#sim: Cash Munch

[callunasims]

Courtlandt Legacy | Part 9 - Excited Future Parents

 Caleb is late for work!! It’s 12pm and he was supposed to be at work at 10am. Caleb, what are you doing? It isn’t flashing at him, so it’s VERY likely that it was intentional from the last time we played, but that was a couple weeks ago so we are NOT allowing a day off anymore. Get to work, Caleb! There’s a baby coming – we need all the funds we can get!

Poor Daphne got home from work and she was starving. Gardening is already hard work – gardening while pregnant is probably extra hard with all the bending and pulling. Poor girl needs to get some of that energy back. Luckily they have some leftovers in the fridge. Daphne was really feeling the grilled fruit, so she got some of that and sat down to relax.

She also came home with an inventory full of harvestables – she had picked everything before going to work that morning – which earned her and Caleb another 200 simoleons. Those peas and green peppers sell for quite a bit!

Though their bedroom is complete, the nursery is still quite sparse, they only have one bathroom furnished, and they still need to complete building their living room and kitchen areas. Right now, the cash is definitely needed for that, though they’re definitely doing better than the slab of flooring on top of the grass Daphne started with. Perhaps, even someday, they can have their own homestead and a selling table. A girl can dream!

After a yummy meal, Daphne was feeling pretty great about herself. She decided to do a little home renovation to expand the living area a little bit more. She even changed up the wallpaper to add a bit of color to her home.

She decided to get comfortable in the kiddie pool to relax for a little while. The warm sun, the cool breeze, and the nearby plants make it a much cozier place to rest than the empty living room.

After her well deserved relaxation in the pool, Daphne turned in for an early night. Caleb wouldn’t be home for another hour, but she was still quite tired from her workday and she’d be in her second trimester very soon. Best to keep up on those zzz’s now BEFORE the baby arrives!

Caleb brought home another couple hundred simoleons, then decided to head out to the library to complete his work task. He really wanted to have his own study someday so that he would have his own space to do some programming, but they weren’t likely to be able to afford a computer for quite awhile, anyway.

It is much cooler in Willow Creek than in Brindleton Bay that evening, which Caleb definitely appreciated. He sat down across from Lucas Munch and started to game. Promotions will certainly help him be able to afford the computer he wants!

Eventually the librarian sat down nearby and, though he was gaming, Caleb found himself greatly entertained by the nearby conversation. The two chess players seemed to be having a great time, too. Maybe, just maybe, Caleb would be able to make friends with some of them.

The library was a surprisingly busy place that evening, with lots of sims to introduce himself to. Caleb met Bess, Bjorn, and Mei as well during his gaming session and he skilled up to gaming level 3! By the time Caleb completed his gaming task, he really wanted a drink. He ordered a couple plasma packs and started his walk home, ready to end his day as well.

Those plasma packs really hit the spot – Caleb had started getting worried when people were piling into the library. He didn’t want to lose control and take a bite out of anyone there! It definitely wouldn’t have helped his reputation. However, Caleb came to realize he had succeeded in not drinking deeply from any sim for an entire day! 4 more to go – it was a piece of cake!

It cheered him up so much, he even discovered a new personality trait in himself! Nice job, Caleb!

The next morning, Daphne woke up super early… because she REALLY needed to pee. That plus the morning sickness and her hunger all at once left her feeling pretty crummy first thing.

A bathroom break, a hot shower, and a meal definitely cheered Daphne up. She went outside to tend to her garden and enjoy the fresh air.

Caleb woke up early that morning to spend some time with Daphne. She even let him feel her growing baby bump. Caleb was intrigued by the life growing inside Daphne’s belly, and asked her to remind him of their child’s due date. He didn’t want to miss a second, so he planned to put in for time off work that same day.

They chatted happily for a while together, until Daphne had to head to work. Soon, she’ll be in her third trimester and they’ll be ready to welcome a new baby (or babies?) to their home.

[cdrsims]

Everyone: OH MY FUCKING GOD! Cash: Hmm, quite warm here...  Eros: What’s everyone freaking out about?  Eirene: Jesus Christ people, I got it, don’t mind me!

[anjalis-ennui]

Hi! Congratulations on 50 followers! <3 For the song asks, The Girl from Ipanema and Kyojuro Rengoku, please? Thank you so much! I love your playlist <3

hello darling! thank you for requesting and thank you for the compliments! to be honest, i wasn't expecting kyoujurou for the girl from ipanema but now that i think about it it's so amazing! reader is gender neutral in this, and it's a meet-cute!

"Tall and tanned and young and lovely, the girl from Ipanema goes walking, and when she passes each one she passes goes, ahhhh..."

A small crowd had gathered at the street corner, watching the musician play and occasionally dropping some coins in their guitar case. The turnout was pretty good, since they were playing a new song; Brazillians were known to appreciate music though, so they were grateful for every coin they could get. Carnaval was coming up too, so many people were flocking the streets, munching on coxinha and other treats.

The guitarist continued playing, not noticing a small group of strange hair watching them closely. Their job was to entertain, and getting distracted would only cost them much-needed cash.

"When she walks she's like a samba that swings so cool and sways so gently..."

Kyoujurou watched the talented musician brush their fingers across the metal strings with a skill he could never imagine. Their beauty made them glow in the golden light of the sunset, and he couldn't help but feel like a moth attracted to their light. He stopped and stared at them with a dopey grin on his face, not noticing that Shinobu and the others had marched right on, wanting to complete the rest of her detailed itinerary. He, of course, wanted to see the city, but in the sweet vintage lights of 1964, he couldn't help but feel lovesick.

"Oh, but he watches so sadly, how can he tell her he loves her? Oh, he would give his heart gladly..."

The musician finally saw the fiery-headed man in the crowd and smiled. Dancing was always a way to get extra cash, and a dance with a handsome man was always welcomed. They handed their guitar to a burly man with a deep laugh and continued singing as they made their way to him. "Quer dançar, querida?*"

"O-Oh, um, sim**?" That earned him a delicate laugh. They swept him up into their arms, taking the lead as the couple swayed to the music.

