This thread is to document progress in my Beginning of Pleasantview neighborhood, which is the new Beginning of Pleasantview Plus that can be downloaded from MTS. This is an updated thread, as I had to restart from a backup and some family history changed as a result. I also decided to make some different choices regarding my rules. Some families will not continue to be played once they have the necessary ancestors.

First, my personal rules for playing this hood and how I plan to tackle the challenge:

I will attempt to have all of the Sims born who start out in base game Pleasantview, with the correct genders and ancestors (i.e., Cassandra, Don, Dustin, etc.). However, I will not necessarily follow the same paths with this last generation only. In other words, Cassandra may not become engaged to Don, Dustin may not start dating Angela, and so on. That depends on what those Sims want. Otherwise, I will let all of the families live their lives and have children, form relationships, and pursue careers as they desire.

I will play the hood like a very loose BACC. I will add a new batch of families plus a community lot each week. These community lots represent the kinds of lots present in Pleasantview at the start (although they will not be the exact same lots because I hate them). I will build additional community lots based on the Sims' accomplishments in their careers and their wants to own businesses. This will gradually build the neighborhood up over time. I will assign families different socioeconomic classes to start but after that, their fortunes rely on what they do in the game. There will be no townies (other than the Garden Club, who represent the original rural settlers before the founding families came to Pleasantview). I will start with Downtown (necessary for my story) and Sim State University; however, Downtown is considered to be a distant city that requires travel and effort to reach, so Sims won't just be dashing off there all the time.

The plan:

First Monday: Add the founding families Goth (upper class), Crumplebottom (upper class), Bachelor (middle class), and Hall (servant). Community lot: Woodland Park

Second Monday: Add the Sims and Jones families (both lower class). I am not concerned about the ancestors of these families, since they are not needed to get to the Sims in base game Pleasantview. This is just to have some extra Sims in town. Community lot: Grocery store, owned by Alice Jones

Third Monday: Add the Pleasant (upper class), Danders (middle class), Oldie (lower class), and Ruggbyrne (lower class) families. Community lot: Clothing boutique, originally owned by Mamie Ruggbyrne, but she decided to sell it back to the community soon after her arrival

Fourth Monday: Add the Marsh (upper class), Burb (middle class), Dreamer (middle class), Darong (lower class), Newbie (lower class), and Simovitch (lower class) families. Community lot: Public pool

Fifth Monday: Add the Fiorello (upper class), Lothario (middle class), Caliente (middle class), and Al Mahmoud (lower class) families, as well as Erik Darling (bachelor). Community lot: Electronics store, owned by the Fiorellos

Other families will be added when certain events happen in the game: Jocasta Euphoria when Simis is an adult; Katrina Libros when Flamenco is an adult or if needed for a role; Matlapin family when Darren's parents get married; Broke family when Brandi's parents get married; Langerak family around when Don is born.

Note: I am using a custom lifespan. Pregnancy lasts 2 days. Babies: 1 day + day they are born. Toddlers: 3 days. Children: 7 days. Teens: 6 days. Young adults: 4 days. Adults: 31 days.

Goth Family
Starting Sims: Victor and Gretle Goth (married); Samuel (Victor's brother); Olivia Hall (live-in housekeeper)

There are currently three branches to the Goth family in Pleasantview: Victor and Gretle’s original family, headed by Gunther Goth, who live in Goth Manor; Victor’s family with Olivia Hall, which are named the Halls and are not acknowledged by the Goths in any way; and Gretle’s second family with Samuel, Victor’s brother, headed by Gibson Goth, who live in Goth Villa.

The Goths were the first family to settle in Pleasantview, followed by the Crumplebottoms and Bachelors. Victor established the Business career in the new settlement, and Samuel became the town doctor. Gretle did not work. Victor and Gretle had two children: Gunther and Frida. Then Victor began an affair with the live-in housekeeper, Olivia, and she accidentally got pregnant.

With the pregnancy, everything came out. Victor deeply loved Olivia, so they eloped Downtown. Victor lost his fortune to his brother and took the Hall name when he remarried Olivia to keep the Goths’ good name out of the newspapers. They had twins: Brenda and Helen. Although they lost access to the Goth fortune, Victor continued his business career and rose to the rank of Corporate Vice President. Olivia pursued her dream of becoming a florist when she had time. As they were nearing elderhood, Victor and Olivia felt like they could move back to Pleasantview and live openly as a married couple.

For a long time after Victor left, Gretle told everyone he was dead and continued to live with her brother-in-law, Samuel. They eventually fell in love and became secretly engaged. Over time, Victor and Gretle came back into contact. Victor pressured Gretle to let him have contact with his children again, and she finally agreed, so all the secrets came out. Then Gretle felt like she could finally marry Samuel. They had two children together: Gibson and Jonathan.

Gunther was the first resident of Pleasantview to go to university. While he was there, he became engaged to his intended wife, Cornelia Crumplebottom. When he returned home, he entered the Politics career and was immediately a very successful town leader. He established the first church of Pleasantview. He and Cornelia got married there and took over the family manor. They had two boys: first, there was Mortimer, and quite some time later, Eric came along.

Frida also attended college and entered the Medical career like her uncle Samuel. She married out of the family, to Tariq Al Mahmoud, who is poor and was not a preapproved match, so she no longer has much contact with the family. She currently has no children of her own.

Hall Family
The Hall sisters are the daughters of Victor Goth (now Hall) and Olivia Hall. Like all good twins, they were polar opposites in personality. Growing up, Brenda demanded all the attention and nice things, but she was also ambitious and worked as a teen to get scholarships and buy things her father couldn't afford. Helen felt overshadowed and did a lot of chores around the house to get in her parents' good graces. As a teen, though, she craved the approval of others and spent more time going out and dating than working, but she was naturally very gifted in a lot of areas. Both girls got scholarships and were able to attend university together.

While at university, Brenda continued to work hard and buy a lot of nice things. The twins hung out a lot with the Sims brothers and met their friends. Helen fell in love with Cooper Sims, but he thought she was just a party girl and had no idea about her true feelings. After graduation, the girls got a house together, but since their parents couldn't give them much money, they had to take out a loan for some of the purchase price. Brenda got a job in the Athletic career and pursued her career passionately, but then one night she invited one of the Sims' Downtownie friends, David, over for a little harmless fun and got herself pregnant. She had a daughter named Lyndsay. Helen got a job in the Gamer career and nursed her crush on Cooper, but he seemed more interested in hanging out with her sister.

After they became elders, Victor and Olivia were killed by an unknown arsonist, possibly someone hired by a rival businessman. Their neighbor, Erik Darling, was also killed. Victor's business passed to Helen, who sold it so she and Brenda could buy a bigger house together.

Brenda and Cooper Sims started dating and decided to get married, which broke Helen’s heart. Cooper still didn’t realize the extent of her true feelings for him. Brenda and Cooper had a son named Carl. On the rebound, Helen impulsively married David, Brenda's ex and father to her daughter. But Brenda still harbored feelings for David as well. She made those feelings known at the birthday party of Helen and David’s son, Hunter, which resulted in two divorces and a lot of hard feelings. Brenda and David moved in together, got married in a quickie private ceremony, and are now raising their daughter Lyndsay together while trying to earn enough money to open their own business. Helen is raising Hunter on her own and is still in love with Cooper, but he has refused all offers to go out on a date with her. She goes on a lot of first dates to try to fill the lonely hole in her life.

Goth Family - Second Branch
As the eldest son of Gretle and Samuel, Gibson Goth had a lot of expectations heaped on him to get married to someone suitable and produce an heir–mostly by Gretle. (Truthfully, Samuel just likes to dodder around the house and read his books, and he’s happy with whatever his children do). It took Gibson six years to graduate from university because he was avoiding coming back home. The great love of Gibson's life--or so he believes--is Diane Danders. She is married to his best friend, Jeff Pleasant. Losing Diane before he even had her left Gibson drifting, and he drifted right into the arms of Jeff's twin sister, Sheri. Sheri turned out to be convenient for him, since the Pleasants had made a lot of money by then and were definitely suitable in Gretle’s eyes for uniting with the Goths. Gibson didn’t truly love Sheri, but she was available, and so to please his mother, he proposed marriage to her. For her part, Sheri wanted to live in the Goth Villa and have a life of luxury, so she accepted.

Gibson took a job in the Law Enforcement career, a career that his mother disapproved of, but he had urges...yearnings. He wanted to throw off the yoke of the Goth family, to get out in the world and do things. He wanted to make a difference. His most secret wish was to join the military and move away. He had heard of a distant place where the military ran all sorts of dangerous, exciting missions, perhaps even involving aliens. But Gibson knew that if he left, his little brother, Jonathan, would not be able to take over his role. Jonathan had told Gibson that he was gay and so wouldn't be able to produce a blood heir. Law Enforcement was a compromise for Gibson, and he quickly rose through the ranks.

