A Girl's Garden--A Farmacy Story (COMPLETED)

[deedee_828]

Keri and Lawrence outdid themselves setting up a wedding venue in the nectary basement.

I was expecting ice sculpture swans and way too many ribbons, bows, and doodads.

But they kept it simple and tasteful, even to my unrefined eye.




But the wedding arch and seating were nothing compared to my daughter in her wedding dress and veil!

Lacey took my breath away!




Seeing Keri in her mother-of-the bride dress, it was easy to see where Lacey's beauty came from.

Keri might have a few more lifelines, but she'd earned them, and looked more beautiful to me than ever.




But to my surprise, I was the only one who was nervous.

Keri, Joran, and Loretta were in various states of dress reading on the living room couch!

"Hey, why aren't any of you dressed? Did you forget we have a wedding with guests showing up any minute!?!"

They didn't even look up, though Keri murmured, "I've just got a page or two to go and I'll be finished…"

Geniuses, what can you do!?!




I heard voices out front but, luckily, it was just Iris and Patches.

My relief was short-lived when Iris said, "There's a mob heading this way! Did you invite the whole town!?!"




I snuck out around back and by the time I got to the front I realized Iris hadn't been kidding!

Our porch was full of guests, mostly family and friends, but there were even a few faces I didn't know.

It seemed like we had invited the whole town!

Well, we were related to almost everybody.




I headed down to the nectary to let Lacey and Lawrence know the wedding guests had arrived.

They made a stunning couple in their wedding finery.

That's when I noticed the additional archways and staircase in my bakery and canning kitchen.

Keri and Lawrence had thought of everything!

It'll be much easier for guests with two entrances to the basement.




Well, it would have been if anyone had bothered to use the second entrance!

Which meant most of the guests ended up waiting around outside trying to get in, including Iris and Terrin!




The bride and groom waited for so long that Lacey actually had a meltdown.

My brave, calm, cool, daughter, actually freaked out!

With Joy watching, no less.

Of course, Joy made it downstairs, and I don't think she was even invited!




But Lawrence saved the day by whispering, "No one else matters. I love you, Lacey Swanson, marry me!"

Lacey collected herself and pulled out a ring, "With this ring, I take thee, Lawrence Lum, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to love you with all my heart, soul, and mind, to protect you and our family with all my strength, and to always have ambrosia and death flowers to keep Grim at bay forever and forever."




Lawrence took Lacey's hand and looking deeply into her eyes, he intoned, "With this ring, I wed thee, Lacey Swanson, my best friend, the love of my life, and now my wife. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you, to protect you and our family from harm with all my being, and to always be there for you, good days or bad, especially bad, to cheer you up and keep our love alive, forever and ever."




Lawrence slid the ring on Lacey's finger, clasped her hands once more and said, "And now I get to kiss the bride for the first time as Mrs. Lawrence Lum!"




He pulled her into his arms and kissed her as everyone clapped and cheered.




Everyone who'd made it downstairs, that is.

Which wasn't as many as I'd hoped.

But Dad had made it down and Grandma Summer.

Though why she was dressed in her swimsuit was a mystery.

I thought I'd put all the sprinklers away!




Shereen was there too, along with a smirking Joy, and one of the gardeners.

And a couple of sims I didn't know.




Joran and I did as instructed and dressed in our best.

Though neither one of us really knew what to do after the ceremony.




Keri was radiant as the mother of the bride!




Loretta and Grandpa Leonard stayed focused and put away all the unused chairs.

Though I'm sure it was Loretta who did most of that as Grandpa Leonard kept stopping to bop to the music.




I snapped one more photo of Lacey and Lawrence being sweet together under the wedding arch.

This one will be perfect for the cover of their wedding album!




Then it was time to cut the cake!

A few more guests had made it downstairs.

And Grandma Summer was dressed more appropriately now.

Loretta even let out a cheer.

We're getting that girl to loosen up more and more each day.




Lawrence grabbed a piece of cake.




While Lacey mingled with the guests, her thoughts filled with the knowledge that she's now married!

That was a sobering thought for me.

Imagine, my little girl all grown up and married!




Lacey was bursting with happiness and showed it by kicking up her heels on the dance floor.

Loretta started dancing too, but in a much more contained way.

But Grandpa Leonard was in his element and started to boogie down!




Then the bride and groom got in their traditional dance, though it looked like Lacey was twirling Lawrence rather than the other way around!

Joran and Loretta stuck with a classic dance and by the look on Joran's face, I wouldn't be surprised if we were celebrating another wedding soon.

I'd been a bit leery about their relationship in the beginning, but it was plain to see they were deeply in love.




As the bride and groom continued to dance, a few more guests made it downstairs.

My niece Kamaya was eating cake, her brother Keanu behind her.

While Mom had braved the crush but was in outerwear due to the dropping temps outside.

Well, at least she'd made it down here for the dancing.




Lacey and Lawrence are now Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Lum.

It would have been nice to say the wedding went off without a hitch, but there were plenty of those.

The biggest one being all the guests trying to use the main entrance, instead of the second one we'd put in just for that purpose.

Despite the routing issues, the party was a success, but it wasn't over yet.

There were a few more surprises right around the corner!

[deedee_828]

I took one more picture of the dancing bride and groom.

Another great photo for their album, if you don't mind seeing Grandpa Leonard's gyrations!

Well, we could always crop it out and keep that part for blackmail.

Though, knowing Grandpa Leonard, he'd just laugh and make copies!




Then I decided to see if the crush on the stairs was any better.

I couldn't even get on the bottom step, so I used the new stairs and went around.

Only to find a even bigger crush with some guests trying to leave and others trying to make their way down!

The frown on Founder Brooke's face told the whole frustrating story.

Lesson learned, even with two entrances, no more parties in the basement.

Or maybe we just needed to reduce the guest list?

Since I wasn't getting back down this way, I headed back outside.

At least the air would be fresher.




I spotted Sparkle alone in the yard and headed for him, breathing in a deep breath of cool, fresh air.




Before I could reach him, the birthday sparkles hit!




And Sparkles was a colt no more, but a full-grown stallion!

