Old Town Tales - The Founding of Old Town

Despite its name, Old Town isn't old at all...relatively speaking.  In terms of communities, Old Town is relatively recent.  Maybe it isn't as old as New York or Los Angeles or Sim City, but it's still quite young and--as it was originally intended to be--mostly undeveloped.  Old Town was created and so named because its founders, disgusted by the way technology and progress were destroying the concepts of society, decided to start their own community that would hold onto and defend the "old ways" of life.

Founding Old Town did not come easily.  In fact, all of Old Town is a single vast property originally purchased by a coalition of community members and "donated" to a leadership committee that oversaw and guided the growth of Old Town.  To purchase such a huge tract of land required immense sums of money.  However, thanks to the significant contributions of a few rich and poweful families (and a lot of smaller prosperous but less-well-off families), the purchase was made.

The greatest contributions came from five main families:  the Landgraabs, the Goths, the Silvers, the Golds, and the Rutherfords.  The Goths, who gave up nearly all of the fortune they brought with them from the Old Country to the new community, are usually credited with contributing the most financially, but it was the popular Silvers who provided the early leadership of Old Town, the mechanically-savvy Golds (actually only Mr. Gold, since he was the last of his family) who kept everything running, the charismatic Rutherfords who kept everyone's spirits up until Old Town could become self-sustaining, and the business-minded Landgraabs who effectively invested the coalition's funds to help Old Town prosper.  With the exception of the Landgraabs (who kept their mansion in Bluewater Village, the large property they had themselves owned and leased out and had then donated to Old Town), the other founding families now live in the largest mansions of Founders' Way.  The other families who made lesser contributions to the founding of the town can also be found on Founders' way, but in the smaller mansions.

As a community still developing, Old Town continues to experience some growing pains.  An influx of younger residents and an expansion in the originally families' sizes have required the development of more businesses and public places:  whereas before the families could live like landed gentry, with large properties to visit and have fun on, now--to spare older relatives the onslaught of loud voices and music--they needed to find other places to hang out at.  In addition, some progress and technology had to be allowed into their community--they had to keep up with the modern world, no matter how much they disliked some of its changes.  To that end, Old Town began with a few small places here and there in the center of town--the Old Town Public Library and Museum was one such place, as was Grand Gazebo Park.  In addition to a beach park and a small shopping complex, there were also a pet shop, a pet park, a coffee shop, and a fishing hole, as well as the small businesses operating in Bluewater Village.  The leadership committee also developed the Downtown District, to which the influx of technology and progress could be mostly contained.

Old Town continues to grow, and with its founders steadily aging, it's only a matter of time before some new services will need to be offered.  The leadership committee has already begun passing along their responsibilities to their heirs, and one of their last decisions is to build a community center and a senior living retirement complex next door to each other so those of them that decide to get away from the hustle-and-bustle of their family homes can live out their days in peace and comfort with others who share their sentiments.

Old Town Tales - Introduction

Old Town is the neighborhood in Sims 2 that I designed to recreate my Sims 1 families.  The most difficult part to bringing all those Sims back is establishing the family trees and relationships I "assigned" to them.  Before, I could get Sims to move in, and then label them what I would--brother, sister, cousin, etc.--and that would be that.  This time, I have to do things a bit more carefully.  How else could I get one man with four children from four different mothers, or a woman with four children from four different fathers?  Or recreate the ghosts that haunted my Sims 1 homes?

