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

[MarianT]

STATS, Generation 3

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Robin Newbida

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: fussy, cheerful, bro, geek, good manners, responsible
Skills: 24, creativity 10, motor 10, archaeology, 10. knitting 1
Promotions: 22, Robin B, line learner, A, practical performer, Junior Artiste, A, 4, Carl 5, Griffon Scout, Unicorn Scout, Pegasus Scout, Llamacorn Scout, 4, Roy, 5, Frank, 8, Nadine B, A
Satisfaction Points: 8
$30,000 Added:
Character Traits: 3, Robin, good manners, responsible; Carl, responsible
Collections:
Gold Parties: 1, date
Good Friends: 12, Bob Newbie, Betty Newbie, Kasey Zhang, Roy Newbida, Carl Newbida, Frank Straud, J Huntington III, Jaylah Connolly, Nadine Straud, Atticus Newbida, Tina Tinker, Aleksey Bishop
Lots and Festivals: 6, Flea Market, Rattlesnake Juice Bar, Villa Bovine, Vital Climb Gym, Sunny Side Up Diner, Enchanted Springs
Pet Tricks:
A's in College:
Maxed Skills: 16, Robin, creativity, motor, archaeology, 6; Roy, dancing, 2; Betty, dancing, 2; Babs, archaeology, 2; Atticus, potty, movement, 4
Maxed Aspirations: 8, Robin, Artistic Prodigy, Rambunctious Scamp, 4; Babs, Jungle Explorer, 2; Roy, Mansion Baron, 2
Maxed Careers: 4, Robin, Drama Club, 2; Carl, Scouting, 2
Negatives: -4, Robin, fire, -2, Roy, fire, -2

Total = 100

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Maria Gothario

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Traits: independent, cheerful, loves outdoors, materialistic, good manners, responsible
Skills: 16, motor 10, social 10, fishing, 3
Promotions: 18, Corn 8, Angela B, A, Unicorn Scout, Pegasus, Vivian A, Unicorn Scout, Pegasus, A, Olivia 7, Maria, Unicorn Scout, A, Pegasus Scout, Llamacorn, A, Don 10
Satisfaction Points: 7
$30,000 Added: 14
Character Traits: 6, Maria, good manners, responsible; Vivian, good manners, responsible; Angela, good manners, responsible
Collections: 2, elements
Gold Parties:
Good Friends: 8, Don Gothario, Angela Gothario, Vivian Kim-Lewis, Grim Reaper, Rosa Straud, Luis Caliente, Claudia Gothario, Luka Koch
Lots and Festivals: 2, Desert Bloom Park, Flea Market
Pet Tricks:
A's in College: 4, Maria
Maxed Skills: 10, Don, fitness, 2; Angela, creativity, 2; Maria, motor, social, 4; Vivian, motor, 2
Maxed Aspirations: 10, Angela, Artistic Prodigy, 2; Maria, Rambunctious Scamp, Social Butterfly, The Collector, 6; Vivian, Rambunctious Scamp, 2
Maxed Careers: 4, Don, Military, 2; Maria, Scouting, 2
Negatives: -1, Don, pass out, -1

Total = 100

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Dion Caliente

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: angelic, goofball, vegetarian, loves the outdoors, responsible
Skills: 15, gardening 10, logic 6
Promotions: 18, Luis A, Griffon Scout, Unicorn Scout, 3, Dion A, Distinguished Degree in Biology, 8, Nikita 7, Hugh, Distinguished Degree in Art History, 10, J 9
Satisfaction Points: 8
$30,000 Added: 24
Character Traits: 3, Dion, responsible; Luis, good manners, responsible
Collections:
Gold Parties:
Good Friends: 7, Nikita Caliente, Luis Caliente, Patchy, Amanda Hecking, Flower Bunny, Gina Caliente, Robin Newbida
Lots and Festivals: 8, Spice Festival, Skye Fitness, Larry's Lagoon, Flea Market, Villa Bovine, Chez Llama, Romance Festival, Magnolia Blossom Park
Pet Tricks:
A's in College: 5
Maxed Skills: 10, Nikita, dancing, 2; Hugh, fitness, painting, 4; Dion, gardening, cooking, 4
Maxed Aspirations: 2, Hugh, Painter Extraordinaire, 2
Maxed Careers: 2, Hugh, Painter, 2
Negatives: -1, Luis, pass out, -1

Total = 100

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Tiffany Landgraab

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: independent, active, loves the outdoors, art lover
Skills: 17, active 10, social 7, fitness 10, rocket science 6
Promotions: 14, Tiffany, Pegasus Scout, Llamacorn Scout, A, Bench Warmer, Nanette A, Unicorn Scout, A, Sterling 10, Claudia 9, Carl 4
Satisfaction Points: 9
$30,000 Added: 2
Character Traits: 3, Tiffany, good manners, responsible, Nanette, responsible
Collections:
Gold Parties: 1, date
Good Friends: 6, Claudia Landgraab, Carl Newbida, Peyton Tovar, Porsche Landgraab, Mazda Landgraab, Mercedes Landgraab
Lots and Festivals: 6, Desert Bloom Park, Hare Square, Movers & Shakers, The Shrieking Llama, Bowl More Alley, GeekCon
Pet Tricks:
A's in College: 11
Maxed Skills: 20, Tiffany, motor, fitness, 4; Nanette, motor, 2; Claudia, dancing, cooking, 4; Mazda, potty, imagination, communication, 6; Porsche, potty, communication, 4
Maxed Aspirations: 8, Tiffany, Rambunctious Scamp, Body Builder, 4; Nanette, Rambunctious Scamp, 2; Sterling, Successful Lineage, 2
Maxed Careers: 4, Tiffany, Scouting, 2; Sterling, Entertainer, 2
Negatives: -1, Nanette, bladder fail, -1

