despite the dust devils.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
It took me a while to get a relationship going with Travis. You have to understand that when he's not at work, he's either asleep, in the bathroom, or using the computer. I finally realized that I was going to have to interrupt him during one of these activities, and I chose the computer. After a lively discussion over who captained the Enterprise best, we became friends.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Not long after that I suggested that we go to the Romance Festival together. Travis said he'd rather go to GeekCon, and I wholeheartedly agreed, but pointed out that GeekCon wouldn't be happening for another week or so, and the Romance Festival was on now.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
When we poured our Sakura tea together, I was so nervous that I dropped my cup. Luckily a refill was at hand.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Despite the rain and the people all around (I don't know what was the problem of the blond in pink), our first kiss went well. I think Travis was surprised by how much he enjoyed it.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Even so, I didn't expect Travis to propose right then and there. That Sakura tea is potent stuff.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And since there was no reason for us to wait, we went ahead and got married.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
As you had suggested we bought the Vacuous Green lot in Del Sol Valley and set up a house there. It's probably not very fashionable in style -- Travis and I both like high tech computers but low tech beds, couches and kitchens. We think we have the best of both worlds.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And when I found out I was pregnant, I was blissfully happy.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The days just flew by, and except for an occasional bout of morning sickness, I felt pretty good. I even went to work during my third trimester.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Poor Travis went into a panic when he realized I was in labor.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I don't think I made much noise, considering, but he says my screams were blood-curdling.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Our little girl made it all worthwhile, though. We've named her Faith.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
She's totally adorable...

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
...except when she's having a tantrum. Okay, she's adorable then, too. I've quit my job as an astronaut for the time being -- the hours just aren't conducive to raising a toddler. I might go back later, or I might just get my own rocket ship and use it to gather material for a sci-fi novel or two. I'm working as a free-lance writer at the moment, writing bedtime story books.
Anyway, thank you again, and come by and say hello sometime. Sincerely yours, Liberty Lee-Scott

[MarianT]

The Heckings 1

Dear Willow,
"Be careful what you wish for." Someone should have reminded me of that advice before I persuaded you to include me and Brant in your legacy families. What was I thinking? But, as I recall, you didn't require much persuasion.
Anyway, you said you wanted to hear from me about our progress, so here's a copy of the scrapbook that I've been working on. All the best, Brent

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
This is me, Brent, with the most important member of our household, Rosie. Rosie is loyal, playful, and a glutton, so she gets along really well with me, because I'm playful and I love dogs. I'm a romantic, too.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
This is Brant. We got introduced through our bank. Since he was Brant Hecking and I was Brent Hacking, we kept getting each other's statements, check orders, etc., until we decided that it would be simpler just to marry each other and have everything sent to the same address.  Lucky for me that he's an absolute dreamboat whom I'm madly in love with. He's a personal trainer at the local gym, which means that he stays in gorgeous shape. Brant loves art, the outdoors, and everyone, basically. He's one of the good guys.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I produce art, which makes it easy for Brant to love me. And Rosie loves me, too, especially because I keep her food bowl full. Really, we had a very happy arrangement for all of us.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But part of being a legacy family -- indeed the whole point of being a legacy family -- is to bring forward the next generation, so Brant and I (and Rosie) decided to adopt a baby boy. We named him Grant, as neither Brint, Bront, nor Brunt sounded much like a name. And "Grant" is a synonym for gift, which he certainly is.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
When Grant became a toddler, we made a few discoveries. The first is that the shape of his eyes suggests he might be of Asian descent (which is fine, we're all for diversity in this family). The second was that he had a strong independent streak. His first words, after "Da" and "Da-da" were "Do it MYSELF."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I quit my job as a painter and started working as a freelance artist so that I could stay home with Grant and Rosie. I can make good money creating icons and logos for companies -- better than what I was paid by a gallery. And I still can pick up some extra cash by doing work on the easel.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Working freelance means that I can deal more easily with interruptions. Grant and Rosie have worked out a way to drive me crazy: Grant makes a mess, and then Rosie plays in the mess.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
This means that I have to give Rosie a bath.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And usually I have to give Grant a bath after that. Is it safe to bathe toddlers in the same tub that you use for the dog? I didn't even think of that until he was pretty much done. Oh well, he hasn't gotten sick yet, so I guess it's okay.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I should do a family portrait, but it's hard getting the four of us in a single shot. It's even harder trying to get smiles on everyone's face. Brant got this picture of me while I was trying to put Grant in the high chair. He doesn't mind the high chair, but he'd rather eat like a big boy -- on the couch in front of the TV, just like his daddies. Yeah, I'm pretty happy I wasn't careful what I wished for and that I got it.