As a result, I'm starting many of the families at least 1 generation back--sort of like Sims 3, except that this is Sims 2 and I'm not paying much attention at all to all the details that arose during the transition from Sim 1 to Sims 2 (e.g., Bella's disappearance, deaths of elders, etc.).  So, in Old Town--for now, at least--Generation One is Gunther and Cornelia Goth's and Ginia Kat's (and Mama Hick's since it otherwise doesn't make sense) generation.  Except, here they're all younger--that is, they're all adults.  A few concessions I've made to Sims 2's (and Sims 3's) timelines is that Bella and Michael Bachelor are brother and sister, and Cornelia Goth is Agnes Crumplebottom's sister.  One other issue: the ghosts that haunt the Goth mansion, despite what various sources say, are not going to be Bachelors, etc.  Instead, they will be all Goths (as would seem more appropriate for a family estate, I would think) from the generation prior to Gunther (that is, Grandpa and Grandma would be Gunther's parents--and therefore Mortimer's grandparents, while Uncle and Aunty would be Gunther's aunt and uncle) and Gunther's generation (in this case, Cousin and Vegas are Uncle and Aunty's sons).  Because I would feel uncomfortable forcing the creation of child ghosts, I will deviate slightly and have Bratty (who will be Vegas' illegitimate daughter by an unknown mother) and Boy (who will be Cousin's son through an as-yet undetermined marriage) survive and NOT become ghosts.  Well, maybe later, but that remains to be seen.

Once I get all my families onto Generation Two--the generation of Mortimer and Bella, Michael Bachelor, the Roomies, the Burbs, Claire Charming, Elden Hick--I can finally start the Old Town Tales in earnest.  Including adding the Maxis-made Sims families:  the Mashugas, the Snootypatootys, the Jones, the Valentinos, the Maximus, and the Hatfields.  And then, of course, it will be time to add in the Sims 2 families already sitting in my family bin:  the Travelers, et al.

A couple of things to note, though.  Whatever I wrote in this blog before...while I'll try to recreate their lives according to the entries, somethings I will change things simply because I want to avoid excessive confusion and simply because I have to.  I'm not 100% sure that elders can marry adults, so I will probably change certain things there.  I'm also going to have to change at least 1 family name because, not counting families that will be splitting anyway and starting separate branches (e.g., the Goth family), there will be a conflict between one of the families I made and one the Maxis made.

One new thing:  with the change in child-rearing between Sims 1 and Sims 2, and the amount of time it takes, I've created 3 new families who weren't in my Sims 1 game, for the sole purpose (more or less) of providing childcare services to the other families.  They'll move in to the other families' homes and help raise the babies and toddlers to childhood, at least until there's a teenager able to meet the siblings when they come home from school at 3 p.m.  Then they'll move out, taking with them $20,000 when the do so, and move back into their original family homes, adding to their bank accounts a small but welcome sum.

Whether or not they ultimately get their own stories, I'll just have to wait and see.  Their names, though are the Almamater family, the Foster family, and the Nanny family.  The Almamaters consist of Anna Almamater and her two grown children Brian and Cheryl--Cheryl is the one who will move in and out.  In the Foster family, mother Zelda has retired, but while her son Yancey will take care of her and provide for her with a salary and career, her other two children Xenia and Wyatt will be caring for other families' children.  The Nanny family is big--headed by Woodhouse and Velma Nanny, and counting their six sons and daughters, Byron, Agatha, Gordon, Francesca, Lucas, and Karen.  Byron, Gordon, and Francesca are the go-getters in the family, fully intent on having careers, while Agatha, Lucas, and Karen will inherit their parents' previous roles as childcare providers to others.

Although I'm not certain, I believe that the Almamaters, Fosters, and Nannys will not age the same way as the other families do...instead, I think I might have them continue to provide childcare for multiple generations.  Or, I may change my mind and have them acitvely participate in the childbearing process by generating their own offspring here and there.  Not sure yet, though.

And now, one last thing.  Although by rights most of the elders should eventually die, I will probably end up moving them (and any other Sims I don't have a real use for) into "retirement homes."  So, for example, any families that didn't have Generation One in my Sims 1 game will see their parents move out of the family homes and into these apartment complexes, out of the way, where they can live in sort of self-contained communities (maybe) or just be ignored.  Or I'll let them age and pass away and their heirs can inherit.  I haven't quite decided yet...but with the Apartment option, I can store them off to one side and forget about them.

So, will the family populations in Old Town explode?  Will there be a real story behind Old Town's creation?  When will Mortimer Goth discover the ghosts in his family's mansion?  Wait and see!

Sorry for the delay!