Total = 100

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Rosa Straud

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: independent, gloomy, erratic, romantic, mediator, good manners, responsible
Skills: 18, social 10, writing 10, knitting 2
Promotions: 19, Rosa A, Practical Performer, Junior Artiste, A, Celeste 8, Vladislaus 6, Brendon 8, Frank 6, Hugo 9, Max 9
Satisfaction Points: 6
$30,000 Added: 12
Character Traits: 3, Rosa, good manners, responsible, mediator
Collections: 2, decorative eggs
Gold Parties:
Good Friends: 8, Luna Straud, Frank Straud, Elspeth Hecking, Johnnie Morrow, Brendon Rosa, Dion Caliente, Flower Bunny, Nathan Zest, Grim Reaper
Lots and Festivals: 4, Desert Bloom Park, Flea Market, Studio PBP, Sunny Side Up Diner
Pet Tricks:
A's in College: 11
Maxed Skills: 10, Luna, dancing, 2; Rosa, social, writing, 4; Max, mischief, 2; Vladislaus, cooking, 2
Maxed Aspirations: 6, Rosa, Social Butterfly, 2; Vladislaus, Successful Lineage, Fabulously Wealthy, 4
Maxed Careers: 2, Rosa, Drama Club, 2
Miscellaneous: 2, Starlight Accolade award -- best book, 1, Green neighborhood, 1
Negatives: -3, Hugo, pass out, -1; Celeste, pass out, -2

Total = 100

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Toby Zest

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: silly, genius, paranoid, maker, good manners, responsible
Skills: 18, mental 10, creativity 7, fabrication 7
Promotions: 17, Nathan, Griffon Scout, B, Unicorn, Toby, Unicorn Scout, A, Pegasus Scout, Llamacorn, A, 4, Dale 7, Mimi 10, Yuki 9
Satisfaction Points: 3
$30,000 Added: 20
Character Traits: 2, Toby, good manners, responsible
Collections:
Gold Parties: 1, date
Good Friends: 6, Nathan Zest, Candy Zest, Vivian Kim-Lewis, Dale Zest, Kimberly Zest, Louisa Zest
Lots and Festivals: 5, Flea Market, Desert Bloom Park, Del Sol Valley Community Center, Pectoral Fitness, Myshuno Meadows
Pet Tricks:
A's in College:
Maxed Skills: 18, Mimi, writing, dancing, 4; Toby, mental, 2; Nathan, motor, 2; Dale, dancing, 4; Louisa, potty, communication, movement, 6; Kimberley, potty, 2
Maxed Aspirations: 6, Toby, Whiz Kid, 2; Yuki, Fabulously Wealthy, 2; Nathan, Rambunctious Scamp, 2
Maxed Careers: 4, Toby, Scouting, 2; Mimi, Writing, 2
Negatives:

Total = 100

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Justice Lee-Scott

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: clingy, goofball, materialistic, bookworm, emotional control, responsible
Skills: 17, mental 10, research and debate 10, wellness 5
Promotions: 13, Justice, Pegasus Scout, A, Llamacorn Scout, Seasoned Member - Debate, Distinguished Degree in History, Heath, 7, Faith 8
Satisfaction Points: 8
$30,000 Added: 18
Character Traits: 2, Justice, emotional control, responsible
Collections:
Gold Parties: 1, date
Good Friends: 7, Angela Gothario, Walker Donohue, Lorraine Crandall, Frank Straud, Robin Newbida, Daichi Hayashi, Peace Lee-Scott
Lots and Festivals: 7, Laurel Library, Movers & Shakers, Darby's Den, Flea Market, Pepper's Pub, Sunnyside Up Diner, Romance Festival
Pet Tricks:
A's in College: 11, Justice, 11
Maxed Skills: 10, Justice, mental, cooking, research & debate, 6; Peace, potty, imagination, 4
Maxed Aspirations: 4, Justice, Whiz Kid, Academic Aspiration, 4
Maxed Careers: 2, Justice, Scouting, 2
Negatives:

Total = 100

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Oddity Curious

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: silly, creative, snob, self-absorbed, good manners, responsible
Skills: 7, acting 10
Promotions: 21, Zara B, A, Unicorn Scout, A, Pegasus, 5, Brenna 6, Oddity 4, Cosma 10, Venusia B, A, Vatore B, A, Line Learner
Satisfaction Points: 6
$30,000 Added: 14
Character Traits: 3, Oddity, good manners, responsible; Zara, responsible
Collections:
Gold Parties: 1, date
Good Friends: 16, Max Villareal, Madilyn Watts, Venusia Curious, Lilith Vatore, Brenna Curious, Vatore Curious, Tatiana Humphrey, Tiffany Landgraab, Mariana Block, Luka Koch, Arielle Springer, Knox Greenburg, Flower Bunny, Maki Ishikawa, Tucker Wahl, Nicolo Figueroa
Lots and Festivals: 6, Desert Bloom Park, Rattlesnake Juice Bar, Flea Market, Studio PBP, The Futures Past, The Solar Flare
Pet Tricks:
A's in College: 4, Oddity
Maxed Skills: 20, Cosma, logic, 2; Venusia, potty, movement, communication, 6; Vatore, imagination, potty, movement, 6; Oddity, dancing, cooking, 4; Zara, dancing, 2
Maxed Aspirations: 2, Zara, Artistic Prodigy, 2
Maxed Careers: 2, Cosma, Tech Guru, 2
Negatives: -2, nanny, -1, Oddity, bladder fail, -1