[MarianT]

Willow Wisely 4

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
As I left the Heckings settling into their new house, I couldn't help noticing that the young woman behind me had really terrible taste in clothing. I almost invited her over to help her out -- but no, ten families under my care and guidance were quite enough.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I took a trip to Granite Falls instead. It was close to the end of summer -- surely the huckleberry and muckleberry would be ready to harvest by now? Or maybe I could get a cutting, if they were autumnal plants.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
While I was searching for plants I got a call from Brent Hecking, telling me that they had adopted a baby boy. That was wonderful news. My families now had 6 female heirs and 4 males -- not perfectly even numbers, but close enough.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Back at home, I grafted my huckle- and muckleberry cuttings onto some other plants. In a few weeks I would have all the herbs I needed to start making remedies, but I would probably need to gather other ingredients, too. I also planted the bird of paradise that dear Vladislaus had given me.

I then took stock of my finances and the families I was sponsoring. Malcolm and Vladislaus had both married into wealthy families so they didn't need any help from me. The Curious brothers had been assisted in their house purchase by the Watcher; the Heckings and the Lee-Scotts had had money left over after their move to a larger, but empty, lot. And Johnny Zest and andy Behr had all the money they needed. That left the Newbies, the Calientes, the Goths, and the Cottoneyes who could benefit from a helping hand.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"I've already set up a bedroom for the baby," Bob Newbie told me. "I really don't need any extra money."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"It's too wet to stand in the rain and argue," I responded. "If you don't need it for Babs, use it to set up your vet clinic."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Katrina didn't require much persuasion, but J wasn't happy about it. "Look, I know that aspiring actors and actresses aren't paid enough to live in Del Sol Valley," I said. "You're going to need a potty chair, high chair, toddler bed, and some toys. At the moment, you don't even have enough to slap some paint on that outside wall. Am I right?"

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"You're right," said Katrina, "and thank you." J still didn't look pleased, but I figured that was his problem.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
When I dropped in on Cassandra, one of the babies was crying. I gave her a bottle and then turned to her mother.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Special support for our troops," I told her, "if Don asks."
"Thanks," said Cassandra. "I was afraid I'd have to ask my parents for some help, which he would have hated."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I gave Hunter the "support for our troops" line, too. "I don't want to be beholden to anyone, ma'am," he started to say.
"No, we're beholden to you," I returned. "So take it."

When I returned home, I found a thank-you note from the Newbies in my mailbox.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Dear Willow,
Here's a picture of our little Babs playing with the dollhouse that we were able to buy her with the money you provided. There's only one thing wrong with this picture -- you can't see the beautiful green eyes that she inherited from her mother.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
This one gives you a little better idea of what she looks like. She's a very bright little girl and has already mastered potty training, also the art of making her papa do anything she wants.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I've started making friends here. This is Shaowen Pollock, who's in the military. Betty gives me a hard time about making friends with the worst-dressed guy around, but he's a good person.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I've found that Brindleton Bay offers better places to walk than Newcrest. Unfortunately, it also offers more places where Buddy can get himself dirty. I think I'll set up my clinic in Newcrest, though -- less competition with the Pawspital.
I'm proud of Buddy, too -- he's learned how to fetch, and we're working on lying down.
Thanks again for the cash. I hope you'll consider getting a pet -- or familiar. If you do, I want you to know that you'll have free vet care as long as my clinic is in business.
Sincerely, Bob Newbie
There was also a brief note from Katrina in the mailbox. Too much to say in a letter. I'll stop by some evening and fill you in. Big hug, K

[MarianT]