We'd forgotten all about his upcoming birthday!

I started forward once more, but a familiar voice was calling my name.

"Grandpa, Grandpa Scott!"




In the front yard stood Leif, all dressed in his formalwear, but looking a bit chilled.

"Didn't you ever make it down to the basement Leif?"

A bit grumpily he replied, "No. And now I'm cold and I want to go home!"

"Are your parents still here?"

"I don't know, and I don't care! There's a babysitter staying with Branch and Daisy. I'll be fine at home instead of cold and starving! I didn't even get cake! Dad promised there would be cake! I hate parties!"

"I'm sorry things didn't work out. We were hoping guests would use the second entrance. It's still a mob scene in the main one! Quite a few unhappy guests in there."

With a look of delight, Leif glanced back at the bottlenecked entryway, "That's the only good thing about this whole party! So many unhappy sims! Otherwise, I would have left a long time ago!"

Leif's words were more chilling than the winter air.

Keri and I had assumed Leif was grumpy or hot-headed, but we'd totally miscalculated.

Our oldest grandson was evil!

Before I could say anything else, Leif said, "I'm outta here, Grandpa. This party was lame!"




Hearing voices inside the main house, I went inside to find Lawrence hitting up the guests for campaign funds!

Being a politician is one thing, but schmoozing for funds at your own wedding party?

It seemed a bit crass to me.

But Keanu didn't seem to mind and gave a generous donation!




Jasmine was a bit harder to persuade, but when Lawrence mentioned voting for a bill for extra funding at the hospital, she gave a donation too.

Lawrence sure knew what buttons to push to get sims to donate, that's for sure.

Maybe I was making too big a deal about this, and it was a normal thing for politicians to always be campaigning?




But all thoughts of Lawrence and campaigning flew out of my head when I saw the guest in the kitchen!

It was ghostly Grandma Rielle, and she was getting something out of the fridge!

Could she actually be grabbing...?




Yes! She had a plate of my ambrosia!




As I watched with bated breath, she drifted toward the kitchen table, then sat down.

With the morning sun filling the room with light, I was waiting for Grim to snatch her back any second.

But she dug in and ate every bite!




As she stood there, sparkles began and she said triumphantly, "You miscalculated Grim! I've foiled your plans to keep me in the Netherworld! And you'll never trap me there again!"




Then the ambrosia hit full force, lifting Grandma Rielle off the floor in a burst of colorful lights!




And she was back in the Sim flesh!

Patting her chest and her cheek, feeling her solidity once more.




She raised her arms in triumph and let out a cheer, "I did it! I'm back! All that training paid off!"




It was only fitting that Grandpa Leonard welcome her back first.

And they flew into each other's arms, "You did it, Rielle! You escaped! I'm so happy to have you back, my love!"

"You've been alive again for so long, Leonard. I was sure some other woman would have captured your heart by now!"




"Attempts, yes. Acceptance, no! You've always been my girl, Rielle. Even death didn't change that!"




But I wanted to know how she'd done it. How she'd plotted her escape and foiled Grim's plans.

"How did training help, Grandma Rielle?"

"It's hard for ghosts to interact with certain things, Scott. Grim makes it that way on purpose. Typically, it's sims who have died through starvation that can get food out of the fridge. He never expected me to be able to open the fridge and get my own plate of ambrosia! He was only keeping tabs on me when the ambrosia was out. So, I kept training on the treadmill, building up my strength. Visiting for longer and longer periods of time, but never trying to interact with the fridge as I didn't want him to guess my intent. The wedding was quite the distraction too, as there were quite a few elder sims in that mob in the entry and Grim was keeping tabs on all of them, hoping to reap a few more souls."

"Well, you fooled me too! I wasn't expecting you to be able to get in the fridge and get your own ambrosia either. I just didn't want one of the wedding guests eating it, so I put it away."

"I was counting on that, Scott. That you had a plate made just waiting for me in the fridge. If I'd miscalculated, and there wasn't any in there, Grim would have known what I was up to and never let me visit again! Boy, can he hold a grudge! I mean, it was only one slap! You would have thought he'd have gotten over it by now!"




With Grandma Rielle back with us, Keri got to work at the chemistry table.

She made young again potions for both my grandparents as gifts.

Whether my grandparents decided to use them or not, would be up to them.

We'd done the same for our other relatives, along with providing ambrosia and death flowers.

There would never be another Swanson family member that was trapped in the Netherworld!




We'd lost track of the days and Sparkle became a stallion during Lacey and Lawrence's wedding party.

Keri and I had miscalculated the extent of Leif's bad temper, he's not just grumpy or hot-headed, but downright evil!

But Grim had made the biggest miscalculation of all, one that allowed Grandma Rielle to escape the Netherworld!

With all of our dearly departed back with us, we can now focus solely on the living.

What better way to do that than with a birthday party!

In our case, two, as both Branch and Daisy are growing up.

And with Sparkle old enough for Loretta to start learning to ride, I'm sure she'll be focusing on that.

Of course, I'll be taking photos of everything and recording it as it's become a habit.

[deedee_828]

I brought Branch to the cake as the rest of the family gathered around, Grandpa Leonard and Terrin already twirling noise makers and cheering for the birthday boy.




By the time Lacey wandered in, Iris had joined in with a noise maker while Keri and Leif were blowing party horns.

I leaned closer to the cake to help Branch blow out his candles.




As I sat Branch down on the kitchen floor, Joran pulled out a book and sat down at the counter.

"This part can take a while, Dad, I'm going to make use of the time!"




But Branch's birthday sparkles had engulfed him before Joran had even finished the first few pages!




Everyone else was intent on cheering and blowing party horns, and Joran was still reading.

So, I was the only one who noticed that Branch's transformation had him elongated in a very distorted way!

My biggest fears had come true and all of Iris's genetic manipulations had gone horribly wrong!




But when the sparkles had disappeared, Branch looked like the traditional PlantSim child.

I heaved a sigh of relief!

Until Leif snapped, "Happy Birthday, Brat! I have to share my room with you now, but you better stay away from my stuff, or you'll be sorry!"