Gibson and Sheri have dutifully tried to produce an heir but so far have had only girls: Jeanine and Kana. They are both the apples of their grandparents’ eye, but Gretle believes in tradition, so there must be a male Goth to inherit the villa. Sheri is currently pregnant with their third child. Jonathan is at university and is considering moving Downtown when he graduates.

Having risen through the political ranks to Congressperson, Gunther Goth entertained frequently and cultivated relationships throughout Pleasantview. It was only natural, then, that he throw a huge party for his son Mortimer’s teen birthday party and invite everyone he knew, including one of his oldest friends, Amin Sims. It had been a while since the two of them had seen each other. While Gunther and Amin were in the kitchen together eating cake and catching up, something that had long been simmering between them finally boiled over and they kissed. At just that moment, Cornelia walked in. She did not make a scene, but she was furious with Gunther.

Cornelia spent the night on her telescope rather than go to the bedroom she shared with Gunther, and sometime during the night, there was a flash of green light and she disappeared. She was taken to an alien planet that was very lush and verdant with lots of plant life, where the small islands of livable land were surrounded by vast oceans. She found that the aliens who lived there had dwindled to a very small number: Only one Colony Drone and four Pollination Technicians were left. They had no Birth Queen. The Colony Drone asked if he could turn Cornelia into a PlantSim, a hybrid species the aliens had cultivated, so that she could spawn a plant baby that would then become the next Birth Queen. Cornelia agreed to do so and to stay until the plant baby grew to an adult. She spent her time there learning more about the planet and its plant life, raising her plant baby, whom she named Gertrude, and getting to know the Colony Drone, who was intelligent, respectful, and quite attractive.
—

This scene takes place soon after Cornelia’s abduction. Gunther calls over his oldest and best friend, Simis Bachelor, after his wife Cornelia goes missing. (Simis is a Romance Sim and is quite open to experimentation.)

Simis: So she saw you kissing Amin Sims? Wow, Gunther, I didn’t know you were gay.

Gunther: I’m not gay.

Simis: Bi, then.

Gunther: No, I love Cornelia very much. It’s just different with Amin. I’ve known him a really long time, and it’s different. That’s all.

Simis: Whatever, dude, keep telling yourself that. So I bet Cornelia was pissed at you.

Gunther: Yeah, she wouldn’t even talk to me. And that night, instead of coming to bed, she got on her telescope. The next thing I know, she’s disappeared!

Simis: Damn, she left? You really messed things up.

Gunther: No, she disappeared! No one has seen her, not even her family.

Simis: I’m sorry, bro. I can see you’re really shaken up. (Gives him a friendly hug.) She’ll come back when she cools down. It’ll be okay. (Starts to stroke his cheek.)

Gunther: (pushing his hand down) What are you doing? Can’t you see that I’m upset here?

Simis: (backs away, hands up) Sorry, dude, just trying to help you feel better.

Gunther: I think the baby is tired. Let me go put him to bed. (Gunther heads upstairs to put Eric down for a nap and Simis follows.)

Simis: Anyway, man, do you want me to make some calls about Cornelia… (Interrupted by Gunther grabbing him and kissing him, then taking him into the bedroom.)

—
Later…

Simis: (relaxing on the pillow) Man, I thought you said you weren’t bi.

Gunther: I’m not! Anyway, the reason I asked you over today was to discuss our kids. Cornelia and I were an arranged marriage. You and Jocasta were an arranged marriage. Those have both worked out rather well, despite recent events. I think it would benefit both our families if we were to arrange for Mortimer and Bella to marry when they’re of age.

Simis: Sure, that makes sense to me. (Leans closer) So you want to go for round two?

Gunther: (jumping out of bed) I think I hear Mortimer coming home. You need to leave.

—
The next day is Sunday, so Simis invites Gunther and Mortimer over to make the wedding arrangements official.

Bella: Hi, Mortimer! You want to see the cool new telescope I got?

Mortimer: Sure!

(They go to look at the telescope.)

Bella: So do you want to make out?

Mortimer: Sure!

(Gunther goes upstairs to use the bathroom. Simis follows him up.)

Simis: Hey, Gunther, are you feeling any better now that you’ve had a chance to sleep on things? (He goes to caress Gunther’s cheek. Gunther jumps back.)

Gunther: Quit it! Nothing happened between us, and it can never happen again!

Simis: Man, you really need to pull that stick out your ass.

—
Meanwhile, Amin can’t stop thinking about Gunther, so he calls him up.

Amin: So, do you want to get together and talk about what happened at Mortimer’s birthday party?

Gunther: No, because there’s nothing to talk about! And please don’t call me again. (Hangs up)

Amin goes to drown his sorrows at the bar and runs into his ex-boyfriend Berlin there. One dream date later, he and Berlin are engaged, and he’s still obsessed with thoughts of Gunther. Totally not rebounding. Not at all.

—
Cornelia Goth is returned to Goth Manor a few days older but otherwise in her original state.

Gunther: My darling, you're back! Does that mean you have forgiven me?
Cornelia: Maybe?
Gunther: Wonderful! You look beautiful. And I totally did not woohoo with anyone while you were gone.
Cornelia: Uh, neither did I.
Hugs and kisses all around.

Cornelia has come home. Her plantbaby, Gertrude, is now full-grown and will at least attempt to be the aliens' next Birth Queen. Cornelia was given the option of staying, but she missed her children, and truthfully, she had developed feelings for Colony Drone (they did woohoo a couple of times). So she didn't relish seeing herself be supplanted by her own clone. She was changed back to Sim form because Pleasantview was not a habitable environment for Plantsims. But she was given the option of returning to the alien planet whenever she wishes. If she does, though, she would not be able to go back home again. She has a locked want to meet aliens just in case.

Gertrude mated with Colony Drone and they had another Colony Drone. Colony Drone cannot mate again, though, and they were hoping for a Birth Queen. Another solution will have to be found.

Starting Sims: Simon and Prudence (married)

Simon and Prudence were already wealthy when they moved to Pleasantview to help found the new town. Simon started out as a Scientist. His wife didn't work while she raised their three children: Cornelia, Agnes, and Robert. Simon's science ambitions didn't work out, and he lost that job, resulting in a hit to the family fortune. Prudence then decided to become an Adventurer to bring in some money while Simon looked after the children. Eventually, Simon started a second career as an Athlete but didn’t advance very far. His hobbies were of more interest to him. The couple had a happy marriage and were both very creative in their pursuits of music (Prudence) and painting and cooking (Simon). They both retired immediately once they became elders.

Cornelia was promised to Gunther Goth from an early age to unite the two founding families, but since they were childhood friends, everyone was happy with the arrangement. She went to university, where she and Gunther were engaged, and married Gunther soon after graduating. Agnes followed in Cornelia's footsteps with the aspiration of pursuing knowledge, but a fire in her dorm tragically killed her plus several other students.

Robert, the youngest, has the fortune aspiration and was in line to inherit the family mansion. During college, he became engaged to a girl named Daisy Jones, whom his parents considered entirely unsuitable. Daisy didn’t go to university; she was from the poor side of town. Robert didn’t remain faithful to her, instead pursuing and winning the heart of Emmy Bachelor. Not only was she a better match in the Crumplebottoms’ eyes, but Robert and Emmy had three bolts together and fell deeply in love. After graduation, Robert unceremoniously dumped Daisy and proposed to Emmy. All the families were happy about it. Robert married Emmy in a home wedding attended by the Crumplebottoms, Goths, and Bachelors. They lived with Robert’s parents, and Robert became an Adventurer while Emmy continued to work in the family’s Crime enterprise. They had two sons together: Adrian and Jack.

P.S. Poor Daisy was later killed in a kitchen fire along with her fiance, Vlad, so there is no longer a Jones family in Pleasantview.

Bachelor Family
Starting Sims: Milton and Enriqueta (married)

The third founding family of Pleasantview did not have a lot of luck at first. Milton started out as the town lawyer but lost that job and had to turn to Crime to support his family. To this day, no one in Pleasantview knows about the family's crime dealings, even though it has now grown into an extensive organization. Enriqueta never worked but focused on raising the children. The Bachelors were burgled a couple of times, there have been fires, and they have lost household help due to their mismanagement of family funds. But they always manage to land on their feet and are a strong family unit. They had three children: Simis, Lily, and Emmy.

Simis was best friends with Gunther Goth growing up. As a teen, he ran wild, often sneaking away to the city to meet up with various girls and boys. He went to university as expected and calmed down a little but still ardently pursued his romantic interests with whoever showed an interest. When he returned home, Simis took a job in the Gamer career. His family told him that he was expected to marry a newcomer named Jocasta Euphoria, a union that would bring in a lot of money for the family, who were still strapped for cash. Simis agreed, although Jocasta was cold toward him and he really didn't want to get married. The money Jocasta brought, though, saved the family from financial ruin. Simis and Jocasta went on to build a fairly happy marriage (as long as Simis was able to sneak away regularly to Downtown to see other people behind Jocasta’s back), and they had three children: Bella, Michael, and Benjy. They continued to live in the family mansion with Simis’s parents and their very smelly dog, Marcos.