"Qual é o seu nome?"

"Excuse me?"

"Nome, nome...name! Your name?"

"Kyoujurou Rengoku! Yours?" The musician gave him a cheeky smile and twirled him just as the song ended. They tipped their fedora at the audience and passed it around, collecting the coins and paper notes. As the crowd dispersed, they packed up their guitar case and handed him a note with an address on it.

"Dinner first. Then name." They then walked off, whistling the melody to the same song that Kyoujurou wouldn't be able to get out of his head until dinner. He stared after the musician with a hot blush on his face, the note tucked safely into his hand.

*Quer dançar, querida? = Care for a dance, darling?

*sim = yes

*Qual é o seu nome? = What is your name?

© jades-tea-shop 2021. please do not modify, edit, copy or reproduce any of the works published.

[depressionsims]

Christy Rowell 

romantic / jealous / outgoing - 21 year old computer programmer

Christy is my sim for @wolfgang-munch‘s Big Brother Challenge

Christy grew up well enough. Her parents were immigrants, but that never seemed to put her down as she was proud of her heritage, why should some mean kids change that? But because she was always made fun of because of her race, she always felt the need to work harder, to do better, to push further, to prove to everyone she was not what they thought she was. To her, Big Brother is just another way for her to prove the world wrong and show that she will always show up on top. The cash prize that comes with winning would be a great way for her to make her own computer software startup and begin to work her way up to the top of the world, like she had always promised herself. Her biggest weakness? Christy gets jealous incredibly quickly and thus can be pretty petty towards her fellow sim. And as a romantic deep down, she can find herself falling flat on her face if she falls for someone who just wishes to use her. Will she turn out on top? Or will she find herself crashing to the bottom?

Private Download for @wolfgang-munch

[deli-counter]

do all 155 questions you reblogged

you are a good person

1: Full name Delaney Quinn _____

2: Age 19 

3: 3 Fears Failure, elevators, my college 

4: 3 things I love biscuits, broad city, carpeted garages 

5: 4 turns on men sighing, intelligence, deep, low voices, people who take action immediately in bad situations 

6: 4 turns off arrogance/narcism, men who talk about cars a lot, flip flops, really strong perfumes and colognes 

7: My best friend Matthew!!!!

8: Sexual orientation Straight

9: My best first date Every single first date I have ever had has been utter shit in every way and I could explain but there’s no time nor drive to do this 

10: How tall am I 5′4″ - 5′5″ maybe?

11: What do I miss Bahn mi......i am paleo now and it sux but I do love complaining about it and seeming important for doing paleo 

12: What time were I born Like 12:15pm

13: Favourite color green!

14: Do I have a crush like 100 but none are realistic, accessible, or serious 

15: Favourite quote “From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity.” - Edvard Munch 

16: Favourite place honestly i love my bathroom i love pooping and workin on my best self 

17: Favourite food gnocchi

18: Do I use sarcasm yeah i think everyone does 

19: What am I listening to right now broad city dialogue 

20: First thing I notice in new person how they greet you/tone i guess

21: Shoe size 6 1/2 - 7

22: Eye color brown 

23: Hair color dark brown but the dye’s faded into just muddy brown with some red how interesting

24: Favourite style of clothing vintage 

25: Ever done a prank call? yeah 

27: Meaning behind my URL i do theatre and i’m pretentious 

28: Favourite movie The Help 

29: Favourite song ??? stupid ass question idk 

30: Favourite band ??? stupid ass question idk 

31: How I feel right now ??? stupid ass question idk 

32: Someone I love My sister!

33: My current relationship status Single 

34: My relationship with my parents really great tbh

35: Favourite holiday Halloween 

36: Tattoos and piercing i have none 

37: Tattoos and piercing i want i would like to get my ears pierced 

38: The reason I joined Tumblr to complain to my friend Jenna 

40: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts? No

41: Have I ever kissed the last person you texted? No

42: When did I last hold hands? Yikes who knows 

43: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning? 45 min?

44: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days? yep

45: Where am I right now? my room 

46: If I were drunk & can’t stand, who’s taking care of me? i’m taking care of someone else and i do not like drinking

47: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level? depends 

48: Do I live with my Mom and Dad? when i’m not at college yeah

49: Am I excited for anything? i’m in spring awakening and we start rehearsals on saturday!!

50: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to? yes my sweet sweet matthew 

51: How often do I wear a fake smile? as dramatic as this question is, so am I, and a lot  

52: When was the last time I hugged someone? today I hugged my beautiful and perfect sister 

53: What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me? that’s okay it was for a scene 

54: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not? oh yeah 

55: What is something I disliked about today? this was the worst day in a while so a lot 

56: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? dave malloy 

57: What do I think about most? anxiety dude and currently what caused my ptsd 

58: What’s my strangest talent? ?? idk i do a great Viola Dais in The Help impression as risky and bad as that sounds 

59: Do I have any strange phobias? sure but mostly just elevators 

60: Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? in front 

61: What was the last lie I told? great question

62: Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online? neither 

63: Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens? yes and yes 

64: Do I believe in magic? I believe in the power of God so sure that counts

65: Do I believe in luck? nah 

66: What’s the weather like right now? it’s like 67 rn 

67: What was the last book I’ve read? I ready mostly scripts now so idk 

68: Do I like the smell of gasoline? no 

69: Do I have any nicknames? Squeaky, Del, Delami, Lane, Joanne, Jew, etc. 

70: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had? I had like a kidney stone that sucked. Idk about injury. A chunk of my nose is missing due to skin strep I had as a child. 