Oh boy! How on earth would our sweet Branch endure Leif's evilness?

Branch looked startled for a minute, but quickly retorted, "With your lousy grades, you'll be too busy studying to play with any of your stuff! It's probably lame anyway, just like you!"

Looks like Branch has a mean streak that's more than capable of taking on his older brother's evil one!

I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.



But as Iris brought Daisy to her cake, I couldn't help wondering how she would fare against her brothers.

No one else seemed concerned though, Joran had put down his book and was clapping and cheering just as enthusiastically as Lacey.




But as Terrin and Leif joined in with party horns, I caught a look of concern on Iris's face.

Maybe I wasn't the only one who was troubled by my grandsons' traits and how they would affect little Daisy.




But one look at Daisy's determined toddler face had me thinking that she might be able to handle herself.

A second look had me wondering how she'd inherited Keri's nose, but knowing Iris, maybe I don't want to know!





But it was getting late, so late that Branch fell asleep almost as soon as I opened the book.

I tucked him in and gave him a goodnight kiss.

"Sweet dreams Branch. Have a good first day at school tomorrow. And…try to be nice, buddy."

It probably won't have much effect, but I can feel a little better knowing I tried.




Leif, on the other hand, was listening avidly to the bedtime story Keri was reading.

But I'm not sure if the look he was giving her was one of loving adoration or satisfied manipulation.

I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and go with adoration, but I'm probably just kidding myself.

(I was, as Keri told me later that was the third bedtime story she'd read to him!)




It was late when we got back to the farm.

But not too late for Loretta, as the early morning hours are when she's in her element.

She was riding like the wind on Sparkle, and it was their very first ride!

Loretta was just learning the riding skill, but Sparkle had inherited natural talent in both jumping and riding and was already quite accomplished in both.

There's a lot to be said for a good pedigree.




Lacey and Lawrence decided to attend a Simfest but they got there pretty late and there wasn't much of a crowd.

On the plus side, they did get to see Terrin performing.




But only for a few minutes as it was the end of his act, and he took a final bow.

Simfests don't draw very big crowds, but Terrin still competes to increase his career performance.

And the win for this one had him moving up to level 7, Headliner!

No wonder other entertainers don't bother entering when Terrin's in the show.




But that wasn't the only big event for our family, as Grandpa Leonard and Grandma Rielle bought their own place.

A piece of property near the Equestrian Center already set up with a barn and stable.

It looked great on the real estate website and came fully furnished!




And when I helped them get settled in, I realized the website photo hadn't really done it justice.

The front entry open deck was warm and welcoming, despite the chill in the air.




The living room was open and spacious with a three-piece living room set gathered around a coffee table.

And two grand bookcases almost took up the entire side wall.

It was comfortable too, which Grandma Rielle discovered when she settled on the couch to read a book.




The dining room was close by and had a large dining table that could seat eight, perfect for family gatherings.

The last homeowners had even left assorted potted plants and flowers around the room, giving it a homey look.

Sliding doors off the dining room led to a back deck and there was even a lap pool back there!

But it was way too cold to check that out today.




The kitchen, ahhh the kitchen.

After one quick look, I turned away trying not to drool.

It was a chef's dream with plenty of counter space and several time-saving kitchen appliances!

It was so large it even boasted a spacious island and a smaller breakfast area, with seating for four.




Grandpa Leonard knew me though and before I left, he said, "Don't worry, Scott, we'll invite you over soon and you can try it out for yourself!"

"Thanks, Grandpa. I'd love to cook up your favorite meals and stock your fridge with some yummy desserts."

Grandma Rielle didn't even look up from her book as she said, "Sounds like I'm going to need that pool to keep the pounds off!"

With a flirty look Grandpa Leonard added, "No need, sweetheart, just gives me more to love!"

It was definitely time to leave these two alone!

Seeing my children being romantic with their partners was bad enough, but my grandparents, yikes!




That evening, Loretta and Sparkle entered their first race, a beginner racing event.

Loretta was only at level 4 in the riding skill, but Sparkle was already at level 9.

So, they blew the competition away, going immediately from 12th place to taking the lead!

They kept it too and won their first trophy, along with the prize money.




Flush from her victory, Loretta did some deep meditation to calm down.

It didn't hurt that it also increased her martial arts skill which was almost at level 9.

Seeing those bats flying around her skill bar, it won't be long before she maxes it!




Early the next morning, I was visiting my Gallo cousins.

Aerin in particular as he'd expressed an interest in bringing new blood into the town.

With so many of the single girls in town being related to him, he'd never had a partner, and he was already an adult!

That was the same issue my niece Joy had, which is why I think she's so jealous of Lacey.

But unlike Joy, he was the only male of his bloodline, being Aunt Kindle's grandson, through her son, Evan.

Evan's brother, Tyler, was the only other one of Aunt Kindle's children who had offspring, all three of them girls.

And none of them had married either. All due to the same issue; being related to everyone in town.

We'd just started discussing what incentives to include in our bid for new residents, when tragedy struck!




Rushing into the house, we found Tyler overcome with grief as he'd just gotten a call telling him that Myrabella had met Grim!

I was stunned, my sister Mia had just barely become an elder and now her twin was gone!

That's when I remembered the aging bug that Mia had had.

How could I have forgotten that Myrabella was getting up there in years!?!

We should have invited her over for ambrosia, given her a death flower, anything to ward Grim off.

But we still have ambrosia, so maybe there's a chance we can bring her back.




This week started off so well with Branch becoming a child and Daisy a toddler.

Loretta started learning the riding skill and she and Sparkle even won their first race.

Grandpa Leonard and Grandma Rielle even found a perfect property, complete with barn and stables, to call their own.

I was just embarking on a project to bring new residents to town, to help out our unpartnered family.

Then tragedy struck with Grim taking my sister Myrabella!

I'm sure he's gloating even more after Grandma Rielle's taunt and my vow to never have another Swanson family member trapped in his realm.

Maybe we can find Myrabella's gravestone at the mausoleum and bring her back to us.

And here I thought my goal was complete!

[deedee_828]

I was distraught over Myrabella's death and Keri was trying to cheer me up.