Total = 100

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Jonah Cottoneye

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: wild, self-assured, music lover, green fiend, good manners, responsible
Skills: 11, creativity 10, robotics 8
Promotions: 11, Hank 10, Hope 10, Jonah, Pegasus, Llamacorn, A, Distinguished Degree
Satisfaction Points: 9
$30,000 Added: 6
Character Traits: 2, Jonah, good manners, responsible
Collections:
Gold Parties:
Good Friends: 6, Nanette Landgraab, Tomax Collette, Knox Greenburg, Matilda Cottoneye, Sam Cottoneye, Malcolm Cottoneye
Lots and Festivals: 2, Strangerville Information Center, Sprucewood Gardens
Pet Tricks:
A's in College: 12
Maxed Skills: 32, Hank, fishing, parenting, 4; Jonah, creativity, cooking, handiness, 6; Hope, painting, cooking, 4; Matilda, potty, imagination, communication, movement, 8; Sam, potty, communication, imagination, movement, 8; Nanette, cooking, 2
Maxed Aspirations: 4, Hank, Angler Ace, 2; Jonah, Renaissance Sim, 2
Maxed Careers: 6, Jonah, Scouting, 2; Hank, Detective, 2; Hope, Painter, 2
Negatives: -1, moodlet solver, -1

Total = 100

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Elspeth Hecking

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Traits: spellcaster, charmer, genius, bookworm, mean, responsible
Skills: 18, logic 10. knitting 8
Promotions: 18, Amanda  Pegasus, A, Llamacorn Scout, 4, Grant 10, Elspeth A, Junior Artiste, 7, Elsa 8, Merlin B, A
Satisfaction Points: 11
$30,000 Added: 10
Character Traits: 2, Elspeth, responsible, 1; Amanda, responsible 1
Collections: 2, frogs
Gold Parties: 1, date
Good Friends: 14, Morgyn Ember, Amanda Hecking, Elsa Hecking, Brittni Stewart, Chance Givens, Merlin Hecking, Malakai Lim, Journey Guinn, Zachary Gratz, Kaleb German, Rosa Straud, Aleki Parata, Maren Schmitt, Madilyn Evans
Lots and Festivals: 11, Desert Bloom Park, Caster's Alley, Magnolia Blossom Park, Chez Llama, Deadgrass Discoveries, Hare Square, Hare and Hedgehog Cafe, Salty Paws Saloon, Pupperstone Park, Burners & Builders, Movers & Shakers
Pet Tricks:
A's in College:
Maxed Skills: 14, Merlin, potty, movement, communication, 6; Grant, charisma, 2; Elsa, dancing, 2; Elspeth, logic, dancing, 4
Maxed Aspirations: 4, Elspeth, Purveyor of Potions, 2; Grant, Friend of the World, 2
Maxed Careers: 6, Elspeth, Drama Club, 2; Amanda, Scouting, 2; Grant, Social Media, 2
Negatives: -11, Elspeth, fire, spellcaster -9; Elsa, fire, -2

Total = 100

[MarianT]

Robin Newbida 1

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Dear Diary,
My name is Robin Newbida. Today I'm in Selvadorada with Mumsie and my twin brother Carl.

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It's very pretty here and also very damp, especially over by the waterfall.

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Mumsie says that Carl and I are her good-luck charms. Usually she get poisoned or cursed when she goes treasure-hunting, but this time she was blessed by the spirits and given her own personal sunbeam. That's nice, because she can't go treasure-hunting for very long.

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The reason she can't is that I'm the active heir now. Gramps explained it all to me, telling me that I was a very special person (well, naturally). He's the first Sim of Sim World, and now I'm the first heir in my generation and the first heir to take over as a child. Gramps expects me, or rather my descendants, to be the first family to finish, too, but that's a long way off, like another 7 generations.

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Being the active heir isn't as wonderful as it sounds. When I'm old enough to cook, clean, and repair things, I'll have to take care of all that. For now, I can buy new stuff when things break down and let people prepare their own meals. Gramps said I might want to hire a maid sometimes, but Grams said I would get through my own requirements faster if I didn't do that. There's a point system I have to learn.

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Some things I can't take care of at all. For example, the thermostat has to stay set at whatever it was set at on the last free day, and a grown-up (or at least a teen) has to pay bills.

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But there are some benefits like being given the most comfortable bed available.
Because I'm still a child, everyone has been suggesting things I might like to do when I grow up. Gramps thinks I could take over his vet-er-in-ary practice. Grams wants me to become a musician.

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Mumsie wants me to become an archaeologist like she is, but I don't think I want to do that. She brings home too many interesting creatures in her baggage.

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One of the spiders bit Grams and made her sick. For a couple of days we were really worried about her, but then she got better all on her own (she says it was the healing power of music).

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Popsie said the only important thing was that I should be happy, but he did point out that we have a completely empty greenhouse and that Mumsie has lots of seeds, some of which are pretty exotic.

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I might do that. I really like flowers, especially the ones we have planted out front.

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Even my brother Carl has an opinion. He thinks I should wait and see what kind of traits I get before making a decision. He really likes art, so he already knows what he wants to do.

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I'm only including this picture because some of the girls at school gushed, "Oh, he's so cute! Can't you show more pictures of him?" Carl is going to marry a dynasty heir someday, either Maria Gothario, Elspeth Hecking, Tiffany Landgraab, or Rosa Straud. But I don't think he knows that yet, so don't tell him.

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People don't realize that there is some work involved in being an heir, even as a child. I'm expected to get an A at school and to max as many childhood skills as I can. Luckily I was given an after-school project that helps with both (and luckier still, Grams helped me with it when she got home from work).

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Here's my medieval diorama.

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I'm also expected to do photographs or portraits of Gramps and Grams and also Mumsie and Popsie. Actually, Mumsie was supposed to do her parents, but she was always too busy with treasure-hunting, and also with taking care of me and Carl when we were little.

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I'm going to have to take Grams' picture again because my first attempt came out too blurry. But my picture of Gramps is as good as it's going to get.

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What happened was this: I was home from my drama club meeting (Carl is in Scouts), when I heard Gramps call out.

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I hurried out to the hallway and found him falling to the ground.

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A tall man without a face glided in, and I realized he was the Grim Reaper.