When Lily and Emmy graduated from university, Milton brought them into the family Crime business. Lily began an affair with a newcomer to town, Carmelo Lothario, and fell in love with him. She asked him to leave his wife, and he surprisingly agreed, so Lily moved into the Lothario house, and they were married. They had one child together, Elise. Emmy meanwhile married Robert Crumplebottom and united those two families.

Starting Sims: Henry and Regina (married)

The Sims started out as live-in help for the Crumplebottoms, but they moved into a small house on the other side of town when Regina got pregnant. Henry became the town's only police officer at the time, although his real passion was painting. Regina raised their two boys: Amin and Cooper. One night, Henry did not return home from patrol. Regina took widowhood hard and tried to find a new love, but both the men she fell for were married and refused to leave their wives. On the night after Amin became an adult, she died in a fire caused by a lightning strike.

Amin did not go to college. He started working in the culinary career as a teen and continued as an adult. He is gay and never had any romantic interests. Secretly, he had been pining for his old friend, Gunther Goth, but he knew that fantasy had no chance of becoming reality, given their different stations in life. Amin also took on the responsibility of raising his teen brother after their mother's death. Cooper also skipped college and took a low-level job in the Business career.

Cooper was briefly married to Brenda Hall, which resulted in a son, Carl. Their divorce after Cooper caught Brenda cheating was very bitter, and they have no contact. Cooper is raising Carl after the divorce and living with Amin. He has vowed to have nothing further to do with either of the Hall sisters, even though Amin is still good friends with them both. Eventually, he started dating a dormie named Fatima and they got married.

After Amin was rejected by Gunther, he rebounded with his ex, Berlin (a Downtownie), and they impulsively got married. Berlin may be secretly regretting that decision. Amin is busy suppressing all his feelings for Gunther and is planning to adopt a child as soon as he can get some time off work.

Starting Sims: Myron and Irma Oldie (married); Bruno and Mamie Ruggbyrne (married)

The Oldies and Ruggbyrnes both started out as low-income families living on the wrong side of Pleasantview. Bruno Ruggbyrne worked his way up to party DJ level in the Slacker career, and his wife, Mamie, worked as a secretary in Business. They had two children, Coral and Forrest. As a teen, Coral went out with Jeff Pleasant, but she always felt like she wasn't good enough for the Pleasants, who are a wealthy and snobbish family. As a teen, Coral's little brother, Forrest, liked to play guitar and was in the band at school. Unlike his sister, he attended college. The whole family likes animals, and they have as pets a womrat and a little dog named Marisol.

Myron and Irma Oldie only had one child, Herb, of whom they are very proud. Herb did well in school and was an overachiever. As a teen, he dated Sheri Pleasant, Jeff's twin, and their relationship continued into college, but it wasn't serious for either of them. After graduation, Herb entered the Law Enforcement career just like his father, who retired as an elder from the Vice Squad. Irma was always a housewife. They are a quiet couple who enjoy each other's company and don't do a lot of socializing.

Coral did not go to college, but instead set her sights on getting married and starting a family as soon as possible. She and Herb were childhood friends. They decided to go on one date as adults (well, Herb was still in college at the time) and quickly fell in love. Coral was ready to be engaged, so she proposed and Herb accepted. While they were engaged, they had woohoo in the hot tub, and Coral accidentally got pregnant. She lost that baby and discovered at that time that she was unable to have biological children, a great disappointment for her. After Herb graduated, he bought a little house and they got married right away. Their wedding was at home and was very low budget. Herb’s parents moved into the extra room. Coral and Herb worked hard and saved their money until they had enough to adopt a child. They got a toddler named Mary-Sue. Everyone in the household adored and spoiled Mary-Sue, and she had a very happy childhood. Her favorite hobby was stargazing with the telescope. Although the Oldies still live in cramped housing, Coral dreams of being able to adopt a little brother or sister for Mary-Sue someday.

As for the Ruggbyrnes, Mamie and Bruno had a happy marriage for a long time because Mamie was completely ignorant of Bruno’s affairs. Bruno was very much in love with Anastasia Marsh, a friend of his wife’s, and she was frequently invited over, but Mamie never suspected. Anastasia even got pregnant and had Bruno’s daughter, Brittany, but Mamie never found out. No, it was another woman Bruno brought home who finally spilled the beans. Mamie was heartbroken, so Bruno moved out for a while to give her some space. He is currently living on a beach on Twikkii Island. After some time apart, Mamie asked for a divorce. She is now engaged to the widowed Sef Darong. Forrest started dating Helen Hall (and, secretly, Sheri Goth) and eventually moved in with her and her son.

Starting Sims: Les and Kynda Pleasant (married); Marshall and Melinda Danders (married)
The Pleasants moved to Pleasantview a few years after it was founded. They already had money, but they wanted to make a fortune there, which they did. Les Pleasant is a professional gambler (Gamer) who started a little casino in town, but he never goes to his business because he always wants to hang out in his backyard shed by himself and endlessly make flower bouquets. He just doesn't care for other people very much. His wife, Kynda Pleasant, is the town's busybody. She hosts a lot of parties so she can get the latest gossip. She's mainly friends with her nearest neighbors, the Bachelors.

The Pleasants had twins, Jeff and Sheri, who in the grand tradition of twins are polar opposites. Jeff is quiet, shy, and nice but likes to keep to himself and avoids all the parties going on in his family home. He inherited the trademark Pleasant nose. He dated Coral Ruggbyrne as a teen and really liked her, but his sister picked on her, and his mother didn't think she was good enough for him. Where Jeff was shy and quiet, Sheri was outgoing and loud. She was kind of a mean girl, who picked on Coral and treated her best friend Diane like a doormat. She dated Herb Oldie as a teen and into college, but was hurt when she saw him flirting with another dormie. On the rebound, she woohooed with Gibson Goth, which eventually led to their marriage. Sheri still thinks about Herb often, but now that he’s married and has a family, he has remained faithful to Coral and treats Sheri only as a friend. Sheri has instead started looking around town for other interesting men who might be willing to go out with a married woman on the sly–like that newcomer, Buck Broke, for instance.

The Danderses were not the kind of people to entertain or throw parties. They were entirely consumed with their studies and hobbies instead. Marshall used to be in the Military but then moved into the Science career. He has a wide range of interests, including chess, cooking, painting, tending his apple tree, and studying the stars. His wife, Melinda, has done very well in the Athletic career and opened a small gym as a side business, but she also enjoys making robots and has earned a gold badge in robotics. She made the town’s first Servo, Mel, and they ran a robots shop for a while. Their oldest child, Diane, is a lot like her parents. She didn't have many friends growing up, but instead spent a lot of time studying, especially liking to learn about cooking and cleaning. After Diane had already gone to college, the Danderses had another child late in life, a second girl named Caryl. She was unplanned and got more attention from the Servo than anybody else.

When Jeff got to college, he met Diane Danders, and it was all over for him at that point. Jeff was Diane’s first boyfriend, and since they are so much alike, she feels she has found a real soulmate in him. The two were joined at the hip from the moment they met, and Jeff proposed to Diane immediately after graduation. Right after their engagement, Gibson Goth took a chance and told Diane he loved her, but Diane immediately rejected him. On the rebound, Gibson went to bed with Jeff’s sister, Sheri, whom he eventually married. He is still lovesick over Diane, and she has had to gently rebuff him more than a few times when he and Sheri visit. Jeff and Diane moved into his parents’ huge house where there was plenty of room for grandchildren. Jeff went to work in Medicine, while Diane worked in Education. They soon had a little boy, Daniel, and are planning to have a second child now that he’s older.

Starting Sims: Benjamin and Susan Burb (married); William and Anastasia Marsh (married)
Benjamin and Susan Burb are dull as dishwater, frankly. Benjamin started out in the Military but never got past the junior officer level. He began making toys as a hobby, then impulsively decided to quit his job to open a home business selling his toys. It didn't do very well, and the venture put the family in dire financial straits. Susan took a job as a cashier in the Fiorellos' electronics store to help make ends meet. Brad was intended to be their only child, but they had a second--a boy named Kenneth--by accident after Brad went to college. He is still a toddler.

Unlike his parents, Brad Burb has a strong personality, but it's not a pleasant one. He is a determined go-getter and something of a snob. As a teen, he went around with Delilah Darong, but he dropped her once they got to college and pursued Tiffany Marsh instead because Delilah's family was poor and Tiffany's was not. Brad and Tiffany don't have a very passionate relationship, but Brad thinks she will be a good partner in line with his ambitions, since her family is well-connected. They got engaged after graduation and celebrated their wedding at the Marshes' house. Then they moved in with Brad's parents.

