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

[reggikko]

It is closer and I love it. I'm interested to see how his kids turn out.

[MarianT]

The Strauds, Zests, Cottoneyes, Lee-Scotts, and Heckings 3

Having covered 5 families in my last report, it was only fair that I do the other 5 families in this next.

The Strauds

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Vladislaus sent me only two pictures. I didn't contribute much to the point total this time, he wrote. Hugo amazed us all by reaching the highest level of cooking, and Luna got a promotion. Celeste was her normal cute self.

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The real star of our family, though was Max. Not only did he complete his Rambunctious Scamp aspiration, maxing his motor skills, but he came home with a B. Considering that he started as a D student, we're all very proud of him. I'll write more about my garden next time, Auntie.  With gratitude, Vladislaus

The Zests

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I heard from Johnny Zest next. Dull stuff first, he wrote. The house is beginning to have some style.

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We added a laundry room, per your suggestion.

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Mimi is the most darling toddler ever. She's close to becoming a big girl, but Candy and I are glad that she's still little.

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Yuki has found a way to increase her programming skills. She's working on a project for her robotics group. She's a Unicorn scout now.

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But I'm saving my best news for last: a talent scout caught my act and signed me for a show with the SBN, the Sim Broadcasting Network. Pretty soon I'll be showing up in your living room, or I would if you had a TV set. I'm at the top of the Entertainer career -- Woot!

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Candy and I went out to celebrate, and also enjoy Love Day. She got promoted, too, so we're all successful together. Oh, and check out my latest book, And Another Thing... Cheers, Johnny

The Cottoneyes

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Hunter sent me a lovely picture with this note: Summer says you like flowers, so I thought you might enjoy the desert flowers around our lot.

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We decided not to get a washing machine, but did get a dryer. Even though we don't get much rain in Strangerville, Summer thought the dust in the wind would make our wet clothes muddy if we hung them on a line. I don't mind doing the washing because it helps build my fitness, but Summer is always beating me to it. She says I tend to mix the white clothes with the dark.

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We went to the Flea Market in San Myshuno. Summer said the small orange chair would go well with our other orange furniture, but I liked the look of the leather chair with brass tacks. Executive style, I think it was called.

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I'm not the only one who liked it. Hank thought it was perfect for mealtime. Summer says those buttery fingerprints will wash right off the leatherette.

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Hank's toddler days are over, and he can go fishing with me now.
 
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I've finished establishing a perimeter, a safe zone for Hank to play in. The cowplants died, but I'm keeping one of the dead ones to warn off unwelcome visitors. That reminds me, I tried to visit you the other night, but it was late, and all your lights were off, so I just went fishing instead. I caught a batfish. Hunter

The Lee-Scotts

Even though I met Liberty and Travis only once, Liberty has been one of my most informative correspondents.


Dear Ms. Wisely,
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We celebrated Faith's birthday not too long ago.

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She is very creative and loves to draw.

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But she enjoys school, too, and is already a B student. I think she looks like Travis and not just because she has his yellow hair.

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The three of us went to the Spice Festival one evening. Although there were other things to do, we had a family game of basketball -- more like dodge ball, really, with so many flying through the air.

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That night I gave Travis the welcome news that we had another little one on the way.

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We've named her Hope. Travis thinks she looks like me -- except for the hair, that is.

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She had a great time splashing in her wading pool on Freedom Day. I have more pictures, including one of Faith on the water slide, but I don't want to take up too much of your time. Thanks again for including us in your legacy group.
Liberty Lee-Scott

The Heckings

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Sorry for the short update, Brent wrote. I've been multi-tasking like crazy, helping Grant with his homework while sending concept art off to clients. It all helps with skill development -- I'm as good at painting as I'm going to get. Now I just have to produce a couple of masterpieces to become a Painter Extraordinaire.

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Rosie still gets plenty of attention, though. She found a puddle to roll in when Grant took her to the park. He scolded her, but she still needed a bath, which Brant provided.

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We've had our share of thunderstorms here. Just by chance I got this picture of both Brant and Grant struggling with their umbrellas -- pretty funny. That's all for now. Oh, I almost forgot -- Rosie learned how to fetch! Clever girl. Peace, Brent

I think next round I'll let every family have its own chapter. They've all been doing some building, adding on to their houses, and with most of the children in school, things are getting more interesting.

[MarianT]

The Newbies and the Calientes 4

It had been a while since I'd visited all the families. When they were raising toddlers, they were always either too distracted or too exhausted to talk.