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"No, no, don't take him away!" I pleaded, but the Grim Reaper didn't listen. I can't help thinking that if they'd taught us some more useful speeches in Drama Club, he would have listened. I mentioned this to our teacher, and she suggested I memorize Portia's speech from The Merchant of Venice. I don't know why a car would have a speech, but whatever.

Anyway, that's what's been happening in my life.

[MarianT]

Hugh Caliente 7

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I arranged to meet Willow Wisely at the Flea Market. "What's with the bear suit?" she asked.

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"Dion's going through a phase," I explained. "And if he gets through it faster because I'm dressed like a bear, too, I'm happy to help." I took a deep breath. "I have some sad news."
"I don't want to hear it," said Willow. "How is the little one?"

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"Luis loves dancing," I said.

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"But he's not so little any more.

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"He's a big boy now, like his brother.

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"And Dion is fine. He seems to be as active as usual despite the suit. I think he'd get too hot, playing outside on a summer afternoon, but he says he's fine."
"And work?" Willow inquired.

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"I've done a couple of shoots," I told her. "I used Dad as a model for athletic wear. He might be an elder, but he still looks better than any younger model I could hire.

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"Corn Gothario was the stylist who worked with me on that. She wanted me to take a picture of her, and it turned out to be one of my best.

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"Later she wanted some shots of people in everyday clothing. I took one of Dion, but she didn't like it because I didn't use the tripod.

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"So I did one of Nikita in my studio, and that was fine. But mostly I've been busy at school.
20
"In fact, I just got my report card -- 2 A+'s and an A. I have to admit, though, that I took a moodlet solver so I could pull an all-nighter."
"Congratulations!" said Willow. She hesitated. "You might as well tell me the news."

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"Well, Mom and Dad had both received their warnings from Grim. Dad got his a long time ago, but he's a body builder so we didn't worry too much. We thought Mom was in pretty good shape, too, but --

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"--Not good enough.

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"Grim said she went out with the strongest burst of light that he'd ever seen.

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"Afterwards, Dad told him he was ready to go any time now. He really misses Mom.

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"And little Luis was there when she died, so he was pretty upset, too. Dion was at Drama Club and I was taking a nap.

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"I managed to console Luis a bit.

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"And Dion has been surprisingly kind to his little brother. Anyway, even though Mom has died,

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"Her ghost still lingers. She's not totally happy, though -- she was hoping to get her young adult body back, and instead she's stuck with elder sag. You should come over sometime and see her, I think she'd be glad to see you."
Willow sighed. "I don't know. I like to remember her the way she was. And how are you holding up?"

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"I miss her," I said. "And I just had my birthday, so I know it won't be too long before the Reaper comes for me."
"Now, now," said Willow. "You have plenty of time left." She gave me another hug and then left.

[MarianT]

Hank Cottoneye 7

My life divides neatly into a "before" and "after" period.

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During the "before" time, my activities consisted of watching Hope work on a painting...

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...admiring the scenery from the window of a vandalized home in Britechester…

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...or doing some boxing in the breakroom at work.

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My biggest excitement came from making an arrest in the Strangerville Library arson case...

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...and extracting a confession from the perp.

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My biggest moment at home was watching Jonah grow up from a precocious toddler...

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...to a self-assured boy who looks very much like his mother and grandmother. Jonah even inherited Liberty's freckles.

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Our biggest natural disaster, aside from the occasional fissure or lava bomb, was the time lightning struck a cactus in our yard.

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But all of that changed one day. I had finished the case and finished doing my reps upstairs.

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I went to get a microwave pastry, briefly noting the fall colors on the trees outside.

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Someone downstairs called, "Hey, lieut! Your brother's looking for you."
"Do you know where Mom is?" asked Dale, his eyes wild.
"She's at home, I think," I said. "She got her second notice from Grim, so she's not going out much."
"Have you seen what's on TV?" he demanded.
I shook my head.

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"There's a volcano growing on your lot," said Dale, "and if Mom's at home..."
It was 2:45 pm, almost time for Jonah to go home from his first day of school. "Gotta run," I told the receptionist.
I picked up Jonah, then Hope, and then waited in a traffic jam until the authorities decided it was safe for people to approach. By that time it was the middle of the night.

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Our home was gone. A cinder cone stood in its place. And I could see two headstones -- one belonging to Dad and the other, almost certainly to Mom.

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The Grim Reaper was hanging around. "What happened to her?!" I cried.
"Summer's fine," he said. "Well, dead, but fine.

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"I got to her just as the shaking started.

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"And she and I were both out of that death-trap you used to call home well before the volcano erupted.

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"I picked up your dad's tombstone and his flag, figured Hunter would want you to keep them to remember him by."

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SIMA (Sims in Misery Assistance) had dropped off a tent and tarp shower for us, along with a picnic table and garbage can turned into a grill. There were also 4 or 5 forms I had to fill out. "The guy from SIMA told me to tell you they'd expedite your paperwork, so it'll only be a few months before you get the money to rebuild," Grim told me. "Oh, I almost forgot." He reached into the pocket of his gown and pulled out a couple of photographs. They were the ones that had been on the bookshelf, of Dad and Mom and me and Hope. "Here."

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Anyway, this is the beginning of my life "after." Jonah is in the tent crying. Hope isn't happy about using a former garbage can to cook on. And I'm sitting at the picnic table trying to make a list of all the possessions we lost. And remembering Mom.

[MarianT]

Cosma Curious and Grant Hecking 7

Cosma Curious

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Brenna is on academic probation at the University of Britechester even though she has a B average. She's hoping that her project, An Alien Household, will bring up her grade.

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Many people don't realize that there are two kinds of aliens. One kind is the sort of thing you can capture when you go up in a rocket ship, like the space squid on the table behind the couch. The other is a person, a toddler in this case, as adorable as any other toddler.

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Just like other people, from toddlers we grow up to become children, and from children to teens.

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We love birthday cake.

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And as our toddler Zara demonstrates, our attitude towards broccoli is noncommittal, at best.