But what she was offering had me questioning her, "Are you sure about this, Keri? I'm feeling guilty myself, but that's no reason to bring a child into this world!"

"It's not about feeling guilty, Scott. It's about reaffirming life. And it's not like it's going to happen instantly. As old as I am, it may not even happen at all! But if it does, you'd better be prepared to help me out. Nooboos need a lot of care and I'm out of practice caring for one 24/7."

"I'm sure everyone else would help whenever we needed them too."

"I'm sure they would pitch in, but both Lacey and Lawrence have careers and have used up their wedding leave. Lacey gets called in to work at all hours and Loretta needs to sleep during the day to train and race in the evenings. Besides, it wouldn't be fair for us to expect them to help raise a sibling. Not when they could be having their own children any time now."

I didn't protest any more, because, frankly, I didn't want to!

 I still wanted to have a child with Keri and if she was willing to give it a try, then so was I, despite being in mourning.




For a little more privacy, we went upstairs to the hover bed.

And let nature take it's course!

But this was the only selfie we took as some things should be private.




Lacey came home from work early, as neither she nor Leo could focus on their case with the family tragedy happening so unexpectedly.

Not being related or close to Myrabella, Loretta, like Keri, wasn't as grief struck.

And being a vampire she'd not had much experience with death, so she felt a bit awkward around the rest of us.

You know that feeling, knowing you should say something, but afraid to say the wrong thing.

So, you don't say anything and feel guilty about that too!

We told Loretta we'd take care of Lacey so she could ride and race Sparkle, not interrupt their routine.




Loretta quickly mounted, her sparkles keeping her safe from the harmful rays of the sun and they headed off to the Equestrian Center for the 5 o'clock race.




Keri and I had barely gotten Lacey calmed down when we got a call from Iris asking us to come over.

When we arrived, it was plain to see that Terrin was even more upset than Lacey.

"Jordan called and told me…I cancelled my show… I can't believe she's gone after everything Dad's done…"

Trying to help Terrin focus on someone else, Keri asked, "How is Jordan?"

"He was crying so hard I could barely understand him, but happy that his mother had at least gotten to meet their second son, Avery."

"It's important to focus on the positives, especially at a time like this."




Then Branch came strolling through the door, home from his afterschool class.

"What's wrong, Dad? Why are you crying?"

Terrin was too choked up to answer, so Keri replied, "A family member, Terrin's Aunt Myrabella, so your great-aunt, has left us, and your dad is very sad about it."

"Left us? You mean they went away on a trip? Why would that make Dad sad?"

"No. A trip or vacation is just a temporary leaving; this leaving refers to someone that won't be around anymore."




"Oh, you mean like dying and meeting, Grim. Mom's explained that to us already. That's why we need to go visit her family in Sunset Valley as our grandparents there, Grandpa Boyd and Grandmother Susan, are getting old and she wants us to meet them before they meet Grim. But why doesn't Grandpa Scott just make ambrosia for the family member that died here? He's done it for all the other ones. Anyway, I'm going to go do my homework out on the porch with Leif."

Keri mused, "Out of the mouths of babes. Unfortunately, Scott's already thought of that, but Jeffrey has refused his offer."

Terrin swallowed a sob, asking, "Seriously? He doesn't want her back? What's wrong with him!?!"

"It's not what he wants, but rather what Myrabella wanted. She told him she wanted to go at her natural time. That it was time for the younger generation to live their lives, not for her to outlive hers. You can't really argue with that reasoning. We have to let family make their own choices."

"I guess so. But it seems a bit cruel, unfeeling. Everyone's hurting and one little plate of ambrosia could take away all that pain."




"Other things could help all of you work through your grief too."

Terrin sniffed, "Like what?"

"Like finding a photograph of Myrabella and painting a portrait of her as a memorial. Maybe several, so all of her kids could have one.  I'm sure that, between you and Josh, you could paint several in different poses. It would help you work through your grief and those receiving them would have a precious keepsake."

Terrin nodded as he mulled the idea over, "I haven't painted in a while, but with a death in the family, it wouldn't hurt to take some time off. I just don't feel like performing under the circumstances and it's not like I can sing all stuffed up and sounding like a frog."

"Good. I'll have your father go through the family photo albums and find some suitable ones. Maybe a collage would be nice, portraits done at different stages in her life. Ones of her and her children."




Terrin's grief was momentarily forgotten as he said excitedly, "Mom, that's a wonderful idea! I know Jordan and Shereen took photos of her with their sons and I think they'd really appreciate having portraits to remember her by. James and Carmen probably have some too since their son Deric was born between Christian and Avery."

"That sounds like the perfect place to start, Terrin."




"Congratulations Iris! The hospital will miss Myrabella but they've chosen the perfect person to replace her. Though her passing has quite overshadowed your promotion to World Renowned Surgeon and completing your Lifetime Wish."

Iris shrugged but couldn't quite hide her pleased smile, "Thanks, Scott. I'm proud of my accomplishment, of course, as I've worked hard and earned the position, but as you said the timing is pretty rough. Terrin's taking it hard so I'm glad you and Keri came over as quickly as possible."




Pausing over his homework, Branch said, "I like it when Grandma and Grandpa are visiting, they tell us bedtime stories!"

Glancing over, I finally noticed that not only were the boys doing their homework together, but there was no squabbling either, and they were both wearing formal attire.

"Was there an awards ceremony after school that we missed?"

Iris laughed ruefully, "No, and if there had been neither one of these two would have won anything. Not yet anyway, but we're working on it. And on attitudes and having respect for other people. The Military Academy has done wonders for that, and they have a formal dress code."

"Still the brilliant Iris Wainwright that we've come to know and love! I never even thought of military school. But I was hoping you'd think of something to counteract their…unfortunate tendencies."

"Well, I have a few of those myself and made choices that weren't always the best, especially in my teen years. We decided we couldn't let our boys give in to those traits at such a young age or they'd be deeply ingrained and much harder to overcome. And we've given them some other incentives as well."