The Calientes 2

Despite Katrina's words, I did find a letter from her in the mailbox after all.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Dear Willow,
I thought you might like to see what we were able to do with the house with your very generous gift. We now have a bedroom for Hugh, a bedroom for ourselves, some kitchen appliances, and a bathtub, because showers and toddlers don't work together.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But I have a confession to make: I spent almost all the simoleons immediately, and went to the wishing well to get more. I feel embarrassed, as if I should have been able to earn all the rest myself, but there were a few more things we needed.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I got myself a microphone and can now deliver monologues without tying up the bathroom sink under the mirror.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
We got some exercise equipment for J -- a treadmill and a punching bag. He's probably going to complete his lifetime aspiration long before I do. Not that I mind -- I enjoy the view.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And, because of the extra money, I didn't have any trouble replacing the stove and counter when J set fire to them. Not deliberately, of course, it's just that he didn't realize how to work the controls when trying to fry an egg.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
J switched his job to athletics, and I think he'll be happier playing for the Llamas than he would have been as a stunt man. I took Hugh to the park the other day while J was at work, and he had a great time playing on the slide and crawling around in the tunnels. I think he resembles J a lot in this picture.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And in this one, you can see that he inherited my red hair. Which just proves that the tabloids are wrong when they say I dye it.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I passed my audition for Wild Flames. That's a sitcom about overactive camp counselors. J helped me work on my romantic moves for the show.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I went to wardrobe first, while a color-blind costume designer figured out what colors would be least favorable to my complexion.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And then the make-up artist took over. "Sorry," he said, when I complained about the eye shadow. "I must have gotten you mixed up with the person who was supposed to play a raccoon."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Since you don't have a television, I don't think I'll spoil the show for you if I tell you the plot. I had the role of a new counselor who was breaking up with her old boyfriend. She was attracted to one of the regular counselors...

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
...and seduced him, much to his surprise.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
People were a little annoyed with her, but she explained about the break-up with her boyfriend, and told the story of her life, so everyone forgave her.

A couple of days later, I got a call from my agent saying that Wild Flames wants me back and might consider making me a regular, although she thinks I could do better and shouldn't tie myself down. I told her I might do it, but I'm really tired of their changing my hair to a dull brown. "When you become a star, they'll let you keep a star's hairstyle," she said in return.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
We celebrated Spooky Day with a trick-or-treat bowl but didn't get any neighborhood children coming by (I don't think there are any neighborhood children old enough for trick or treat, actually).

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
J and I made our own fire -- safely -- outside. Hope your Spooky Day was appropriately scary! Thanks again, Love, Katrina

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I looked at the mailbox thoughtfully. It was rather late in the day for a mail delivery. "Katrina?" I said to the open air.
She showed up immediately. "Do you forgive me for using the wishing well?"
"Of course," I said. "That's what it's there for. I'm just glad it didn't take all the money you had. It does that sometimes."
"I might show up again," Katrina said. "The bills in Del Sol Valley are pretty high, and..."
"You have standards to maintain," I completed her sentence for her. "We can't have the next star of stage and screen sleeping in a tent and eating out of a cooler."
Katrina laughed. "I definitely can't eat out of a cooler. I'm developing the quirk of being a picky eater -- having a fine palate, I think that's the expression. I guess that means I can't go to the Sunnyside Up Diner any more."
She gave me a big hug and promised to let me know about her next acting gig.

[MarianT]

The Landgraabs 2

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I called Malcolm a few times, but he was always too busy to talk, so I finally went over to see him and ask how he was doing.
"It's terrible," he said. "You didn't tell me that I'd have to be the one doing all the work around here."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Nobody, and I mean, nobody, makes more than one serving for herself when she fixes a meal, so I have to do all the cooking. And the one time I tried to make something other than garden salad, I set the kitchen on fire."
I made a sympathetic noise.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"And the repairs!" he continued. "Fix the fridge, fix the toilet, fix the shower...

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
...Fix the sink, fix the fridge again, fix the dishwasher.."
"Well, you're gaining skill in handiness," I pointed out. "That's something.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"And on top of everything, there's the laundry. I don't understand why I have to have a washer and dryer. None of the other legacy families do."
"Because you have the money for them," I said. "And I'll speak to the others who can afford a laundry room and remind them that clean clothes are important."
"And apparently, I'm the only one who thinks to empty the hampers," Malcolm continued to grouse.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
At that point Sterling wandered into the hall and smiled at me. He was a cute little fellow, with his father's corn-yellow hair and green eyes.
"He seems very bright," I told Malcolm.
"He's very inquisitive," he said, "but he's a lot of work, too."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"It took me forever to get him potty-trained.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Luckily, his grandmothers have been helping out with the fun stuff.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"And Dominic actually cleaned off his high chair, which was a surprise."
"Are your parents and Morgan's getting along okay?" I asked.
Malcolm laughed.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"They're getting used to each other. Mom's habit of wandering around in her underwear was kind of a shock for Dominic.  Dad pretty much just goes to work and sleeps -- except when he forgets to get into bed and passes out in the garden. And Moira planted a bunch of flowers and things, but she doesn't take care of them. I've been doing the harvesting for her, but I refuse to add weeding to my to-do list.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"With Sterling to look after, I've been working from home. Some of the tasks are easy, but painting a mural takes a long time. And then as soon as I've finished one, I have to start another. I suppose I could go to work, but I don't want to leave Sterling with just his grandparents.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"I did manage to get into the office on Saturday. Morgan doesn't work then, but I do.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"And that's another job I have -- playing chess with Morgan and also her sister Siobhan to help them develop a skill in logic for their jobs. Really, if I'd known how exhausting founding a legacy would be, I'd never have agreed to this."
I coughed. "You're the one who came to me," I reminded him. "You're the one who said that the Landgraabs would have to be part of the project if the Goths were. And there must be something you enjoy doing."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Being married to Morgan is pretty cool," he conceded. "And I guess things will get easier when Sterling starts school."
I told Malcolm that our chat qualified as his report, and let him get back to dealing with his next crisis -- a broken shower, from the sound of it.

