City trash

Round 26: Summer 2023

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Caterina Nihill is 68, Max is 36, Zaria Royce-Nihill is 35, Josh is 9 and Jessica is 3.

Narrated by Max Nihill

The honeymoon we were planning on taking last winter ended up being delayed over and over - Zaria's work, my show, flight bungles. But finally, we were able to head off this summer and we couldn't wait.

We're really lucky that Mum is around to watch the kids. We offered to hire a nanny so she could go about her business but she insisted on minding them herself.

We had an amazing time and the wait probably made us appreciate it even more.

Everything was great, except maybe Zaria's insistence on jogging every morning. This is supposed to be a vacation!

Other than that though, we just lazed around all day! We had planned to do some sightseeing, as last time we came down, we had to cut the trip short after Zaria's father died.

I guess it's because we so rarely get time alone but we ended up just hanging out at the cottage the whole time. Why exhaust ourselves sightseeing?

It's not like we had any real reason to leave the house. We've got our own private beach so we can do all that stuff without worrying about kids running all over screaming and making sandcastles.

And some people don't even get to stay in hotels as nice as our house.

Oh, I lied though! We did leave the house once. Late one night, we were feeling kind of daring so we went to go and find a photo booth. As soon as we were done though, it was right back to the house.

Looking back, it seems really dumb that I was so terrified of getting married for so long. I'm glad I got over it. And this trip was a pretty awesome start to married life.

We left for the airport feeling much more relaxed than when we arrived. When Jessie is a little older, we're going to come back and bring the kids.

When we came back, Jessica was suddenly all about school - it was all she'd talk about! I guess Mum was telling her about where Josh goes every day.

Zaria keeps talking to Josh about watching out for his little sister next year when she starts pre-school. She's jumping the gun a bit, seeing that's almost a year away yet.

Plus, I don't think we need to worry about that. Josh is pretty good with Jessica and while I doubt he's going to be falling over himself to hang out with a pre-schooler, seeing he'll be in Grade 5 next year, I also think he'll stick up for her if he needs to.

Not long after we got back, we organised a play date for Jessie, so she could meet the kids she'd be in pre-school with next year.

Some of the kids were a little shy and either stuck by their parents, or played by themselves.

Our Jessie was not one of them. She seemed to be the leader of the pack most of the time - she had Timothy Lane copying everything she did.

She and Emma Gottlieb were best buddies before the morning was through.

It was a social opportunity for us parents as well as the kids. I've been friends with Eliot since college, so we got to catch up a little.

Vanessa Gentry brought her twins along and while Edmund seemed to get along great with the others and Louisa kept to herself, most of us found Vanessa to be a little abrasive.

Most of us except for Zaria, that is. Vanessa and Zaria got on like a house on fire.

At least twice a week now, I come home to find them chatting in the kitchen together. So I guess I'm either going to have to learn to like Vanessa or put up with her, because it looks like I'll be seeing a lot of her.

Notes:

• Title is from City Trash by Magic Dirt. The real video isn't on YouTube but this one was filmed really close to where I grew up. Bonus: the plane going over at the end which is so characteristic of that area of Sydney!
• I decided to send Max and Zaria on a honeymoon on camera, even though I said I wouldn't. I forgot to send them last winter and Zaria really wanted to go! My Sims are a little spoiled.
• The play date was pretty adorable, and not as insane as I thought it would be. I might do another one when I play Emma's house, at least just for her and Jessica. They got along so well!
• I don't know why no one got along with Vanessa except for Zaria. Maybe it's a meanness thing? Amelia, Eliot and Max all have only one nice point.