The Newbies

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The Newbies were the first family I dropped in on. "I haven't seen you since you were a baby!" I greeted Babs. She wasn't interested in this topic of conversation (and who can blame her?).

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"Dad and I went to San Myshuno the other evening while Mom was at work, and I got to have a hot dog," she told me.
"Tofu dog," Bob corrected.
"I'm pretty sure it was a hot dog," said Babs.

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"And then I watched someone pretend to be a statue. He was doing it for tips. I think I'd like to do that when I grow up."
"Mom's home," said Bob.

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Before she left the room, Babs had one more piece of news to impart. "Mom set herself on fire when she was trying to do the laundry and Dad saved her."

"It was terrible," said Bob after Babs left. "I'd taken Buddy for a walk and had just left the lot when I heard this blood-curdling scream. I was afraid I might not be in time. Luckily a nice cold shower prevented any lasting damage to Betty. We had to replace the dryer and the wardrobe in the front hall. The insurance helped with that a little."

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Through the doorway I could see Betty and Babs talking to each other.

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"I hear you've started a vet clinic?" I said.
"That's right," said Bob. "It's not making a lot of money yet, but it is helping me develop my skills."

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"There aren't too many people with pets, though. In fact, I'm just doing check-ups now. I was wondering -- do you think you could encourage the other legacy families to get some pets? They don't all have to do it, but maybe as a reward for kids who get an A? Something like that?"

I told Bob I'd suggest it to everyone.

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"Buddy's my official greeter," he said with a grin. "He's doing great, by the way. I've taught him how to roll over and shake hands, and fetch, of course.

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"He loves playing with Babs, too.

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"And he has to check out every new item that comes into the house. That keyboard is Betty's -- she's on track to becoming a concert violinist."

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As I started to leave, Babs came to say good-bye. "I'm going to be a teen soon," she confided. "Dad says you can do magic. Do you think you could create a movie theater somewhere? The playgrounds are fine for now, but my friends and I will want to go somewhere else when we get older."

I told her I would wave my magic wand and see what happened. I left the Newbies with a mental checklist forming:
1. Pets for children who get As.
2. Build a movie theater.

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The most logical place for a movie theater, it seemed to me, was in Del Sol Valley. I set it up in the Plumbob Pictures museum. The movies were free, but the popcorn would cost something. I was quite pleased with it when I was finished.

The Calientes

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From the museum, it was a short hop over to Katrina's house. "How's it going?" I asked. "I saw your picture in the paper. I think it's great that you all got a pool."

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"Yeah, fame does have its downside," Katrina said. "My PR person says there's no such thing as bad publicity.

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"He says the fans love to see me doing 'ordinary stuff' like cleaning the sink.

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"And they really love it when I do something embarrassing like stumble on the treadmill."
"How do J and Hugh feel about it?"

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"J says he can understand that the paparazzi would go for a shot of the two of us rehearsing together...

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"...but he thinks his birthday celebration should have been kept private."

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"And Hugh?" I prompted.

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"At first he thought it was cool that he could see me on television even if he couldn't understand all the jokes.

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"But then when Dignity and Decorum came out, all the kids at school started making a big deal about me being a movie star.

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"And he didn't like it at all when the papers said I was quarreling with my director -- which wasn't true, it was just that I told him that I didn't like my co-star's hat and thought it was too effeminate. 'How was I supposed to feel romantically involved with some guy in a woman's hat?' I asked him."

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Katrina sighed. "Anyway, Hugh started dressing in a bear costume and playing in his own fantasy world."

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"The two of us had a long talk. I suggested that he sign up for the Drama Club so he could make friends with some other kids with famous parents.

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"What really cheered him up, though, was when I put on a bear costume myself. I went through the whole dance from the Voidcritters' show without a single paparazzi taking notice. Hugh loved it."

I wished Katrina luck and told her about setting up the movie theater. She said she couldn't wait to see it.
"There's just one other thing," she added. "J is close to completing his Body Builder aspiration, but if he tries to get any rewards, it's going to cost us a point. I was wondering if you could change the rules to allow participants to buy rewards when they finish an aspiration without losing any points."

"That makes sense," I said. "I'll add that to the rules." I took the opportunity to suggest that she get a pet when Hugh became an A student.

With so many requests from the first two families I visited, I couldn't help wondering what everyone else would want. Ah well, such are the hazards of being a legacy facilitator.

[reggikko]

I really like how you're developing each family's story. They are all unique but the different requests connect them together.

Dignity and Decorum made me chuckle.

[MarianT]

I really like how you're developing each family's story. They are all unique but the different requests connect them together.

Dignity and Decorum made me chuckle.

