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

[MarianT]

Thanks for the tour of Wolfie's Rosa Manor! What a beautiful home! With a spa room, even!
I've never seen those luxurious double beds before. Are they from Get Famous?

Those twins are so cute but look hard to handle.
If I were Babs, I'd prefer exploring in Selvadorada, too!
And, of course, I'm sooooo curious about Corn's future plans. (Thank you for explaining about Frank)

The beds are from Get Famous, I think.
I've had a fussy toddler before, but I think this is my first time with fussy twins. They are a handful, but cute.

[MarianT]

Hugh Caliente, Cosma Curious, Hank Cottoneye, and Grant Hecking 3

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I met with Grant and Elsa Hecking at L'Attente Bovine. Despite the French and the dress code, I was not impressed. A stack of dirty dishes sat on our table the whole time we were there, ignored by the wait staff. I've received much better service at Sunnyside Up Diner, and so I told the manager.
Anyway, I sent out a message to Hugh, Cosma, and Hank that it was high time they reported in.

Hugh Caliente

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The first person I heard back from was Hugh. Hi Willow! I've been taking lots of pictures, but mostly they're of models. I've become good friends with all of them, but I don't think you know any of them. Here's Nikita, being cheeky.

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Here's Dion, being angelic. He ate all his yogurt without throwing any of it on the floor.

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Here is Dion with Dad, being less angelic, giving him the squint-eye.

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And here is Dad with Brisbane. He'd been having a swim when I asked him to come in and pose for me. Nikita says that she hopes I look half as good when I get to be Dad's age. I told her that it's quite likely I'll look half as good. Guess it's time to start working out more. Pictures of Mom coming up next. I want to catch her before her hair turns white.

Cosma Curious

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Next I heard from Cosma. This week much less stressful, Willow, she wrote, although the gremlins did attack once. I'm getting quicker at repairing, though, and I got rid of those expensive computers that couldn't be fixed. I had my birthday.

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And Stephon and I finally tied the knot.

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 Oddity is doing well at school and even does his homework without being told. His teacher said that we should encourage his creativity, so he's in the Drama Club rather than Scouts. They're working on a play that he helped make cowboy costumes for.

 Brenna's grade was starting to slip, so I tried to help her with homework. She's somewhat rebellious, though. "You're just my sister!" she says, "not my mom." Uncle Vidcund is still alive, and I've entered the start-up entrepreneur branch of my job.

Hank Cottoneye

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Hank was the next to report in. Mom's an elder now, but pretty as ever, even when her back hurts.

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We're trying to encourage her to retire, but she says that she enjoys mixology, and the money's good.

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I've been working out at home, using Dad's robot.

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I still prefer being by myself at work -- the squad room is always crowded.

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Luckily, solving crimes is mostly a one-person endeavor.

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I've gotten a promotion, even though I did arrest the wrong suspect. The real culprit is the woman sitting down, smirking. It would help if witnesses could at least recall the gender of the person they saw. I corrected my mistake pretty quickly, and got her to confess.

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To celebrate, Hope Lee-Scott went with me to Sunnyside Up Diner to take advantage of their "Night on the Town" promotion. We're just friends at the moment, but we do have feelings that we want to explore when she gets older.

Grant Hecking

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And finally, Grant and Elsa brought me up to date on what they've been doing. "The twins are adorable," said Grant.

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"And they look especially cute in their warmer clothes for Fall," said Elsa. "That's Amanda in red and blue, by the way, and Elspeth in aqua and pink."

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"They want a lot of attention," said Grant, "but they are fun.

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"And I do get a few minutes here and there to practice the guitar. I'm not working on magic much at the moment, though. Whenever I go off to Caster Alley, it's like no one does anything while I'm gone. I always come back to find that Elspeth and Amanda are hungry, tired, and in need of attention. So I'm waiting until they start school to start working on my spells again.

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"Dad Brant was abducted the other night," he continued, "but he seems to have returned without any ill effects other than some dizziness.

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"He and Dad Brent celebrated their birthdays the other day.

