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Mesa Vista - My BaCC for fun: Week 5, Part 8 Outside
New update :)
Welcome back to Mesa Vista and the Outside family, where the kids were growing up really fast.
When we left them last week, Ciel was on the verge of giving birth to their fifth child, although the first one outside of Apocalypse conditions.
Somehow I had missed downloading a couple of sets of pregnancy morphs from MTS, which was too bad because her H&M dress would have looked really cute. Anyway, here she is in all her pregnant glory.
Ciel was also slowly climbing the Business career ladder while her perma-plat hubby Nemo still worked as a City Planner, which I still get a kick out of, considering his own BaCC Instant City is a methodical account of planning and building a working city, both at Lot and Neighborhood levels.
And like me, he blew the board away with his vision, receiving a huge and well deserved bonus for it!
That handily earned him his second LTW of earning §100,000 and took… what, all of a few days at most?
“Next?”
Since Nemo constantly inspires me with his achievements, it only made sense to have him take a short sabbatical from his position as City Planner and earn me another five SM points by becoming a Business Tycoon in Mesa Vista. He had already mastered two of the three skills required, so I was pretty optimistic.
(By the way, the Outsides are using a hacked coat rack and getting their clothes for free, since Outside Outfitters is the only store in Mesa Vista that sells clothes, and I don’t know how to work around them not being able to get clothes from their own business. I don’t consider this cheating as much as a perk that came from connections they had with their suppliers. Still, if anyone knows of a less “cheaty” solution – besides another clothing store, obviously – feel free to chime in.)
The first evening as expected, Ciel went into labor.
“Way to go, Mom!”
(Annoying vacation townie photobombing courtesy of Rosemarie Jitmakusol, who has no bolts with anyone *grrrrr*)
“*Gasp* But what about a babysitter?” Emily asked.
“I mean, I’ll be happy to help watch Chloe until Thursday, but then I’ll be off to college.”
Ciel was throwing a lot of pensive looks, as well as rolling the dreaded Have 10 Kids want.
“Can you blame me? My youngest daughter is already leaving for college this week... well, you know what I mean.”
Yes, I know what you mean, but still not locking that want!
Little Chloe appeared to be the spitting image of her father.
While the adults and teens were at work and school, Sun Rousseau proved some Sim nannies were responsible caretakers, first with the Mazzas, then with the Outsides.
Nemo snagged a promotion on his first day, along with the most coveted career reward in Mesa Vista, and that’s when Ciel’s career took off too.
That and the Date wants she rolled almost daily.
Emily: “Oh God, they’re at it again.”
Nemo: “Get used to it, kids, you’re seeing Mesa Vista’s newest power couple in action!”
Emily: “Ew, Dad!”
Neil: *Grin*
And they’re off! Let the promotions begin!
Don’t know if it’s the case in everyone’s game, but for forever in mine, it was the mean siblings who still took the best care of the young ’uns.
“You’ve mentioned that before, several times. Move on, this isn’t gonna help my street cred.”
“Why, hello! Aren’t you that nice young man who takes such good care of his baby sister?”
“Hey, I’m not the only… have we met before?”
“I don’t believe so, unless the name Vamsi Tomyoy rings a bell?”
“Nope, pretty sure I’d remember that one. Anyway, where did you hear that?”
“Take it from me, there are no secrets in a small town. Unless, of course, you willfully ignore the signs.”
“Er… okay?”
“Besides, you’re acting like it’s a bad thing. You do know people look on that as an admirable quality, right?”
People, hmm? People… Yep, Neil was nothing if not shrewd.
“Thank you for your words of wisdom, ma’am, now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go play with my baby sister.”
“And watch out for the skunk!”
“That kid is going places!”
After that little encounter, Neil Outside, aspiring mayor of Mesa Vista, decided he was going to shake hands with every Mesa Vista voter/future voter he could get his hands on.
And who better than with Nikki Adams, Mesa Vista’s first Business Tycoon and wife of the founder of Mesa Vista?
Ciel and Nikki had become friends at work, so it was natural Nikki would call to discuss the main topic besides work that they had in common. Although for Ciel, it was under happier circumstances.
Neil, a guy with a mission now, decided to pay a visit to Mesa Vista’s City Hall.
Not that there was much going on there after hours, or any hours for that matter. It was currently just for show, since there was no one in Politics to actually work there.