It made me chuckle too. And I should have included the picture of the guy with the cute little veil on his hat, but I was at my picture limit.

[MarianT]

The Landgraabs, Curiouses, and Gotharios 4

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The next person I visited was Malcolm. No one came to the door when I arrived, but I could hear people shouting and screaming at the back. Alarmed, I hurried in.

The Landgraabs

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Siobhan had set herself and the dryer on fire, but luckily Morgan and Dominic had the situation under control. "First thing, I'm going to make that dryer lint-less," Malcolm told me later, when everything had calmed down.

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He's been busy working on his Fabulous Fortune aspiration. Harvesting plants is a big money-maker -- if he can get to them before Moira does.

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He's also found that going through pockets in the laundry hamper can yield a fair amount of ready change. "And it's not just simoleons I find," he told me. "Sterling left a llamacorn in his pocket one day. That thing's worth real money."

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Last but not least, Malcolm has taken up painting as a hobby. "So far I'm not making much of a profit," he complained. "Sure, I make a few hundred simos from a landscape, but if I took up making vet treats, I'd have a tenfold return on my investment."
"How is the family doing?" I asked.

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"Morgan's great," he said. "We became best friends the other day.

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"To celebrate, we decided to take the closet for a spin..."
"You don't need to go into details," I tried to forestall him.

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"No, this is funny. Anyway, Moira heard the noises from the hallway and came in to investigate. Luckily she left before we emerged. Otherwise, it might have been embarrassing.

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"I sometimes think it might be better if it were just the three of us. The others all contribute something to the effort, but we don't get a lot of privacy. On the other hand, there's always someone around to answer Sterling's questions.

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"We did get away from most of the family on Sun & Fun Day," said Malcolm. "Siobhan tagged along, but she let us use the water slide on our own.

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"Morgan cleaned up some of the messes that the kids had made, we had some barbecue, and then we went home."
To my surprise, Malcolm didn't have any special requests. He said they wouldn't be able to get a pet because the house was full, but they'd look into it if there was ever more room. And he thought it was great that people could get a reward when they finished an aspiration.

The Curiouses

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By contrast, it was very peaceful at the Curious brothers'. I visited on Saturday, so Vidcund and Pascal didn't have to work. Lazlo didn't start work until evening. I asked Vidcund how his little ones were doing.

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They're toddlers now, he told me. Brendon Rosa is still clumsy when it comes to walking.

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Nikita Haas likes to hide in the tall grass.

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I told Pascal about Bob Newbie's idea that children should be given pets when they get an A.
"Funny you should mention that," he said, as he went to open the front door. Someone from the animal shelter arrived, bringing a kitten for Cosma. "She came home with an A average yesterday.

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"In our other life -- in Strangetown, you understand -- she had a gray kitten, but this was as close as I could get. We're naming her Enigma."

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A few days later, Pascal sent me a picture. "Enigma's grown up now. Although she likes Cosma, it seems like I'm the one she imprinted on. She's very affectionate, which makes up for being mischievous and talkative. Not that we mind those qualities much. It's kind of fun, being able to ask her for a 'song.' As long as she doesn't wake us up, we're okay with it."

The Gotharios

It's still a bit hectic here, so you might want to wait until they're a little older, Cassandra wrote to me.

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Cornelia became a child, after maxing imagination, thinking, and movement, clever girl.

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And Claudia soon followed, with her three skills of imagination, movement, and communication. Both of them are self-assured, and why shouldn't they be? They already have a good friend at school -- each other.

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I thought that I would feel sad when they left for school the first time, but to be honest, I felt like I was finally free to pursue my creative endeavors -- violin, of course, but also painting. I've been promoted at work (and so has Don).

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Last but not least, I've finished writing my first song, "Willow Willow Crick." It's a folk song about the town, but also a bit of a tribute to you, dear Willow. It's based on the sound the rain makes when pattering through the leaves.

[kattiq]

Aw I love the overall concept of this story! It's absolutely wonderful, I wished I had a Willow around to hand out some money!
I absolutely love the Newbies story, it's so sweet! I also love how Cassandra and Don got together, they make such a cute couple.

[MarianT]

Aw I love the overall concept of this story! It's absolutely wonderful, I wished I had a Willow around to hand out some money!
I absolutely love the Newbies story, it's so sweet! I also love how Cassandra and Don got together, they make such a cute couple.

Glad you're enjoying it!

