Steam engenius

Round 25: Summer 2021

last update/next update

Trent Kirby is 51, Megan is 49 and Rebecca is 12.
(Tate is 51, Tessa is 12, Finn and Victoria are both 20 and Declan is 8 weeks old)

Narrated by Trent Kirby

Not long before Mum died, we made plans to drive up to the university and meet our new grandson. Victoria called Megan and specifically requested that she come. Megan really didn't take Victoria and Finn's news very well and they didn't speak much during her pregnancy.

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Leontine Kirby, 1942-2021

by Rose Draper, Summer 2021

Retired musician Leontine Kirby died yesterday morning after collapsing at her Sullivan home. She was 79 years old.

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Lost and saved

Round 24: Summer 2019

last update/next update

Leontine Kirby is 77, Trent is 49, Megan is 47 and Rebecca is 10.
(Georgette is 79, Claudia, Victoria and Finn are all 18, Magdalena is 55 and Tessa is 10)

Narrated by Megan Kirby

Claudia and Victoria's classes haven't started yet but they've already moved to campus, just to settle in and prepare themselves. The house feels so empty without them.

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Anybody got a Christmas tree?

'Cos the Bentons do!

Merry Christmas!

Just a quick little something for Christmas Eve! I hope those of you who celebrate have a wonderful and joyful Christmas! To those of you who don't celebrate, enjoy your Friday! ;)

It's a white Christmas in Sullivan!

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Electric feel

Round 23: Spring 2017

last update/next update/Claudia and Victoria's next update

Leontine Kirby is 75, Trent is 47, Megan is 45, Claudia and Victoria are both 16 and Rebecca is 8.

(Finn is 16)

Narrated by Claudia Kirby

I cannot wait to take over the market and farm after college. I don't think there'll be anything better than growing your own crops and knowing that people all over the town are using them in their homes.

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She's a jar

Round 22: Spring 2015

last update/next update

Leontine Kirby is 73, Trent is 45, Megan is 43, Claudia and Victoria are both 14 and Rebecca is 6.
(Finn and Jacob are both 14)

Narrated by Victoria Kirby

Finn and I have been going out for about a year now, while Claudia is still single.

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The golden path

Round 21: Autumn 2014

last update/next update

Tate Benton is 44, Zelda is 39, Josie is 12 and Jack and Charlie are both 2.
(Leontine is 72 and Finn, Claudia and Victoria are all 13)

Narrated by Tate Benton

Our family has changed so much over the last two years. Our daughter Josie is now 12 and has already decided she wants to be a doctor. Of course, we don't want to pressure her but I think all of our chess games helped her earn the genius grant scholarship she was recently awarded.

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Clouds up

Round 21: Winter 2013

last update/next update

Leontine Kirby is 71, Trent is 43, Megan is 41, Claudia and Victoria are both 12 and Rebecca is 4.
(Finn and Jacob are both 12).

Narrated by Victoria Kirby

Since Claudia and I turned 12, we have a lot more responsibilities around the house.

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Slowly

Round 20: Winter 2011

last update/next update

Joseph Carmody is 76, Vivienne is 71, Betsy and Kimberly are both 40, Sarah is 6 and Susannah is 1.
(Leontine Kirby is 69 and Ethan Novak is 5)

Narrated by Betsy Carmody

On the day our daughter Susannah was due to arrive, I took a vacation day from work so I was there to see Sarah off to school. No goodbye, mind you. I don't know if she's annoyed at getting a baby sister or annoyed that Kimberly and I didn't let her stay home to meet her too.

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Tunnels

Round 20: Autumn 2011

last update/next update

Brandon Kirby is 76, Leontine is 69, Trent is 41, Megan is 39, Claudia and Victoria are both 10 and Rebecca is 2.
(Tate is 41, Zelda is 36 and Josie is 9)

Narrated by Megan Kirby

Rebecca is 2 now and she's been walking for a while now so we're working on talking. I'm proud to say that her first word was "Mama" and she followed it with many more!

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Crush

Round 19: Summer 2009

last update/next update

Brandon Kirby is 74, Leontine is 67, Trent is 39, Megan is 37 and Claudia and Victoria are 8.

Narrated by Megan Kirby

Brandon and I are still working hard for the market, looking up new recipes for the bakery section. Brandon would like to retire and he's very keen to get everything perfect before Trent takes over.

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Twin falls

Round 18: Days 86-90

last update/next update

Narrated by Megan Kirby

Due to a malfunctioning sprinkler, the entire season's crop was destroyed. Brandon took it all in his stride though and simply pulled all the plants out and used them for compost instead.

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Lurgee

Round 17: Days 81-85

last update/next update

Narrated by Megan Kirby

Our honeymoon had been planned for ages and I was initially really excited about it. Trent's mum and dad own a cabin in Three Lakes, so accommodation was taken care of. Right before we left though, I found out the reason I had been so nauseous lately was because I was pregnant. Being out in the wilderness with morning sickness was the last thing I wanted to do.

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Gunslingers

Round 16: Days 76-80

Last updates: Brandon and Leontine/Trent

Next update

Narrated by Trent Kirby (this is a longer one that usual)

So I guess what most people do once they've graduated college is look for a job. I did that (I'm on the local soccer team) but what I was really looking forward to was hitting the bars. I brought Emil and my cousin Samson along for the ride.

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Blue orchid

Round 15: Days 71-75

last update/next update

Narrated by Vivienne Carmody

Joseph and I had my sister Leontine over for dinner the other night. I'd like to get all my siblings together more often but with Georgette and Pascal living in Exeter, it's a challenge.

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Ain't gone and open

Round 15: Days 71-75

last update/next update

Narrated by Brandon Kirby

Not much to speak of here on the farm. Tate and Trent are off at college, so I'm usually packing crates for the market by myself.

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Seven nation army

Round 14: Days 66-70

last update/next update

Narrated by Leontine Kirby

We started off with a bit of luck when Tate found an old genie lamp that someone had just left on our lawn. He wished for peace of mind but I couldn't resist being a bit vain and wishing for beauty. I've been feeling old since I turned 40 but to my disappointment, the genie didn't get rid of my wrinkles or anything. All that happened was a constant stream of visitors to the house, at all hours of the night, wanting to talk to me! I hope it wears off soon because I can't take it for much longer!

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Sister saviour

Round 13: Days 61-65

last update/next update

By the age of 8, Trent Kirby had insisted on taking over full responsibility of the Kirby farm's crops, which were previously the domain of his dad, Brandon.

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Spring rain

Round 12: Days 56-60

Last update: Pascal/Mina

Next update

Not long after she and Pascal had moved in together, Mina decided she needed a holiday. It had been so hot in Exeter recently and the beach was not as appealing as it might normally be, so it was off to the mountains instead.

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Heavy heart

Round 12: Days 56-60

last update/next update

Now that Betsy was a little older, she was able to appreciate Joseph's guitar skills almost as much as Vivienne. Sunday mornings in the Carmody house were often spent holding impromptu concerts in the living room.

Joseph had been a little concerned about approaching middle age recently and Vivienne had suggested a new hairstyle for him. His old style might have been okay when he was 18 but he was approaching 40 now. Joseph was rather horrified by his new cut - it looked like it would take some getting used to.

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