William and Anastasia Marsh are anything but dull. They had money when they moved to Pleasantview because they bought a very nice house and they throw money around freely. William works as a lawyer but doesn't care much about his career and hasn't advanced very far. He and his wife are swingers, and that's all they really care about. They give their lifestyle much more attention than they do work, their house, or their children. They are constantly going out or bringing lovers home or having wild parties. Despite their unorthodox lifestyle, the Marshes are well regarded in Pleasantview and are even friends with the Goths.

Their kids, Tiffany and Kevin, don't really know how to relate to their parents, who ignore them most of the time. As a teen, Tiffany retreated into studying and playing chess, and she avoided bringing anyone home. She is a bit of a cold fish, so it doesn't really bother her that she and Brad don't have a passionate relationship. Passion is not a good thing, in her view, judging from how her parents live their lives. Kevin also kept to himself growing up although he had a few more friends than Tiffany, all boys. As a teen, he still sleeps in a space-themed bedroom.

All of Anastasia's affairs inevitably led to an accidental pregnancy. The child was Bruno Ruggbyrne's. Her name is Brittany, and only Anastasia, William, and Bruno know she is not actually William's daughter. William had a hard time getting past the idea of his wife having another man's baby, but he eventually forgave her and now loves Brittany as if she were his own. Bruno does not have a relationship with his daughter.

Starting Sims: Bob Sr. and Mags Newbie (married); Vadim and Fatima Simovitch (married)
Early on in their lives, Bob and Mags Newbie had a tragedy. Their first child (the first Bob Jr.) was born with a disease that kept him from growing up properly from an infant to a toddler. He had to be hospitalized and the Newbies had to pay for his care daily. Bob Sr. worked at a gas station, and Mags was a low-paid teacher, so this extra expense meant that they were stuck in a cramped trailer. Fortunately, the second Bob Jr. was born healthy. While Bob Jr. was away at college, the Newbies' friend Mama Lothario went through a divorce and moved in with them until she found her footing. What Mags didn't know was that Mama and Bob Sr. were in love and had been lovers for a long time. Because Mags worked days and both Bob Sr. and Mama worked nights, they were able to continue their affair right under her nose. But it all came out when Mama got pregnant. Mags left, and Mama grew very depressed. She really didn't want another child, and after the baby was born, she went into aspiration failure and ran with scissors. The results were tragic. Bob Sr. had passionately loved Mama, and after losing her, he also lost his marbles. He developed an addiction to grilled cheese. He was in no state to take care of a young child, so the baby was taken away. Bob Sr. was then committed to an asylum. So the Newbies' life together began and ended with tragedy. (P.S. The baby, Lauren, will likely be adopted by Amin Sims.)

Vadim and Fatima Simovitch were likewise poor and had a lot of bad luck starting out. A burglary and then a fire destroyed almost all of their belongings, which they didn't really have the funds to replace. Vadim worked in Business but found it difficult to advance his career, while Fatima barely made any money in the Slacker career. They had two children, Betty and Ian. Although the Simovitches struggled to make ends meet, Vadim was very proud of his kids for being admitted first to private school and then going on to college. Ian is still a student, currently.

Bob Jr. takes after his father quite a lot, but where his father is careless with women's hearts, Bob Jr. is more considerate. He has been dating Betty since they were teens, and after college graduation, the natural next step was to move in together and get engaged. It was what Betty wanted, and Bob Jr. tries to give Betty what she wants. He's just hoping he can do a better job than his dad of keeping his extracurricular romances hidden. After the wedding, they asked Mags (and her cat) to move in with them, which Mags was more than happy to do. She feels her life is so much calmer now that Bob Sr. is out of the picture, and she's looking forward to helping care for the grandchildren.

Starting Sims: Dalmar and Dacia Dreamer (married); Sef and Lina Darong (married)

Dacia Dreamer had big plans early on. She wanted to open the first beauty salon in Pleasantview, and she did. She and her husband Dalmar had two children at that point--Davis and Devon--and while their house was a little crowded, the time seemed right for her to take a chance. Her business was starting to do well when Dacia got pregnant again. She knew her husband wanted a big family, but there was no way they could squeeze another child into their small house. So she bit the bullet and sold the business, using the profits to buy them a bigger house, and she found a breadwinning job in Law. Soon after, Deedee was born. Dalmar stayed home to look after the kids while Dacia worked, and just as Deedee aged to a child, Dacia got pregnant again. Dalmar was overjoyed, and despite having to put her dreams for her life aside, Dacia cherished her big, rough-and-tumble family. Wouldn't you know it--the next birth was of not one, but two babies: Debbie and Derek. By this time, Davis had fulfilled both his parents' dreams by becoming an overachiever and had left for college. Devon is a teen now, and is a great help with taking care of the little ones. But Dacia sincerely hopes that this was the last pregnancy. She's seriously getting too old for this!

Sef and Lina Darong always struggled with money. They both worked low-wage jobs, and they lived in a small trailer on the wrong side of town. They had only one child, Delilah, but that was enough for them. The biggest focus had always been their marriage, although they adored their daughter and tried to give her the best, within their limited means. While she was a teen, Delilah fell deeply in love with Brad Burb. She thought he really was the one. She hadn't planned to go to college, but rather to stay home and work to help her parents out, but her parents both wanted her to go and Brad was going, so she did. As soon as she got there, she saw Brad hanging out with Tiffany Marsh and got her heart broken. Brad was pretty mean about the situation, making it clear that he didn't consider Delilah to be marriage material because of her background. She mooned after him for quite a while, but the next year, Davis Dreamer arrived. He was so sweet to her and seemed to genuinely care for her. Over time, she realized that this was what true love looked like--the kind of love her parents had. It wasn’t long before they were engaged.

Delilah graduated one year before Davis did. She moved back home to find her parents in a bad way. They had both lost their jobs and had to start over from pretty much nothing. Lina was depressed and had turned to the noodlesoother to help get through her days. It was all too much for her, and she died. When Davis graduated, he decided to get a loan to buy a little house where Sef could live too and to find a job that would make their fortune someday. But first, they had to have a huge family wedding with all the Dreamers in attendance.

Starting Sims: Nestor and Dulcinea Caliente (married); Tariq and Benazir Al Mahmoud (married)

Soon after Nestor and Dulcinea Caliente moved to Pleasantview, when she was expecting their first child, Nestor was looking through the telescope and something pulled him, helpless, up into the sky. He didn't remember much about the experience, except that it was very unpleasant for him, but the possibility of aliens having contacted him greatly excited his wife. After feeling horrible for a couple of days, Nestor gave birth to his own baby, not long after Tango was born. Nestor was really weirded out by the whole situation, especially since the baby had green skin and huge, pupilless black eyes, but Dulcinea told him that the baby was someone special, and Nestor was special for having been chosen. They called him Flamenco and raised the two boys as full brothers. They kept Flamenco a secret, as his features would give him away as abnormal, and home-schooled him. Nestor worked in Law Enforcement, and Dulcinea eventually found a job as an Adventurer. They also had another child, a daughter named Allemande. They didn’t have a lot of money, but they were happy, and Flamenco felt very loved growing up, although he chafed at never being able to go to school or have a normal childhood.

As Flamenco and Tango grew up, they became very close, even though in personality they were extremely different. Tango wanted to experience all life had to offer, including lots of adventure and romance, but all Flamenco wanted was a stable, loving family like the one he had grown up in. He knew he wouldn't have the opportunities Tango did–as soon as he was old enough, Tango moved Downtown to pursue a career in music–but none of that mattered to Flamenco once he met the girl next door.

The al Mahmouds started out pretty unhappy. Tariq had a lot of bad luck with his work, and his wife Benazir was quite the couch potato and didn't help out much. They had two children right away, Nighat and Nery, who ended up carrying much of the load of housework while Tariq worked all hours as an EMT and Benazir laid around. Benazir started heavily using the noodlesoother, and one night Tariq found her passed out. She never recovered. Secretly, Tariq was relieved, and life became a little easier after that. He eventually met a colleague, Frida Goth, and though he thought she was way out of his league, they started dating. Tariq hopefully proposed, and Frida accepted, but she was cut off from the Goth fortune when she moved into Tariq’s little house. She made the best of things, trying to be a good stepmother to Nighat and Nery and putting in a vegetable garden. She and Tariq were unable to have a child of their own, though, which left Frida with a hole in her heart. Late in life, Frida conceived against the advice of her doctors. She died in pregnancy, leaving Tariq a double widower.

Nighat was a sweet, quiet girl who didn't want much for herself, until she met Flamenco Caliente, who lived next door. She had never known anyone like him, and she instantly fell head over heels. They were inseparable as teens, and despite all the obstacles in their way due to anti-alien prejudice, she knew they were destined to be married and have beautiful babies together.