71: Do I spend money or save it? Both

72: Can I touch my nose with a tongue? If I help it up there yeah 

73: Is there anything pink in 10 feet from me? I have an old Lady Be Good postcard near me with some pink on it, and Sorcerer’s Stone is beside me and there’s some pink on that cover 

74: Favourite animal? Koala I think 

75: What was I doing last night at 12 AM? Sleepin maybe or playing Sims Freeplay 

76: What do I think is Satan’s last name is? None he’s got one name like Beyonce 

77: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it? The Private and Intimate Life of the House from Great Comet 

78: How can you win my heart? Genuinely respect me 

79: What would I want to be written on my tombstone? “Rip it up”

80: What is my favorite word? I like cynosure a lot. Someone called me that once and it was always very special to me. 

81: My top 5 blogs on tumblr rossgellerfanclub 5 times 

82: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say? does anyone wanna pay for my college 

83: Do I have any relatives in jail? no

84: I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power? shapeshifting 

86: What is my current desktop picture? a pixelated ocean and sky it’s very cute 

88: Bought condoms? no

89: Gotten pregnant? no 

90: Failed a class? maybe? to be seen 

91: Kissed a boy? yes

92: Kissed a girl? yes for a scene at school 

93: Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain? no

94: Had job? define job 

95: Left the house without my wallet? yes

96: Bullied someone on the internet? no

97: Had sex in public? no

98: Played on a sports team? no

99: Smoked weed? no

100: Did drugs? no

101: Smoked cigarettes? no

102: Drank alcohol? a sip once or twice and it’s bad man i hate it 

103: Am I a vegetarian/vegan? paleo bitch!!!!

104: Been overweight? ya

105: Been underweight? no

106: Been to a wedding? yes several 

107: Been on the computer for 5 hours straight? yes easily 

108: Watched TV for 5 hours straight? yes easily 

109: Been outside my home country? yes

110: Gotten my heart broken? no 

111: Been to a professional sports game? yes

112: Broken a bone? no

113: Cut myself? yes

114: Been to prom? yes

115: Been in airplane? yes

116: Fly by helicopter? no

117: What concerts have I been to? american idol but the season with carrie underwood 

118: Had a crush on someone of the same sex? no

119: Learned another language? like partial sure

120: Wore make up? yes

123: Dyed my hair? yes

124: Voted in a presidential election? yes

125: Rode in an ambulance? yes

126: Had a surgery? no

127: Met someone famous? yes! a few but i don’t feel like listing

128: Stalked someone on a social network? we all have

129: Peed outside? no

130: Been fishing? no

131: Helped with charity? yes

132: Been rejected by a crush? yes

133: Broken a mirror? no

134: What do I want for birthday? cash and a nice dinner and maybe a kiss!!

135: How many kids do I want and what will be their names? 2! i would like a boy and a girl. Names like Ezra and Porter and stuff idk 

136: Was I named after anyone? Elaine from Seinfeld, cause her nickname was Laney 

137: Do I like my handwriting? it’s alright yeah 

138: What was my favourite toy as a child? i loved barbies man and I had a lovely babydoll 

139: Favourite Tv Show? 30 Rock 

140: Where do I want to live when older? NYC then Chicago then somewhere weird like Vermont and then Germany 

141: Play any musical instrument? i used to play flute and a lil piano but now like nothing. trying to work a vocal looper tho 

142: One of my scars, how did I get it? cutting myself

143: Favourite pizza toping? caramelized onion and basil 

144: Am I afraid of the dark? yeah a bit 

145: Am I afraid of heights? yeah

146: Have I ever got caught sneaking out or doing anything bad? i made a friend online when I was like 12 and did not tell my parents lol 

147: Have I ever tried my hardest and then gotten disappointed in the end? yes of course

148: What I’m really bad at dancing 

149: What my greatest achievements are surviving ptsd is pretty fkn cool 

150: The meanest thing somebody has ever said to me not discussing that here 

151: What I’d do if I won in a lottery pay off college, pay off my parents debt, donate to charity, buy myself some luxury apartments and a dog, some amazing food, get some good bras, see a ton of shows on broadway!!!!!

152: What do I like about myself persistence and humor 

153: My closest Tumblr friend jenna we don’t talk much anymore but I’ll always love that b 

154: Something I fantasize about being a greek goddess or in the center of a victorian love triangle quite honestly 

155: Any question you’d like? ------ N/A

THANKIE!!!!!!!

[morgaine2005]

Tressia BACC: Round 6, LeBeau

It’s that time again ... time to see GASTON!

(And if you’re wondering, “Hey, wait, shouldn’t the Birgils be next?” first of all, I commend you on remembering all of my families. Second of all, keep scrolling, I did the Birgils this evening as well.)

Anyway, let’s see what kind of trouble Gaston is going to get into this evening, shall we?

(Answer: All of it.)

So, if you remember Gaston (though how could you forget GASTON), he’s a romancer, hunter, with a LTW of 20 Woohoos. As of last round, he was up to 16. (I thought he was at 17, but I counted his memories and no, it’s definitely 16). That’s only four more to go!

And lookie here! Here’s a prospect for #17 & #18. This is Serri Pepedes; you might remember her as the manager of Maylis and Mercan’s apothecary/herbalist shop.

She’s a Family Sim, but she and Gaston have two bolts - probably because she meets Gaston’s turn-on for brown hair and Gaston meets her turn-on for fitness. Gaston’s Massive Attraction bonus probably isn’t hurting things, either.

So I have Gaston ask her for a date ...

And she turns him down!

“What do you mean, ‘no’? No one says no to Gaston!”

Uh oh.

Maybe your relationship scores aren’t high enough? Try buttering her up a bit first, Gaston.

(Double hearts - crush & love - for Gaston!)

Let’s try this again ...

Still no!

“Dismissed! Rejected! Publicly humiliated! Why, it’s more than I can--”

Let’s not break into the entire song just yet, ok? Try buttering her up a bit more. Can’t hurt to at least try.

Three strikes and you’re out!

“But--”

I have a backup plan, ok? Your faith is up pretty high, so ... just head home for now.

Meet Alice Forest, AKA the Unibrowed Backup Plan. You might remember her as one of the women Everin Tuiney dated before he settled down with Zenna. Or you might not remember her at all, which honestly wouldn’t surprise me, given that she was around for a single date.

