Schwaini and Day of the Dead (TS4)

In my TS4 town Gloomville, there reside a large number of families that you probably never heard of. Some of them were background characters in my story Gloomville Diaries, while others never made it to the story line. The Schwaini family belongs to the latter category, I think. They are the quite poor and eccentric family, and they live their rather shady lives in the subhood named Muggerdale Hood.

Their old introduction reveals that they made a living from collecting stuff to sell at Muggerdale Fair, next door, but truth is that today this households are criminals. Well, elderly Miri and Corinne (pictured) both retired, but their kids Rambo and Sculla grew up to become nice, criminal young adults.

Computer crash - old story projects on hold

I recently experienced a serious computer crash and will need to reinstall everything just to get my stories going again. Due to other projects this can't be given priority right now, but will be dealt with shortly.

Thankfully I have some backup of most sims projects. Unfortunately those saves are about 6 months old, but then again - thankfully most stories were not played much lately. I know I lost a few builds on Hope Terra, but that might pretty much be all. Not more than I can redo.

The old hard drive might be intact, too, but if those buildings are the only major loss, I won't bother with the cost to access that disk.

While I get my new system up and running, reinstall all my sims discs and test if the backup works, my simple "The Ugly Wickerwood" story, that is run on my laptop and is the only project not affected, will still be told here on the blog. More news on Hope Terra, Gloomville Diaries, Seagull Cottage, Detesters and Greench Farm will follow.

Gloomville Diaries - gen 1 - ch 38: Passing it on

Ochana already told Edith that she will need to marry one of the neighbours, and Miranda will need to settle outside Gloomville. They were both upset, but things might sort out, somehow?

Ochana was in a hurry to complete her volume of Gloomville Diaries. The old computer that she secretly uses in the attic, broke down. She had to see Ella Hikes. Ella is a tech freak, and she resides across the street together with her brother Adrian.

Ochana got a surprise when walking inside their house. Edith was there talking with Adrian Hikes! Adrian is one out of two single men, and Edith was obviously checking out the goods. Adrian is more or less Ochana's age, though...

Gloomville Diaries - gen 1 - ch 37: Heirs informed

A few days ago Edith and Miranda grew up and Ochana could finally pick the Main Heir (Edith) and Secondary Heir (Miranda). But they had still not been thoroughly informed about the Secret Mission.

This morning Ochana decided to send her test book to a publisher, and while checking the mailbox he was surprised to find some bills in there! They had not received bills in years, she actually thought they would never again get a bill.

- Ouch, §2.050! she screamed, as she realized that they would need to sell off some apples to meet that sum! Edith would get a tough start to her adult life, and being in charge of the household.

Gloomville Diaries - gen 1 - ch 36: Birthday party

Ochana reread the Secret Mission's Rules and Directions, and the further process was getting clearer. On Edith and Miranda's young adult birthday, she would have to pick the Main Heir as well as the Secondary Heir. And she had decided who that will be!

Ochana was a little relieved that the Secret Mission itself won't be passed on until the day before Main Heir's wedding. It would simply give here some more time to complete her book.

Instead she found herself busy planning the upcoming birthday party, a picnic.

When she checked out a nearby town, Newcrest, she ran into Willow Field neighbour, Zilla Brox.

Gloomville Diaries - gen 1 - ch 35: Contest

The oldest twins' young adult birthday is coming up shortly, and Ochana found herself in a hurry. How will se pick the main heir and second heir, and what if Chad disagrees?

The four possible main heirs were all busy improving their chances. Miranda, who loved the garden, and really hated the thought of losing it to some of her siblings, still kept up with her gardening.

She was up early in the morning, working a little before school. And tending the strawberry plants first, of course!

Gloomville Diaries - gen 1 - ch 34: Miranda

Last chapter we followed Edith to the club where she works as a comedian. How about her twin sister Miranda, what is she up to?

One morning Ochana was cutting fresh tomatos from the garden, Miranda walked into the kitchen.

- Mom! she said. - Did you know how healthy strawberries are? Why by Similius don't we grow any of those?