[MarianT]

The Curious Brothers 2

After talking to Malcolm, I sent out a message to the other families, reminding them that they would have to install washing machines, if they could afford them. Pascal Curious was the first to respond back.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Dear Willow,
I think we're among the families who can afford a laundry room, although considering that our most recent bills were for over $9000, I'm not sure. Anyway, we put one in, and here's a picture. It's just off the kitchen. I've put hampers in the bathrooms, but Lazlo, being Lazlo, just ignores them and leaves his clothes on the floor.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Speaking of my brothers, Vidcund is much impressed with the number of beautiful women in this new world. He's been trying to add to the population of Windenburg and now has a son, Brendon.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He may have another child on the way, too. We haven't heard back from Maaike yet.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
So far the only woman I've met, Liberty Lee, is already married.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And that's fine with me. Cosma is enough of a handful, although I do enjoy her.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
She had her birthday recently. It was no surprise to any of us that she's turning out to be a genius.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Her favorite toy is still her little triceratops, though. They go sailing on a pirate ship together.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Or sometimes they travel on a train or in the carriage of a fairy princess.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
We set up a room for her on the third floor, complete with night light (for monsters), drawing table, chemistry lab, voidcritter battle station, and stuffed dinosaur.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Harvestfest came the day after her birthday, and we were soon invaded by gnomes. They all liked pie or coffee, however, so were soon made happy.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I gathered up a bunch of seed packets from them and planted the winter ones. I think gardening will be what I work on after finishing logic.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Cosma went off to school the next day, so I was finally free to get a job.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I've started working as a scientist (and also started befriending the Invention Constructor, as well as a few co-workers). I'm looking forward to meeting a few more aliens.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I'm also learning how to make serums, although my first attempt at a food substitute turned out to be tainted. That might have been because I was sick myself at the time I made it.
That's all for now. Cosma, Vidcund, and Lazlo all say hi. Pascal

[MarianT]

The Gotharios  and the Strauds 2

I heard from Cassandra and Vladislaus almost simultaneously, so I'm putting both their letters in the same report. Cassandra first:

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Dear Willow,
Cornelia and Claudia both became toddlers within an hour or two of each other, and they're both very inquisitive.
 
 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Don says he feels surrounded (he's loving it, though). Incidentally, he and I discussed our future name and decided to make it a portmanteau word -- Gothario. I prefer to pronounce it with the accent on the first syllable, and Don prefers the accent on the second, so you can take your pick.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Both the twins ran out to greet Don when he came home from work the other day, which was so cute. Claudia is the one in the green snowsuit (to match the green eyes she inherited from Don), while Cornelia is in pink.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
We think Cornelia is going to be quite the fashionista.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I'm making progress as a critic. I was supposed to go and listen to two performers in the Arts Quarter the other evening. I listened to one, but then no one else showed up, so I decided to do some busking myself. By then it was quite late, and cold, and no one was around, so I didn't get any tips. That reminds me -- thanks so much for letting us wait a bit before we have to put in a washer and a dryer. We could probably afford them, but with two toddlers in the house, we wouldn't have time for laundry anyway.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
One last adorable picture, and then I'll say good-bye. Don and I are both very happy, and -- the occasional tantrum aside -- so are the girls. Affectionately, Cassandra

Vladislaus's letter also included pictures of a toddler.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Dear Aunt,
Here is a picture of the washer and dryer you suggested that we purchase. Oh, and that's Celeste in the high chair in front. The silly child derives a great deal of amusement from scattering her cereal to the four directions.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
All told, her temperament is rather mercurial. One moment she's near tears (and I think it's possible that she'll turn out as pretty as her mother, although I'm not sure about her chin)…