She and Gaston have only 1 bolt, but for notches #17 & #18, one bolt is plenty.

After he invites her over, I have Gaston ask her out ...

And Alice says yes!

We get a double crush pretty soon into the date. Nice!

Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing.

But it’s not long before things are going very well indeed for Gaston and Alice. This interaction is regular Maxis, not even ACR.

Of course this is, but when a guy wants 20 woohoos, sometimes you just have to take advantage of the hacks you have.

17 down, 3 to go!!

They even make Best Friends ...

She even makes Gaston dinner. Mostly because he influences her to. He’s got influence points to burn.

“It would be nice to have a little woman around the place, taking care of these things.”

Or you could learn to cook yourself. Especially since she’s making vegetable soup.

“Well, most soups have vegetables in them. What else is in the soup?”

“What do you mean? It’s all just vegetables! Vegetable soup!”

“Watcher, save me now!!!”

I don’t save him. And Gaston still manages to fall in love with her before she leaves, because of course he does.

But before we move onto Day 2, Eleanor Armestrong (a date Gaston had last round) drops off a Bust of Tylopoda ...

AND a TV!

*kaching*

*kaching*

And after that jam-packed Day 1, we can NOW move onto Day 2!

What’s this?

It’s a new business! Gaston got his market stall to Level 10 last round, so this round he gets a real live business. He’s selling trophies from his hunts, both game he’s caught ...

And various, uh, hunting trophies (i.e. all the dead animal heads, antlers, etc. I had in my catalogs and could stick on the walls).

And since Gaston made Merchant status, he also gets some new duds!

“I knitted them myself!”

(He seriously did.)

First customer is Maylis.

“So, Maylis, I only have room for three more notches on my bedpost before I meet my LTW. What do you say we--”

“Gaston, I’m married, and I’m only looking for something to put on an empty wall.”

“But we could--”

“Just show me to the nearest deer’s head or bear’s head.”

But it’s not all disappointment for Gaston. Maurice swings by and blesses the lot.

He also hires Breth Lewichel to help him around the shop. He already has a Bronze Fishing badge, so getting him up to manager status shouldn’t be too awful.

We start him off on the cash register because he has lots of Logic points, so hopefully he’ll gain badges quickly.

Serri also swings by, but though Gaston gets some stars and some cash out of her, he doesn’t get what he really, really wanted out of her.

After work, he heads to the docks (with a “k” even @andavrii!).

Let’s see if he and Alice can get to woohoo #18.

We move right into the clothing store, and it isn’t long before Gaston decides he wants to “try an outfit on.”

It surprises no one when Alice follows him into the changing booth.

Least of all the poor cashier.

“Oh Watcher, not again.”

Sorry, hon. This is #18, though. He should stop doing it soon.

“Hah! This is Gaston LeBeau! You think a little detail like ‘I’ve already met my LTW’ is going to keep him out of my changing booth?”

... Now that you put it like that, no.

18 down, 2 to go!!!

Back home, Gaston spends some time improving the homestead.

But as he munches his supper, Gaston has a confession to make.

“Watcher, I’m afraid I’ve been thinking.”

A dangerous pastime.

“I know. But--”

If you say anything about wacky old coots, I am going to find out what the Smite option on the batbox does!

“... Er. I have no idea what you’re talking about. But, well, you may have noticed that I have only 2 woohoos left before I hit my LTW.”

I did.

“And it’s possible for them to be with the same woman.”

Yes, that’s how you got this far.

“And, well, I think it’s time for me to settle down.”

*spits drink across room* What?!?!?

“Look at this place! I’ve worked so hard to build it. And my shop, too! I want to pass all of this on to someone.”

... Ok ...

“And I’ve been thinking about Serri.”

*sigh* Of course you have.

“She’s a good, virtuous woman, isn’t she? So of course she wanted nothing to do with me. But if I turn over a new leaf - well, I’ll have a happy little wife and a happy little life.”

... Gaston, this is Bors-level logic, or rather lack of logic.

“Who’s Bors?”

Oh good Lord.

“So that settles it then! I shall marry Serri - hey, that rhymes! - and I’ll fulfill my LTW that way.”

What could possibly go wrong ...

Thankfully, Gaston is limited in the shenanigans he can accomplish ... because Bimbette is having her puppies!

The first one is a girl, named Desiree.

The next one is a boy, named Grumpus. (He’s super aggressive, so I thought it might be a good name. Of course he’s also super friendly.)

And the last one is a boy, named Rogan. He’s actually of average doggie intelligence - all of his other sibs are doofuses. So he might get to breed!

That’s it for Day 2. Let’s see what trouble Gaston gets in on Day 3.

Breth gets his Bronze Cash Register badge! Other than that, nothing much interesting happens at the shop.

After work and hunting ... Gaston calls Serri to meet him in the woods.

“It’s not scandalous or anything. I mean, look around, half the town is here.”

He tries to ask her on another date ... but Serri is still a little bit skeptical.

“But I’m a changed man, Serri! I’m willing to turn over a new leaf for you. Picture this - a rustic hunting lodge. My latest kill, roasting over the fire. My little wife, massaging my feet, while the little ones play on the floor with the dogs. Oh, we’ll have six or seven.”

“Dogs?”

“No, Serri! Strapping boys, like me!”

“... You want lots of kids?”

“Of course!”

Don’t listen to him, Serri!

Serri’s still keeping him at an arm’s length, though. Sometimes literally.

But right before she leaves the lot, she develops a crush on him. I barely see it, and I certainly don’t have time to catch a pic of it.

But Gaston ... Gaston isn’t happy with how quickly things aren’t progressing. And Gaston has needs. So he calls Jayla over for a date once he gets home.

He has two objectives: scratch an itch, and get some advice.

“So what would you advise me to do, Jayla, with a woman who’s fair weather one minute and foul the next?”

“... Let me get this straight. You told her you’re turning over a new leaf. Going to be a family man, keep your feet on the straight and narrow, etc.”

“Yes!”