Leif broke his silence with, "Yeah, for good grades and reports we get extra tv or computer time, while not doing our homework or bad behavior means extra chores. And I hate doing dishes!"

Iris said pointedly, "Leif?"

"I mean, I dislike that chore because it's not any fun."

Iris commended him, "Much better."

Branch peered closely at his homework, checking his answer, then said excitedly, "And as soon as we both have better grades, we get to go visit Grandpa Boyd and Grandmother Susan and all our other Wainwright relatives in Sunset Valley! Then we're moving to a big city so Dad can become a singing superstar! He's already got a flashy outfit, but in…what's the name of the city again, Mom?"

With the cat out of the bag, Iris simply said, "Bridgeport."

Branch continued, "Right. In Bridgeport, he'll be even more famous!"

I couldn't quite keep the tremor out of my voice, "So you guys have finally decided it's time to make the big move? We always knew this day would come sooner or later, but I've always hoped for later, much later. You haven't gotten to see your own family in quite some time though, so it's perfectly understandable you'd want to visit, have them meet your children. But what about your medical degree and your new position here, will you get to keep the top spot in Bridgeport?"

"Sacred Spleen Memorial Hospital has been trying to recruit me for some time, since before Branch was born, actually. The timing just wasn't right. But now with the kids getting older, able to enjoy all a big city has to offer, I feel it's the perfect time. And the hospital is thrilled about gaining another experienced surgeon and frankly, they're offering better pay! As for here, Dr. Dean's daughter, Jasmine, is quite a talented physician in her own right. She's not quite at world renowned surgeon level, but she's getting there fast. And the hospital is searching for another surgeon. But we'll keep in touch, Scott. Call, come back for visits, let the kids come for the summer when they're older. I promise, you won't lose your son or your grandchildren!"

I tried to smile as I said, "We've never felt that way, Iris. It was always more about gaining a daughter! And without you, I'm not sure Terrin would have gotten married or had children. But we always knew such a rural little town wouldn't be able to hold you and Terrin. Not with your big dreams! We're just happy you've stayed here in AP so long. You know we'll miss all of you like crazy, but Keri and I can come visit too. We've never been to the big city or any city for that matter! I'll probably stand out like a country bumpkin!"

Iris grinned and quipped, "More like a fish out of water!"




Keri came out on the porch and said, "I hear I have two grandsons that need their grades boosted. Who wants help?"

Branch moaned, "Me first, grandma, I can't figure out this math problem."

Leif said, "That's fine with me. I was planning on playing with my blocks when I finished my homework. I'm building a cool castle! Maybe you could help me on the weekend, Grandma?"

Keri was just as stunned as I was by the change in Leif, but she calmly said, "Sure, Leif. I think we could arrange that. Maybe you could even come over to the farm for your tutoring session?"

Branch said, "Me, too! Me, too! I wanna come over and fish in the pond with Grandpa Scott. He promised to take me fishing when I was little."

"So, he did. Looks like we'll see both of you on Saturday!"




Keri and Branch worked diligently on his homework until it was finished.

Then they worked on his multiplication tables to make his math homework a bit easier.

By the time they'd finished, Branch's school performance was in the top level!




Daisy, refreshed from her nap, was eager to learn to walk.

"That's it, missy. One more step, one more."




"Gotcha! Why, aren't you the quick learner? I don't think either of your brothers picked it up this fast!"

Daisy surprised me by saying, "More steps. More."

"And you're already talking, too! I guess it's true that girls pick up speech faster than boys."




But when Daisy toddled toward me a second time and then a third, barely wobbling, I finally figured it out.

Just like her mother, Iris, Daisy was a genius!

And she proved it by mastering walking in just that one short session.

But genius or not, all that effort left Daisy exhausted, so after she crawled onto her napping mat, I tucked her in, and we said our goodbyes.




Terrin pulled me in for hug, saying, "Thanks for coming over, Dad. Mom made me feel a lot better and both of you have been a big help with the kids. We won't ever forget that or how supportive you've been when…well, for my whole life actually! If it wasn't for you contacting Susan Wainwright, I would have never met Iris! It's amazing how one little thing can change the direction of your whole life. And we'll visit, of course. Bridgeport's just a plane ride away!"

"Like I told Iris, that works both ways, Terrin. Keri and I will definitely be coming to visit you. But there's no need for thanks. You're our son. We've loved having you right across the road and, though the time went by fast, letting us get to know our grandchildren was the greatest gift of all! The Wainwright family deserves the same gift. From what Iris has told me, they are a very close family and I'm sure she's missed them since leaving SimsU. Will you be staying in Sunset Valley long?"

"The plan is that we'll visit until Daisy's school-age, then we can enroll them all into the same school at once. Unless the boys still need the structure and discipline of a military academy. It's worked wonders so far. Leif's even slipped up and a called me 'sir' a few times! But we were advised that no school can compete if there's no structure at home, so Iris and I have been working on that too. And we're down to just the five of us now. First, Patches moved in with Leo, after James and Carmen found their own place. Then Marisela shocked everyone by giving up her position at the hospital and research center, joining the military, and moving in with her sister!"

"I've seen Patches and Leo around town together and they look pretty happy. Everyone's calling them the Sappy Superspies, even though neither of them has reached that level yet! But if they move to Bridgeport, our police force will take a big hit."

"Yeah, they both feel bad about that. They don't want to leave the force short-handed, and the town unprotected."

"But that actually might work in our favor. If we could entice other officers here, that might help some of our local singles out! It would be a win-win scenario."

"Now you're thinking like Mom and Iris, Dad! I think Lacey's right and you're secretly a genius!"

"I'm far from that, but I do have my moments. Goodnight, son."




It was 7 o'clock so we thought we'd check on Loretta and see if she won her race.

But instead of coming out of the Equestrian Center, she was going in!

I shouted, "Is the race getting a late start?"

"No. I won our first one just like last time, 12th place and straight to first! So, this time I'm entering a higher tier. We probably won't win but we need more competition."

My cousin Carina Schmidt piped up, "Then Boots and I will enter too! We'll give you a run for the money!"

They did too!

Neither one got first place, but they came in fourth and fifth, no trophies, but they still got prize money.




