Friday 14 September 2012

Quiet

Round 34: September 2039 (Spring)
last update/next update


Kit Royce is 79, Max Nihill is 52 and Zaria Royce-Nihill is 51.
(Kendal is 63, Tatiana is 56, Asha is 42, Josh and Elspeth are 25, Mitchell is 20, Jessica is 19, Declan is 18, Ruby is 12, Marcus is 10 and Felix is 8)


Narrated by Zaria Royce-Nihill

During my campaign, I promised to put in place a grant to offer financial assistance for college and with the help of Tatiana, the hood council’s Education rep, we achieved that.

We awarded it for the first time last year. It went to a student from a family of five children and he’s now doing very well at university. It won’t be something we give out every year, as sometimes there won’t be a student who needs it. But we’re glad we have it there for any financially disadvantaged students in the future.

We’re also hard at work building a new high school for Sullivan and Exeter. For that, we’ve been consulting with Kendal, the high school principal.

Our town planning representative, Sarah, is currently on maternity leave so she won’t be able to join us on this project. It’s very exciting for the hood though.

The current high school is big enough but could really do with the addition of some other facilities that our students have never had access too. A gym, for example, as well as science labs. We hope to have it all done within a year.

The building part is mostly done. Soon, we’ll be focusing on landscaping and most importantly, furnishing the interior.

I’m absolutely exhausted at the moment. I’ve told Max how much I need a break and he’s all for us going away for a while.

It’s the worst time in the world for me to take off though and I just can’t. I’ll have to save sunning myself on the beach for after the election.

Our pool here at home will have to suffice for now.

Not that I’m complaining about that, exactly. Asha and I grew up not having much at all, so I definitely appreciate everything we have now.

Max and I both work hard to maintain it. I’ve got my governorship and Max has Front Page. He’s so passionate about the restaurant.

It will be Jessica’s one day but for the meantime, Max is really enjoying imparting all of his wisdom onto Mitchell, his apprentice.

Mitchell is still studying but he’s working with Max to fulfill the requirements of his culinary arts course.

Mitchell is very eager to absorb it all, so I think it works as kind of an ego stroke for Max. But they’re both happy with the arrangement, so I’m happy too.

It’s a bit lonely without him the nights he’s working but I usually have Asha around, so we can all catch up.

She’s bringing the kids over lately; Luc is on tour at the moment and she won’t leave them alone.

I love Ruby, Marcus and Felix but they’re definitely lively. I don’t know how Asha deals with those kids on her own as often as she does but I guess you do what you have to.

Ruby is at an age where she’s insisting she can take care of herself just fine but of course, she’s 12 and she can’t. She’s not the world’s most responsible kid to begin with.

Asha is not really loving the teenage years. Ruby’s always been a bit mouthy but she’s really ramped it up now.

Her mood swings are apparently a sight to behold as well. I’ve never seen her in action but I remember Josh when he was a teen, so I don’t need to!

Mum is rather amused by it all. She says it's nice when those tumultuous years are behind you and that you have well-adjusted adult children to show for it. It means you haven't screwed things up too badly.

Asha has a while before that time comes and until then, she has to deal with all the drama of the teenage years.

At the same time, she’s kind of enjoying watching Luc’s squirming about it. He’s terrified Ruby will end up with a junior version of himself. He probably deserves that, the way he was as a much younger guy.

All I can say is, thankfully, it doesn’t last forever. I’m pretty glad to be past all that with Josh and Jessica.

Both our kids are very happy and well-adjusted these days, thank goodness!

Josh has been with Elspeth for almost a year now and they’re going strong.

Over the years, I sometimes wondered if they’d ever get together. Josh liked her for so long, but Elspeth never returned the interest until last year.

Max just adores Elspeth. He couldn’t stand Veronica, so he wasn’t too disappointed when Josh broke it off with her.

I’m not nearly so fond of her, personally. We just don’t see eye to eye on much. She has a nasty streak and it shows itself more often than I’d like.

I try to tolerate her for Josh’s sake and I’m hoping I can forge a more friendly relationship with Elspeth eventually. It’s difficult though, as she’s not the sort of person I’d normally choose to spend time with.

Josh loves her though and that’s the most important thing. I’m seeing really positive changes in Josh’s general demeanour since they got together, so she has to be a good thing for him.