[MarianT]

The Strauds 4

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I ran into Vladislaus in Hare Park. He was playing a new song, rather sad-sounding, and Alexander Goth was listening to him while some rather rude young man was playing a game on his phone. Vladislaus caught my eye, and I could tell he wanted me to wait until he was finished. "The name of that song was Farewell, Jacques," he said to his listeners (a few more people had stopped and even given him tips) when he was finished. To me, he said, "I need to talk."
"I take it that Jacques Villareal has died?" I said.
"Correct," said Vladislaus, "but let me tell it the way it happened."

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"I think I'll always remember him dancing with Celeste," he began. "The two of them were so happy together.

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"I heard a cry from Hugo's room, and hurried in there. I saw at once that Jacques had collapsed, and I motioned to Luna to take Celeste to bed and keep her there.

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"The Grim Reaper moves very quietly -- did you know that?" he asked.
I shook my head.

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Vladislaus continued, "I felt an icy presence at my shoulder and pulled my hands away from my eyes.

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"Even though I felt no great fondness for Jacques and he had lived a long full life, I seemed compelled to plead for him. 'Everyone's upset,' I said to him. 'Why don't you give them a break and come back later?'

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"To my surprise, the Reaper acceded to my request. 'Sure thing, mate,' he said. 'Always happy to do a favor for another immortal.'

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"Jacques didn't live long. Another hour or two, perhaps.
I followed the Reaper downstairs. When he finished with Jacques, I spoke to him.
'What did you mean by calling me an immortal?' I whispered.
'Birthday cakes don't work for you. Am I right?' he said.
I nodded.
'Then unless you get struck by lightning or crushed by a lava bomb, you're pretty much guaranteed never to die.' " Vladislaus paused.
"Oh dear," I said.
"I've been trying to digest that ever since, along with everything else that's been going on," said Vladislaus.
"Such as...?"

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"Well, everyone was grief-stricken," said Vladislaus. "Celeste pitched a fit in her high chair."

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"Max destroyed her doll house in a rage...

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"...and beat up her stuffed bear later.

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"I'm not sure what to do about Max," said Vladislaus as an aside. "I thought he'd outgrow those childish fits, but now that he's a teen, he's still hitting the bear. I've had to have a word with him about it.

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"Anyway, Luna was most upset, and I had to console her." Vladislaus blushed.

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"One thing led to another, and it looks like we have another little one on the way," he told me.

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"We set up Jacques' tombstone in the side garden, and Luna picked out a flower arrangement to go with it.
'Citrus slices?' I questioned.
'Ghosts need Vitamin C, too,' she told me, and I let it go.

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"Hugo chatted with his ghost the other night, so I guess Jacques is happy there.

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"Life goes on. Hugo has become a young adult and will start working as a chef soon.

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"Celeste celebrated her birthday.

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"She's going to grow up to be as beautiful as her mother, which is an enormous relief to me," said Vladislaus. "I don't think she inherited any of my features."

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"And what about you?" I asked.
"I keep playing the violin," he said. "I've started writing songs. The one you heard just now was the first.

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"And I'm taking care of the garden -- and the bees. If I'm going to live forever, that should be time enough to befriend the bees, don't you think?"
"Yes," I said.
"Anyway, now that I think of it, I have a favor to ask of you. Could you find out if there's some way to make me get older? Luna's not going to like it if she becomes an elder while I'm still a young man."
"There's some kind of flower arrangement that might work," I said. "I'll see what I can learn."

[MarianT]

The Zests and Cottoneyes 4

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'What a week!" Johnny Zest greeted me. "Talk about a roller coaster. My head's still spinning."
"So. Tell me about it," I said.

The Zests

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"We started on a high note," said Johnny. "Mimi became a child. I think she looks like me, but she has Candy's eye color.

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"When she's dressed as a boy for her drama club meeting, she definitely looks like me.

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"Anyway, the dishwasher broke down. I had to fix it -- you can't let the dishes rot -- but I was worried about standing in a puddle of water while I fiddled with it, so Yuki was a sweetheart and started mopping, even though water kept rushing out.

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"Then all of a sudden we heard this high-pitched scream -- Mimi had set herself and the dryer on fire.

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"I rushed over with a fire extinguisher. Luckily, Candy had already grabbed one, and we put the fire out before any real damage was done."
"Oh my goodness," I said. "It's a wonder she wasn't killed."
"It's my fault," said Johnny. "I kept thinking, 'better clean that lint tray,' but every time I thought of it, the dryer was already running, so I couldn't do anything.

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"The next morning was Spooky Day, and all my girls wanted to dress up like characters out of Star Wars.

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"They wanted me to dress as Darth Vader, but he's too heavy for me, so I chose Darth Maul instead.