First, thank you to everyone who reads these and bookmarks me as an artist, even though I'm nothing of the sort.  It encourages and inspires me to continue developing the lives of my Sims and creating their backstories, documenting their current lives, and plot the expected and unexpected for their futures.

It's been a while since I wrote a blog piece, as I've been getting comfortable (more and more) with Sims 2.  Fortunately I have all the expansion and stuff packs, so I can do a lot with my Sims.  I also have to thank everyone in the Forums for their advice and help as I run into difficulties with Sims 2.  Without their patient assistance I'd still be stuck with basic families and not know what to do with them.

I'm in the process now of recreating my Sims 1 families...really, after all the effort I put into them and all the stories I told about them, did you think I was just going to forget about them?  I now have an Old Town neighborhood set up in my game where I am slowly recreating the families.  Where before in Sims 1 I couldn't do anything about family connections except what I said about them, here in Sims 2 I can actually do what I said they did.  So, that is what I'm planning to do.  That means, though, that in some cases I'm going to have to start a generation (or two) back so as to actually create the familial relationships that existed in my Sims 1 families.  For example, Grant Stone nee Silver needs to have messed around with one young lady when he was a young man, and that lady would have to have a child, who would also have to have a child, who would then have a son named Brody who would grow into an adult before his mother remarried into the Hick family, giving Grant a great-grandson only a couple of years younger than his youngest.

So, as you can see, it's going to take a while.

Because it's going to be in a separate neighborhood, I'm going to divide this blog a little.  Anything having to do with my Sims 1 families will be preceded by the title "Old Town Tales."  Anything having to do with my current Sims 2 families--which right now are all in Belladonna Cove--will be preceded by the title "BC Chronicles."  If--no, when--I get started on the other neighborhoods, I'll do something similar.

Thank you again for your patience, and within the next couple of days, I should have a couple of BC Chronicles blogs posted about my families in Belladonna Cove.  I'm still trying to figure out how to tie together all the families in Old Town--some had multiple children, deaths and divorces and car accidents--so actual blood relationships are a little tricky.  I should get them done before summer, so please bear with me.

Thank you.

The Burb Family (redux)

The Burbs moved into town after Brad, tired of the hectic, stress-filled city life he'd been stuck in decided to retire early from his job and retreat to the countryside--actually, they only made it as far as the suburbs in Old Town, but it was far enough that life was much more pleasant for him. Tiffany, though she had actually left the small-town life for the glamour of the big city, still returned with her husband and son, Johnny, and their dog Tucker.

For his part, Brad decided to take up the existence of a gentleman farmer.  He even successfully began growing crops to reduce their food bills.  With Tiffany the only working member of the family, this was vital, and Brad did all he could to get his garden to grow.  Still, while he was getting started, they had some lean times and had to go without a lot of things.

Tiffany, who was determined to make it in the Fashion industry, loathed leaving the city and all its opportunities.  However, as she advanced in her career and her hours changed, she soon reconciled herself to the commute.  Now, as a Fashion Columnist, she doesn't even encounter much traffic anymore:  because she starts in the late afternoon, everyone is leaving the city while she's just entering, and the return trip at the midnight hour is even easier.  Still, she does miss the city life a bit.

Johnny, for his part, is glad to be free from the city.  Now he and Tucker can play outside instead of being trapped in the small apartment they'd lived in before.  Tucker is happy, too:  now he can go outside to do his business instead of waiting for someone to let him out.

With their income so limited, it was something of a relief that Tiffany's nephew Ian showed up to help out.  Estranged from his parents (Tiffany's adopted sister and brother-in-law), they met Ian working in the Downtown area as a Paparazzo.  Given that he was rooming with four other reporters away from his wife and child, Brad and Tiffany were happy to invite him to live with them.  It strained their finances a little, but they managed to expand the house to accommodate not only Ian, but his family as well.  Ian and his wife, Willow, got themselves their own room, while their son Ash roomed with Johnny (they were the same age since Brad and Tiffany married and had Johnny late--almost in their forties--while Ian and Willow had Ash when they were 20 and 19 respectively).