“And yet here you are, asking my advice, while we’re both naked in bed and  you’ve already paid me.”

“... Obviously, yes, that is what is happening now.”

“And you don’t see why she might be a little cautious about you?”

“No? She doesn’t know about this.”

“You know what, Gaston? Let’s just get to what you paid me for.”

“Because trying to think like you is going to give me a headache, and in my line of work, headaches are the last thing I can afford!”

“Thank you!”

That wasn’t a compliment, Gaston.

And that’s it for Day 3.

Day 4 starts with a friendship I never thought I’d see.

Although I guess Gaston’s Best Friendships with Maylis and Mercan are far weirder.

Gaston gets a Gold Restocking badge, but he’s a bit too distracted by Melaflynn and Jayla pillow fighting to appreciate it.

“I’m just picturing them pillow fighting in a much more ... appropriate location ... wearing--”

GASTON!

OH SHIT.

Mellie doesn’t appear to notice, thankfully. Unless she stuffed that pillow with bricks ...

“I feel like I just dodged an arrow.”

You did, Daran.

DAMMIT, DARAN!

(Thankfully, Mellie didn’t appear to notice that, either - and I got Jayla out of there pronto!)

In other news, I get the business up to 50 stars, putting us comfortably at Level 6. Not a bad place to be!

And later on, after work and after Gaston has done his hunting, he calls Serri up for an actual date in the woods ...

And she says yes!

“She has realized I’m a changed man!”

Or I got rid of the crush she had on Breth Lewichel, since it was effectively taking her off the marriage market and would never go anywhere.

“Serri. SERRI! What are you doing? Are you out of your mind? Back away from him!”

You can try, Maylis, but I don’t think she’s hearing you.

Gaston tests the waters, and finds that Serri permits him quite a few liberties. ... Any chance this changes your mind about Serri being a “virtuous woman”?

“Of course not! Besides, just because I want a virtuous lady for a wife doesn’t mean I want a complete prude. Where’s the fun in that?”

Uh oh. Unsavory Charlatan off the port bow! Gaston, at least try to keep her from being pickpocketed!

“What? That fine fellow can’t possibly be a pickpocket!”

But Serri isn’t having any of the Charlatan’s tricks!

“I don’t get it. She’s out with Gaston of all people. She should be an easy mark! How did I screw that up?”

A question for the ages.

Uh oh. Serri’s in love. And Gaston has been in love with her since the beginning of the round.

“So, Serri, what’ll it be? Is it yes - or is it, oh, yes?”

“Yes! Oh, yes!”

Oh, no.

“Gaston? I thought you said you were turning over a new leaf. Why is your memory red?”

“Uh ...”

Yes, Gaston, why is that memory red?

“You know what, Serri, it’s late, I’m tired, you’re tired. We’ll get married early next year. How does that sound?”

RUN, Serri! Run while you still can!

Gaston goes home, prepared to spend the rest of the day patting himself on the back for his conquest - and maybe selling Desiree and Grumpus to good homes, because 5 dogs is a lot of chaos.

Fate and I have other ideas in mind.

“Brother Cernin! How good to see you. Tell me, are you here to ask about the dogs for sale?”

“Um, no. I’m actually here to ask about a baby.”

“... I don’t have any of those for sale. That would be creepy.”

And if Gaston’s calling something creepy, you KNOW it’s creepy!

“Er, no, I don’t think you’re selling one, either. I found one on my doorstep. He’s a cute little chap - black hair, dimples like yours. He couldn’t possibly ... you know ... be yours, could he?”

“Mine? You’re asking me? Now, Brother, we’re both men of the world--”

“Actually, er, I’m really not--”

“Oh, yes, I know, you have to say that, but you know how these things go, don’t you? I won’t lie to you, Brother, I won’t pretend I haven’t sown some wild oats.”

In every fucking field. (Pun completely intended.)

“But I’ve only sown them in common fields, you might say!”

“I’ve actually taken confessions from some of the women you’ve, er, been with, and they say--”

“Nonsense, Brother! I think I know women a bit better than you do!”

He’s channeling Bors, isn’t he? He’s totally channeling Bors.

“And since I do know women better than you do, Brother - I think I can say, quite emphatically, that even if I’ve been with that little chap’s mother, there’s no way to say he’s mine. He could be anybody’s!”

“So you say. But I talked to Serri Pepides today. She says you’re engaged?”

“Ah, yes, we are, Brother! I was hoping--”

“And she says you’ve turned over a new leaf.”

“I have! I intend to--”

“Then prove it. Give that little boy a name and a trade.”

“What? You want that boy to take my name? But he could be anyone’s!”

“No, not your name. I won’t ask you to do that, especially since we don’t have any proof that he’s yours. But give him a trade - teach him to be a hunter like you. And that’s where the name will come from. Rostan Hunter.”

“But--”

“Gaston, I’m going to be very blunt. That little baby might or might not be yours, but given the way you get - or got - around? If you haven’t fathered a dozen little ones, it’s a miracle! I won’t argue with you about what you do or don’t owe the mothers. And I can’t make you provide for children you don’t know you have. But I can say this: if you want to make things right with the Watcher, if you want to try to repair some of the harm you’ve done with your philandering ways, the least you can do is take this boy on as an apprentice once he gets old enough to need apprenticing.”

“But Brother--”

“And if you refuse to do that much, then I shall have to tell Serri that I can’t marry the two of you in the church. She can marry anyone else she wishes, of course, but I won’t marry you.”

Whoa! You tell him, Brother!

“I ... see. You drive a hard bargain, Brother, but ... you have my word. I’ll take the boy on as an apprentice once he’s old enough. ... Are you sure I can’t at least interest you in a puppy before you go?”

“I’m afraid I would not be able to care for a puppy right now. Not with little Rostan and everything else on my plate. But I’m sure the Watcher will send along someone to give it a good home.”

Speaking of which ...

“Nelarie! How good to see you!”

“A pleasure to see you too, Gaston!”