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"Yuki had her birthday in the middle of the festivities, and she decided to get a job as a Tech Guru -- no surprise there.

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"We had a little fire outside, and I'm happy to say that Mimi wasn't afraid of it at all.

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"Later, Candy and I went to the Spice Festival. Thanks to my comedy routines and jokes, I was able to complete my aspiration to be a joke star."
"Congratulations!" I said. "And that reminds me -- whenever you or someone in the family completes an aspiration, that person can purchase a free reward -- no points deducted."
"That's good to know," said Johnny.
"Have you thought about your next aspiration?"
"Not yet," he said.

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A while later, I got a text and picture from him. Next asp is Fab Wealthy. Just planted a money tree seed.

The Cottoneyes
I next received a very pleasant letter and group of pictures  from Hunter Cottoneye.
"Summer tells me you're a fan of Joni Mitchell's," he began, "so here is Hank illustrating one of her songs:

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Yesterday a child came out to wonder

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Caught a dragonfly inside a jar

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Fearful when the sky is full of thunder

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and tearful at the falling of a star.
Hank says he wasn't tearful at all and it was snow, not a meteorite, and he's a big boy now and doesn't cry anyway.

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He likes to draw, which is okay by me, as it can be a real money-maker.

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But I've taken him fishing, too. He even came with me to Granite Falls, which is where he caught the dragonfly.

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There's not much other news. Summer is pregnant again, so we're turning our old bedroom into a room for the baby, and I built an addition -- bedroom and bathroom -- off the front hall. That way anyone who wants to get at the children has to pass our room first.

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I've noticed there are some advantages to being 'erratic.' You can go marching all over town, and nobody notices.

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And if you spend half an hour complimenting a tree on its leaves, people just assume you're talking to yourself as usual. By the way, I like the fishing in Sylvan Glade, but not much else. It's too fruitsy-tootsy for me. But Summer might like it. Maybe I'll take her there sometime.

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Summer also says you like waterfalls (and who doesn't?), so here's a few more pictures for you. This one is from Sylvan Glade.

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This is from Granite Falls. I don't know how we got a rainbow when the sun wasn't shining, but I won't complain.

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And this is from right here in Strangerville. I bet you didn't think there could be a waterfall in the desert. This is the runoff from the fishing hole, but there's another waterfall that feeds into it. That's all for now -- wait, Hank wants to add something.

'Hi. I got a B at school today. And I akcherly caught two dragonflies so the song is wrong. When you come visit, you can see them. Hank. '
Take care, Hunter, Summer, and Hank"

[MarianT]

The Lee-Scotts and the Heckings 4

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Liberty was glad to see me when I came over. "How is everyone?" I asked.

The Lee-Scotts

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"Well, Travis just got another promotion," she said. "And he's proving to be a great dad. He reads Hope to sleep.

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"And he encourages her to learn about household objects.

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"Of course, he's still too slow to catch her before she sweeps her food off the high chair tray, but then Hope is too fast for me as well, so I can't complain.

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"And Faith loves running out to greet him when he comes home."
"How is Faith?" I asked.

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"Oh, she's an A student now," said Liberty. "As well as being an Artistic Prodigy. It's hard to say whether she'll want to work on computers like her dad when she grows up or become a painter."
"Have you thought about getting a pet for her?" I asked. "I promised Bob Newbie that I'd suggest cats or dogs as a reward for children who became A students."

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"I'm afraid we'll have to wait a bit," said Liberty. "She had a bad day at school yesterday and took it out on her stuffed animal -- I don't think she's ready for a pet yet.

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"And I'd like to wait for Hope to grow up a bit, too."
"Toddlers and puppies or kittens are really cute together," I suggested.
"You do have a point," said Liberty. "I'll think about it."

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"Care for a game of chess?" she suggested a little while later.
I suddenly recollected some urgent gardening I had to do. Liberty dominates the chessboard, and I was not interested in losing. I said goodbye and hurried off to meet Brent at the Sunny Side Up Diner.

The Heckings

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I was a little early, so I amused myself with people-watching. Vladislaus, Luna, and Celeste Straud were at one table.

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Johnny Zest, Candy, and Mimi at another. I was pleased to see that both girls looked bright and happy.

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"Sorry I'm late," Brent greeted me. "I was working on a drawing of the snow outside. Newcrest really is quite pretty in winter."

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He showed me his picture, and I agreed that it was very pretty. "How are things going?" I asked.

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"Same oh, same oh," he said. "I'm mainly working on concept art for indie games. The pay is good, but they can be pretty picky.

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"Brant still works at the gym. We set up an exercise room for him.