We even got to see some old friends as Kobe and Flynn were out on the prowl!

It was nice seeing them looking so healthy and happy and I'm sure Grandma Summer felt the same way.




But by the time we got home, I was wallowing in grief again and so was Lacey.




So, we consoled each other with a hug.

But Keri had something else in mind to make me feel better.




Keri had really enjoyed our interlude in the hover bed, so we ended the day the same way we started it.

Reaffirming our love for each other and life, hoping that a new one was on the way!




We're all dealing with our grief over my sister Myrabella's loss in our own way.

Mostly a lot of crying.

But Keri's motivated Terrin to work though his grief by painting portraits of his beloved aunt for her children and anyone else that would like such a special keepsake.

And now it's not just Myrabella's loss we have to deal with, but losing Terrin, Iris, and our grandchildren to the big city!

At least they're not gone for good, stuck in the Netherworld, but we're sure going to miss them all.

We'll keep in touch, and we've already discussed visiting back and forth, so we've got that to look forward to.

And maybe even a surprise for all of them if Keri keeps consoling me in the hover bed!

[deedee_828]

Not wanting to overtax Sparkle, Loretta always gave him some free time each day to run and play.

Usually, he spent it just racing around the yard, until he found this ball and tossed it high into the air!

You should have seen my face the first time I saw it go flying past our bedroom window.

Thankfully, it was just Sparkle showing off his strength, not aliens flying around in their spacecraft!

Even though it's been some time since Iris and Lacey got abducted, I'm still pretty paranoid about UFO's.




While Sparkle is having free time, Loretta takes her own.

But hers involves building up her martial arts skill.

She got an op to increase her performance if she increased her skill by one level.




So, she did!

Earning herself a new belt.




Then she ran across town to claim her prize.

From her mother, Deena Kindle!

I'd never heard such excitement from Loretta before, "I did it mother! I did it! I reached the next level, just like you encouraged me to do!"

Deena just stared at Loretta, "Contain yourself, Loretta, it was not encouragement, but simple motivation."

Then with an abrupt nod she added, "Still, I'm quite satisfied with your progress, daughter."

I guess that's high praise coming from a vampire.




Then, to my shock, Deena simply walked away!

Not even acknowledging that the promised raise in performance made Loretta a martial arts master!

Seeing how mother and daughter interact, it's no wonder Loretta is so reserved and finds our family overly friendly.

But how will she feel about her opponents in China?

I guess she'll tell us all about it when she and Joran get back from their trip.

Now that Loretta's mastered the skill, they're planning a vacation to China so she can get started on becoming a Grand Master.

It might take several visits, but if anyone is disciplined enough to stay the course, it's Loretta Parrot.

Hopefully, Swanson soon, but with Loretta being an immortal vampire and Joran having access to ambrosia, young again potion, and death flowers, there's really no reason for them to rush into marriage, except that Keri and I want to see Joran get married.

We both want another grandchild too, but neither one of our children, or their partners, have that desire yet.

Yes! I want to have another child with Keri and to become a grandparent, too!

I'm just greedy when it comes to adding members to our family!




Lawrence's greed is solely focused on obtaining simoleans for his campaign fund.
 
But sometimes he makes decisions I'll never understand.

Like deciding to throw a campaign fund raiser right after my sister Myrabella's death.




You would have thought it was a funeral with all the crying and sobbing.

Especially from Mom and Dad, as they had lost a daughter!

I couldn't even take any other photos as I was too busy consoling mourning family members.

Besides, no one wants a photo album devoted to sobbing relatives.

But Lawrence persevered and raised almost §70,000 simoleans, with Terrin making a generous donation of §10,000 and Iris giving §6500 more before the party was over!

No matter the circumstances or the occasion, that boy sure knows how to work a room!

His boss at City Hall was so pleased that she's agreed to Lawrence taking Lacey on a belated honeymoon to France.




You might think that with all of our children and grandchildren making plans to relocate or go on vacations, that Keri and I would be feeling pretty left out.

But we've got plenty to do getting ready for our expected nooboo!

It's official! Keri and I are having another child!

It didn't actually happen in the hover bed, but in the treehouse, of all places.

And, no, I'm not revealing any details!




Some of our family was taken by surprise at the news, but they were all happy for us.

Even our grandchildren, as Branch seemed pretty excited by the idea when Keri confirmed it, though he wasn't very diplomatic about it.

"You might not want to wear that dress anymore, Gram. It makes you look fat!"

(For the record, Keri did not look fat. She barely had a baby bump at that point!)

I'm sure Iris would have made him rephrase that, but Keri explained, "It's not just extra weight, Branch, there's a nooboo in my tummy."

"Really, Gram!?! Like when Daisy was in Mommy's tummy?"

"Exactly!"

"But you're our Gram, aren't you pretty old to be having a baby!?!"

Keri sighed and said, "Don't remind me, Branch."

Her sad look had Branch, exclaiming, "Don't be sad Gram, just eat some of Grandpa Scott's ambrosia! I'm going to when I get bigger and never get old!"




Everyone else was happy, but I was on top of the world!

I couldn't stop patting Keri's tummy, listening to him or her, even talking up a storm to our little one.

If it's a girl, we want to honor both my sister Myrabella and Keri's mother and name her Bella Grace.

For a boy, I was thinking Ender, but Keri says that would be tempting fate.

Unfortunately, Iris reminded us that twins run in the family, with my sisters being twins and each of them having twins of their own.

Myrabella even had two sets of twins.

And then Iris laughed, actually laughed, and said maybe we'd get lucky and have one of each!

Sometimes that girl has a strange sense of humor. Maybe it's a Wainwright thing?

I hope Leif and Branch don't pick it up when they're visiting; military school has done wonders, especially for Leif, and they don't need encouragement to start backsliding.




And we've already had some new residents move into town.

A former resort bar worker, Hope Bartholomew.

She was tired of the resort lifestyle and wanted to focus on her culinary skills.

Aerin was quite taken with her photo and bio, so I'm sure he'll be doing his best to make her feel welcome.




Having such a large home, Tyler also hosted two other young people, Holden Wozny.