“I hear you had another strapping son. Congratulations!”

“Oh, thank you! Donas is such a cute little boy! But he’s a bit colicky, and--”

“Yes, yes, of course. But, say, Nelarie, since you are the mother of two fine sons ... you know what every boy needs when he’s young? A puppy of his very own! And I have two inside here, looking for good homes. Would you like to meet them?”

“... Did you say puppies?”

“Oooh, he’s adorable! What did you say his name was?”

“Grumpus.”

“What a sweet name! And is he housetrained?”

“... I have done some training in the house, yes.”

“Then I’ll take him!”

*kaching*

And a little later that evening ...

“So Shola mentioned to me that you sold her her dog, Alexia. And you say you’ve had a new litter?”

“I have indeed. There are two pups left. I’d like to keep one of them to train a bit more, but you’re welcome to take your pick of the two!”

“This is the girl?”

“It is. Her name is Desiree.”

“And she’d be the little sister of Shola’s Alexia?”

“Same parents, so yes.”

“I’ll take her!”

“Excellent! Er, as for housetraining--”

“Gaston, I might be new in town, but I wasn’t born yesterday. I’m sure she isn’t housetrained yet. I’ll take care of it.”

“All right then!”

Since it was dinner time, Gaston invited Kerrick to stay, and Kerrick was polite enough to accept, even though he could probably make himself something much tastier at home.

“So I hear you’re engaged.”

“I am! The lucky lady’s name is Serri Pepides. I’m turning over a new leaf! I’m ready for children, a little wife, someone to cook my meals and massage my feet ...”

“And fidelity? You’re ready for that, too?”

“... Eh?”

And that’s what I thought! We’ll see if Serri and Gaston are still engaged next round, or if Gaston’s ACR shenanigans have put an end to that.

Anyway, that’s it for me. Thanks for reading, and happy Simming!

[coinsandmaps-blog]

It is June 2019 and we plan a trip to Nepal. A trip which spans 7 nights and 8 days with family is what we love. We take time to plan the trip; ping our blogger friends, speak to a few and then finally arrive at the itinerary which we almost followed (hot and humid weather in Chitwan made us cut it by a day).

The road map for this trip looks like this: Delhi – Kathmandu – Pokhara – Chitwan ­– Kathmandu – Delhi

Travellers: 4 – I, husband and our girls

Day 1: We reach Kathmandu

We book ourselves on Air India flight from Delhi, it is a short flight and we land in Kathmandu in about 90 minutes. Flight is comfortable with decent food and leg space for us to catch a wink or two as it was an early morning flight.

Aarti at the ghat at Pashupatinath temple

We land at the airport and within no time we are out. As we move out, we buy a Nepalese SIM card at the airport; there are various options to choose from and you would require a photo id and a photo for a SIM card.

We book a prepaid taxi to the Airbnb we had booked close to Pashupatinath temple. It is advisable to book an AC cab as Kathmandu can easily be dubbed as the Dust Bowl of Nepal and you wouldn’t want to choke on the dust and pollution due to ongoing construction across the city.  Certainly, the traffic reminds one of Delhi of 90’s, if you know what I mean.

Nandi – on our way back to Airbnb

The Airbnb was not that easy to locate, quite a few phone calls and then our driver could finally understand the location. We reach about 11:30 and our host tells us we are early by 30 minutes as the check in time is 12 and the cleaning is going on though he let us in the living room. Well, this is another story on our experience of Airbnb which is not at all what you see on the TV commercial these days. I mean not that great but I would talk about that in another post.

We put our stuff and freshen up and take a stroll to get something to eat but again the location was not that great. Hence, a couple of shops around where we could find bhelpuri and momos and bananas. In the meanwhile, we download a food app (Foodmandu) and order some Chinese which is quite decent.

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People lining up for the aarti in the evening

In our three hours at the ghat we saw many cremations

After some rest we head to Pashupatinath Temple which is about 15 minutes- walk from this place.  Due to ongoing construction of the road it is full of dust hence would advise you to carry a scarf or something to cover your face.  We take a stroll around the temple but quickly move towards the ghat area because it is the evening Aarti that we don’t want to miss. We perch ourselves at the ghat where aarti is to take place and ask a number of people about the time for aarti and get different timings by different people. Aarti only starts after 7 but we don’t move from our place as we want a perfect view. And time just flies past as we watch the busy ghat on the other side of Bagmati river as Pashupatinath is also one of the most sought- after cremation sites in Nepal. Life and death juxtapose each other, but in a way that compliments and you can’t help but soak in the experience. More on Pashupatinath in another blog post.

Bagmati river and the cremations at the ghat

The last rites at Pashupatinath temple

Shiv lingas at the ghat at Pashupatinath temple complex

We now call it a day and are all set for tomorrow but not before we shift mattresses as the AC in one of the rooms is not working.

Day 2:  Pashupatinath Temple, Thamel and Durbar Square

Pashupatinath Mandir

We walk to Pashupatinath temple and before we could know we have a guide who takes us around the premises explaining about the architecture and the history of the temple. All the people take Indian rupees very happily but only in the denomination of 100’s and 200’s or less. We pay INR 400 for this tour and he helps us with the darshan (we don’t skip the queue or something it is just that he points out where to go). Rush in this temple is something one cannot help, there is a lot of pushing and shoving and once you reach the main sanctum you get a glimpse of the deity. After darshanam, we go looking for a cab and head to Thamel.

Fire – aarti and cremation at Bagmati river

Taxi guys don’t bargain much but still one must try as that is the norm.

We reach Thamel after jostling through traffic and finally we get to a point where we can walk. Thamel will impress for once as you feel this is a different Nepal after having been to the city of Kathmandu. There are a number of eateries and shops selling Hemp products, wood and bone jewellery, clothes and of course woolens. You spend some time in Thamel and you feel you have seen this before as this place is just like any Mall road on a hill station just that it is quite big and the products are slightly different.