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This is not to say that aliens have no differences. We are more susceptible to alien abduction, possibly because our relatives on Sixam want to know how we're doing.

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And we have way cool hairstyles. In closing, just because someone has green or teal or lavender skin, that doesn't mean they're different from the beige or brown variety of Sim.

Even though the computer said her presentation was excellent and she couldn't do anything to improve it, Brenna still ended up with a B- for the semester. Apparently she skipped class too many times.
 
Grant Hecking

Things have been quiet at home.

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Both my dads have received their notices from the Grim Reaper. Thanks to his job as a personal trainer, Papa Brant is in great shape and will probably be with us for a long time.

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But we're all a little worried about Papa Brent. Despite all the masterpieces he's painted, he'll probably get taken soon.

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The children are doing well. Amanda is now a Unicorn Scout.

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Elspeth has to improve her creativity in order to progress at Drama Club, but, as I told her, throwing paint on the floor is not a good way to do that.

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She suggested that I ask Amanda to clean it up so Amanda could work on her Civic Responsibility badge, but I had a better idea.

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As for me, I'm making progress as an Internet personality by doing shout-outs and working on my comedy routines. Elsa is as lovely as ever but often tired when she gets home from work.

Willow Wisely

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Hello, everyone!
I'm taking a break for a while -- a long while I think. Don't worry, the families will still be around; I just won't be keeping tabs on them. Vladislaus Straud has promised to upload their pictures and stories for me, and to do any little chores that the Watcher requires.

The reason is that I can't handle the emotional stress. It was bad enough when Pascal Curious and Hunter Cottoneye died, but losing Bob Newbie and Katrina Caliente just about broke my heart. And I know that it's not going to get any easier -- harder, in fact, when the Sims I've known as babies start to grow gray. Vladislaus says that he's seen so many generations come and go that it won't bother him.

Another reason is that I do have a life of my own, as I told Grant, and sometimes I don't want to share it with everyone.

I've loved spending time with all the families, and I want to congratulate Robin Newbida on being the first child heir. I think she and the others will get along fine without my input.
 
That's all for now. As I told everyone, be good, and if you can't be good, be careful.

Hugs, Willow Wisely

[MarianT]

Sterling Landgraab and Corn Gothario 8

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Thanks to his promotion, Sterling has a new, or rather antique, piano to practice upon.

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He has also composed his fourth tune for the guitar. Now all he has to do is mentor someone, probably Tiffany, on the piano for a few hours, and he'll become a Musical Genius.

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Tiffany and Nanette go off to school with a song in their hearts: "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down...", to be exact.

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After school, Nanette sees the volcano on the news. "Hey I know a kid named Jonah Cottoneye at school. Do you think that's his home?"

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That night -- "I bet Jonah doesn't have any toys now that his house has blown up. Could I take him one of mine?"
"That's a sweet idea, dear," said Claudia, "but I wish you would eat something more wholesome than cake for supper."
"You're eating cake," Nanette pointed out.

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The next day -- "Is that the volcano over there?"
"Yep."
"It's not raining here. It always rains where I live. Do you get much rain in Strangerville?"
"Nope."
"Were you scared when the volcano erupted?"
"I was at school. What are you, some kind of girl reporter?"

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"I brought you one of my toys," said Nanette. "It's a nice one, a robot named Bleep."
"Oh. Well, thanks," said Jonah.

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Over at the Gotharios', Angela was already dressed for her Scouts meeting the next day.

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Maria changed into costume for Spooky Day. "I wanted to be Yoda," said Vivian.
"Tough," said Maria. "You and Angela will have to be sausages."

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Corn painted her fifth masterpiece and became a Painter Extraordinaire.

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To celebrate, she took her father over to Skye Fitness, where they ran into her sister Claudia and also Faith Lee-Scott.

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Mimi Zest and Babs Newbie were working out as well. The visit to the gym completed Corn's 100 points.

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Maria went over to Laurel Library to start getting ready for her new role as active dynasty heir. "There must be something here that can help me beat out Robin Newbida."

[MarianT]

Celeste Straud 8

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It wasn't quite true what Vladislaus told Willow, that seeing Sims come and go wouldn't bother him. In the past, he hadn't been bothered, any more than most people would be bothered by a chicken dying.
 
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And there were still plenty of Sims that he didn't take any interest in, like the children who came trick-or-treating on Spooky Day.

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But he did care about his daughter Celeste, and he admired her bravery in taking on the beehive in the greenhouse.

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And he cared about his granddaughter Rosa, even if she was likely to resemble her father Brendon instead of his beloved Luna.

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Rosa was more stubborn than either her mother or grandmother, and Vladislaus had no doubt that she would make a good heir when her time came.

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More than anyone, he cared about Luna, and it almost broke his heart when she became an elder.

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Occasionally he had thought about becoming a vampire again, just to make her immortally young. It was too late now for that, and she wouldn't thank him for preserving her in a state of decrepitude.

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The other person he cared about was his son Frank. Frank wanted to go o university, but because he wasn't an heir, his education would always be sporadic. And he had wanted to become a dynasty spouse, to contribute his (and Vladislaus's) genes to the group of dynasties being created. No one knew, except his Uncle Max perhaps, how disappointed he had been by Corn Gothario's refusal to marry him.

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But Frank was a young man now, and it was Spooky Day. "Go for it," his Uncle Max told him.

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Frank had previously become acquainted with Angela Pleasant when he went to Britechester to learn more about the university. Angela wasn't home, but her sister Lilith was just as attractive.

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"You had me at 'my father was a vampire,'" she confided. "Have you ever wondered about what it's like at the top of the lighthouse on the scariest night of the year?"

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Arriving in Brindleton Bay, they discovered that the lighthouse door wasn't locked.

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One thing led to another...

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...and yet another.

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And a few days later, Lilith could be observed with a distinct baby bump.
That was someone else Vladislaus would have to worry about.