Jessica’s boyfriend Declan though: he’s someone I really like.

He and Jessica are such a great match. They’re both very brainy types and are very set on what they want out of life. I think they’d both be frustrated to be with someone who was not quite as sure.

Declan can be extremely serious but Jessica balances him out nicely. They work really well together.

He’s so lovely to Mum too. She has a tendency to tell the same stories over and over and Declan is always so patient listening to them.

She really monopolises his time whenever he comes over but he never minds much. I’m hoping we get to keep Declan around for a while yet. Max and I both are. I think Jessica definitely picked a good guy in Declan.

I only wish we could see them more often than just for a few hours every other weekend. But it’s too much travel for them and it’s not like I’d even have the time right now anyway!

I’m completely absorbed in the election campaign right now. I’m hoping to win my second term but it’s much too early to say how likely it is yet.

I’ve achieved most of what I set out to do at the beginning of my term, so I’m proud of my work in office. Hopefully, the voters feel the same way!

Extras:
A lot of you would have seen these on either N99 or Tumblr but these are some WIP interior pics of Sullivan's new high school.
This is Kendal's office. I used to have it combined with a faculty/staff room but that will be separate now.

The admin area. There are a few things here that need to be replace with better options but I'll get around to that eventually. I'm happy enough with it to share a pic, at least from this angle!

Notes:

  • Title is from Quiet by Smashing Pumpkins.
  • The next post will be October birthdays and coming up right after that, I'll open up the voting for this year's election. I think I was due to run it last year but oops! I guess Zaria gets an extra year in office. ;)
  • Elspeth has visited the Royce-Nihill home many times over the years but she must never have talked to Zaria much before. I had no idea they clashed so much! Max really does love her though.
  • Declan went over much better but can you imagine a mother not loving him? Declan and Kit was all game play. He just stood there patiently listening to all her stories (she is originally from the island vacation area, so she does the "Tell About Travels" social quite a lot!), just smiling and nodding. It was pretty cute. I don't have any pics of him and Max, somehow, but they got along well too.

23 comments:

  1. I had to keep double checking that this was the same Asha as in Luc's wife. When they these sisters get in their 40s!!! Yikes, I guess the same way Declan is now in university, :o time flies and your sims make me feel old :)

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    1. LOL! I had to double check that myself, when I was noting Asha's age at the top. "Really?!? She's 42 now?" My sims kind of make me feel old too. ;)

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Delete
  2. This may be a stupid question, but how do you get people to sit on the other side of the desk?
    When I have a person sitting on the 'proper' side of the desk, visiting people (or students called in to have a conversation with the principal!) can't sit down because I don't think there's enough room. :/

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    1. It's not a stupid question but I can't really offer any help either. :\ I've never had that issue. If you put chairs on the "wrong" side of a desk, they don't tuck in like they do when you use the other side but your sims should still be able to sit in them.

      Sorry I couldn't be of more help. :\

      Delete
  3. I really love these sisters, and how different their places in life are. I bet it's a lot to handle having all Asha's kids come over, especially when you are used to a quiet house. I really like Zaria in her role as governor. I'm totally doing this by the way, the elections. I've wanted to since you started, (how many governors before?!) and I have it set that after Cole does his second term (just started) that I will be awesome like you! I'm super geeked!

    I like Elspeth, but I can see how she'd be hard to handle in person for Zaria. I remember when she was a teen and thinking that she was outta control with her nastiness. I think she's curbed it some, and I think her friends help show a nicer side of her. But I don't know if I'd want her marrying into my family. I'm actually afraid of an Elspeth down the line, my little boy loves mean blonds! Oi!

    Love the look of the high school so far! Looking forward to seeing the finished tour!

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    1. I love Asha and Zaria too. They make me realise that I kind of miss having two kid families, lol! It's a different sort of bond than the type you get with larger families, I think (speaking as someone with just the one sister). But yes, it's been a while since Zaria has had to deal with screaming children. Zaria's kids were never much for screaming anyway!

      Oh, I'm glad you're doing elections! It's fun taking the decision out of your hands. I'm late with this one but better late than never. I've had two governors before Zaria. I appointed Athena, then did elections before her second term, then there was Kirstin for another two terms and now Zaria.