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"Rosie has been exercising, too. I'm trying to teach her to roll over.

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"And Grant is doing okay at school, while becoming quite an acrobat. He's going through a rebellious phase now, which isn't surprising because he was independent by nature even as a toddler. I hope he gets it out of his system before becoming a teen.

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"He and I went to a walk-a-thon the day after Harvest Fest. He and another kid had sort of a race, which ended well. The other kid had started by crowding Grant a bit, and I thought he might get mad, but instead he speeded up, and the other kid speeded up, and they crossed the finish line together."
"That's good," I said. "And how was your Harvest Fest?"

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"We had gnomes," said Brent. "At first it was kind of cute, having them in the kitchen.

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"And I didn't mind them joining me to watch some television.

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"But Brant and I agreed that our bedroom should definitely be a gnome-free zone.

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"And when they invaded the bathroom while I was taking a shower, that was it. We sent the gnomes back to whatever realm they came from. I may take up gardening when we have the money for a greenhouse.

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"That reminds me --" Brent handed me a box. "I thought you might like one of the seed packets they left us for your garden."
I thanked him and informed him of the new rule change -- that people could spend their satisfaction points when they completed an aspiration.
"Great!" he said. "I just finished Painter Extraordinaire, so I'll pick up Marketable, Frugal, and Creative Genius."
So that's another round of my families done. Every family has at least 40 points, and it's wintertime in the year of the Llama.

[MarianT]

Willow Wisely 5

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I don't know if I've mentioned how much I dislike winter. It's pretty, but my joints ache too much for me to go out and enjoy the scenery. And Forgotten Hollow is especially cold and damp.

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When winter gets to be too much for me, I go on the computer and start fantasizing about places I might go. Strangerville? The desert would be warmer, but I've heard that the place is especially odd. Selvadorada? It's the rainy season there, and I don't need more humidity. And then I found exactly what I was looking for:

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Visit Sulani! Caldera Camp is nestled in a black rock canyon of stunning natural beauty.

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Offering two bedrooms and a detached bathroom, you'll find everything you need for your island adventure. At 20,000 simoleons, this time-share condominium won't last long!

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There was a knock at the door. I went outside and found Johnny Zest. "I think we could do it!" I exclaimed. "Do what?" he asked.
I told him about Sulani. "If every family chipped in 2000 simoleons, we could have the perfect island getaway."
"Go for it!" said Johnny. "I'll give you my share right now."
I called the agent, wired off my 20,000 simoleons, and the next thing I knew, I was traveling to Sulani.

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Upon arrival, I realized that I was greatly overdressed for the island. It might be winter there, but the temperature was a balmy 70 F.

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The real estate agent had kindly left some clothing in the closet for me. I felt a weight lift from my shoulders -- not just the weight of my winter wardrobe, but the one of cares and worries. I looked up at the starlit sky...

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...and noticed something else. Was that a...volcano? Well, that would explain why the condo came so cheaply. And I guess "Caldera" Camp should have been a clue. But surely no one would have built so close to a volcano if it was actually active.

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The next day I was up early and ready to explore. You could wade quite a long way out in the little bay at my front door. That would be good news for the parents of children and toddlers. And the reflection of palm trees in the water was really lovely.

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Unfortunately, there was some trash on the beach. It seemed like a desecration of this beautiful place, so I picked it up.

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I soon met some conservationists, who thanked me for helping. They gave me some equipment which I could use on more stubborn patches.

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The island was too big to explore in one day, but I did see a beautiful waterfall...

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...some dolphins in the distance...

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...and a large rock that had been carved to resemble a turtle.

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Late in the afternoon I found a small cave. Going inside, I was immediately pinched by a crab. But I got to see a stone wall light up with phosphorescent larvae.

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Back at camp, I discovered that the locals were a little more friendly than I was used to, but decided that I could live with that. especially when the young man told me that his wife had sent him so there would be someone around if I needed anything.

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The next day I got up so early that it was actually chilly outside. I built a sandcastle while I waited for it to warm up enough for swimming.

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Walking out to the beach, I noticed another beautiful area in need of clean-up.

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This mess took quite a bit of effort, and I was grateful for the equipment the conservationists had given me.

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I spent the afternoon snorkeling in the lagoon outside the village. I also bought a canoe, which I'll pass on to the next person who comes out here.

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Returning to camp, I caught sight of the moon through palm trees. I must say, I'm awfully tempted to buy my own home and move here.

[MarianT]

The Newbies and the Calientes 5

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Ahhh... I was having a lovely nap on the soft, warm sand, when I got a phone call from Bob Newbie.