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"I took advantage of their being home from work to take Elsa over to the gym." "I hate exercising," Elsa added. "With Reynaldo's help, I was able to reach the height of fitness," said Grant.

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"And while we were there, we noticed some of your other protegees, Willow," said Elsa. "Claudia Landgraab was doing push-ups, while Celeste Straud and her Uncle Max were on the treadmills. Mimi Zest was just wandering around. It's kind of nice running into people we know when we go places."

I thanked both of them for coming and let them return home to their toddlers. They invited me to come with them, but I declined.

[MarianT]

Sterling Landgraab and Corn Gothario 4

Sterling Landgraab

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I should have realized when Tiffany started crying as soon as I picked her up that she was not going to be an easy child to raise.

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Although she loved it when we played horsie, as soon as I stopped, she started complaining.

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If she wasn't having a tantrum about using the potty chair...

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Tiffany was making a mess in the front hall.

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It seemed like the only peace we got was when she was sleeping.

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And the only time she was happy was when we were doing her bidding.

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So naturally Claudia and I decided to have a second child. I should say that it's not that we're dissatisfied with Tiffany in any way, more that we want to provide a future spouse for one of the other dynasties.

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Claudia has finished her military service and found a job as a gardener.

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And I've written 2 songs: "Crying Toddler," a mournful lament, and "Elder House," a plucky tune.

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The reason I gave that name to the second song is that Dad, Mom, and Aunt Siobhan have all become elders. I don't think Tiffany put the gray in their hair -- I know. Just kidding, of course. She's a delightful child, really.

Corn Gothario

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Maria (in white) and Angela (in green) both are independent-minded toddlers. They want what they want when they want it, and not a moment too soon or too late. I spent a few hours putting them in their high chairs and taking them out again until Mother took pity on me.

"Why don't you go next door and visit Olivia?" she suggested. "She's a single mother now, like you, and I'm sure she'd appreciate some adult company."

I was out the door faster than a speeding bullet.

Olivia Spencer-Kim-Lewis had always been the big girl that Claudia and I were in awe of. Every time we caught up with her, she seemed to move ahead, becoming a teen when we were children and a young adult when we became teens. When her parents died, leaving her alone in that big house, it was like she'd become a fairy princess, remote and mysterious.

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"I'm so glad you came over," she said. "I'd been thinking about coming to see you -- but I didn't know how you'd feel about company if you were still grieving over your husband. Your mother told me about him and the shark."

I didn't know what to say. It wasn't that I was embarrassed about my mother's annoying "explanation" for my being a single parent, it was that I was awestruck by Olivia's beauty. I'd always known she was beautiful, but this was the first time that I took it personally, so to speak. I wanted to fold her into my arms and tell her that I was really, really sorry I hadn't been over to see her earlier, and that I would make sure she never felt lonely again. I wanted to kiss her and kiss her and never stop.

"Umm--" I began intelligently.

"Did your mother tell you that I have a toddler, too?" Olivia asked.

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"It's kind of embarrassing," she said, when I nodded. "This guy came over, said he was doing a survey. He was good-looking and kind of suave, and the next thing I knew, he'd sweet-talked me into the bedroom. He was very affectionate -- well, obviously. I haven't seen him since, not even when Vivian was born. I don't even know his name."

I took her hand. "You are so beautiful," I said, "but I have to tell you -- that hair style is all wrong for you, and that shade of blue is not a good color on you. I'm a stylist now -- would you let me give you a makeover? And maybe we could go out on a date afterwards?"

To my surprise and delight, Olivia agreed to both.

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We met at the museum, where I showed her the before and after pictures. "You made me look really good," she said. "I must have been pretty depressed to let myself go like that."

"You'd look great in a gunny sack," I said, "or nothing at all."

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"Especially nothing at all," I whispered, as I moved in for a kiss. This was the moment of truth -- would she recoil in horror, do nothing, or kiss me back?

"More," said Olivia. "Kiss me more."

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So I obliged.