Still, it wasn’t a wasted trip as he got to practice his canvassing skills on Magnus Ray and Kennedy Barthelet.
Emily brought home a friend from school. Let’s see who it was…
Hello, Nellie Mazza from a couple of updates ago!
Neil thought Nellie was HOT! From the moment the two Popularity Sims’ eyes met, it was practically love at first sight.
Carrying on family tradition…
Who could resist? Not Nellie.
Neil was pumped after that, and he figured Mesa Vista’s public library would be a great place to introduce himself.
“Blablabla, Servo voters’ rights!”
Servo WF No. 1 Andrei: “Boppityubitybleep.” Translation: “You have Mesa Vista’s green energy vote.”
Allyn Thompson: “Tss, and you have mine, old timer!”
“Blablabla, no cuts to Simcial Security!”
“You do know a Mayor has no jurisdiction over the Simcial Security program.”
“Oh… still…”
“Take my advice, sonny: don’t make promises you can’t keep. And do your research!”
“Yes, sir!”
Neil felt a little out of his league downstairs so he went up to the kids’ section, where he introduced himself to Ramin Johnston, newly hired by Marie Sims to stock her popular bakery, Just Desserts.
“Blablabla, it’s the economy, stupid!”
“Don’t forget the importance of funding public services like this library we’re standing in now. I mean, where else can guys gather to meet women and instead end up playing with this old-fashioned and strangely addictive train set instead?”
“Hey, I know exactly what you mean! I’ll take it under advisement!”
“*AHEM* Excuse me, I’m a girl.”
“Blablabla, women’s rights!”
Okay, enough with the political pandering…
I confess one of the reasons the kids seem to be growing up so fast is because of my impatience to see them in the next life stage, so I essentially age them up almost a full day early. It also occurred to me that if I played by season like most people instead of week, that would slow it down even further, but again, too impatient, so kids in Mesa Vista grow up fast…
Whee, Happy Birthday, Chloe!
Chloe still strongly favored her father, except for her personality. She’s one MEAN girl!
(Gemini 2/10/9/10/1)
Mean but cute!
Now, I quite like this hair she grew into, but it’s the same style as the third-generation toddler currently in my undocumented Borg Apocalypse, and for some reason I can’t remember (this was played four months ago) I decided I didn’t want Chloe to have the same style.
So I gave her another one I thought looked a little more toddleresque*.
Anyway, Chloe absolutely loved singing the Nursery Rhyme – once she learned it, she never stopped!
*As in toddler-esque, as opposed to todd-leresque ;)
Toddler spam. Anyone else appreciate them more since TS4 came out?
“You want me to pick you up?”
“Up, up!”
Neil’s manner of autonomously interacting with his little sister never took the form of merely holding her, but always wildly tossing her around.
“It’s more fun this w… Oh $#/+.”
And twice Neil paid the price, but did he stop? No.
His misadventures with Chloe were quickly forgotten after a quick shower and becoming best friends with Nellie Mazza.
Neil decided he’d better call Madeleine Dallas, the girl from Week 4 with whom he also shared two bolts, and invited her to meet him after school. He still liked Madeleine, but figured it was just plain bad politics to string two girls along.
“Yo hey! What’s up?”
“… Friends?”
While technically they did remain friends, I’ll leave it up to how they interact when they encounter each other in the future.
The Outsides’ old Moneywell was on its last legs. I thought I had made a mistake stocking Shin’s Office Supply with upgraded computers because I allow most of my households to keep their free Humble’s computer. But in some cases, the household would sell it for the money to help with their challenge (if allowed) or buying a business when they’re first starting out, like the Outsides did when they bought Outside Outfitters with its rather pricey clothes racks.
Anyway, the family now had plenty of money to go shopping for a new one…
“All fixed!”
Never mind (for now)…
On Thursday, Emily claimed her Will Wright Genius and Sim City Scholar grants before arranging for transportation to meet up with her sisters at La Fiesta Tech.
“Buy, Em, learn lots, study hard.”
“Don’t worry, Dad, I will.”
“We’ll miss your grilled cheese, but we’ll miss you even more!”
Sul sul, Emily. *sniff*
*Sigh*
Emily here, dropped off at the dorm before joining Nicole and Mina at the Venture Greek House.