[MarianT]

Mimi Zest and Faith Lee-Scott 8

From the journal of Mimi Zest:

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One moment, Toby was a happy little toddler, just like his younger brother Nathan.

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The next, I found him sitting on the slide outside, looking more contemplative than any toddler should. "What's up, big guy?" I asked him.
"I'm happy now," he said. "Will I still be happy when I get older?"
"There's a good chance of that," I said. I made a mental note to encourage him to join Scouts rather than the Drama Club. "But there's only one way to find out."

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A few minutes later he was blowing out the candles on his cake. Like he said, Toby had been a Happy Toddler. But for the future? Well, at least he wasn't gloomy. In fact, it looks like he's going to be a genius.

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I was up early the next morning, and searching for snow globes in the boxes of San Myshuno. I have all the snow globes but the one with the plumbob.

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When I returned to the house, he, his father, and his brother were all dancing in a line. I thought they looked really cute, but Toby was embarrassed. "I hope you're not going to show that picture to anyone," he said.
"It's a nice picture of all of you," I responded.
"But I'm wearing my pajamas," he protested.
"Point being?"
"What if the other kids think they're weird?"
Other kids being his cousin Jonah, who is something of a schoolhouse celebrity for having his house destroyed by a volcano.
"There's nothing wrong with your pajamas," I said.
"You don't think they're too girly?"
"They're artistic," I said, hoping that "artistic" was an acceptable synonym for "pretty," which had been on the tip of my tongue. The problem with the Cottoneye men in general is that they go for plaids and camouflage in colors like orange and brown. Watcher forbid they should wear anything paisley or pink or purple. "Do you want me to get you different pajamas?"
"No, these are comfy," said Toby.
I agreed that comfy was the first criterion for pajamas.

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Toby went off to listen to his Aunt Yuki read The Lord of the Swings while I got ready for work. I thought that toddlers were tough, but I'm beginning to think that children might be tougher.

Faith Lee-Scott

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At Faith's house, she was more worried about her parents. Liberty had retired, and not entirely by her own choice.

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"They say it's my health that they're worried about, but I think it's just because I'm old," she told Faith.
"Do you want to sue them for age discrimination?" she asked.
"I'm thinking about it," said Liberty.
"I'll look into it," said Faith. "And in the meantime, you can always travel in your own rocket."

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Then one night, Travis got the word from the Grim Reaper that he should start winding up his affairs. He told Liberty first.

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"This will be our last game of chess, m'dear," he told Faith. "I've emptied out my pockets, just have a set of headphones left. Do you want them?"
"No," said Faith. "I have a set of my own. But it's too soon for you to go."
"I've pretty much done everything I wanted," said Travis. "Would have been nice to finish my game of The REFUGE, though."

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Later that night, Travis succumbed.

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Faith pleaded for him, both as a lawyer and a daughter. "Enough, enough," said Grim. "If I hear one more 'whereas,' I'll take both of you."

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Travis bounced back from the grave.

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And went downstairs to finish off the Dark Knight.

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One result of his experience was that Faith encouraged Heath to work out more and to get a job as an athlete, where a high level of fitness would be a plus. "I want you to stick around for a long time," she said.

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Another person affected was Justice. He had been thinking about becoming a scientist.

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But he'd been much impressed by his mother's performance. "I'm going to become a lawyer, just like you," he told her.
"That's nice," she said, "but where did you get that sweater?"
"It belonged to Grandad when he was my age," said Justice. "He gave it to me."

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Sadly, the family's joy over Travis's revival didn't last long.

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Grim returned as soon as he came home from work the next day. Liberty was distraught, as were two total strangers who happened to be walking by.

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Later, Justice went out to say good-bye. "I wish you could have stayed around longer, Grandad," he said. "I'll always think of you when I wear my sweater."

[MarianT]

Robin Newbida 2

Dear Diary,

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Because I'm a dynasty heir, I have to work very hard. Taking care of the laundry is one of my chores. Popsie and Carl are both good about bringing the laundry downstairs, but I have to make sure the dryers' lint filters have been cleaned. That's very important because otherwise the dryer could catch on fire. Also, I pick up responsibility points, which will be good when I grow up.

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I still haven't decided what to do when I grow up. One thing I do know is that I won't take up painting. I had to do 5 drawings for my Artistic Prodigy aspiration, and it was very tedious.

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Mumsie and Carl came to talk to me, though, so it wasn't so bad.

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I had more fun playing the violin, even though everyone from Grams to Carl suggested that I play outdoors "where I wouldn't bother anyone." Sigh.

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The most fun, though, was playing dolls with Popsie.

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I do know that when I grow up, I don't want to do something that involves a lot of homework. Carl doesn't seem to mind, but I can't imagine stewing over a piece of paper for hours. That kind of rules out college for me.

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And I'm not terribly fond of computers. There's this game I have to play that's pretty dumb. I know there's a "u" in gitar, but I still haven't figured out where it goes. "Giutar?" According to the game, that's wrong.

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Mumsie is still pushing for me to go into archaeology like her. Digging around in stuff would be okay.

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And I like being outdoors.

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Not sure I would like having to pee outdoors, though.

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And some of the "puzzles" she has to solve are kind of scary. Skeletons with spears? I don't think so.

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Not to mention the icky stuff that comes home in her luggage, like bats.

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Anyway, I got a better picture of Grams. She's not in her formal dress, but at least she's not all blurry.

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Maybe I'll be a photographer? I got a good picture of Mumsie when she was dancing.  I don't know. Everyone says I don't need to decide just yet, but then they ask what I'm going to do when I grow up. It's very confusing.

[MarianT]

Maria Gothario 1

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Hi! My name is Maria Gothario.

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I live at Oakenstead, in Willow Creek. Those are my climbing bars out front.

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Besides climbing, I like to play pirate.

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I like to play on the computer, too.  As soon as I win at Keyboard Commander, I can play any game I want.

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This is my grandmother. She likes to play the violin.