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And then I proposed. "I don't want you to ever be lonely again," I said. "And I want Vivian to be friends with my little terrors all her life. And I want to keep you safe from any stray cads pretending to do surveys, and..."

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Olivia said yes and jumped into my arms. It's the first and only time I've been grateful for my military training, because otherwise I wouldn't have had the strength to hold her.

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The museum was still pretty empty, so we got married right there, in our little corner.

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At home we added another high chair and bed for Vivian.

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She and Angela were soon on the way to becoming good friends.

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The next morning, as we were making plans for the day, I saw Olivia's left shoulder for the first time. I started to ask where she got the tattoo, but I didn't really need to. I think I'd known all along that the only person evil enough to take advantage of my darling was Max. And it was really galling that I was in debt to him for the little bundle of adorableness that was Vivian as well as my own two sweeties. Should I tell Olivia that she and I had more in common that she realized? I'd always planned to tell her the truth about my "husband," but now I didn't know what to say. How would she take it?

[oshizu]

Great plot twist!
I wonder if Olivia will notice Corn's tattoo before Corn works up the nerve to tell her...
Well, Max is a dog but, on the plus side, the three toddlers are half-sisters.

[MarianT]

Great plot twist!
I wonder if Olivia will notice Corn's tattoo before Corn works up the nerve to tell her...
Well, Max is a dog but, on the plus side, the three toddlers are half-sisters.

Good point about the tattoo...
And yes, the 3 are half-sisters and pretty much the same age.

[MarianT]

Celeste Straud, Mimi Zest, and Faith Lee-Scott

Celeste Straud

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Celeste is very proud of her little heiress, Rosa (named after Brendon's mother).

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Rosa is very cute...

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...but also independent and inclined to get upset when asked to do something she doesn't want to do.

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She does enjoy going to the park, though.

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And Celeste has found that sparring with Brendon's robot helps her deal with the stress of raising a toddler.

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Meanwhile, her father Vladislaus has developed his skill in logic and reached the height of the gardener career.

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And Celeste's younger brother Frank is becoming friends with Ericka Pancakes. "Maybe we can meet up when we go to university?" he asked hopefully.
Ericka shrugged. "That's assuming I get accepted. My grades aren't the greatest."
"Maybe I could help you study?" said Frank.
"Maybe," Ericka agreed.

Mimi Zest

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Dear Diary,
I don't have lots to write about, but at least a little more than usual.

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I finished my military service and found a job as a freelance reporter. This means that I spend a lot of time hunched over a computer, which isn't very exciting visually.

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But I did go to Waterside Warble in San Myshuno and interview a woman on the street -- "on," you understand, not "of" -- to get her opinion of National Leader Landgraab's bribery scandal.

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And then I bearded the lion himself, catching him at home playing chess. He wouldn't say anything other than "No comment," though. Sigh.

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As for other news, Mom and Dad and Aunt Yuki are all doing well. Dad appeared on Stephen Simbert's show the other night, and Mom has been practicing the guitar again.

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And my romance with Dale Cottoneye may get a boost. He and I celebrated his birthday at L'Attente Bovine the other night.

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Along with several other ladies. I think one in particular, who blasted a horn right in my ear, caught his eye.

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I don't have a jealous bone in my body, but I do have a few suspicious brain cells. "How well do you know her?" I asked Dale.
"Who?" he asked.
"The blonde in green," I said, "the one with the horn who was wearing a skimpy top."
"I didn't notice," he said.
Should I believe him? I mean, how could he not notice?

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Anyway, he convinced me later that I didn't have anything to be jealous about.

Faith Lee-Scott

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We all dressed up in costume for Spooky Day, and Justice made an adorable elf.

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Dad celebrated his elder birthday, blowing out his candles as Boba Fett.

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Justice has a love-hate relationship with his high chair. He loves being put into it.

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And I guess you could say he also loves knocking food off it. I'd feed him on the floor, but he doesn't seem to realize he's supposed to eat something until he's been put in the chair.

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Sometimes he's so tired by the time he's finished eating that he just falls asleep right then and there.