For whatever reason, now that Ian was actually living in Old Town, he became aware of a certain...awareness...in himself that he had never encountered before.  Then, what started as a visit for fun to Magic Town became a journey of self-discovery when one of the resident Stranges there told him he had a Gift.  After doing a bit of research, Ian left the rag he was working for and began working with some of Old Town's leading Paranormalists.  It didn't take long for his gift to mature, and soon he was working beside his teachers as an Exorcist in his own right.

Willow, who had been struggling to bring up Ash on her own with only limited financial assistance from her absent husband, was relieved to have helpers and could now devote herself to working on promotion and advancement.  Thanks to some strong friendships and lucky advice from her husband, she soon went independent as the CEO of her own company.  She does make time for her family, however, and is determined to keep Ian well-grounded in the here-and-now and not lose him to the past-and-not-yet-forgotten.

Ash is glad to be living with his father again, and is pleased to have a companion and playmate in Johnny, who is equally pleased.  A little saddened and perturbed that Tucker never responded well to him, Ash was happiest when Ian brought home Dottie, a Dalmatian puppy, just for him.  It remains to be seen, however, whether Ash is happier or Tucker is happier about the new arrival--Tucker, who wasn't getting as much attention from Johnny as he adjusted to his new school, had been feeling lonely and depressed.  Now, with a new playmate and companion of his own, Tucker is one happy dog.

Three paychecks meant that the family could live comfortably, though not well.  Determined to do his part, Brad began looking for ways to make his garden flourish, and other ways to make money.  It was during a solo visit to Magic Town that Brad stumbled across some books and met a man who knew a man who could help set Brad up with a really good garden.  In short order Brad became the owner of a magic wand, and an sudden awareness of exactly why Magic Town was called Magic Town (it wasn't just for its illusionists and stage magicians).

And so, Brad became a fledgling wizard.  To date, he has only used one spell and created one charm.  To help save time in the garden, Brad enchants garden gnomes to do the watering and the weeding.  And to help the family after long days at work and school, he activates a special charm to raise their spirits.  Brad doesn't really want to delve any deeper into the arts...he's satisfied just being able to help his family and his garden.  However, people in Magic Town also convinced him to do a few other things...like raise bees for Beeswax and Honey (which he's fine with, since ithere's nothing magical about that ), making nectar from grapes and elderberries (extremely profitable, and also with nothing magical about it), churning butter and canning preserves (not so profitable, but helpful with his spells and as gifts for friends), and spining gold thread out of beans (which he does have a bit of a problem with, but he overlooks it since he doesn't do it often).

How he's kept the magic a secret from the family, Brad doesn't know.  What Brad doesn't know is that everyone figured out what he was doing but obligingly looked the other way.  After all, he's not hurting anyone with it, and it brings in money, so they're not complaining.

Family Base Income: $3000 (Fashion Columnist--$1050; Exorcist--$1000; CEO--$950)

The Steele Family

Mason Steele moved into town with his wife Elizabeth, their son Micah, and his younger sister Gayle, with no familial connections, no friends, and very little money.  However, despite their initial hardships, Mason very much appreciated the peace and quietude of Old Town.  It was a welcome change from the atmosphere of their previous residence in the big city.  On the other hand, while the Downtown area was filled with its share of unique individuals, it was a little difficult for the Steeles to fit into Old Town's social scene.  After all, it wasn't every day that Old Town welcomed a man with purple hair, his wife who wore blue lipstick, and his sister who wore her dark blue hair in tails.  Despite this, they did their best.

Mason, a Theorist, had been the victim of a malicious practical joke by rivals of his at the university he'd been working at--he'd been on the fast track to tenure while others, who were not as intelligent or as hard-working, had been bypassed.  While in the gym, they'd added a permanent dye to his shampoo.  By rights, it should have eventually grown out, but one of his meaner rivals had added a little something extra.  The end result was that his blonde hair was now purple...permanently.  Angry and embarassed, Mason had left the university and taken a new job in a new town, bringing his family with him.  Old Town residents had been surprised by his hair color, but after the truth was circulated, they accepted him readily enough.  After all, Magic Town was quite nearby, and those residents were much stranger.  By those standards, purple hair was rather tame.