Ochana hardly looked up. They worked quite hard in the past finding the wild tomatos to start growing them at home. She wasn't too interested in a new project.
- So just where would you find those strawberries, Miranda? Don't you think that people walking by would pick each berry to eat on their way?

Gloomville Diaries - gen 1 - ch 33 - Edith

They spent a day collecting stuff to sell, in order to equip a second bathroom for the household of six. And how much funds did they raise?

Selling everything brought in more than §4.000, enough to equip one of the bedrooms upstairs, and to expand the old bathroom downstairs with room for adding a new sink! No more washing hands in the kitchen! But there was still money left for outdoor furniture for the terrace!

All these years they had absolutely nothing on this huge terrace - Ochana always missed that, especially when the children were younger and spent most of their freetime at home.

- Oh, this is great! Don't you agree, Miranda? said Ochana.

- Sure mum!

- Veggie burgers ready any minute now, said Chad. He had not used a grill since he was a teenager. They never had one!

- Yummy! Served - our very first outdoor meal!

So they all enjoyed it. Seems like Mirana was missing, she probably went to her after school work. Also Paula (wearing the red cap) had a job already.

Then it was time to inspect the new bathroom - again. Edith and Paula walked upstairs.

- It's lovely! Edith cheered. - It could have been some bigger, but still, I like it!

- It's not just for us girls, said Paula. She referred to the great idea that Pivian and their parents will use the old bathroom, while Edith, Miranda and Paula will mostly use this one. But the workout machine was right outside, so anyone working out might just as well use the new bathroom if they need a shower.

Edith was quite busy these days, even if she had no after school job. She worked hard on her comedy skill, and several nights a week she went to the town library to write some new jokes.

She was in need of new jokes for her performances at Club Captain Blue.Most guests are regulars, making it hard to make them pay attention unless the jokes are new - and good.

Edith always worked best if the library wasn't too packed and noisy. In between the typing and laughs, she found time to browse the websites about fashion and cosmetics...

Miranda, Edith's twin sister, was not at all interested in makeup. She was more than happy to tend the garden.

And Ochana would help occasionally. Like spraying bugs.

Some times Ochana found herself just observing the kids. Edith, Miranda, Pivian and Paula. In a few years one of them would be the main heir of this house. But who? She would need to look it up at the Rules & Directions for the Secret Mission. It said something about how a main heir should be chosen, but it also said something about a second heir...

A few days later, one morning in the kitchen...

- Oh, this back is killing me! Chad complained. He had exercised all night and today he would have to pay. - Hey, what are you doing there?

- I'm making some food, can't you see? said Ochana. - I heard about this technique recently, but I think I must have misunderstood some of the description.

- Oh dear, why do you place the boiling casserole on my hands? I'm doing the dishes, can't you see?

- Sorry, said Ochana. - I wasn't concentrating, I was thinking about our heirs.

She told Chad how she had been thinking about who to pick, and that she just had no idea who should get their house - and more. Chad was never told about the Secret Mission of course, so how could he understand Ochana's dilemma?

- You see, we are getting older, and in only 2 years both Edith and Miranda grows up to young adults! Then they ought to know whether they are inheriting or not, they might want to move out, you know.

- Oh, I still don't see the problem, said Chad. - Edith was born first, isn't she the natural heir?

- Well, if it was that easy, Edith replied. - I think certain skills should make a difference, too. Besides, why should Pivian and Paula be cut off, just because they are a few years younger?

So, will it be Edith or Miranda just because they are older?

Will Edith be capable of bringing the Secret Mission onwards?

Or would Miranda fare better?

Edith did know how to socialize by now. Two nights a week she performs at Club Captain Blue.

- And the frog asked, why on Earth am I just a Prince, and not a King?

- Ha, ha, ha!

Some nights the place was rather empty, and it almost sounded silly when one person in the audience laughed. Edith preferred it when they all just smiled.

This very night there were a special man in the audience. No, not the one applauding to the right. He is Jamiels Grossing, son of the Grossing couple across the road from Edith's home. Jamiels obviously reached young adult! If he could only stop looking at her in that way!