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Hope's been going through some mood swings lately. She burst into tears as soon as she came home from school the other day. She really wants to leave school and marry Hank Cottoneye.

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"But why can't I become an adult early?" she asked Mom.
"Because you haven't finished school yet."
"But I'm an A student," said Hope. "And I'm responsible. Mimi Zest aged up Dale Cottoneye early."
"That's Mimi Zest's business," said Mom. "All I'm saying is that you'll finish your teen years, young lady."
Needless to say, Hope has been sulking and slouching around the house. I could make her a cake, but I'm pretty sure that Hank will take her out to dinner and get a cake soon.

[MarianT]

Babs Newbida, Hugh Caliente, Cosma Curious, Hank Cottoneye, and Grant Hecking

It's been a whirlwind week, what with a patch and an upset to the calendar. That's why the Watcher is writing this chapter. She's the only one who knows what's been happening.

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First of all, here's one reason for playing so many families in rotation. In one visit to the gym, we spotted Sterling and Claudia Landgraab, Faith Lee-Scott (in back), Mimi Zest, and Celeste Straud.

Babs Newbida

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The person most affected by the calendar upset was Babs, who went from being in the middle of autumn to the beginning. "I'm having a hard time figuring out what day it is," she said, "and it's not just because I'm the mother of twin toddlers."

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Fussy twin toddlers, one might add, who always seem to require either food, bed, or the potty. But at least Carl was willing to get into bed for his story, and Robin pushed her food off her high chair tray only once.

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Calendar strangeness aside, Roy had his adult birthday. "They say life begins at 40," he remarked, "and I'm inclined to agree with them."

Hugh Caliente

Besides maxing photography, Hugh and his family experienced...

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...a death (Brisbane's),

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...an abduction (Nikita's),

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...and a very special birthday. Katrina is an elder now and plans to retire from acting. She's going to let her hair go white, too. "Everyone would know that I was getting it colored," she said. "The haters have believed that all along, so I'm going to surprise them."

Cosma Curious

Cosma's sister Brenna shocked everyone by moving to San Myshuno and preparing to go to college.

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"Are your grades good enough?" asked Cosma.
Brenna was barely holding on to a B, so she settled down to some serious studying and was able to get a scholarship in culinary arts.

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Living in San Myshuno was financially difficult, though, as no one answered Brenna's ad for a roommate. She decided to move back to Affluista Mansion.

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Meanwhile, Stephon, Cosma, and Oddity all went out to dinner at Villa Bovine. We'll have to wait until next time to find out how Brenna did during her first semester.

Hank Cottoneye

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We'll begin with Dale, who invited Mimi Zest over on Spooky Day. "Oooh, I love a man of mystery," she said.

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Dale proposed as Darth Vader.

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But he got married as himself, in his formal clothes, too.

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Hank took his daisy-girl, Hope Lee-Scott, out to dinner at Villa Bovine, where she blew out the candles on her cake.

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Now that they could become romantic, Hank didn't waste any time.

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He proposed early the next morning.

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They got married right away.

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Summer was delighted. "I told you she was the right girl for you," she gushed. "My best friend's daughter -- it's a dream come true."
"What?" said Hank.
"Hope is the daughter of my two dear friends, Liberty Lee and Travis Scott," said Summer. "Didn't you know that?"
"Yeah, yeah, sure," said Hank, not wanting to admit that he'd been clueless. It wouldn't look good for a senior detective.

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At work, Hank had a new crime to investigate. He interviewed a college girl who was a witness, Angela Pleasant.

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It took him a while to find the criminal -- the real culprit had been dressed in his hot weather outfit and didn't match the BOLO. But Hank soon sorted it out.

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After the interrogation, he took a police report from a civilian, Corn Gothario. "Someone keeps knocking over our trash can," she said.
"You have any idea who it might be?" Hank asked.
Corn hesitated. "Probably just kids," she said.
Hank noticed the hesitation. "If someone's been harrassing you, it's your duty to report it," he told her, but Corn wouldn't say any more.

Grant Hecking

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Grant didn't have time to go to the Caster's Alley, but he was able to learn a new spell, Transportalate.