This made me think Statue of Liberty for some reason, probably because of the drapy green dress and platinum plumbbob torch :)
After seeing her daughter off, a sad and suddenly weary Ciel crawled into bed…
“First we were four, and then three, and now it’s just two of us girls left. Guess I’ll have to get used to it, huh Chloe?”
Chloe patted her mom’s shoulder in solidarity…
Chloe made sure her mother didn’t have too much free time to dwell on feeling sad.
Especially the morning she crawled outside to join her mother catching butterflies.
“Mommy has to go to work now, but Nanny Sun will take good care of you. See you tonight, sweetie.”
“No, catch happy faces now!”
After getting promoted to Vice President, Ciel began teaching her new best friend how to walk.
“I take it you’re starting to feel better?”
“Yes, how could you tell?”
Neil and Nellie went out out on a date for the first time.
“Wanna know something funny? I went to the Dugout once with my sisters right after my birthday, the night before Mina and Nicole left for university.”
“That was originally my dad’s business. He gave it to my mom before he died.”
“She was at the bar and served us drinks with umbrellas, of course non-alcoholic.”
“Of course. That’s a neat coincidence,” Nellie said.
“There was a lady at the bar making a toast to someone named Neil, and my sister Mina asked who they were talking about because I was the only Neil present, and they said it was the guy who established the first club here in Mesa Vista.”
“Yeah, that was my dad.”
“Do you think it’s… weird me ’n him have the same name?” Neil asked.
“It’s a coincidence, sure. I guess it’s even a little weird, but I don’t care. I was named after him, so our names are practically identical except for the order of a couple of the letters. Does it bother you?”
“Not if it doesn’t bother you. Does it bother you?”
“My father died before I was born, and my only encounters with him were before my birthday when he was haunting our house.”
“You actually saw his ghost?”
“Yes, a few times over the course of a couple of nights, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience.”
“So he scared you?”
“ Yes, quite badly. Once even in my bedroom, but I never told my mom that. I wanted to be brave, because I wanted what she wanted.”
“What was that?”
“For him to see me before settling him in his final resting place.”
“…”
“That’s sounds nice, doesn’t it?
“It does, kinda.”
“I think… she was so focused on how nice the idea sounded, she was in denial of the danger in keeping him around. I don’t pretend to understand it, but I do know she loved him and I know she loves me. As for my dad – Neil – he did what he could to protect me, but ghosts are dangerous and he was no exception and he knew that. It must have been really hard for him to want us to be safe, but powerless to change what he was.”
“…”
“So, the short answer to your question is I never knew him as Neil and have never though of him as Neil. I didn’t know him at all, but I’m pretty sure you’re nothing like him.”
“But how can you know?”
“Because you’re alive. You’re here. I can lay my head on your shoulder and hear your heartbeat. I can touch your knee – see? I’m doing it right now – and I can feel it solid as can be beneath my hand.”
Neil felt something new and strange and rather wonderful welling up inside of him.
“You want to know how else I know you’re nothing like Neil, my dad? I feel utterly safe with you.”
“You’d better believe you are!” Neil grinned, taking Nellie’s hand that still rested on his knee. “Come on, it’s cold. Let’s go inside and check out this dance hall.”
“Can you believe how beautiful the stars are tonight?” Nellie murmured as he pulled her up beside him. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
“No, me neither.”
“Have you been standing there long?”
“No, not long at all.” Ally Tomyoy introduced herself and gave not the slightest inkling she had overheard any of the rather profound exchange between the boy and girl.
Normally, Neil would have rubbed his hands in glee at meeting a real bona fide Infallibly Good Witch, and wondered fleetingly if she was related to that other lady named Tomyoy – what was her name again? Yeah, Vamsi!
And then all such thoughts fell to the wayside, to be replaced by only one: How much he wanted to kiss Nellie.
“Ah, to be young and in love again…”
“We heard that!”
Of course kids being kids, the two teens just had to poke around the musical instruments, to Nora Gainsborough’s dismay. A honky-tonk type music hall might not be as easy for an aspiring Rock God to run as she had thought...
“I’m Neil Outside, I want to be Mayor some day, and I hope these Christmas cookies will help you remember me when you cast your vote…”
“Isn’t that bribery or buying the vote or something?”