The Newbies

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"I don't understand the text you sent me," he began. "Wait a minute -- Pascal, thanks so much for the shoveling! Anyway, what's this about a time-share on Sulani?"
"Yes, I've found a cheap cottage -- it's next to a volcano that I'm pretty sure is dormant..."

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"Open -- " Bob was saying, "That's right -- good kitty! Oh, sorry Willow, I'm just trying to get Pascal's cat Enigma to take a pill."
"Maybe you should call me back when you're finished working," I suggested.

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"No, this is fine, I can multi-task -- well, aren't you a big fellow. Come on up and let me take a look at you," I could hear Bob saying. I pressed a button to end the call. If Bob called back wanting to know what had happened, I would say that we'd been cut off, cell service on Sulani being somewhat erratic.

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But he didn't call back, so after a couple of hours, I called him. "About this time-share," he began, then -- "Girls, cut the noise down. I'm on the phone.

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"Babs brought her friend Faith Lee-Scott -- or is it Scott-Lee? -- home from school," he explained.
"It's Lee-Scott," I said, "and it's very simple -- I can buy a condominium on Sulani for everyone to use if they're willing to put in 2000 simoleons."
"I guess I can agree to that. Although I should check with Betty. She holds the purse strings," Bob yawned.
"Is my conversation that boring?" I asked.

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"Not at all," he said hastily. "It's just that I was up late last night dealing with the monster under Babs's bed. The monster that we paid mucho simoleons explicitly to discourage.

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"And it was such a stubborn monster that Betty had to get up and deal with it, too. But you know -- back in a minute..."

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In the distance, I could hear Bob saying, "Buddy? Are you okay, old pal?" Presently he returned to the phone.
"Buddy just became an elderly dog," he told me. "And yes, put us down as a yes on the time-share. I'd like to take Buddy somewhere warm before it's too late for him."

The Calientes

Returning to my lodging, I found an e-mail from Katrina.

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We got a puppy for Hugh. He's an A student now, and I remembered that you asked us to do that. I wanted a cat, but Hugh was all for a puppy. She's an Australian shepherd, so we're calling her Brisbane.

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I'm sending you this clipping so you won't worry if you see the picture in the tabloids. I do not have some "mysterious ailment," and doctors do not "fear for my life." It was a perfectly ordinary rash that went away when I took some medicine.

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I've been exercising, trying to get my fitness level up so I can get a part in a new series, "Detective Law." Fingers crossed that I pass the audition!

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I sent Katrina a floater to use in her pool, and reminded her that I wanted to hear back about the time-share.
A few days later I heard back from her. Thanks so very much for the floater! It's perfect for relaxing, which is what I need to do more often.

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I got the part in the detective show. The bizarre thing is that my co-star looked much like me after make-up finished with her. I'm the one on the left. I don't know why they wouldn't let me keep my hair, although I suppose it's not a style a policewoman would wear.

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I have the better figure, as you can tell when you see us in profile together. Flirting with a woman who looked so much like me was definitely awkward. The writer later explained that he was trying to convey the idea that my character was a narcissist, looking for a love interest who would be a mirror, not a separate human being. Whatever.

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My fight scene was a bust. I was supposed to take down the alien, but I slipped on a damp spot. The director yelled at me, "It says on your CV that you're a level 5 fitness! What are you, a 2 or something?" I told him I was a 5, but I slipped. I thought we'd do the scene over, but he said time was short, and they'd have to go with what they had.

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Despite my falling on my butt, they filmed me locking up the alien anyway. Case closed.

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Back at home that adorable little furball we adopted grew up.

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I think we need a bigger house. Don't worry, I plan to kick in for the time share, but it's obvious that we need more furniture in the living room than just a couch.

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Just so you won't think I'm totally self-absorbed (okay, I am, but I try to think of others), I want to brag on Hugh a little. Besides being an A student, he's reached the second level of his drama club despite choosing to portray a tiger rather than a cow as his barnyard animal. And he's officially a Rambunctious Scamp. His birthday is coming up, so I made a cake for him, which I'll share. Yes, I have a birthday coming up, too. I look forward to seeing you when you return from Sulani.

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When I showed up the next day, Katrina was still in her pajamas despite it being lunchtime.

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"My publicist got me into a party with Thorne Bailey last night," she said, as she handed me her money. "Thorne Bailey! Can you imagine? It was a charity do, and I got on the list because I'd donated to Future Astronauts of Sunset Valley.