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And Papa Brent had a day off from work, so he was able to look after Elspeth and Amanda. Both Grant and Elsa managed to get promoted. Elspeth and Amanda both had their birthdays. Elspeth is a genius and a spellcaster and working on becoming a Rambunctious Scamp, while Amanda loves the outdoors and wants to become an artistic prodigy.
And that's the 4th round. Hugh Caliente might start taking college classes, and Brenna Curious will continue her studies. Some changes have been made to the point system, too.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

A in a college course -- 1 pt.
Degree -- 2 pts.
Distinguished degree -- 3 pts.
Designated Sim is a spellcaster -- -10 pts, spread out as -1 each free day.

[MarianT]

Sterling Landgraab, Corn Gothario, Celeste Straud

Sterling Landgraab

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We have a new little one who is very curious about everything. Her name is Nanette, after Dad's mother.

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She's not as adept at climbing stairs as her older sister Tiffany, but she's getting there. The two of them look so much alike that they might as well be twins.

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Claudia has gone into flower arranging as her career. I think she looks wonderful in her flowery apron.

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Mom was watching the weather the other night (I think she might have a crush on the guy at the beach).

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All of a sudden she called out because Dad was being interviewed on television. "Did you solicit the bribe?" the interviewer asked. "What was the bribe for?"

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Later that night, Dad and I were watching television when the comedian Johnny Zest came on. He had a lot of jokes about Dad, things like "Maybe his name Landgraab should be changed to Moneygraab."
"He's always hated us," Dad growled. "He used to claim he was my father's illegitimate son or maybe it was my mother's out-of-wedlock child. Anyway, I can't stand him."

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It wasn't too surprising that Dad got a phone call the next morning. "The senators want me to retire," he told me. "I said I had plenty of good years left in me, but they said I should retire for the good of the party. I'll get a good pension, but..." Since then, he's been kind of moping around the house. It does mean that someone is home to look after Tiffany and Nanette, but I don't know whether he's paying much attention.

Corn Gothario

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They're so adorable when they're asleep. I overheard Mom and Dad saying that it was a pity they would have to grow up. I think that must have put some kind of curse on them.

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I never dreamed things could get so chaotic. That's Maria screaming in the high chair and Vivian playing with the frying pan.

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That's Maria sleeping on the floor while Angela is throwing a tantrum.

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That's Angela taking a nap when she should be sleeping in bed.

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That's Maria who is very much in need of a bath after using her diaper.

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And that's Olivia trying to give Angela some fun while Dad blows out his candles.

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I finally went to the gym where I met Claudia. "I'm going crazy," I said. "They don't want to eat in their high chairs, but if you put food out for them, they wait until it's spoiled to pick it up. None of them will let you read them to sleep. And even if you get all of them to actually sleep in bed, sure enough, one of them will wake up and start screaming and wake the others up, too. They're always hungry, they always want attention, and they always need a bath. Max Villareal came over to the house the other night, and you know what -- neither Olivia or I cared, we were both so exhausted. But at least we got all three of them potty-trained."
"That's a real accomplishment," said Claudia. "We're still working on Tiffany."
"I can't believe you and I were that dreadful," said Corn. "I tried to ask Mom, but she was playing the violin and in a world of her own. And Dad's mostly been upstairs, either running on the treadmill or playing chess. I'll tell you, I cannot wait for them to grow up."

Celeste Straud

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Her experiences with Rosa have been a little easier. "I think it's because there's just one of her," said Celeste. "She's independent, so she says no a lot, but if you're persistent, you can get her to cooperate.

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"Dad has read her a good-night story a couple of times.

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"We had a party the other day, mostly so Hugo could complete one of his requirements for Master Chef. Anyway, she took her food upstairs so she could eat with Mom.

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"And she absolutely loves to dance. Whenever Rosa complains that she's not having any fun, we just turn on the radio."

[oshizu]

Oooh, Grant's household will need to work harder to overcome that -10 handicap for his becoming a spellcaster.
I laughed at Corn's report about the mysterious trashcan kicker. I can't imagine Max would be thrilled at the idea of his two ex-lovers getting married and raising "his" children.