“Ehm… okay, forget that, just enjoy the cookies. No harm, no foul, okay?”
“Tell you what: I’ll take this home and 'destroy' the evidence, if you consider going to college and study Political Science before running for Mayor.”
“Who are you to..?” Neil began, bristling mostly he had to admit, from embarrassment at his blunder.
“Neil,” Nellie interrupted almost soothingly. “Come on, I want to show you something.”
“It’s a little early in your campaign to be burning bridges, hmm?”
“That was stupid of me, I should know better.”
“Come on, you just got a little carried away is all.”
*Brood*
“I like your ambition, Neil. I could use more of that.”
“Nellie?”
“Ye-es?”
“Do you want to go steady?”
“Of course I do!”
“So, I’ve made it abundantly clear I want to become Mayor someday, but what do you want to be, Nellie?”
“I want to own five top-level businesses. See now why I can use some of your drive?”
“…”
“What, you don’t think I can do it?”
“No, that’s not it at all! I was thinking…”
“Yes?”
“Power couple! I mean, how can anyone top that combo?”
“I guess… they can’t?”
“You bet they can’t! Just imagine it! We’re gonna be nothing short of amazing!”
“Let’s not get too confident and jinx it, okay?”
“Well, what do you propose?”
“That we take it one step at a time – together. We both have little brothers and sisters to help take care of, and then there’s college because we’re gonna need every advantage we can get.”
“Can’t argue with that…”
But getting back to the current power couple...
The promotion frenzy came to a screeching halt with the weekend, to be replaced with just hanging out together. The downstairs bathroom was so large, I actually didn’t mind the typical Sim tendency to hang out there.
Hang on for your life, Chloe! I’ve never paid much attention to a toddler being carried down the stairs – it’s pretty hilarious!
Sunday after six o'clock, Chloe had the option to grow up again and my curiosity insisted I took it!
I wasn’t crazy about the hair on Chloe as a child, and the skimpy little undershirt she grew into made me cold just looking at her with all the snow outside.
“Move it guys, I want more birthday cake!”
Chloe after her makeover – she kept the pants she grew into but got a warmer top (for free) from the hacked coat rack.
Nemo kept up his tradition of autonomously dancing with his kids.
Monday Morning Power Couple Pep Rally!
“So a snow day means we get to stay home from school, but Mom and Dad have to go to work?”
“That’s exactly what it means.”
“And I get to play all day, no homework?”
“That’s right.”
Chloe found the best stuff to play with was still in Neil’s room.
Meanwhile, Neil went outside to play.
I love this picture. To me, it perfectly captures the coziness of a kid at home from school on a snow day.
Power Couple Duo Promotion reactivate!
Yeehaw, Mesa Vista now had its third Business District! This week the Outsides boosted Mesa Vista’s population by a very gratifying 371! (Not to mention Ciel and Diane Shin will be bringing two more Business Districts to Mesa Vista early in Week 6!)
Just as I was getting ready to leave their lot for the week, it occurred to me I forgot to show what the Outsides had bought from Mesa Vista’s shops while they weren’t being played. It’s just kind of fun and interesting trivia for me.
Although this picture was snapped at the end of the rotation, no one went shopping while I played them in Week 5, so their inventories didn’t change from the start of their week.
Ciel bought 8(!) lamps, 2 coffee tables, a dresser and a mirror from Shin’s Orient, plus a Baked Alaska and a cheesecake from Just Desserts.
Nemo bought 5 coffee tables, 3 lamps, a dresser and a bonsai from Shin’s Orient, plus a potted tree from Shin’s Office Supply.
Emily bought a berry pie and a plate of Christmas cookies from Just Desserts.
Neil bought a berry pie and a Baked Alaska from Just Desserts.
Another piece of business I had to take care of
“*GACK, OWW!* You didn’t HAVE to anything!”
(SORRY!) before the end of the week was fixing Neil’s age due to an aging hack I had installed in Mesa Vista’s early weeks and which messed up some of the kids’ aging and/or ages when I removed it. Two sips got Neil to six days from becoming an adult instead of twelve, which I think was about right.
That does it for the Outsides, though I still have the three oldest girls at La Fiesta Tech to play.
BaCC quick stats:
Playable Sims: 70 (69 + 1 grave) added Chloe Outside
SM: 26 (+ 5 for new business district)
Population: 1820
Thanks for reading and Happy Simming!