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My grandfather likes to exercise. He says that exercise can keep the Grim Reaper away for a long time.

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This is my mother, Mama Corn. She is very fashionable and writes a blog about it.

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This is my other mother, Mama Olivia. She's a good cook and likes to mix drinks.

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This is my twin sister Angela. She likes art.

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This is my half-sister, Vivian. She's trying to become a Rambunctious Scamp like me.

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Time for school! That's me and Vivian on our way.

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Angela is still talking to Grandfather. Hurry up, Angela! You don't want to be late.

[MarianT]

Hugh Caliente 8

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As a college student, Hugh spends most of his time doing homework, both at home...

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...and when visiting a community lot.

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But he also takes time to visit the Futures Past museum to work on his new aspiration, Painter Extraordinaire.

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And dancing is a good way to have some fun.

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On Harvest Day, Hugh was joined by some gnomes when he went outside to take care of the money tree. It worried him a little that two of them were Gnome Reapers.

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They checked out the whole house, including his photography office and studio.

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Harvest Day brought another visitor, his mother Katrina. Hugh had always felt guilty because he didn't take enough pictures of her that were larger than selfies when she was alive, so he got her to pose for him as a ghost.

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After Harvest Day, the next big event was Dion's birthday.

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Dion inherited his grandmother's red hair, and most of his grandfather's features.

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The Vidcund Curious nose, however, comes from his mother. Dion is a vegetarian now, and plans to become a botanist to make sure he's provided with the best vegetables. Thanks to the gnomes, he has plenty of seeds. Since Hugh completed his 100 points, Dion will be taking over the dynasty.

[MarianT]

Cosma Curious, Hank Cottoneye, and Grant Hecking 8

It's been a sad week at the Curious household.

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Before going to work, Stephon tried to teach Zara her numbers. "We'll run through the cards when I come home from work," he told her.

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Sadly, the Grim Reaper came for Stephon after work before he could reach the front door.

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It was small consolation that his tombstone was the most distinctive one in the back yard.

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Everyone was too sad to stay up late that night, with the result that the gremlins broke all the plumbing and electricity. Cosma felt like the overflowing sinks were sharing her grief.

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Oddity found some relief in practicing his part for the upcoming play. His future lay in acting, he was sure.

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Gradually life resumed. Zara became a child, with happy toddler memories behind her.

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And Oddity learned how to make macaroni and cheese.

Hank Cottoneye

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The SIMA (Sims in Misery Association) came through, and the Cottoneyes built a tiny house. There was plenty of room on the roof for painting, and Strangerville was warm and dry enough that weather wasn't usually a problem.

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Inside, Hank and Hope had their own bedroom, as did Jonah.

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There wasn't room for much in Jonah's room, but he had his toy robot. When it told him that it was lonely, Jonah decided that he would learn how to make more robots to keep his toy company.

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The volcano was still active, but Hank thought the bubble of lava it produced might be its last.

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He still missed Summer.

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Hope told him that she was still hanging around as a ghost, so Hank hoped he would see her soon.

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At work, he had to deal with a teen-aged arsonist. "I was cold so I started a little fire," she said. "It wasn't my fault that it spread."

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Hank took her to the window to look outside. "There's snow on the ground," he said. "That means it's winter. It gets cold in the winter time. You need to wear something warmer than a tank top and shorts." He went ahead and locked her up. At least in a jail cell, she'd be warm.

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Hank took a day off to do some fishing in Oasis Springs. He would have liked to go to Granite Falls, but the water was frozen there.

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Before going home, he went to the bowling alley, where he made the acquaintance of Max Villareal. Casually, he asked Max what he did for a living. When Max told him he was with Mobwives, Hank tried to keep his expression bland. He was pretty sure he'd find some interesting information if he looked up "Mobwives" and "Villareal" in the police database, but there was no reason to let Max know that he was with the police.

Grant Hecking

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It was a sad week for the Heckings, too. Brant was very fit, so everyone was taken by surprise when the Grim Reaper came for him.

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And Brent didn't live for even a full day after Brant was gone. Grant barely had time to paint his portrait.

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He and Elsa set up a small graveyard outside, next to the fountain. Rosie was buried there, too.

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It was a Night on the Town holiday, so Grant and Elsa went out for dinner, even though neither of them felt much like eating.

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Barb and Roy Newbida were there when they arrived.

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And Hugh and Nikita Caliente came later and stood around waiting for a table.

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The next morning Grant celebrated his birthday, with the help of Amanda and Elspeth.

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Making a snowpal cheered him up some more. He had learned the Dedeathify spell, and he was thinking about trying it if either Brant or Brent showed up as a ghost. But would that be a good idea? Everyone was starting to get over their grief; would they have to go through all that again? Grant would have to think about that some more.

[MarianT]

Sterling Landgraab, Celeste Straud, Mimi Zest, and Faith Lee-Scott 9

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Sterling spent some time teaching his Aunt Siobhan how to play the guitar.

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Sadly, she died not long after that.

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As did Sterling's parents, Malcolm and Morgan.

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The children, Tiffany and Nanette, were very sad. "It's just us and Mom and Dad now," said Nanette (in the bear hat). "Yeah," said Tiffany. "Maybe we can get a cat."

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Malcolm and Morgan continue to check up on their family, though, appearing as ghosts and returning to their graves promptly at 6 a.m.

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To forget his sorrows and do something about his middle-aged middle, Sterling went to the Vital Climb gym -- where somebody died. Half the female population turned out to mourn the passing of Britechester University student, Becca Clarke.

Celeste Straud

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Windenburg continues to demonstrate why it is the prettiest of all the Sims' towns.

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Vladislaus and Luna are still crazy after all these years.

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Luna, of course, is literally erratic. Now that she's retired, she spends most of her time making snowpals, despite the freezing temperatures.

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Celeste took Rosa to volunteer at a bake sale for their school. Rosa managed to resist the temptation of an unguarded macaroon.