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Inscriptions in many languages

Renovation at Durbar Square mostly aided by China

Kali mata mandir at Durbar Square

After entering a pizzeria for lunch, we realise that no one is accepting Indian Credit Cards or Debit Cards and the next day’s plan is Pokhara by road hence need cash for the cab. This comes as another learning and quite an episode (more later in another blog post. We now see the waiters exchanging glances as if inquiring if we have any plans to leave and pay the bill. A few calls, some waiting and we get money from Bank of Kathmandu in Thamel through Western Union.

Then we walk through lanes to reach Durbar Square (Hanuman Dhoka) which is about 30 minutes-walk from Thamel. These are narrow lanes where you have to walk through people and traffic with shops on both sides. Durbar Square tells the tale of bygone era and some of the temples are totally in ruins after the earthquake in Nepal in 2015. Here also we are approached by a guide and we hire him for INR 200 for a full round of Durbar Square.

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Bhairon devta at Durbar Square

Peepal tree at Durbar Square

After a few clicks and some walk through the Square we find ourselves in a taxi heading back to the Airbnb in Kathmandu stopping in between only to get our dinner packed from a Tandoori restaurant – that is how dhabas are called in Nepal.

Day 3: Kathmandu to Pokhara

Distance: About 200 km; Time taken: 7 hours by road; Roads: Bad

Beautiful view of Fewa Lake

We book a cab to Pokhara and the gentleman arrives in time. We start around 7 happy to be moving to another famous town in Nepal and even happier that we would not be staying in that Airbnb. We learn on the way that our driver is an ex- army whose wife and kids are in India with his sister and he bought his car Scorpio S5 on a hefty bank loan. His Hindi is good and he keeps us entertained with the songs he has in a pen drive that he says he downloaded for us. Then he also mentions about Udit Narayan and his Nepali roots; this and somewhat interesting views help us get through the long 7-hour road trip from Kathmandu to Pokhara otherwise you can travel on those roads in Nepal at your own risk.

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Some fish and chips at the Maya Restaurant in Pokhara

We so love momos – these are veg

We check in at hotel Adam which is a decent hotel right at the center point but again we realise there are better options available at the end of the Lake road towards the airport. Anyways, we check in and head straight to have lunch. Lake side road is full of restaurants and hotels so there you are spoilt for choice. We choose Maya restaurant – the oldest one around and have our fill of momos and fish. You get decent vegetarian options too. It rains cats and dogs while we munch on lunch. In the evening we take a stroll around the lake as it is still drizzling on and off and have tea by the lake side and eat hot corn on the cob with green chilli chutney.

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Sitting at Maya Restaurant in Pokhara

Snooker time as it rains outside in Pokhara

This place is a welcome respite from the hustle bustle of Kathmandu. First day in Pokhara is well spent.

Day 4: Action packed in Pokhara – Ultralight flight

In front of our GT – 450 at Pokhara Airport

Today we have a lot lined up. As the bookings are in place, we head to Pokhara airport for our first ever ultralight flight experience. I am the first to go and am thrilled as I was in Bir Biling (first paragliding experience at the best place to paraglide in Asia). My pilot is Kevin and once the engines are all revved up, I am all set to take the flight with that gear (that is provided by the service provider) I feel like a pilot myself. One of the best experiences till date I get a bird’s eye view of the city, World Peace Pagoda and the Fewa Lake, hills were rather hidden behind the clouds but flying through the clouds is even better.

Getting the bird’s eye view of the lake in not enough and we go boating in the lake which spans 1.5 by 4 kms and enjoy the boat ride. It is actually different from boating in Nainital as the lake is huge and there is temple right in the middle of the lake. Now we head to Devi falls. It is a different kind of a waterfall where you can see the water coming and then can’t see where actually it is falling as the gorge is too deep, I guess. You can only hear water fall and feel the mist on your face. However, the little Shiv parivaar (God Shiva and his family) is quite beautiful and looks antique.

Arshiya is all set to experience Ultralight flight with pilot Kevin

Cheryl ready to fly

Reclining Vishnu at Gupteswor Mahadev

Now we head to Gupestwor Mahadev caves at the insistence of our driver. The place is nearby only and we reach in no time. There is a ticket you have to buy to enter the caves. As it is quite hot already, I quit and tell my folks to carry on while I sit underneath a huge tree beside the reclining statue of Vishnu. While they are in the cave I get to know later, electricity trips twice and their verdict is that this place is avoidable. Anyways we are done for the afternoon, evening is another story.

World Peace Pagoda, Pokhara

It looks like it is going to rain still we don’t want to miss the World Peace Pagoda hence we drive towards it. The roads are narrow and steep and I feel a bit nervous (read about our drive to village in Manali) but the driver manages and we trust him. A climb of about 300 stairs and you are at the peace Pagoda. Quite a site and it will have more effect on you if you keep quiet and soak in the serenity and the views from here. It rains and we rush for cover under the only canopy in the premises where we find fellow tourists too. Once the rain subsides, we click a few pictures of the beautiful sky and the peace pagoda in the backdrop and climb down while giving a heads up to the ongoing people to the peace pagoda that the place is close now. (World Peace Pagoda closes at 6 pm in summers)

Thela restaurant

We go for a walk in the evening in bid to find something to snack on and we do find a restaurant named Thela where everything is for NPR 99 only. It is a must eat place and we snack on momos, chicken satay and thukpa soup which is quite scrumptious.

Golgappas by the road

We also find a golgappe wala who serves yummy golgappas on the Lake side road. Again, dinner is from a Tandoori restaurant which we enjoy in our room.

Day 5: Pokhara to Chitwan

Distance: 150 km ; Time taken by road: 5 hours; Road: Bad except the last stretch from Mungling onwards 

We saw many such bridges on our way to Chitwan

Now this state highway is better than the previous one (Kathmandu to Pokhara) and we see river Trishuli which changes names at it merges with other rivers. Roads are better after you cross Mungling that is where we have our lunch at a Thakali resaurant which serves typical Nepali food. Nothing fancy but thankfully neat and hygienic which is a blessing considering the kind of eateries you spot on the highway.