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"Anyway, the party lasted several hours and near the end, Thorne went into the bar and started making drinks for the patrons there. He said they deserved to have a properly made Wrench rather than what the Blue Velvet usually served. And Bob Newbie said, 'It's a wrench, but I'll take it,' which everyone thought was hilarious. That's the point at which I realized it was time I went home."

I congratulated Katrina on her rising fame, thanked her for the money, and then went home myself.

[MarianT]

The Landgraabs and the Curiouses 5

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Malcolm's reaction to Caldera Camp was somewhat disappointing for me. "It's way too basic," he told me. "I'm more of a resort guy. I could go for the mermaids, but Morgan wouldn't like that and neither would the voters."

The Landgraabs

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He went on to tell me about the experience that he and Morgan had at Villa Bovine the other night. "They were offering a Night-on-the-Town special," he said. "All you could eat for free. She and I were both hungry after work, so we went.

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"Vidcund Curious was there with his girlfriend Maaike, and their daughter Nikita. Vidcund works with Siobhan which is how I know him. She says he's not her type. Apparently he likes to think of himself as a ladies' man.

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"Anyway, Morgan and I are sitting there, enjoying our rack of lamb, when Maaike and Nikita come over, grab our plates, and take off with them. I mean, what? The food's free, guys. I complained to the manager, who said that he doesn't have any control over the customers, just the employees. I tell you, we won't be eating at Villa Bovine again."

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I sympathized and asked about the rest of the family.
"Mom's great," said Malcolm. "She just became an elder, and I don't expect that gray hair to last long, not if she can get her hands on something to 'restore her natural color.' And she got a promotion at work.

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"She almost froze to death after she came home, though. I don't know why she and Dad just stand around outside when they finish working. I have to call them to come in."

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"Sterling's doing great -- an A student and a Griffon scout. He's a regular chip off the old block, if I do say so myself. And that reminds me -- you're going to vote for me, right?"
"Right," I said.

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Before I left, though, Malcolm surprised me by handing me some money. "I doubt that I'll ever go to Sulani myself," he said. "But Sterling might like it. And I wouldn't want people to say I was a cheapskate."

The Curiouses

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After Malcolm's depressing reaction to the time-share in Sulani, Pascal's reception of the news was a breath of fresh air. "That sounds wonderful!" he exclaimed. "Where do I sign up?"

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He came inside to give me the money. "It's kind of dark in here," he commented. "What happened?"
"I went off the grid," I told him, "and now none of my lights work. I thought they were candles that didn't require electricity, but I guess they were fake."

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Shortly after Winterfest, I got a card from Pascal, with some pictures.
Hope you had a great holiday, he wrote. Lazlo, Vidcund, and I sang "Zwingle Fibbs" around the tree, with Cosma piping in a couple of octaves above us.

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Lazlo got a new grill, and Cosma a toy for toddlers. And I got a microscope just like the one at work.

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She was a little disappointed, so I gave her another present myself -- the first to start a fossil collection.

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Later, Cosma watched while I upgraded the dryer to be lint-less -- a Winterfest present for all of us.

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The next day, Cosma had her birthday.

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And then I had mine.

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I'm also including a picture of Vidcund's daughter Nikita. She's quite a pretty little girl.

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And here's Vidcund trying to romance Nina Caliente. I think she's out of his league, but you never know.

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Soon after that I got a call from Pascal saying that he'd been to Sulani, and he wanted to see me. We met for a game of chess at Willow Creek Archives.

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But first he wanted to talk about Cosma. "She's quite grown up now," he said. "But it's hard getting her to smile. She's embarrassed about her braces. I tell her she'll be glad she wore them when she gets to be an elder, but that's a little too far ahead for her.

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"She's doing well at school and still enjoys Scouts. She plans to go into computer programming when she grows up -- maybe as a freelance game designer. I'm trying to persuade her to work as a Tech Guru first and get the basics down.

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"We got her some new bedroom furniture -- a new desk, mainly, and a more grown-up bed."

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"And what did you think of Sulani?" I asked.
"It's huge," said Pascal. "I realize it's just an island, but the sky and sea seem to stretch forever. I went for a walk up the mountain behind the house...

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"...And there was the volcano. Absolutely amazing. I realize it's dangerous, of course, and I won't be surprised if I go back and find that the house is a pile of ashes, but still -- I'm glad it's there.

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"Anyway, after that, I went down to the beach where I found an outrigger and went for a short sail before dark. I can't wait to go back."
I grinned at him. "I want to go back myself," I said.

[reggikko]

How have you set up the time share? Does Willow Wisely own it and live there and the other Sims visit? Vid as a ladies' man still cracks me up. It looks like you're having a lot of fun with this.