Welcome back to Mesa Vista and the Outside family, where the kids were growing up really fast.
When we left them last week, Ciel was on the verge of giving birth to their fifth child, although the first one outside of Apocalypse conditions.
Somehow I had missed downloading a couple of sets of pregnancy morphs from MTS, which was too bad because her H&M dress would have looked really cute. Anyway, here she is in all her pregnant glory.
Ciel was also slowly climbing the Business career ladder while her perma-plat hubby Nemo still worked as a City Planner, which I still get a kick out of, considering his own BaCC Instant City is a methodical account of planning and building a working city, both at Lot and Neighborhood levels.
And like me, he blew the board away with his vision, receiving a huge and well deserved bonus for it!
That handily earned him his second LTW of earning §100,000 and took… what, all of a few days at most?
“Next?”
Since Nemo constantly inspires me with his achievements, it only made sense to have him take a short sabbatical from his position as City Planner and earn me another five SM points by becoming a Business Tycoon in Mesa Vista. He had already mastered two of the three skills required, so I was pretty optimistic.
(By the way, the Outsides are using a hacked coat rack and getting their clothes for free, since Outside Outfitters is the only store in Mesa Vista that sells clothes, and I don’t know how to work around them not being able to get clothes from their own business. I don’t consider this cheating as much as a perk that came from connections they had with their suppliers. Still, if anyone knows of a less “cheaty” solution – besides another clothing store, obviously – feel free to chime in.)
The first evening as expected, Ciel went into labor.
“Way to go, Mom!”
(Annoying vacation townie photobombing courtesy of Rosemarie Jitmakusol, who has no bolts with anyone *grrrrr*)
“*Gasp* But what about a babysitter?” Emily asked.
“I mean, I’ll be happy to help watch Chloe until Thursday, but then I’ll be off to college.”
Ciel was throwing a lot of pensive looks, as well as rolling the dreaded Have 10 Kids want.
“Can you blame me? My youngest daughter is already leaving for college this week... well, you know what I mean.”
Yes, I know what you mean, but still not locking that want!
Little Chloe appeared to be the spitting image of her father.
While the adults and teens were at work and school, Sun Rousseau proved some Sim nannies were responsible caretakers, first with the Mazzas, then with the Outsides.
Nemo snagged a promotion on his first day, along with the most coveted career reward in Mesa Vista, and that’s when Ciel’s career took off too.
That and the Date wants she rolled almost daily.
Emily: “Oh God, they’re at it again.”
Nemo: “Get used to it, kids, you’re seeing Mesa Vista’s newest power couple in action!”
Emily: “Ew, Dad!”
Neil: *Grin*
And they’re off! Let the promotions begin!
Don’t know if it’s the case in everyone’s game, but for forever in mine, it was the mean siblings who still took the best care of the young ’uns.
“You’ve mentioned that before, several times. Move on, this isn’t gonna help my street cred.”
“Why, hello! Aren’t you that nice young man who takes such good care of his baby sister?”
“Hey, I’m not the only… have we met before?”
“I don’t believe so, unless the name Vamsi Tomyoy rings a bell?”
“Nope, pretty sure I’d remember that one. Anyway, where did you hear that?”
“Take it from me, there are no secrets in a small town. Unless, of course, you willfully ignore the signs.”
“Er… okay?”
“Besides, you’re acting like it’s a bad thing. You do know people look on that as an admirable quality, right?”
People, hmm? People… Yep, Neil was nothing if not shrewd.
“Thank you for your words of wisdom, ma’am, now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go play with my baby sister.”
“And watch out for the skunk!”
“That kid is going places!”
After that little encounter, Neil Outside, aspiring mayor of Mesa Vista, decided he was going to shake hands with every Mesa Vista voter/future voter he could get his hands on.
And who better than with Nikki Adams, Mesa Vista’s first Business Tycoon and wife of the founder of Mesa Vista?
Ciel and Nikki had become friends at work, so it was natural Nikki would call to discuss the main topic besides work that they had in common. Although for Ciel, it was under happier circumstances.
Neil, a guy with a mission now, decided to pay a visit to Mesa Vista’s City Hall.
Not that there was much going on there after hours, or any hours for that matter. It was currently just for show, since there was no one in Politics to actually work there.