All his life, Flamenco’s family had kept him hidden from other Sims out of fear that they might try to hurt him due to prejudice. They didn’t consider that they were keeping him hidden from the aliens, too–until Flamenco became an adult and wanted to have his own life and his own family. That brought him into the public view, and caught the aliens’ attention…

Starting Sims: Carmelo and Mama Lothario (married); Primo and Isabella Fiorello (married)

Carmelo and Mama Lothario moved to Pleasantview as a middle-class couple, with Carmelo working in the Slacker career. They had Nicolo early on, and that was going to be their one and only. Then Carmelo fell in love with Lily Bachelor. Mama was furious when she found out. It was one thing to have affairs on the side, but quite another to bring lovers into their home. She left Carmelo and moved in with Bob Sr., where she met a tragic end. Meanwhile, Carmelo and Lily married, and their wealth increased a lot with Lily contributing from her family’s Crime business. They had a cherished daughter, Elise, and Lily is now expecting a second child, which Carmelo frankly feels ambivalent about.

Primo and Isabella Fiorello were a model couple. Primo was a renowned painter as well as an accomplished scientist. Isabella owned the electronics store, which was extremely successful. They were devoted to each other, despite the fact that several women around the neighborhood had three bolts with Primo and were constantly throwing themselves at him. They had two children, Adriana and Gabe. Then, when Gabe was still little, Primo tried to fix a broken computer and electrocuted himself. He died instantly, leaving Isabella to carry on alone. She has done so with her head held high, despite her broken heart, and has made a small fortune to support her two children. After Adriana went to college, she moved out of Pleasantview to the city with Gabe, where she was able to purchase a huge house that she lavishly decorated. She’s pretty happy.

Nicolo and Adriana are two peas in a pod who want the same things out of life: money, careers, and a perfect family. They started dating in high school, went steady immediately, and are already planning the wedding.

Here I am, almost to the point where I left off before I had to go to my backup. All that remains is for Nighat, Flamenco, Nicolo, and Adriana to get married, and I still need to throw Mortimer and Bella's lavish, much-anticipated wedding. (I hope I do a better job with it than last time!) Several of the next-generation children have been born and are growing up.

I have decided that when I get to the point of present-day Pleasantview (as it is when you first start it), I am only going to play the original families + my founding families. I think this will make gameplay more manageable by limiting it to twelve families only. These are the families that I am most invested in and have the most story ideas for. Essentially, my boring families have been moved Downtown and will be treated as townies, although I will age them regularly.

The end-game families as they currently stand are:

1) Goth household 1: Gunther and Cornelia (Crumplebottom) --> Mortimer (heir) and Bella (Bachelor); Eric (Mortimer's brother, still a child)

household 2: Gibson and Sheri (Pleasant) --> Jeanine, Kana, and Lawrence (heir); Jonathan (Gibson's brother) who will probably end up with Devon Dreamer. If they don't want to have kids, they may also move Downtown.

2) Crumplebottom: Robert and Emmy (Bachelor) --> Adrian (heir) and Jack

3) Bachelor: Simis and Jocasta --> Michael (heir) and Benjy. I am going to try to keep Michael a single "bachelor" for as long as possible.

4) Oldie: Myron and Irma --> Herb and Coral --> Mary-Sue. I don't know if the Oldies will adopt any more kids. I think that depends on if any kids are put in foster care. So their line may end.

5) Pleasant: Les and Kynda --> Jeff and Diane --> Daniel (heir) and Jennifer

6) Broke: The Brokes don't have a family history yet because they were latecomers to Pleasantview and are working on the first generation of born-in-game Sims. Ruby and Skip have been born to Flat and Flo Broke, and Suzie has been born to Buck and Mary Lu Broke.

7) Burb: Benjamin and Susan --> Brad and Tiffany + Brad has a younger brother, Kenneth --> John

8) Dreamer household 1: Dalmar and Dacia --> Devon (will likely end up with Jonathan Goth), Deedee, twins Debbie and Derek (no heir selected yet)

household 2: Davis and Delilah --> Darren. Also living here are Delilah's widowed father Sef and his new girlfriend, Mamie Ruggbyrne.

Note: The Matlapins are in game and Darleen has been born, but they will not be having any more children and won't be played after Darleen grows up.

9) Newbie: Mags --> Bob Jr. (heir) and Betty --> Brandi. Note: Bob Sr. is currently in the insane asylum.

10) Lothario: Carmelo and Lily (Bachelor) --> Nicolo (heir) and Adriana + half-siblings Elise and unborn baby

11) Caliente: Nestor and Dulcinea --> Tango (moved Downtown); Flamenco and Nighat; Allemande (no heir because I have plans for Flamenco)

12) Langerak: The Langeraks have not been put into play yet. They will be added after the Lotharios and Calientes marry.

The following families have been moved Downtown, but their children may return to the game if they marry into one of my main families:

Jones: Alice and Paul (I actually made them townies since their daughter Daisy died)
Sims: Amin and Berlin + adopted daughter Lauren; Cooper and Fatima + Carl, Cooper's son from his first marriage
Hall: Helen and son Hunter, living with Forrest Ruggbyrne; Brenda and David + daughter Lyndsay
Danders: Marshall and Melinda + daughter Caryl
Ruggbyrne: Bruno + daughter Brittany
Simovitch: Vadim and Fatima + son Ian
Marsh: William and Anastasia + son Kevin
Fiorello: Isabella + son Gabe
Al Mahmoud: Tariq + son Nery

And let's not forget that there is an alien planet where a Colony Drone and PlantSim are raising the next Colony Drone...

Mortimer and Bella arrived home from university, and of course the Goths had to throw a lavish wedding to outdo all weddings. It took all day to set up, which was good because Cornelia went to work without my say-so. The wedding was set up in the back garden. There was a buffet and a bar, with a bartender. The entire Goth family, Crumplebottom family, and Bachelor family were invited. Mortimer's best men were his friends from university, Devon Dreamer and Kevin Marsh, who just happen to be the two guys vying for the affections of Mortimer's half-uncle Jonathan Goth. Previously, I said Jonathan would likely end up with Devon, but Jonathan made his choice during the wedding, and it was Kevin. I hope to soon arrange for a wedding between them, or for them to just live together if they don't want to get married.

Because of Cornelia's late arrival, it was a nighttime wedding, and it was a roof raiser despite many issues. All of the Goths were constantly cooking platters of food and serving them on all the tables despite there being a full buffet, and then the food just went bad. It started to rain during the ceremony, and Sheri Goth got struck by lightning and had to go home. The ghost of the Goths' dog haunted the party and scared many guests into peeing themselves. At the end of the party, Mortimer was almost too tired and stinky to woohoo properly with Bella, but he did his part. I will be holding off on letting them have children for a while, as I want the Lotharios and Calientes to have their kids around the same time.

The elders have started to die now from old age. In the other Goth household, Gretle died first, then Samuel the next day. In the Bachelor household, both Enriqueta and Milton passed. In the Crumplebottom household, Simon went. Only Prudence remains of the original founders.

Jonathan is the baby of the Goth family: Gretle and Samuel's youngest. He is very outgoing, a little sheltered, totally gay, and had an overbearing mother in Gretle who micromanaged him, but she has recently died. He is Popularity aspiration and wants to be Captain Hero (his older brother, Gibson, is on the police force already). After graduating, he stayed at Gunther's in Mortimer's room until Mortimer and Bella graduated, by which time his parents had passed and he was able to move into their bedroom in Gibson's house. He has showed no inclination yet to look for a job.

Jonathan had two romantic interests in university: Kevin Marsh and Devon Dreamer. Kevin Marsh is the younger son of William and Anastasia. He used to be a Knowledge Sim but changed to Fortune, he is bisexual, and he wants to be a Space Pirate. He grew up in a very hedonistic household with two parents who are basically swingers. He's laid back, pretends to be cool about everything, and likes the bubble blower a lot. He is pretty reserved with his affections and although he made out with Jonathan at university, he kept him on a string while they were in the dorm together. However, he fell in love with Jonathan when he saw him again at Mortimer and Bella's wedding, and this time, it was Kevin who wanted all the commitment and Jonathan who was holding back. Jonathan did ask Kevin to move in, though, but hasn't decided if he's ready to tie the knot. If they do get married, they will likely move into their own place and Kevin's parents will come live with them.

Devon Dreamer is a bit younger than Jonathan. He is the second child of Dalmar and Dacia. He is a Romance Sim who wants to be a Professional Party Guest and has been gay and proudly out since he became a teen. He's extremely affectionate and passionate. He asked Jonathan out the day he became a young adult, and they had a dream date. He also was the one that Jonathan's mother seemed to prefer--I'm assuming based on his looks, grooming, and good manners. However, Devon's teen boyfriend, Nikolai Smith, was also sent to university, and they seem to be a much better match. After Devon's date with Jonathan, he rolled more wants for Nikolai, so when he graduated, they moved in together Downtown (Nikolai dropped out). Devon aspires to be a full-time painter, and Nikolai is a small-time criminal. Nikolai would like to get married, but Devon certainly is not thinking of that yet--or ever.