      Yeah, Zaria is not fond of Elspeth at the moment. Elspeth has definitely calmed down a bit since high school, so it's probably a good thing Josh didn't start dating her then or Zaria would have been really annoyed! Zaria wants to make an effort with her though, because she knows she makes Josh happy. But they don't naturally get along.

      After this week, I have two weeks off work. I'm hoping to have the high school finished by then, if not before. :)

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Delete
  4. Uh oh, Asha and Luc are in for trouble with Ruby! I'm excited to see how that turns out. :)

    Elspeth had better be more respectful! Zaria is way too nice to tolerate her. At least Declan is a sweetie.


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    1. Oh yes. I gave Ruby the Romance aspiration to ensure it, lol! Although there is a severe shortage of boys, which is a bit disappointing (I'm sure for Ruby as well)!

      I think Zaria could manage to tolerate Elspeth but at the moment, that's about as far as she can go! They're quite different women. Zaria is very sweet and well...Elspeth is not, which we all know! She's somewhat of a black sheep in her very nice family; Declan fits in much better!

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Delete
  5. Wow, you've got a lot of building going on behind the scenes! I only see the results when they're posted here, so it's always a surprise.

    It's funny to see how the Royce-Nihill clan and the Romillys are starting to intertwine. It took me a minute to remember that Elspeth is Declan's aunt, not his sister! I have to keep in mind that Araminta is a crazy (and insanely lucky) family sim. I can even see in my mind Declan nodding and smiling at Kit as she tells a story over and over.

    I love seeing those kids. They're just as rambunctious as ever, I see, except for Ruby, who will give both her parents a run for their money. Hopefully she won't pull Ramona into her antics, or even better, that Ramona will tone her down a bit.

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    1. I am in kind of a building/decorating mood lately! And election time in Sullivan usually means more building projects, so there'll probably be a bit more to come.

      Yeah, Elspeth isn't much older than Declan, so I tend to forget she's his aunt anyway! Elspeth was actually an oops baby for Araminta too, which is insane. I don't think many 51-year-olds would get pregnant accidentally! Declan is a total sweetheart though. He gets along well with just about everyone.

      Ramona seems to have a good head on her shoulders and will hopefully not be dragged into any of the trouble Ruby is sure to get herself into! Whether or not Ramona's attitude will rub off on Ruby remains to be seen as well. ;)

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Delete
  6. I can't wait to see the high school once you're finished. It's also nice to see what goes on behind the scenes with Zaria's work as a governor.

    Elspeth could look in the mirror and think what kind of impression she's giving of herself to her boyfriend's parents. At least Zaria is making the effort to be civil. You don't have to be BFF with everyone but you have to make the effort to get along. Declan on the other hand... well who could not love him! He's just so adorable listening to Kit tell the same stories over and over.

    Poor Luc, he'll get to see what it felt like for the fathers whose daughters he dated when he was younger. I also feel kind of sorry for Ruby's future boyfriends because I have a feeling Luc is going to go give them hell, lol.

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    1. I'm pretty keen to finish the high school. I did a little bit more on it yesterday. :) If updates are slower than usual for a while, the high school is the reason!

      Ha, yes, it probably hasn't occurred to Elspeth yet that she needs to watch what she says around some! She's around some extraordinary tolerant people. She'll need to reel it in around Zaria. Declan is just naturally more personable, so he's not having much trouble. :)

      Luc is definitely in for a taste of his own medicine when Ruby starts dating! And yeah, her future boyfriends better watch out. I'm sure Luc could be rather intimidating if he wanted to be!

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Delete
  7. I'm really looking forward to seeing your high school when it's done! It already looks so impressive and I love the pics of the interior you've shown already!

    I don't know how or why, but I forgot Ruby is a teen already! I kind of like the 'trouble' her parents are having with her, and I can't wait to read more about it.
    I can imagine the family is enjoying watching Luc with his daughter, and hearing his concerns about her coming home with a guy like him :)
    I'm still glad Elspeth and Josh finally found each other, and I'm gald it't working so well for them. It's a shame his family isn't too fond of her, but she's making him happy, and that's the most important thing :)
    You're right about Declan, what's not to like? I'm glad his in-laws feel the same way :)

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    1. I'm glad you've enjoyed the sneak peeks of the high school. I'm very happy with it so far.

      I'm relishing Ruby as a teen. I think she's going to be a lot of fun. Probably not so much fun for her parents but for me, yes!