Still, it wasn’t a wasted trip as he got to practice his canvassing skills on Magnus Ray and Kennedy Barthelet.
Emily brought home a friend from school. Let’s see who it was…
Hello, Nellie Mazza from a couple of updates ago!
Neil thought Nellie was HOT! From the moment the two Popularity Sims’ eyes met, it was practically love at first sight.
Carrying on family tradition…
Who could resist? Not Nellie.
Neil was pumped after that, and he figured Mesa Vista’s public library would be a great place to introduce himself.
“Blablabla, Servo voters’ rights!”
Servo WF No. 1 Andrei: “Boppityubitybleep.” Translation: “You have Mesa Vista’s green energy vote.”
Allyn Thompson: “Tss, and you have mine, old timer!”
“Blablabla, no cuts to Simcial Security!”
“You do know a Mayor has no jurisdiction over the Simcial Security program.”
“Oh… still…”
“Take my advice, sonny: don’t make promises you can’t keep. And do your research!”
“Yes, sir!”
Neil felt a little out of his league downstairs so he went up to the kids’ section, where he introduced himself to Ramin Johnston, newly hired by Marie Sims to stock her popular bakery, Just Desserts.
“Blablabla, it’s the economy, stupid!”
“Don’t forget the importance of funding public services like this library we’re standing in now. I mean, where else can guys gather to meet women and instead end up playing with this old-fashioned and strangely addictive train set instead?”
“Hey, I know exactly what you mean! I’ll take it under advisement!”
“*AHEM* Excuse me, I’m a girl.”
“Blablabla, women’s rights!”
Okay, enough with the political pandering…
I confess one of the reasons the kids seem to be growing up so fast is because of my impatience to see them in the next life stage, so I essentially age them up almost a full day early. It also occurred to me that if I played by season like most people instead of week, that would slow it down even further, but again, too impatient, so kids in Mesa Vista grow up fast…
Whee, Happy Birthday, Chloe!
Chloe still strongly favored her father, except for her personality. She’s one MEAN girl!
(Gemini 2/10/9/10/1)
Mean but cute!
Now, I quite like this hair she grew into, but it’s the same style as the third-generation toddler currently in my undocumented Borg Apocalypse, and for some reason I can’t remember (this was played four months ago) I decided I didn’t want Chloe to have the same style.
So I gave her another one I thought looked a little more toddleresque*.
Anyway, Chloe absolutely loved singing the Nursery Rhyme – once she learned it, she never stopped!
*As in toddler-esque, as opposed to todd-leresque ;)
Toddler spam. Anyone else appreciate them more since TS4 came out?
“You want me to pick you up?”
“Up, up!”
Neil’s manner of autonomously interacting with his little sister never took the form of merely holding her, but always wildly tossing her around.
“It’s more fun this w… Oh $#/+.”
And twice Neil paid the price, but did he stop? No.
His misadventures with Chloe were quickly forgotten after a quick shower and becoming best friends with Nellie Mazza.
Neil decided he’d better call Madeleine Dallas, the girl from Week 4 with whom he also shared two bolts, and invited her to meet him after school. He still liked Madeleine, but figured it was just plain bad politics to string two girls along.
“Yo hey! What’s up?”
“… Friends?”
While technically they did remain friends, I’ll leave it up to how they interact when they encounter each other in the future.
The Outsides’ old Moneywell was on its last legs. I thought I had made a mistake stocking Shin’s Office Supply with upgraded computers because I allow most of my households to keep their free Humble’s computer. But in some cases, the household would sell it for the money to help with their challenge (if allowed) or buying a business when they’re first starting out, like the Outsides did when they bought Outside Outfitters with its rather pricey clothes racks.
Anyway, the family now had plenty of money to go shopping for a new one…
“All fixed!”
Never mind (for now)…
On Thursday, Emily claimed her Will Wright Genius and Sim City Scholar grants before arranging for transportation to meet up with her sisters at La Fiesta Tech.
“Buy, Em, learn lots, study hard.”
“Don’t worry, Dad, I will.”
“We’ll miss your grilled cheese, but we’ll miss you even more!”
Sul sul, Emily. *sniff*
*Sigh*
Emily here, dropped off at the dorm before joining Nicole and Mina at the Venture Greek House.