Update: Jonathan and Kevin decided to have the wedding, so they are married now.

For some time now, Sheri (Pleasant) Goth has been feeling bored and unfulfilled as a housewife and mother of three, stuck in the gloomy old Goth Villa with her aged in-laws. She has been amusing herself by having little affairs, first with Buck Broke and then with Forrest Ruggbyrne, the brother of her old rival Coral. It’s very exciting to be out with one of her lovers, never knowing if a Goth might spot her and spread the news back to Gibson. Truthfully, Herb Oldie is the one she’s pining for, but despite Sheri dropping little hints when the gang of old friends gets together, Herb seems to be stubbornly committed to married life. Sheri thought things at home might liven up after Gretle and Samuel died–after all, Gibson did agree to put a hot tub in the back yard–but now he’s talking about having yet another child, which is the last thing Sheri wants to do.

Sheri was out on a date with Forrest when he startled her by saying, out of the blue, “You should leave Pleasantview and come live with me here, Downtown.”

“You mean divorce Gibson?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.”

“But what about Helen? Aren’t you two living together?”

“Helen’s a fun girl, but she’s not my girl.” He squeezed her closer. “You could be my girl. You don’t belong locked up in that musty old house. Don’t you want to be here, where there are so many exciting, attractive people, so many things to do…so many people to do it with?” He nuzzled her neck. “You and I are the same. We want the same things out of life. We could be happy. And I know we wouldn’t keep each down. Your husband practically keeps you a prisoner, locked away in the attic.”

“It’s so very tempting, Forrest, but what about the money? Gibson will cut me off without a cent.”

“So what? I’m starting my music career. You’ve got rich parents who would probably help out–”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. My mother really liked being connected to the Goths. A divorce would be a scandal.”

“You’ll figure it out, Sheri. You know how to get what you want, don’t you?”

As he kissed down her arm, Sheri reflected that she did know how to get what she thought she wanted. She’d had it all for a while–the money, the clothes, the nice house, the place in society, the hot tub. But she didn’t have the one thing–the one man–she really wanted, and she never would.

Forrest’s offer came at just the right time. The kids were old enough to not need her anymore. She was ready to do something completely reckless and upend her life. So what if everybody hated her? She deserved some fun now that she was getting older: late nights, parties, lots of lovers, and a man who worshiped her but wouldn’t be jealous of her and wouldn’t want her to give him any babies. If she couldn’t have Herb, then all of that sure sounded like the next best thing.

Sheri flung her arms around Forrest’s neck. “OK! I’ll leave Gibson today. But you’d better watch out! He’s a cop. He may come after you with a baseball bat, or worse.”

Forrest grinned. “Let him try,” he growled before throwing her on the sofa.

And that’s how Sheri Goth came to divorce her husband Gibson. He was extremely angry about the scandal and the hit to the Goth name, but a part of him was perhaps relieved. For him, too, his marriage had been a sham, despite his three beloved children that had come from it. Now with Gretle gone, maybe he could also think about living the life he had always wanted: a more adventurous, daring life. And was it possible that Diane might look at him differently, now that they were both older and he was no longer married to her sister-in-law? Well, he could hope and dream, couldn’t he?

At Daniel and Jennifer's co-birthday party, Sheri and Gibson were at each other's throats. And I didn't personally witness it, but Diane has a memory of making out with Gibson for the first time sometime during the birthday party!

Note: New pics of the Lotharios and Calientes added to their family histories above.

--

Flamenco Caliente was in his backyard, looking up at the night sky and brooding, when someone suddenly appeared in front of him: a tall, thin man, with no hair, black eyes, pointed ears, and green skin. “Who are you?” Flamenco asked, startled.

“I think you can tell by my appearance that I am one of your kin. We have been looking for you for a long time, Flamenco.”

“Do you mean that you are the one who–”

“No, I did not take your father. That is not my function. One of my kinsmen took him and experimented upon him. But your father consented. He wanted a child. He wanted you. We did not expect that he would hide you away from us and everyone, however. It has taken us many years of searching to locate you, and that is only because you ventured out from hiding.”

“But where did you come from? How did you get here?”

“On my planet, we have advanced technology for moving across the vastness of space.”

Flamenco stared at the man…the alien. Finally, after all this time, he had the chance to have his questions answered, to understand his origins. But he was paralyzed into silence.

The alien gave a smile with his nearly nonexistent lips, as if he had read Flamenco’s mind. “We made you, Flamenco, with your father’s help, because we need you. Our species is very old. We have become rigid in our roles, and as a consequence, we have all but died out. We have no more Birth Queens. My son is the only Colony Drone. There are just a handful of Pollination Technicians left, like the one who abducted your father. We need you, and others like you, to help repopulate our species.”

“Others like me? Are there more?”

“There is another place far from here, a scientific laboratory at an isolated military base in the desert, where a scientist consented to our experiments. He had two babies, both girls.”

“Could I meet them, know them?”

Again, the alien smiled. “I can see that family is very important to you, Flamenco. That is good. As for the girls–another Sim took them into hiding. We do not know where they are. We believe that she feared the military and a rival scientist would try to take the babies and experiment upon them. We hope to find them someday, as we have found you. In the meantime, we are searching for a suitable candidate to be our next Birth Queen, and we are continuing our experiments, as we can.”

“What do you want from me?”

“We call you a hybrid. You have a foot in both worlds. Unlike us Colony Drones, you can mate more than once with a Birth Queen. And you can impregnate males if you wish, like the Pollination Technicians, or even bear a child yourself. We want you to come live with us on our planet. There is another hybrid there, different from you, who has consented to serve as Birth Queen. You could mate with her. Her name is Gertrude.”

Flamenco cleared his throat and blushed. “Well, I’m sure this Gertrude is a very nice, uh, Birth Queen, but I’m married!”

“In that case, you could bring your wife with you and raise your children there. They will have a happy childhood, Flamenco. There are beautiful gardens and beaches where they can play. They will be well educated. They will be free, unlike you were. When they are old enough, they will be allowed to choose their mates, either from here or from our settlement, as it grows. You could also work, if you wanted. We have labs where we study botany and zoology, astrophysics and the nature of time, even the mysteries of life and death.”

“Do you have fish?”

“Our waters teem with fish, and you could cultivate gardens of fruits and vegetables. We have abundance in everything except ourselves.”

“I would have to talk it over with my wife. She would have to agree.”

The alien bowed, hands together. “I understand. Consent is very important to us. I will leave you with this special telescope. If you decide to join us, you only have to look through it, and we will come to transport you.”

There was a flash of blue light, and he disappeared.

—
Flamenco told Nighat all about the strange encounter while she rested in bed, fatigued from her pregnancy. She was quiet for some time, then said, “Before my stepmother Frida died, she told me about her best friend, Cornelia. She said Cornelia had gone missing for a long time, and when she returned, she confided in Frida that she had been taken to an alien planet. That it was beautiful there, and life was peaceful and rewarding, but she had to return to her family, eventually.”

“You’re talking about Cornelia Goth? But I never knew that about her!”

“I don’t think anyone does. I think she only talked about it with Frida. She said there were gardens there, and beautiful plants, and it was almost always warm.”

“It sounds like a wonderful place,” Flamenco said. “But Pleasantview is nice, too.”

Nighat took his hands in hers. “It’s not always nice. What about that man who set fire to your house after you and Tango dared to go out Downtown together? They never caught him, did they? And there are others like him, people who hate anyone who is different from them. I think we should go, Flamenco. I don’t want our children to grow up in fear, like you had to. I want them to be free and have the chance to live full lives. Don’t you?”

“We would have to leave our families behind. We may not see them again.”

“Father has Nery, and your parents have Tango and Allemande. I think they would understand why we would make this choice. And you know that we have to be together, no matter what.”

“I know. It’s always been that way, since the day we met.” Flamenco kissed her tenderly. “Then we’ll go tonight, before the baby is born.”

Nighat embraced him. “This is our chance, Flamenco–our chance to make a real life for ourselves, and our child!” She smiled as Flamenco caressed her belly.

So Flamenco and Nighat were transported to the alien planet, where they were given a small house to live in, with a pond, a garden, and everything they could need. During the journey, Flamenco also consented to be impregnated by the Pollination Technician who was transporting them–he wanted to experience what his father had and what Nighat soon would go through. So they were expecting not one baby, but two…or possibly three?

Michael knocked on the door of his father’s office. “Hey, dad, can I talk to you a minute?”

“Hi, son! Welcome home from university.” Simis gestured him inside, and Michael shut the door.

“Listen, dad, this is a bit awkward, but I’ve got a problem. I just talked to this girl I know…uh, Deedee? She told me she had to drop out of school because… Well, she’s pregnant, dad.”