      It's really only Zaria so far who doesn't care for Elspeth. Max actually loves her. He's a bit abrasive himself, so they have something in common. Declan is just loveable in general though. ;) I thought that about Finn too, though it took a long time for Megan to come around on him!

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

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  8. I just realized that Jessica is dating her brother's girlfriend's nephew (or Josh is dating his sister's boyfriend's aunt). I sometimes forget that Elspeth is related to Finn and Co. because they're so far apart in age.

    Fun story: In real life, my great-aunt married her stepmother's older brother. (I feel the need to emphasize: OLDER brother.) If my mother ever makes fun of me for having super complicated fictional families (in the Sims or in stories I write) I make sure to refer her back to her own family tree.

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    1. It's a bit of a tangled web in Sullivan, isn't it? But you're right - it never bothers me in game, because there are all sorts of weird situations like that which occur in real life families too. I imagine it would be especially common in smaller towns, where there isn't as big a pool of people to choose a mate from!

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Delete
  9. Zaria definitely has a lot on her plate with the completion of the high school and an upcoming election. She seems to be balancing it well with spending time with family and even some swimming.

    The uniforms at the front page are great looking. I never thought of using them as uniforms, but they are quite appealing on Josh and Mitchell.

    Asha’s children are really cute and did I didn’t know Ruby was twelve already. I remember poking around on profiles so that I can become more familiar with families and I thought she was still a child. But she looks really pretty. She reminds me of a typical teen girl, with her independence. It will be amusing to see her if she has a teenage daughter. Asha is probably used to the kids’ behavior, but it must be a bit tougher with a musician husband.

    And, Declan and Jessica look great together and it’s definitely a plus that they share the same outlook, in terms of knowing precisely their career goals.

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    1. Zaria's a busy lady but she's the type who thrives on that, so she's enjoying herself at the same time.

      Yeah, I like the Front Page uniforms too, though I'm of two minds about using them for that particular restaurant! It looks like the kind of thing the chefs might wear at an Asian fusion restaurant or something, which is not really what the Front Page is. But the uniforms are cool, so I'm leaving them. ;)

      Ruby only just aged up to teen in January this year (which was about March/April in real time, I think) and I think she's only appeared in one update since then. I'm not quite ready to imagine her with her own teenage children, though whatever trouble she gives her parents, she'll probably get back twofold!

      Declan and Jessica are very compatible. I wasn't sure about them initially, to be honest, but the longer they're together, the more sense they make. :)

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

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  10. Time really flies in your hood! I can't believe how old everyone is at times.

    The new high school looks massive. I'm going to be checking to see how you decorate it.

    Max has to be the best looking 52 year old ever. LOL

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    1. Ha, I feel like I've been moving pretty slowly of late! But that's just compared to my normal speed, lol.

      The new high school is indeed bigger than the current one. It's 3 storeys but its actual footprint is also larger.

      Heh, Max is looking pretty good, huh? He could be Josh's older brother!

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Delete
  11. Love the song you used for the title! ;)

    These two are so successful, it's nice to see that they can still make time for each other. LOL at Zaria's reaction to Asha's rambunctious children! When your house is used to quiet, the loud noises of children are much more noticeable. ;)

    I can't believe these two are fifty! They look amazing. :D

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  12. Ack! Did blogger eat my comment? Try again. Silly blogger.

    I can't believe these two are fifty! They look amazing. And it's hilarious that Zaria thinks Asha's kids are rambunctious. I guess when your house is used to quiet, the sound of kids can seem quite noisy! And Ruby, lol. She's such a handful right now...

    Wow, your new high school looks amazing!

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    1. As you can see, Blogger didn't eat your comment! I turned on comment moderation for posts older than two weeks, so your comments both went to my e-mail before they went up here on the blog.

      Zaria and Asha ended up with very different kids. ;) Even Josh was more moody than loud and insane when he was a kid. It's a whole new ball game for Zaria when Ruby, Marcus and Felix come over!

      I'll be quite happy if I look as good as Zaria does when I'm 50! Sims are lucky. ;) Except when they become elders and their hips double in width and their boobs fall down to their knees!

      I'm glad you like the high school. It's coming along. :) I'd hoped to finish it during these school holidays but I've been dealing with a crashing issue instead. :\

      Thanks for reading and commenting!

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