This made me think Statue of Liberty for some reason, probably because of the drapy green dress and platinum plumbbob torch :)
After seeing her daughter off, a sad and suddenly weary Ciel crawled into bed…
“First we were four, and then three, and now it’s just two of us girls left. Guess I’ll have to get used to it, huh Chloe?”
Chloe patted her mom’s shoulder in solidarity…
Chloe made sure her mother didn’t have too much free time to dwell on feeling sad.
Especially the morning she crawled outside to join her mother catching butterflies.
“Mommy has to go to work now, but Nanny Sun will take good care of you. See you tonight, sweetie.”
“No, catch happy faces now!”
After getting promoted to Vice President, Ciel began teaching her new best friend how to walk.
“I take it you’re starting to feel better?”
“Yes, how could you tell?”
Neil and Nellie went out out on a date for the first time.
“Wanna know something funny? I went to the Dugout once with my sisters right after my birthday, the night before Mina and Nicole left for university.”
“That was originally my dad’s business. He gave it to my mom before he died.”
“She was at the bar and served us drinks with umbrellas, of course non-alcoholic.”
“Of course. That’s a neat coincidence,” Nellie said.
“There was a lady at the bar making a toast to someone named Neil, and my sister Mina asked who they were talking about because I was the only Neil present, and they said it was the guy who established the first club here in Mesa Vista.”
“Yeah, that was my dad.”
“Do you think it’s… weird me ’n him have the same name?” Neil asked.
“It’s a coincidence, sure. I guess it’s even a little weird, but I don’t care. I was named after him, so our names are practically identical except for the order of a couple of the letters. Does it bother you?”
“Not if it doesn’t bother you. Does it bother you?”
“My father died before I was born, and my only encounters with him were before my birthday when he was haunting our house.”
“You actually saw his ghost?”
“Yes, a few times over the course of a couple of nights, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience.”
“So he scared you?”
“ Yes, quite badly. Once even in my bedroom, but I never told my mom that. I wanted to be brave, because I wanted what she wanted.”
“What was that?”
“For him to see me before settling him in his final resting place.”
“…”
“That’s sounds nice, doesn’t it?
“It does, kinda.”
“I think… she was so focused on how nice the idea sounded, she was in denial of the danger in keeping him around. I don’t pretend to understand it, but I do know she loved him and I know she loves me. As for my dad – Neil – he did what he could to protect me, but ghosts are dangerous and he was no exception and he knew that. It must have been really hard for him to want us to be safe, but powerless to change what he was.”
“…”
“So, the short answer to your question is I never knew him as Neil and have never though of him as Neil. I didn’t know him at all, but I’m pretty sure you’re nothing like him.”
“But how can you know?”
“Because you’re alive. You’re here. I can lay my head on your shoulder and hear your heartbeat. I can touch your knee – see? I’m doing it right now – and I can feel it solid as can be beneath my hand.”
Neil felt something new and strange and rather wonderful welling up inside of him.
“You want to know how else I know you’re nothing like Neil, my dad? I feel utterly safe with you.”
“You’d better believe you are!” Neil grinned, taking Nellie’s hand that still rested on his knee. “Come on, it’s cold. Let’s go inside and check out this dance hall.”
“Can you believe how beautiful the stars are tonight?” Nellie murmured as he pulled her up beside him. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
“No, me neither.”
“Have you been standing there long?”
“No, not long at all.” Ally Tomyoy introduced herself and gave not the slightest inkling she had overheard any of the rather profound exchange between the boy and girl.
Normally, Neil would have rubbed his hands in glee at meeting a real bona fide Infallibly Good Witch, and wondered fleetingly if she was related to that other lady named Tomyoy – what was her name again? Yeah, Vamsi!
And then all such thoughts fell to the wayside, to be replaced by only one: How much he wanted to kiss Nellie.
“Ah, to be young and in love again…”
“We heard that!”
Of course kids being kids, the two teens just had to poke around the musical instruments, to Nora Gainsborough’s dismay. A honky-tonk type music hall might not be as easy for an aspiring Rock God to run as she had thought...
“I’m Neil Outside, I want to be Mayor some day, and I hope these Christmas cookies will help you remember me when you cast your vote…”
“Isn’t that bribery or buying the vote or something?”
“Ehm… okay, forget that, just enjoy the cookies. No harm, no foul, okay?”