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
...and the next, she'll be giggling again while her Uncle Hugo pretends to be a dinosaur. Hugo and Max are both doing well. Max has raised his grade from a D to a C and will sometimes do his homework on his own.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hugo is making great progress as a cook, not that I can benefit much from his efforts. It looks as if I'll have a vampiric withered stomach unable to digest anything except raw vegetables for the rest of my life.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Since gardening is difficult in the arctic climate of Windenburg, I've built a greenhouse for all my plants. This helps with my job as well as my diet.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The other night I participated in Talent Night at the Stargazer Lounge. There was quite a large crowd, but I think they were more interested in the celebrity Brytani Cho than in my concerto.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Luna and her father both get a great deal of pleasure out of Celeste's toys, and Max will often play with the dollhouse, too.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Luna needs to improve her skill in logic, so I took her to the local library for a game of chess. We have a chess set at home, but her father Jacques tends to hog the board.
We are all well and fairly happy, except for Max who is looking forward to summer when he can go swimming again. With love and gratitude, Vladislaus

More adorable toddlers, and I can't wait to see Johnny's and Summer's. I wanted to throw a couple of toddler play dates for all of them, but it turned out that I actually have to have a toddler living in the house in order to schedule a party. Oh well...

[MarianT]

The Zests, Cottoneyes, Lee-Scotts, and Heckings 2

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I admit I've been remiss in taking as many pictures as I could. I have an excuse, though -- I was struck by lightning during a winter thunderstorm in Del Sol Valley. So basically I've had to depend on what the families sent me.

The Zests

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Johnny Zest handed me this picture of Mimi and her Aunt Yuki, telling me that Yuki was doing a wonderful job of baby-sitting on the nights that both he and Candy had to work. He says she'll definitely deserve her Good Works badge when she gets it. He and Candy have both been promoted at work, and Yuki is now a B student.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
With two comedians in the family, little Mimi is becoming a chatterbox. Her full name is Mimosa. Johnny says that they've decided to use a plant-based theme to name their children, in my honor. I got rather teary-eyed when he told me that. I'm not sure what they'll do about boys though. Oak? Elm?  I guess I'll leave it to them to work out.

The Cottoneyes

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hunter tells me that he's very much a proud papa. He and Summer named their son Hank.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hunter picked out the frog rug for Hank's room, and he's decorating the walls with mounted fish.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hank is rather a wild child. Hunter says that he's a chip off the old block; Summer thinks it's because he's cooped up downstairs.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hunter has added to the defense of his lot by planting a couple of cowberries. I hope they don't turn out to be a danger to the family.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hunter is also increasing his fitness with his robot sparring partner. One thing that made him very happy was getting a camo cap at work. And one thing that makes him sad is that there aren't any camouflage clothes for toddlers. "A pteranodon could swoop down and pick one up just like that," he told me. "Those toddler clothes all make them visible from a mile away." I told him that the pteranodons were all extinct, and he said, "That's what they want you to think." I didn't ask who "they" were.

The Lee-Scotts

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Liberty Lee-Scott told me they found it very easy to put the washer and dryer in the kitchen. Unlike everyone else, she hasn't found laundry to be a problem. "I just pick up the dirty clothes from my two hampers and pop it in the washer while Faith is in her high chair," she said.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
She added that Faith actually prefers eating on the couch, as she's a bit fussy.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Faith's tendency to send her food flying might be why Father Winter didn't have any presents for her this Winterfest.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Luckily she was quite content with the new book that was under the tree for her -- When is Winter?

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Liberty concluded by telling me that she and Summer Holiday are renewing their friendship. "Now that she's not making goo-goo eyes at Travis and I'm not always trying to make her play chess with me, we really have a lot in common, what with being parents of toddlers and all. And she's actually read one of the Voidcritter books that I wrote!"

The Heckings

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Brent and Brant sent me a lovely picture of their moonlit house in a snowstorm.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Also one of Rosie, "the most important member of the family," according to Brent.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
They added their washer and dryer to the upstairs bathroom. Brent said it really had more room than they needed. Once they get enough money, they plan to build an addition. "We need a place for Brant's exercise equipment," he said.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Although Brent has been the main caretaker, Brant joined little Grant in playing with the dollhouse.
 
 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
But the two of them have talked it over and decided not to adopt a second child. "Grant has been quite a handful," Brent told me. "And even though I was promoted as a freelance artist, I do think it's slowed down my career a bit."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"But now that Grant has become a child, maybe both Brant and I will have more time to realize some of our goals. And who knows? maybe Rosie will finally learn how to fetch."