Here begins the Croc Safari

In about 5 hours we reach Chitwan and our driver is forever saying that it would be very hot in Chitwan. It turns out he is right and we immediately make up our minds to stay only a night instead of the original two nights that we had planned.

As soon as we freshen up, we rush for the crocodile safari and the jungle walk as it is 4 in the evening already. We go in a safari truck to the starting point and are hustled up in a canoe which is carved out of a tree bark and looks so raw. Now I think the colour almost matches a croc. Eeew!

See these canoes made out of a bark of a tree

The crocodile safari is something that can only be experienced and not explained in words. About 45 minutes on the canoe and all of us are biting our nails at some point or the other. We spot a few crocs, a group of deer and few birds like stork, kingfisher and more.

Watch this expression just after we spot a crocodile

At the point where the safari terminates, we get down safe and sound and walk through the jungle to our hotel. Of course, a guide from the jungle accompanies us for the safari and the walk. We spot a number of elephants that have been reared for the purpose of patrolling the national park. It is a huge area of 964 sq kms hence an army of elephants along with patrolling officers is required.

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One of the many beautiful birds we saw at Chitwan

And it flew just for me to click

Dinner at Chitwan Tiger Camp

For dinner we are served thalis with rice, dal, two vegetable dishes and/or chicken. Food is good and tastes like home-made food. You feel happy because after so many days of eating out you value simple food. All of a sudden you see the manager and his aides running towards the roof top restaurant where we are dining and yelling,  “Gainda, Gainda” which means Rhino and before you say a word they point out to a silhouette crossing the Rapti river and heading towards the village where he will feast on vegetables, we are told. We call it a day and go off to sleep without thinking about the crocs.

Elephants are used for patrolling the park

Can you spot a croc?

Day 6: Jungle Safari in Chitwan National Park and back to Kathmandu

Rhino at Chitwan National Park

We get ready by 7 and wear matching camouflage t shirts for the jungle safari. All set with packed breakfast and hats and sunglasses, we get in the truck that is our carrier in the jungle. We have our guide with us who can speak fluent Hindi. We enter the jungle and even before we could soak in the spirit of it all we encounter a rhino which is spotted by our guide. It is hard to actually spot it even after he points it from a distance then our driver reverses the truck and we are face to face with the rhino who is busy chewing on elephant grass and now we can see the beast right in front of us. We are quite close and in pin drop silence we can hear the animal breath heavily and chew noisily. He lifts up his head to have a look at us while continuously chewing and after a few seconds of eye contact he leaves us alone and glides through the grass.

We are actually mesmerized. Humans are just another creation of the intelligence that rules this universe and so is the rhino, both equally amazing.

We move ahead and see flocks and flocks of deer some crossing the river and some sitting and relaxing under the thick growth.

Just before it disappears

          A flock of deer by the river

      Happy with our visit we wrap it up before noon and head back to Kathmandu.

Can you see the deer locking horns?

Day 7 and 8: Kathmandu – Thamel and Durbar Square

We had booked Hotel Marshayangdi in Thamel for our last day and added another day to this as we cut short our trip by a day in Chitwan.

With prime location in Thamel and an upgrade to a suite in this hotel we all are a happy lot. We are happy to be back in the comfort zone of a city life and today we just relax, watch TV and eat in our room. Only in the evening we go out and take a walk in Thamel.

Market near Hanumandhokha Durbar Square

Rickshaw puller in Thamel Market

We have just today in Kathmandu and honestly no shopping is done till now. Just because I find nothing exciting enough because either the price is too high or the quality of the stuff is not what I am looking for. And more importantly, I feel I can easily get this in my own country. Still, we walk towards Hanuman Dhokha Durbar Square again to see if we can buy something from the roadside market there. This market is cheaper than Thamel.

We spot a singing bowl and a couple of wooden masks.

Tips:

Indian Credit Cards (VISA and Master Card) are not accepted in Nepal.

Indian currency is accepted in Nepal only in the denominations of 200 and 100 (preferred) and lower.

Advisable to carry Nepalese currency.

Carry a photo id and a photograph to buy a Nepalese SIM card.

Eat where the locals eat. That is how I find the golgappe wala who is selling tasty and yummy golgappas in Pokhara.

No boating in Fewa lake after 5pm

World Peace Pagoda closes at 6 pm in summers.

Spend two days in Kathmandu – Pashupatinath and Durbar square should be on your list; Pokhara two days – Enjoy Fewa Lake and the weather plus the ambiance of the place and indulge in some adventure sports here. In Chitwan only one day is enough; just time your visit in a manner that you are able to do the jungle safari and crocodile safari in a day.

                Road Trip in Nepal: Itinerary for 8 days It is June 2019 and we plan a trip to Nepal. A trip which spans 7 nights and 8 days with family is what we love.

[cdrsims]

Cash being a good dad. 

Erebus: I just wanted to poop... sigh

[cdrsims]

Also, turns out that Cash was an actor as well. Eirene got to promotion level 7, whereas Cash is promotion level 4 but he wasn’t a part of an agency so I feel like he’d just be an extra, not really committed to being an actor like Eirene is. 

[cdrsims]

Cash: What’s the deal with aeroplane food?

[cdrsims]

GURL, DYE YOUR ROOTS!

[cdrsims]

Cash: Scrub scrub scrub, scrub scrub scrub, scrubbing everywhere~

[cdrsims]

Eirene: I really appreciate you and everything you’ve done for me, so I want to thank you Cash!  Cash: it’s no worries babe, I know you’d do it for me!  Eirene: I would, so with that in mind, will you marry me?

[cdrsims]

Eirene: Uni is so hard.  Cash: But you’re doing so well!  Eirene: Ugh Cash: I love you, you’re doing good!  Eirene: Okay, okay...

[cdrsims]

Fate: trying to blow out the candles Cash: blows it out for her Everyone: YAY!

[cdrsims]

The boys in the fam decided to play some games. 

Erebus: Oh, shit.