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And Brandon celebrated his adult birthday.

Mimi Zest

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It was Winterfest at the Zest household, and Mimi, Johnny, Yuki, and the rest of the family celebrated with a tree and presents.

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The current Father Winter put in an appearance. Mimi gave him a present, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide for his beard.

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Toby spent the day playing with his chemistry set.

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Nathan got a new book, "Like You for the Time Being."

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And Johnny entertained everyone with his campfire songs.

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The next morning there was a thunderstorm in Del Sol Valley, and Mimi was struck by lightning. Even though she was dazed and singed, she was still able to help Nathan blow out the candles on his cake.

Faith Lee-Scott

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At the Lee-Scott household, Liberty has been helping Justice become a Whiz Kid by reading to him.

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She also has decided to explore outer space on her own, despite being "retired" from the astronaut program.

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The only thing worse that crashing your rocket ship is crashing it in a rainstorm. But Liberty managed to acquire a space rock and a space porcupine, and she's still alive, so it's all good.

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Faith is determined not to become one of those lawyers who spends all their time sitting behind a desk and putting on weight.

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Besides working out at home, she also goes to the gym, where she adds Mimi Zest to her client list. "If anything happens to your dad, give me a call," she says. "Those machines need to have a warning label for elders, just saying."

Sterling, Celeste, Mimi, and Faith are all ready to hand over the reins of their dynasties to the third generation.

[MarianT]

Cosma Curious, Hank Cottoneye, and Grant Hecking 9

Cosma, Hank, and Grant are also ready to step back.

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Cosma, for example, has discovered that certain dance moves just aren't for adults.

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Oddity has sent off an application to college.

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And Zara is mastering the violin.

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Hank doesn't expect to have to do any more interrogations. He's almost a colonel now, and expects to make chief.

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He's been spending a lot of time fishing...

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...and also soaking up the beautiful scenery of Granite Falls.

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Meanwhile, Jonah has finished his Rambunctious Scamp aspiration and is working on becoming an Artistic Prodigy.

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For this, he needs toys to play with. Since there isn't any room in the house for a toybox, he checks out the garbage can to see what he can find.

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Grant Hecking has discovered that the humble Scruberoo spell is one of the most useful for the community. Those messes left by children in the parks disappear in an instant.

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Elspeth has become a teenager.

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As has Amanda. Elspeth looks quite a bit like her mother Elsa.

That wraps up Generation Two. Here's how they stacked up against each other:
Most Skill Points (including maxed skills): Cosma Curious and Grant Hecking, tied.
Most Household Promotions (including maxed careers): Celeste Straud
Most Satisfaction Points: Faith Lee-Scott
Most Money: Babs Newbie
Most Good Friends: Hugh Caliente
Most Lots Visited: Hank Cottoneye
Most College A's: Brenna Curious
Most Negatives: Grant Hecking
Least Negatives: Sterling Landgraab, Celeste Straud, Mimi Zest, and Faith Lee-Scott, tied at 0.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

One nice thing about not adhering to a set of official rules is that I can tweak the rules I'm using a bit. I plan to send several of the Generation Three Sims to college before they get married and start having children. Ordinarily, this would mean that they would be nearly adults when they finish. But I've decided to cut short their teen days as soon as they have an A and have maxed a part-time job or activity. And they'll each get a Youth potion so they can "add" those days to their young adult time. For example, a teen might age up with 4 days left of adolescence, and then take the potion after 4 days of the YA period have elapsed.
I also plan to write chapters differently, focusing on one family at a time, but over a longer period. We'll see how it goes.

[MarianT]

Robin Newbida 3

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I learned one thing while I was working on becoming a Rambunctious Scamp -- that I don't like computers.

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And I do like dancing. Unfortunately, although I intend to spend the rest of my life dancing, it's not exactly a career path.

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Mumsie let me watch while she authenticated an artifact. It's really quite fascinating, watching some beautiful object from the past emerge from beneath its layer of grime.

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Afterwards, you can add it to your collection. Mumsie says she has a very incomplete collection, but I'll be able to add to it. I like the idea of collecting things.

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As for the creepy-crawlies, well, I guess we've gotten used to them. (Grams says she'll never get used to them.) Mumsie says if you keep spider repellent on hand and develop some fitness and logic, they're not much of a problem.

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Anyway, long story short, when I had to declare an aspiration, I said I wanted to be an archaeologist.

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But before we could go to Selvadorada, I had to repair the toilet in the bathroom that Carl and I share. That's one of the downsides of growing up -- you get to add cleaning, cooking, and repairing the toilet to your chores if you're a dynasty heir.

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Before we left for Selvadorada, Mumsie had her adult birthday.

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She doesn't look any older...

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...but when we got to our quarters, she had to lie down for a nap.

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It was up to me to make dinner -- garden salad, of course.

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The next morning, we set out for the jungle. The scenery was stunning, and I was glad that I'd brought my camera.

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I wish it had been sunny, but the clouds and trees were very pretty, too.

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We found one of the temples that Mumsie had looted previously examined. The main treasure was gone, she told me, but there still might be some interesting objects in a few of the rooms. There weren't any mummies, she'd said, but there might be a skeleton wandering around.

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I actually got to meet one -- but I can't remember his name. He seemed friendly enough.

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We didn't stay long in Selvadorada and returned home Sunday morning, in time for me to go to the Flea Market. Nobody wanted to buy any of my fossils, not even the one of the crocodile jaw. But the man next to me was selling action figures of the My Sims characters. I ended up buying all of them, to start my own collection. "Typical teen," Popsie groused when I came home. "Send her out to sell something, and she ends up spending money." But he wasn't really angry. I got 13 of the 20 I'll need for a complete set.

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And also, when I finished my first authentication, I had a new addition to our collection of artifacts. I was worried the whole time that it would turn out to be a fake, but it's not. Woot! Time for homework.