“For watcher’s sake, Michael! In all my years of fooling around, this has never happened to me, and you know why? What have I always told you and your brother?”

“When you’re going into battle, put your helmet on first,” Michael intoned.

Simis had calmed himself. “OK, we can figure this thing out. Who is this girl? Who’s her family?”

“Her name is Deedee Dreamer. I don’t think her family moves in the same circles as ours.”

“Well, do you want to marry her?”

Michael shifted uncomfortably. “I mean, we don’t know each other very well. We were just having some fun–”

Simis grinned. “Sometimes I used to worry about you, Michael, but that sounds like my boy!” He thought for a moment. “OK, here’s what we’ll do. Number one, don’t tell your mother anything about this. Jocasta can be old-fashioned when it comes to family tradition. Number two, we’ll send the girl some money, make sure that she and her baby are well taken care of, so she won’t have reason to bother you.”

“She’s not really the type of girl to care about money.”

“You don’t think she’ll kick up a fuss, do you? Demand that you make an honest woman out of her?”

“Not really. She doesn’t care much about romance or family duty, either. She’s, like, a cool girl, you know?”

Simis stood and put his hands on Michael’s shoulders. “Look, only you can decide the right thing for you to do. But I’m going to be straight up with you. Your mother and I had an arranged marriage, and on our wedding day, I truly thought my life was over. Now, we have made it work over the years, but I’ve had to do a lot of lying to make that happen. If I had to do it all over again, I would have waited and had some fun first. Explore the world, meet lots of Sims, try out everything life has to offer.”

Michael grinned. “Yeah, you’re right. I can send Deedee money, help support the child, but it’s too soon to have my whole life decided for me.”

“Exactly right.” Simis nodded decisively. “Of course, someday you will have to marry a suitable girl and produce an heir to carry on the family name. That’s your obligation as eldest son. But that day doesn’t have to be tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Michael paused on his way out the door. “But you know, it is kind of hypocritical of you, isn’t it? You made Bella get married right away.”

“Your sister is different from you. Mortimer Goth worships her, and she loves nothing better than to be worshiped. Bella is right where she wants to be. I wouldn’t have agreed to the marriage otherwise.”

Michael wasn’t so sure that was true, but he kept those thoughts to himself. Yet when he left Simis’s office, his heart was definitely lighter.

After this conversation, Simis called Deedee himself and took her out to lunch to make certain she wouldn’t cause trouble for the family. And he ended up getting a little crush on her. She is, after all, a very cool girl. Fortunately, one of his lovers turned up at the restaurant, and he was able to satisfy his want for public woohoo without having to seduce the future mother of his grandchild.

After Flamenco and Nighat left the planet, things were not all well in the Caliente household. Dulcinea had been ill for some time, and she was using the noodlesoother a lot to help cope, but she overused it one day and her body gave out. This caused Nestor to have a nervous breakdown; he couldn't stand to lose his wife so soon after having to say goodbye to his son. He had to be committed until his aspiration is improved. Because Allemande was still underage, her older brother Tango moved back from the city to stay with her. Allemande decided to age to adult and skip college, and she immediately began planning for a secure future. Her plans consisted mainly of roping her high school boyfriend, Adrian Crumplebottom--now at university--into marrying her. Adrian is a very laidback, passive guy who doesn't mind being told what to do, so he quickly agreed that they should get engaged as soon as he got back from college. He actually does love Allemande, but she doesn't feel as strongly about him--she just wants to secure some stability in her life, and what better way than with the Crumplebottom money? Adrian then went and failed out of college because he really does as little as he possibly can and he passionately believes in the principle of failing upward, so he will be popping the question next round.

Tango, for his part, probably won't stay in Pleasantview once Allemande moves in with Adrian. He loves living in the city and he loves being single, and it seems very unlikely that he will want to settle down and have children. That's a good thing because with Allemande getting married and Flamenco and Nighat having three children all at once, there don't need to be any more little Calientes produced this generation. I am hoping that Adrian and Allemande's children don't carry on the Crumplebottom/Bachelor jowls.

It is now Monday of Week 9! Elsewhere around the neighborhood, there have been the following events:

• In addition to Nina and Dina Caliente, Cassandra Goth was born, and Adriana is about to give birth to Don Lothario.
• The Bachelors all went on an extended vacation. While they were gone, Deedee Dreamer had her daughter with Michael and named her Nerissa. She is living with her parents and fine with being a single mother.
• Davis and Delilah Dreamer had another child in addition to Darren, whom they named Dagmar, and Delilah is now pregnant again.
• Tiffany Burb agreed to act as surrogate for her brother, Kevin, and his husband, Jonathan Goth, and she had a little girl named Allison whom they will be adopting.
• Benjamin Burb was unexpectedly abducted by aliens as an elder and decided to stay and help nanny the Calientes' many children rather than return to his very boring life in Pleasantview.
• Daniel Pleasant and Mary-Sue Oldie are going steady. He has been over to the Oldies' house to visit her almost every day. They are very cute together.
• The Langeraks (my last family) moved into Pleasantview.
• Gunther and Cornelia Goth finally adopted their cats Menelaus and Hecuba, and they (the cats) do not get along at all.

It happened at Jeanine’s birthday party. Jeff couldn’t make it to the party, so Diane came by herself. Neither of them was planning it, but she and Gibson ended up alone in the hot tub out back, talking, and talking led to kissing, and that led to– Mortimer wandered back at one point and was shocked to see what was going on, but Gibson didn’t care. He finally had Diane in his arms! That was everything he cared about.

When they had finished, they hastily went to watch Jeanine blow out her birthday candles. Gibson didn’t even mind that Jeanine had opted not to go to university–he was in a state of bliss. Diane quickly made her goodbyes, but Gibson managed to kiss her passionately one more time before she left.

That night, he dreamed of their life together, which could start the very next day. Everything he had always wanted, everything he had longed for–it was all finally coming true.
–
At the Pleasant household the next morning, Diane was even more reserved than usual. She hustled the kids off to school, then got herself to work. She didn’t like her job as a substitute teacher. With her degree and skill levels, she should have advanced much further in her career by now, but maybe education hadn’t been the right choice. Her head was not in her work, and she got demoted, adding to her dissatisfaction and moodiness.

When she got home, Daniel was upstairs on the balcony painting, as usual, and Jeff was in the study reading up on something before he headed off to the night shift at the hospital. Diane went in and closed the door. “Jeff, I have something to tell you.”

He looked up from his book. “Sounds serious.” His smile faded when he saw her face. “Come here. What is it?”

“Something happened between Gibson and me at the party last night. I was unfaithful to you, Jeff. I’m sorry.”

Jeff could only stare at her. “Okay,” he said, finally.

“You know he’s been in love with me for years. And I guess I just gave in to him at long last.”

“Do you love him?”

Diane started to cry. “I don’t know, Jeff. But I still love you. That’s one thing I do know.”

Jeff couldn’t help himself. He came over and gathered her into a long hug. “I have to go to work now. We’ll talk more later. Don’t worry yourself, Diane. We’ll figure this out. And I still love you, too.”

That night was a difficult one for the Pleasants. Daniel went off to college, which was planned for and expected, but of course it was sad seeing him go. Then first Kynda, and next Les, were taken by the Grim Reaper. That was unexpected, and Diane and Jennifer were both overcome with grief. Even Jennifer’s cat ran away from home amid all the chaos. When Jeff came home, exhausted, he was faced with mourning his parents and consoling his daughter–and he still didn’t know what to do about his marriage. He and Diane slept in separate rooms that night.
—
The next day, Gibson asked Diane to come over to talk. She thought about just hiding in her bedroom at home and never answering the phone again, but she knew she had to face the mess she had made, so she went. Gibson was overjoyed to see her and squeezed her tight.

“I’ve been thinking about us all night,” he said.

Diane stepped away from him, not returning his enthusiasm. “I told Jeff about what happened.”

“That’s good!” Gibson exclaimed. “Everything is out in the open. Now you can move in here, and we can be together.”

Diane started shaking her head. “I don’t know, Gibson. Jeff has always been so good to me, so steady. He didn’t even fight with me when I told him what we’d done. And we’ve been together for so long. We have a family, a house…” Her voice trailed away.

“But are you happy?” Gibson demanded.

Diane shrugged. “I feel… unfulfilled,” she admitted, finally.

“Diane, you and I can have the life we’ve both dreamed of but have never gotten. We can travel, see the world, have adventures. There is this place I’ve heard about, far out in the desert, a little town that no one knows about. They say a spaceship crashed near there, and there may even be aliens living there. Wouldn’t you like to find out for yourself?”

Diane had to admit that she would. What her life had been lacking were new experiences to satiate her thirst to know more, her undying curiosity about the world. Jeff didn’t feel the same way; he was happy at home, reading and playing chess nonstop. Gibson was a more daring man; he could bring out that side of her. And he certainly had the means to carry her off anywhere in the world she wanted to go.