“Tell you what: I’ll take this home and 'destroy' the evidence, if you consider going to college and study Political Science before running for Mayor.”
“Who are you to..?” Neil began, bristling mostly he had to admit, from embarrassment at his blunder.
“Neil,” Nellie interrupted almost soothingly. “Come on, I want to show you something.”
“It’s a little early in your campaign to be burning bridges, hmm?”
“That was stupid of me, I should know better.”
“Come on, you just got a little carried away is all.”
*Brood*
“I like your ambition, Neil. I could use more of that.”
“Nellie?”
“Ye-es?”
“Do you want to go steady?”
“Of course I do!”
“So, I’ve made it abundantly clear I want to become Mayor someday, but what do you want to be, Nellie?”
“I want to own five top-level businesses. See now why I can use some of your drive?”
“…”
“What, you don’t think I can do it?”
“No, that’s not it at all! I was thinking…”
“Yes?”
“Power couple! I mean, how can anyone top that combo?”
“I guess… they can’t?”
“You bet they can’t! Just imagine it! We’re gonna be nothing short of amazing!”
“Let’s not get too confident and jinx it, okay?”
“Well, what do you propose?”
“That we take it one step at a time – together. We both have little brothers and sisters to help take care of, and then there’s college because we’re gonna need every advantage we can get.”
“Can’t argue with that…”
But getting back to the current power couple...
The promotion frenzy came to a screeching halt with the weekend, to be replaced with just hanging out together. The downstairs bathroom was so large, I actually didn’t mind the typical Sim tendency to hang out there.
Hang on for your life, Chloe! I’ve never paid much attention to a toddler being carried down the stairs – it’s pretty hilarious!
Sunday after six o'clock, Chloe had the option to grow up again and my curiosity insisted I took it!
I wasn’t crazy about the hair on Chloe as a child, and the skimpy little undershirt she grew into made me cold just looking at her with all the snow outside.
“Move it guys, I want more birthday cake!”
Chloe after her makeover – she kept the pants she grew into but got a warmer top (for free) from the hacked coat rack.
Nemo kept up his tradition of autonomously dancing with his kids.
Monday Morning Power Couple Pep Rally!
“So a snow day means we get to stay home from school, but Mom and Dad have to go to work?”
“That’s exactly what it means.”
“And I get to play all day, no homework?”
“That’s right.”
Chloe found the best stuff to play with was still in Neil’s room.
Meanwhile, Neil went outside to play.
I love this picture. To me, it perfectly captures the coziness of a kid at home from school on a snow day.
Power Couple Duo Promotion reactivate!
Yeehaw, Mesa Vista now had its third Business District! This week the Outsides boosted Mesa Vista’s population by a very gratifying 371! (Not to mention Ciel and Diane Shin will be bringing two more Business Districts to Mesa Vista early in Week 6!)
Just as I was getting ready to leave their lot for the week, it occurred to me I forgot to show what the Outsides had bought from Mesa Vista’s shops while they weren’t being played. It’s just kind of fun and interesting trivia for me.
Although this picture was snapped at the end of the rotation, no one went shopping while I played them in Week 5, so their inventories didn’t change from the start of their week.
Ciel bought 8(!) lamps, 2 coffee tables, a dresser and a mirror from Shin’s Orient, plus a Baked Alaska and a cheesecake from Just Desserts.
Nemo bought 5 coffee tables, 3 lamps, a dresser and a bonsai from Shin’s Orient, plus a potted tree from Shin’s Office Supply.
Emily bought a berry pie and a plate of Christmas cookies from Just Desserts.
Neil bought a berry pie and a Baked Alaska from Just Desserts.
Another piece of business I had to take care of
“*GACK, OWW!* You didn’t HAVE to anything!”
(SORRY!) before the end of the week was fixing Neil’s age due to an aging hack I had installed in Mesa Vista’s early weeks and which messed up some of the kids’ aging and/or ages when I removed it. Two sips got Neil to six days from becoming an adult instead of twelve, which I think was about right.
That does it for the Outsides, though I still have the three oldest girls at La Fiesta Tech to play.
BaCC quick stats:
Playable Sims: 70 (69 + 1 grave) added Chloe Outside
SM: 26 (+ 5 for new business district)
Population: 1820
Thanks for reading and Happy Simming!