And Gwen Glover.




While Leo and Patches are still here to help train them, the police department hired two new officers.

They're rookies, but they look quite capable and they're both young and eager to prove themselves.

Officer Sasha Gage is going to be staying with Kaine Marshall, who's taken over his grandparents' farm.

Carol Funke has been his housemate for years, with no indication of romance, so maybe Officer Gage will spark some.

With Kaine, Carol, or someone else in town!




Officer Paulo Morse.




My cousin, Carina Schmidt, volunteered to host both Officer Morse and our new firefighter, Tobin Holmes, until they could find places of their own.

But when they arrived, Carina, Tobin, and Paulo were a bit stilted and awkward with each other.

Maybe they'll loosen up once they get to know each other.

I know Fire Chief, Ian Kindle, Loretta's grandfather, will appreciate having another first responder to handle emergencies.




The hospital and research center hired two new doctors and a new scientist.

I asked Iris how it felt to know it took three people to replace her.

She just laughed, but I could tell she was pleased.

Dr. Iris Wainwright does not hide her light under a basket, and she never has!

The single adult women in town were a bit disappointed that one of the doctors was already married and had children.

But the school was thrilled to have two new students.

Their son William will be starting grade school and he'd already opted to dress like a cowboy!

Their daughter Cassidy is a new teen and seems a bit shy as she ducked behind her mother when I snapped the photo.

Dr. Bowman was quite appreciative of the house we'd thrown in with the relocation deal, saying, "Are you sure about providing such a large home free of charge? We'd be happy to cover the cost or at least pay rent."

But his wife, Ella, just preened and said, "Don't be silly Wilburt! It's only what we deserve! You're a skilled surgeon and my position at City Hall will require a place to throw lavish parties. The locals aren't quite up to our high standards, but with my guidance, they'll quickly get up to speed."

Oh, boy! With a mother like that, no wonder poor Cassidy was hiding.




The scientist is a new graduate from SimsU, Melissa Glenn.

She doesn't look like any scientist I ever met!

Then again, neither does Iris.

Iris said it was nice to see more women getting into the STEM field, or STEAM, as they now call it, since they've added arts.

And since Melissa graduated Summa Cum Laude, she'll definitely be an asset to the research center and the town!

My sister Myrabella's family was eager to offer her a place to stay.

Jeremy insisted it wasn't because she was a pretty brunette with brains.

Jasmine just snorted in disbelief at her older brother, especially since he'd nixed all of the male candidates!

But since this project has a two-fold purpose, I'm glad our young people are getting caught up in it.




And get caught up they did!

Our second doctor was arriving next week, but that didn't stop our family members from inviting other out-of-towners to become residents.

Not wanting to be outdone by our cousin, Rosemarie Marshall invited two more young adults to town.

Liam McGowan, an ambitious businessman whose goal is to become a CEO.

And Earnest Granger, a laid-back guy that just wanted to play his guitar, so he'd signed up to be a busker.

If Rosemarie was trying to impress her two new housemates by wearing that white formal gown, she should have changed out of her worn cowboy boots!

I'm not a fashionista by a long shot, but she looked ridiculous, even to me!

Judging by their expressions, Liam and Earnest were just as puzzled as I was.




My Bluegill nephews, Shawn and Dirk, jumped on the pretty girl bandwagon, and invited Selina Purnell to town.

A friendly, animal lover, Selina was tired of the hustle and bustle of the big city.

She just wanted to live the small-town life, adopt a pet or two, and make some friends.




We even had another rancher to move to town, along with his three young sons, their male cook/housekeeper, and three horses to get their herd started.

The rancher, Ben Cartwright, no relation to Founder Jerad, is a widower, and he has a lot to offer a new wife.

If she's up to taking on a ready-made-family, with teen son, Adam, school-age, Hoss, and toddler, Little Joe.

Since he's built a beautiful home that has a live-in cook/housekeeper, Hop Sing, and he has a hefty bank account, it may not be all that difficult.

The older boys were in school when I went out to meet them, and I thought it was a little dangerous to let the toddler sit on the ground between those big horses, but Mr. Cartwright didn't seem all that concerned.

I'm just thrilled to have another male in town that likes to cook, and I can't wait to trade recipes with Hop Sing!




But Monty Loveland, Keri's younger brother and the last of his line, chose a different type of candidate to host.

I'm sure she's a nice girl, but not so sure she's the right fit for Appaloosa Plains.

The girl is a magician, which probably helps explain her rather unique sense of fashion.

But frankly, Betty Arnett's outfit made Rosemarie's seem normal!

Once you've seen it, you can NEVER unsee it!




But leave it to my niece, and Lacey's nemesis, Joy Moon, to invite someone even more controversial to town!

To live with her no less, and she's got a house of her own, her only companion, her horse, Traveller.

None other than rocker musician, Jett Black, a virtuoso who's known for his extreme lifestyle and outrageous parties!




Lacey has been furious with Joy since the party dancer/werewolf incident.

So, she couldn't resist snooping around Joy's place a bit after Jett moved in, to see if she could dig up any dirt.

I hadn't realized that meant rummaging through Joy's nasty trash, but that's just what it involved!

Luckily, she didn't get caught as Joy would have relished the idea of Lacey spending a night in jail.

It can't imagine it would have helped Lacey's career any either.

But instead of finding something incriminating against Joy, Lacey found something even more odd.

A receipt for romantic flowers delivered to someone in town.

Jett wasn't interested in Joy, he was actually dating Deena Kindle, Loretta's mother!

Oh, boy!




But Lacey felt guilty about her escapade, so she wrote up a report.

It wasn't positive or negative, since she didn't find anything incriminating, just a normal report.

Rather than getting fined or reprimanded for her actions, she actually got commended!

Turns out that if you're an officer of the law, whether you're officially on duty or not, rummaging through your neighbors or relatives' trash isn't a crime, but normal procedure.




Some of our new residents look more promising than others, that's for sure.

But, hopefully, any of our young people that do want to marry and have families will now have the opportunity.

Maybe some of our new residents will find love with some of the other new residents.