But it didn’t matter what she thought. It was all a fantasy, anyway. She shook her head. “Gibson, you’re talking nonsense. We can’t leave Pleasantview. We both have children, responsibilities!”

“Jeanine is old enough to look after the other two, and they’ll be leaving home soon anyway. Your eldest just went to college, and your youngest is about to become a teen. Children get very independent at this point. They don’t need their parents as much.” He pulled her closer. “This is our chance, Diane, to live for ourselves. To finally do what we want to do, and not what everyone else is telling us we have to do.”

Again, Diane pushed him away. “Gibson, I have to think about it. It isn’t a good time to make this decision right now, with Jeff’s parents dying so recently. He and Jennifer need me. If you truly love me, you’ll give me the time I need.”

Gibson’s face fell, but he nodded. “Yes, all right. You can have time. But please don’t leave me in the dark, Diane. I’ve been waiting for you for so long. When you come to a decision, you need to tell me, right away. You are everything I have ever wanted, and if I can’t have you–” But he didn’t finish, and Diane didn’t want him to. She turned away and left before anything more could be said.
--
Diane didn't take long to make her decision: It was no. She couldn't leave Jeff and her family. The truth was that she was scared to take that leap. Gibson was heartbroken, but he accepted her choice. He began making plans to leave Pleasantview by himself as soon as he felt like the kids were ready to be on their own. If he had his way, he would never see Pleasantview again.

This is a post for pics of events that happen during Week 9. I may come back and write more about some of them later.

1. Tiffany Burb died in a fire that was set on the barbecue by Kenneth Burb, and I will never forgive you for this, Kenneth!
2. Benjy Bachelor graduated from college (barely). Also, he is probably the best-looking Bachelor. That's his mom, Jocasta, in the background.
3. Darren Dreamer, Brandi Newbie, and Skip Broke are all teens.
5. Gibson has left Pleasantview for an indeterminate period. His oldest child, Jeanine, married Carl Sims (son of Cooper Sims and Brenda Hall) and moved Downtown. His middle child, Kana, went to college. So there is only Lawrence left at home, and he will be going to college in a few days.
6. One of the Goths' cats, Hecuba, ran away from home. The policewoman called to let us know Hecuba had been found and returned her--but as a grave? Never seen that before.
7. John Burb and Jennifer Pleasant are now teens, and they have met and had a little date. Good chemistry!

I am now taking pictures of my born-in-game Sims who made it to elderhood. The pictures are attached in order:

1. Gunther Goth
2. Cornelia Crumplebottom Goth
3. Simis Bachelor
4. Lily Bachelor Lothario
5. Amin Sims
6. Cooper Sims
7. Helen Hall
8. Robert Crumplebottom
9. Emmy Bachelor Crumplebottom

Starting Sims: Flat and Flo (married); Buck and Mary-Lu (married--Buck is Flat's brother)

The Brokes started out living together in a big farmhouse, which they intended to turn into a working farm. Flat also wanted to grow flowers, arrange them, and sell them. This was a family with big dreams that were all smashed by their incredibly bad choices.

When Flo quickly got pregnant, had Ruby, and then got pregnant again, and Mary-Lu also got pregnant, they realized there was not enough room in the house for both families. Buck and Mary-Lu moved across the street. Mary-Lu had a low-level food service job, but Buck refused to work. He preferred instead to go out and pick up ladies around town. They had a daughter named Suzie. Eventually, Buck's luck ran out. He was fooling around with Fatima Simovitch when her husband came home and caught them together. Vadim was furious and instantly walked out, divorcing Fatima. Their son, Ian (brother to Betty Newbie, who will later figure in this saga), was furious with Buck for breaking his parents up. He cold-bloodedly trapped Buck in the garage, and Buck eventually died. Ian laughed over his dead body.

Back home, Mary Lu quickly moved on. Her highest priority is to have a husband to "take care of her" (even though she works and does all the chores). Her next target was her coworker, Bob Newbie, Jr. They started an affair and Mary Lu got pregnant, which may or may not have been on purpose. She asked Bob Jr. to leave his wife Betty, but he of course said no. So Mary Lu went over to their house and told Betty everything. Betty was absolutely humiliated and broke up with Bob Jr. on the spot. He temporarily moved in with Mary Lu, but she immediately began pressuring him to marry her, and that freaked him out. After their daughter Shelby was born, Bob Jr. told Mary Lu that he didn't love her, that he was also sleeping with other women, and that he was leaving. He has moved out of town in an attempt to run away from all his problems. Mary Lu has soldiered on. She went to a bar and met Ian Simovitch. She doesn't know that he is the guy who killed her husband, and she plans to ask him out next. Meanwhile, poor Shelby grew up and her very first wish was to see her deadbeat father's ghost.

At the other Broke house, things were not going well at all. They had no money, so Flo had to take a low-level job at a law office, but she kept getting pregnant. They had two more sons, Trigger and Griff. Flat did his best with the farm, but the crops did not do well. Perhaps he should not have been so ambitious with how many tomatoes he planted, or maybe he should have invested in some ladybug houses. Regardless, they lost the whole crop. Then, lightning struck a tree in their yard, and the fire did not go out. Flo was caught in the fire and died. This caused Flat to have a nervous breakdown. He was taken away by the men in the white coats, leaving Ruby and Skip alone to raise their two little brothers. Ruby was about to turn adult, so she took on most of the household duties. Skip, a teen, got a job in the Criminal field to help make ends meet. Trigger did not grow up at all well and is looking to head toward a bad end. Griff is still a toddler. Despite everything, Skip has still tried to have an active romantic life. He met Brandi Newbie (yes, daughter of Bob Jr. and Betty) and quickly started romancing her. Brandi is a quote-unquote good girl, but Skip thinks that with some time, he can talk his way around that.

Getting toward the end of week 9. Mainly, I am getting a lot of kids graduated. Some of them, who are not from the main families, are just going to be townies basically, so I didn't take pictures of them. Posted are pictures of the recent graduates from the main families.

1. Elise Lothario and Eric Goth: Elise was secretly in love with Eric Goth all through university, while he was dating Brittany Ruggbyrne, so he didn't really look her way. Now that they are adults, Elise has her sights set on snagging Eric once and for all. I think Eric will be agreeable, since Brittany isn't exactly marriage material for a Goth and Eric is pretty traditional that way. Elise is part-Bachelor and her family is well off, which makes her totally acceptable. They also have similar haircuts. Elise loves dogs and adopted a big mutt named Poppo while I wasn't looking.

2. Daniel Pleasant: He is now an adult! He has been dating Mary-Sue forever. They went steady as teens, and he proposed--as was expected of him--during his graduation party. Mary-Sue has one more year in university, so he still has a little time to finish sowing his wild oats. He had a very sneaky affair with Debbie Dreamer all through college and was frankly obsessed with her, so he might continue that. Daniel wants to be an artist, not an athlete, and has been painting all his life. He looks a lot like his dad, down to the coloring, and even has the Pleasant nose. He has moved back into the main Pleasant household with his parents and Jennifer.

3. Jack Crumplebottom: Adrian's little brother has always been gay. He had no one special in college or when he grew up to adult, so I grew up his teen boyfriend Harry, and they reconnected spectacularly. They are now living together Downtown. Jack wants to get married, but I don't think they will adopt children.

4. Debbie and Derek Dreamer: The twins and the youngest of the original Dreamers. Fortunately, as Pleasure and Romance aspiration, they are unlikely to settle down and have children (we don't need any more Dreamers, as fine as they might be). Debbie was Daniel's side piece during college and didn't mind it at all. I think she also got together with Kenneth Burb. She's definitely a party girl. Derek wooed a lot of ladies, including Kana Goth, a couple of dormies, and Mary-Sue a little bit. Now they are roommates Downtown while they pursue their career goals.

The other news I have is that Parker Langerak has been born, and Kaylynn is on the way. Cassandra Goth, the Lothario twins, and the Caliente twins are all now children--whew! Now that all the Calientes are of a more independent age, Benjamin Burb has been returned to Pleasantview. He very much enjoyed his time on the alien planet, and he was a great live-in nanny. I wouldn't have survived three toddlers without him. When he got back home, his wife Susan threw an anniversary party to celebrate. I didn't know that was Benjamin's LTW, but he is permanent platinum now, which he definitely deserves.

I have a lot of ideas for how I want the storylines for the Pleasants, Burbs, Skip and Brandi, and Darren to go as they all near adulthood and are almost ready to have the last generation before Pleasantview proper starts. The other big event coming up is the abduction of Bella, and I also have an idea for how to integrate the alien subhood with Pleasantview by way of La Fiesta Tech university and Stella Terrano. Finally, I have something in mind for Michael Bachelor and Dina Caliente, and all I need is for him not to mess it up while we wait for Dina to get older.