No, Edith was aware of the blond guy with a blue jumper, Malcolm Landgraab! He was wealthy, residing at Oasis Springs, and as far as she knew he was still single!

Next update, hopefulle on May 8th!

Gloomville Diaries - gen 1 - ch 32 - Collectors

They had their family painting painted by the talented artist, Vince Ramerez, but there are other issues on Ochana's mind these days. They are desperately short of money, and the only bathroom they got, not even with room for a sink, can't serve six sims much longer.

Ochana was out in the garden inspecting some splined plants. If they only could turn this into a family business. Selling flowers! But no, she had no idea to grab such an idea.

Besides the garden was more or less Miranda's duty. Ochana thought of something else though, and gathered the 4 children in the dining room.

She told them they all had to help traising some money.

- Each of you will go out there to collect whatever values you can find. Harvest, dig, explore! Bring those items back home, and tomorrow we'll see if it helps us adding a second bathroom, finally!

- Yay, Edith & Paula shouted. - Another bathroom! It's on time!

- So, go out there! Make sure you visit different hoods!

Ochana felt a bit like a Super Sim, giving those instructions. Aw, in this very room the Sims by Nymbers Show participants used to gather for their morning meetings!

A little later Miranda, Pivian and Edith were in the kitchen, reading and doing their homework.

- You guys realize the heir thing coming up soon? asked Edith. - I'm oldest, and if I get this house when I marry, the rest of you will need to move elsewhere.

- Well, I guess you won't get the house until Paula and I grow up, too, said Pivian.

- I wouldn't place a bet on that, Edith replied.

Edith's twin sister Miranda was only a few minutes younger. She had worked hard on the garden ever since she became a teenager, while Edith mostly spent her nights telling silly jokes at the club.

- Nothing is decided yet, she said and scratched her ear.

Miranda often visited Muggerdale hood, that's where her friend, Alan Mugger resides at his little farm. Miranda ran down there to look for collectibles.

She harvested a few of the plants in the community area.

Leaving most of them to the locals, though.

Then she found some minerals near a very strange, old tree.

Eventually she gave in, and knocked on Alan Mugger's door.

Edith chose to do her search at Upperton hood. She had been there a few times, she preferred the style up there, and the houses were great. Of course she would bring back home some collected stuff, after all they would get a second bathroom!

But first she wanted to visit the Bootwig family. Their son, Hugo Constantin Bootwig, already grew up and was no longer attending school. Edith had no idea why she wanted to see him, because he was the kind of nerd she normally ignored. Was it the size of the Bootwig house?

Knock, knock. Hugo opened and Edith walked inside.

Pivian never requested a bigger bathroom, and he realized that he would probably not inherit the house anyway, so why should he spend a day collecting funds?

Well, he did anyway, and he did it with great pleasure. Pivian loved to collct stuff, he wanted to discover the unique finds! He went to Gloom Garden and started the hunt right away.

His favourite was there wild frogs. Once growing up he hoped to either work with biology, or to run a zoo, or anything in between.

Ochana was a little surprised to find Paula resting in the living room, while her 3 siblings were all about collecting stuff.

- Shouldn't you been somewhere else, Paula?

- Oh, you mean at work? I'm on duty tonight, I know, but just updating my simbook status first, you know.

- No, I meant shouldn't you be out there collecting something? Ochana asked.

- Oh that! Paula laughed. - I already brought in my collection, a lovely blue and yellow easter egg! I'm sure it's worth quite a lot!

Well, Ochana couldn't force Paula to go out to look for more. Maybe the others returned back home with just one piece each, anyway. So, Ochana walked up to the attic to practice her writing.

She felt almost ready to start writing her volume for the Gloomville Diaries. A few more days practicing and then she would make some solid effort!

The next day they all placed their findings on the living room floor.

Oh, this is great! cheered Ochana. - I'd be surprised if these objects can't bring in enough for a new bathroom!

- When will it be built, mum? Edith asked eagerly.

- Hard to say, said Chad. - But we'll start right away! Now off to sell all this stuff for a good price!