Does toddler raising seem more difficult to you since the recent patch?
My current heir and her spouse raised their toddlers in the same manner as the previous generations, but the Fun and Attention needs of my post-patch toddler seemed to fall quickly and often.
Perhaps I'm getting complacent and not paying enough attention to these last toddlers. Just thought I'd ask.

So many households with adorable toddlers now!  It's smart of you to stagger your 10 households' marriages and pregnancies.
Playing through the toddler stage in 10 households in a row would be exhausting (for me).

Poor Malcolm and his evil trait. A happy ending manages to elude him yet again...

[MarianT]

Thanks, @oshizu !

Yes, toddlers have been more difficult since the pre-DU patch. They put out another one today that fixes the speed at which toddlers' needs decay. I've played many toddlers, but Corn's 3 (and to some extent, Sterling's 2) were driving me crazy. I had to do some "cheating" (controlling them even when it wasn't a free day) just to make sure they weren't being taken away for not being fed. When they were in the red on hunger, attention, fun, and sleep (not to mention bladder and hygiene), the toddlers didn't always make the "right" choice of eating their food.

Incidentally, thanks to everyone for putting me over 10,000 views! It gives me a real incentive to hurry up with the next chapter.

[MarianT]

Mimi Zest 5

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Finally, I'm getting my own chapter, top billing, not sharing with anyone.

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Except the rest of the family. Meet Toby Zest, the cute little kid with the bowl haircut, which he can carry off. Dale is looking kind of shell-shocked -- I don't know if that's because he just joined the military or because he realized he's the father of a toddler.

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Dale and Dad are getting to know each other.

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"Just help out with the cleaning and the laundry and we'll get along fine," I overheard Dad saying to him. I guess Dale took it to heart.

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Mom and Aunt Yuki have plenty of advice for me. I wish I could get Mom to play the piano more. "The Lot of the Rising Sun" is my favorite. And Aunt Yuki is becoming famous for her "Let's Plays."

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What's amazing is that Dad and Toby have really bonded.

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They dance together.

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Dad helps with potty-training. "Let me show you how it's done, kid," he told me. And I guess his lessons work because Toby is one sippy cup away from being fully trained.

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They even have an inside joke with each other. "Toby or not Toby, that is the question," Dad will declaim.

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And Toby will giggle.

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The other day I had to make a very special birthday cake. And yes, that's a baby bump.

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Dale was in shock when I told him, but it makes sense. We want a little boy so that Toby will have someone to play with. And we want the two of them to be closer in age than he and Hank were. So I'm pregnant now rather than waiting for Toby to finish his toddler years.

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Anyway, Dad had his birthday and immediately started complaining about his back.

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He and Mom still look really good, especially when they're all dressed up for their jobs. I almost wish I had to wear formal wear to work, too, but no, sweats are more comfortable when you're writing.
 
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Dad is still buddies with Toby, but he's not rough-housing with him any more because it hurts his back. Flash cards are about his speed now.

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Yep, I can't complain -- which is kind of a problem for my writing. Nobody wants to read about people who are happy all the time. Hmm, I'll have to think about that.

[oshizu]

Grandpa Johnny and Toby are so great together!
Toby or not Toby---haha, good one!
I'm really enjoying how different each household feels from each other.

[MarianT]

Grandpa Johnny and Toby are so great together!
Toby or not Toby---haha, good one!
I'm really enjoying how different each household feels from each other.

I'm enjoying their differences. too. Coming up with jokes for Johnny is hard, but that one just fell into place.

[MarianT]

Faith Lee-Scott and Babs Newbida 5

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One winter afternoon, long-time friends Faith Lee-Scott and Babs Newbida got together in Willow Creek. "I haven't seen you in forty forevers," Faith gushed. "Tell me about all your adventures."
"You first," said Babs. "How's your little one doing?"

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"Justice is great!" said Faith. "He was a little clingy when he was younger, but now that his big boy birthday is approaching, he actually likes playing by himself sometimes.