Or, like Jett, some will fall for completely unexpected partners!

You just never know who'll end up with whom, sometimes opposites attract and sometimes they just clash.

The heart wants what the heart wants.

But all this new blood should help keep our town going for many years to come.

That's the plan anyway.

[deedee_828]

Our Founders, Grandma Brooke and Grandpa Jerad, are enjoying their newfound lease on life, a fitting reward for the two that started us on this grand farming journey.

They look so young here.




And just look at the original garden Founder Brooke started way back in Aggie's corner.

It's a far cry from the extensive farm we have now in Appaloosa Plains!




And the 'farmhouse' she actually lived in back then!

It's little more than a broken down shack.

Hard to believe that a spoiled rich girl not only lived in it, but managed not to burn it down!




The three couples in between kept the farm going, adding their own expansions along the way.

Summer and Nolan took over the farm once they were married and he moved in.

Nolan even gave up his dream of being an astronaut to become a gardener and help with the farm.

But he hated the outdoors, so it was difficult for him.




Until Summer built him a basement nectary as her expansion to the farm!

Nolan made the very first bottles of Swanson nectar that would go on to become a household name.

Nectar wasn't his passion but it was his legacy.

One that left us with over 400 bottles of nectar to age in the basement.




Rielle and Leonard were quite the romantic couple since he's irresistible.

They may be older now, but they still act like teenagers when it comes to love and romance.




They kept the farm profitable and made Swanson horses a bloodline known as racing legends.

Just look at how happy Rielle is brushing her first horse, Sunshine.




As for my own parents, Diwan and Marley, they were quite the couple.

Loving, caring, responsible, and hard working.




And they were a hard act to follow.

They not only kept up the farm, but Dad stocked our own pond with everything from minnows to death fish, and after their trip to China, added koi as well as dragon fish.




Mom chose Bottomless Nectar Cellar as her lifetime wish when she moved in and it completed instantly!

Those 400 bottles Nolan left were worth over §400,000 simoleans!

Mom revived the nectary, growing specialty French grapes, and stomping them to her hearts content.

She added her own special blends, and left hundreds more bottles aging in the racks.




My contributions?

All the big expansions were done, but I couldn't resist adding a few small ones.

Cows and chickens were a must for us to truly be considered a farm.

And then there was my disastrous attempt at beekeeping.



Of the three, one of my favorite photos is Joran as a child playing with the baby chicks.



I not only completed my Lifetime Wish to become a culinary librarian but made perfect dishes of my family members favorite foods.
 
I've even mastered gardening, fishing, and cooking, the farm-to-table trifecta.

And I used all three to make ambrosia.




Bringing back my beloved ancestors and their pets.

Definitely a highlight in my life!




My loving wife, Keri, has proved herself time and time again.

She mastered handiness and logic, upgrading everything in the house that Grandpa Nolan hadn't, as well as discovering all the potions, providing Young Again potions for all who desired them.

Though Terrin wasn't her biological child, she was his true mother and loved him just as much as she did Lacey and Joran when they came along.

She is my rock, my foundation, as well as the love of my life!




Keri even blessed me with another child!

A son, Rowan.

We named him after both his grandfathers, Rodney Singleton and Diwan Swanson.

Keri was right about not naming him Ender, as I would like another daughter!

But I'm certainly not mentioning that right now.

I'll give Keri some pampering and wait until the horrors of 3 am feedings are over.

Right now we're both just feeling blessed at the birth of our new son.




We have three grown children that are all in loving relationships and three grandchildren that are in the hands of very capable parents.

My PlantSim son, Terrin, is well on his way to becoming a singing superstar.

Something I have no doubt he will accomplish in Bridgeport, the culmination of his dreams.

But since the loss of his Aunt Myrabella, he's also found solace in his painting, creating quite a few masterpieces.




His PlantSim wife, Iris, has reached the pinnacle of her career here in AP, becoming a World-Renowned Surgeon.

In Bridgeport her expertise as a surgeon and a scientist is sure to bring her even more accolades.

She'll bask in the glow, of course, but never stop in her quest for knowledge; a true Wainwright!

Their PlantSim sons, Leif and Branch, are growing like weeds, and have strong personalities of their own.
 
But if anyone can handle strong-willed children it's Iris Wainwright Swanson!




Their PlantSim daughter, Daisy, is a little green sprite that fills our lives with joy.

She's a genius, so she's already learned to walk, and she picked up talking just as fast!

Definitely another brilliant Wainwright in the making, but who knows what interesting character traits she may develop.

That look she's giving her mother is sure to keep her parents on their toes, especially if she takes after Iris!




Our daughter, Lacey, just received her promotion to International Super Spy and completed her lifetime wish!

With that accomplishment under her belt, she's decided she's ready to be a mother.

Keri and I can't wait to welcome another grandchild!

And with Lacey's love of cats, I'm sure there will always be one here on the farm.

For now it's her beloved cat, Elwood, but I'm sure others will follow.




Her husband, Lawrence Lum, is an up and coming politician, who dreams of becoming the leader of the free world.

With his charisma and drive, I have no doubt he'll do it too.

They truly are the power couple of Appaloosa Plains!




My son and generation five heir, Joran, has Swanson Farms well in hand.




He plans to keep all of the farm businesses going; the gardens, the nectary, the fishing pond, and the cows and chickens.

Swanson Farms sure has come a long way since Founder Brooke started her girl's garden!




With his partner, immortal vampire Loretta Parrott, they'll be unstoppable, a force to reckon with.

She can now meditate for hours, levitate off the floor with a green glow, and then zeneport to anywhere in town!




With Loretta bringing horses and racing back to the farm with her horse Sparkle, Swanson Farms is now complete.




And with a heavy heart, I realize, so is this journal.

With ambrosia and death flowers on hand, all of us will be around to tell our life stories in person for a long, long time.

No need for me to write them down to share as we'll all be right here in Appaloosa Plains.

Or for Terrin, Iris, and their kids, in Bridgeport, enjoying the bright lights and fame of city life.

Who knows, maybe one day one of my children or grandchildren will start keeping their own journals.

But those will be their stories to tell…

The End