To sum things up, all my 10 families are doing a great job with their toddlers, all of whom have been potty-trained. They all bought lottery tickets today, and I hope the prize goes to one of them rather than to someone I don't care about. I plan to recover from my lightning mishap and start working on some herbal remedies.

[MarianT]

The Newbies, Calientes, Landgraabs, Curiouses, and Gotharios 3

I must be honest. Toddlers and children are adorable little darlings, but they're not very interesting to write about. At least, that's my excuse for jamming 5 families together in one update.

The Newbies

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
When it comes to adorable, you really can't do much better than a toddler (Miss Babs Newbie) petting her dog (Buddy).

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The Newbies added on a laundry, which also is where Bob makes his pet treats, and an entryway.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
They also sent me a picture of Newcrest in winter. I never realized that the town could look this pretty.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Bob and Betty celebrated New Year's Eve together, bidding good-bye to the Year of the Penguin...

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
...and staying up late to bring in the Year of the Llama. It's hard to believe that the first year of our legacies has ended already.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And with the end of the old year, Babs celebrated her birthday.

The Calientes

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I first realized that Katrina was in the neighborhood when Hugh showed up in my living-room.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"Oh, wise and magnanimous Wishing Well, I have only 9 other simoleons to give you unless you spew forth some coins." While the Wishing Well generally prefers offerings of cold hard cash, it will also accept flattery and beseeching looks from an attractive young woman.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
"I'm a little embarrassed that I seem to come over only when I need money," Katrina told me.
"Well, at least you brought little Hugh," I said. "And the money comes from the Wishing Well -- not me."
"I really needed it," said Katrina. "Would you believe our tax bill was exactly what we had in our account? Living in Del Sol Valley is not cheap."

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And with the new influx of cash, they were able to buy a washer and dryer. They had to put them in the bathroom, however. J was a little taken aback when he saw them.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hugh soon became a child.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He has his mother's red hair, but the rest of his features seem to be inherited from J.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Hugh is always happy to see his dad when he comes home from work.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
And so is Katrina. Actually, she explained this picture with a note: J and I thought about performing a romantic scene for tips when he was in his Llamacorn uniform, but we decided it would look a little odd, more like I was a vampire attacking him.

The Landgraabs

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Malcolm sent me a few pictures -- one of Sterling playing on his bars. Malcolm, Morgan, and Siobhan have all gotten promotions. They celebrated Wonder Day, and Malcolm became good friends with the Flower Bunny, and even secured his vote.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Malcolm was very proud of his egg collection.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
He also got a large stuffed bunny for Sterling.

The Curiouses

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Pascal Curious wrote and told me that Vidcund has been increasing the population of Windenburg. Jade Rosa's son Brendon is a toddler now, and Maaike Haas has a little daughter, Nikita.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
For a while he thought that Vidcund might become pregnant himself, but it didn't happen.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Cosma has been doing well at school and is now a B student, thanks partly to Pascal's tutoring. When she gets an A, Pascal has promised that she can have a kitten.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
She loves going to school, even on hot days when she has to wear shorts.

The Gotharios

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Cassandra Gothario was my last correspondent. They decided to build a separate bathroom for the two girls and added a laundry room at the same time.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Cornelia and Claudia are still toddlers, and they really enjoy the times when Daddy stays home with them while Cassandra goes to work. Don is a sergeant now, and Cassandra expects a promotion as a critic soon.

[reggikko]

So many toddlers!

May I ask why everyone has to have a laundry room? Did I miss something?

[MarianT]

So many toddlers!

May I ask why everyone has to have a laundry room? Did I miss something?

Laundry rooms add to difficulty. Besides, if I have to do laundry, then my Sims should too.

[reggikko]

That’s what I thought, but wasn’t sure.

I’m really glad you put Cassandra and Don together. In fact, I love the whole second chance aspect of several of the families. It’s also good to see Sims who always seem to be supporting players get a bit of the spotlight.

Vidcund as the pollinator really cracks me up. That hair!

[MarianT]

That’s what I thought, but wasn’t sure.

I’m really glad you put Cassandra and Don together. In fact, I love the whole second chance aspect of several of the families. It’s also good to see Sims who always seem to be supporting players get a bit of the spotlight.

Vidcund as the pollinator really cracks me up. That hair!

Luckily for Vidcund's offspring, hairstyle isn't inheritable. The Maxis team put a version of the Curious brothers up on the Gallery. Their Vidcund has a more ordinary style, but I think this one is closer to the original.