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"Of course, he still likes plenty of attention, especially around naptime, and especially from Mom. We're not sure who he's going to look like yet.

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"I'm hoping he'll resemble Heath more than me."
"And how's your Dad?"

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"He's doing great," said Faith. "He's almost at the top of his profession, and what he doesn't know about programming isn't enough to fill a matchbook."
"And your job?" asked Babs.

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"Freelancing is harder than you might think," said Faith. "The clients can be very picky. 'Too ordinary,' they say, and when you give them something more surreal, it's 'Could you make it a little more reality-based?' I'm thinking about getting out of the art business and becoming a lawyer. Now that I've painted my fifth masterpiece, I'm looking for something new to do. But what about you? What discoveries have you made?"

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Babs sighed. "I've discovered that toddlers don't like peas.

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"The votes are unanimous.

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"And I've also realized that I'm not going to stay young forever. Dad just became an elder, and it freaked me out a little.

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"'You should take a trip to Selvadorada,' Mom told me. 'Your father and I will look after the children.'

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"'Are you sure?' I said. 'Because it seems to me that all the two of you do is sit around and eat.'
'Hmph,' said Mom. 'If you're that grumpy, you really do need to get away for a while.'

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"So I went to Selvadorada and had a pretty good time, even though I'd promised Roy that I wouldn't try to explore any more ruins. But talking to the residents, I learned more about the jungle, which would help when I did start exploring again.

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"And I paid my respects to the Madre Cosecha, and asked her for some help with my situation.

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"Returning home, everyone was in a panic because they couldn't find Robin. It turned out she was in the basement, dancing.

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"Panics aside, they all had a great time while I was gone. Mom got a promotion. She doesn't like the dress she has to wear -- 'You better not talk about whales where I can hear you,' she said. 'Not unless you want me to come into your bedroom and practice scales until you wake up.'

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"Dad discovered the hot tub out back.

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"'You ought to try it,' he said. 'You soak for a while, and then you get out and make an angel in the snow, and jump back in the tub before you freeze -- it's great!'
'I'll pass,' I said. 'I don't want to get pneumonia.'

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"I have to admit, Robin and Carl have been better behaved since my little expedition," said Babs. "There's just one thing --"

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"Yes?" inquired Faith.
"Some creepy-crawlies came back in my luggage," said Babs. "I was able to deal with the bats...

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"...but poor Roy got attacked by a swarm of bees."

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"That sounds nasty," said Faith. "By the way, meckchate."

[MarianT]

Hugh Caliente and Cosma Curious 5

Hugh Caliente

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One of the perks of being a fashion photographer is that you become good friends with all your models. Hugh is only a couple of photo shoots away from becoming a Friend of the World. But not every photographer is as ethical as he is.

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The paparazzi apparently have cameras that can see through walls, capturing intimate moments like Hugh reading Dion his good-night book...

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...or kissing Nikita...

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...or the shower emitting a light show.

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Hugh takes some intimate photos himself, but only to share with family members, like this one of J chilling in their moonlit pool.

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Or this one of Nikita, making the discovery that she is pregnant again.

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And someone else took this picture of Dion -- communicative, imaginative, motor-skilled, and potty-trained Dion -- blowing out the candles (with Hugh's help) on his cake.

Cosma Curious

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'Twas the night before Winterfest
and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring...

except for whoever was coming to investigate these weird lights...

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and Brenna who was upstairs working on the presentation for one of her classes...

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and Vidcund, who was dying...

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and Oddity, who got up in time to meet the Grim Reaper...

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and Cosma, who came to plead for her Uncle Vidcund. "You can't take him tonight," she protested. "Tomorrow's Winterfest!"

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The Grim Reaper relented and brought Vidcund back to life.

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Later he posed for a few pictures, and he and Cosma became good friends.

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Early in the morning, Stephon returned with a Winterfest present from Senior Pollination Technician #3.

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Later, they all gathered around the Winterfest tree...

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which then burned to ashes. (Aliens are weird.)