To show her support of her husband, Elizabeth adopted a less than conventional style than she'd previously had.  Now her already dark hair sported midnight blue highlights, and she wore blue lipstick which, surprisingly, matched rather well with her new preference for blue clothing.  Added to her dark eyes and darker mascara, she gave an impression of being exotic and otherworldly, an asset to her in her profession as an Exorcist.  Although she wears a business suit for work, everything still matches, since the suit itself is black.

Compared to her brother and sister-in-law, Gayle is much more individualistic.  She deliberately dyed her blonde hair a dark blue while in her teens, all the better to demonstrate her uniqueness.  She maintained the trend throughout college and into her journalism career, where her dyed hair helped her appear younger, thus giving her an "in" with the younger crowds.  Although she has since risen to become a National News Anchor, the dark blue hair with the two tails has become her trademark, and sets her apart from the rest of her rather drab, generic, clone-like peers.  She's still a professional, and does her job with the same degree of dedication as any of her colleagues, though she does tend not to draw high-visibility assignments (such as dealing with politicians and business leaders) when she's not at the anchor's desk.

While his friends in school are waiting to see what he'll do, Micah chooses to do nothing spectacular with his appearance.  Although he was initially a little embarassed by his father's irreversible appearance, he's come to accept it, and is even pleased that so many of his new Old Town friends think his dad's cool for having such wild hair.  Besides, with an aunt whose fame and notoriety was practically birthed by her unconventional appearance, Micah couldn't help but admit that sometimes standing out was the best way to get ahead.  Not that he would worry about that for the time being...he just wants to get through shool.

Unfortunately, the Steele family couldn't escape less-than-good notoriety for long.  Because Gayle didn't usually draw political interviews, she had no idea that a man she met and fell in love with while on assignment just happened to be a powerful Senator, and a married man in addition.  In her defense, he never told her who he was, only that his name was Grant.  Although she thought he looked familiar, it wasn't until she became pregnant and told him that he revealed himself and promised to divorce his wife to marry her.  Upset, she tried to break things off with him, and the resulting stress of a broken heart and restless mind caused her to miscarry (though the doctors told her that it had really been because of the fall she took when she'd been knocked down while doing a news report at a football game).  Despite the loss of their child, Grant followed through with his divorce from Gertrude Silver and persisted in pressing Gayle to marry him.  Finally, unable to come up with any further excuses and still in love with him, Gayle agreed to marry Grant and he moved into the Steele home.  (Not, however, before Mason told him in no uncertain terms that if Grant ever did anything to hurt Gayle in any way, he would find a way to humiliate Grant far worse than simply having his hair color permanently changed.)

Shortly after Gayle and Grant's wedding, Mason and Gayle's brother Ivan moved in with them.  Of the three of them, he was now the most normal looking, having his natural blonde hair untouched by dye (or whatever had been done to Mason's hair).  And since he was more normal looking than them, Ivan decided he wanted a profession that catered to the normal looking and didn't have to take into account a person's odd taste in appearance (therefore, the majority of people).  To that end, he went into the fashion industry.  Soon realizing that he was wrong about his reasons for his job, he amended his outlook on fashion and has now become a Fashion Columnist who focuses on those same unusual tastes.  While he is a little critical of those who do odd things to themselves just to stand out, he primarily offers guidance on utilizing fashions that stand out without standing out--or at least don't stand out in a negative way.

It was in the course of his work--and his commentary on rock star fashions--that he met, interviewed, and fell in love with an upcoming Rock Star named Sophie.  He helped guide her away from gimmicky outfits and overly revealing outfits and outfits that just didn't work on stage.  Together they crafted her new look, one that tantalized and tempted without revealing, that fit all genres and styles without conforming to any one.  Their collaboration led to their marriage, and Sophie moved into the Steele family home.  It was only on their wedding day that Ivan and the Steeles learned that Sophie was actually part of the wide-ranging Verde clan, which extended to the wealthy Gold family, the well-known Adonii family, and the exceptional Venii family.  For Grant it was a difficult wedding to get through since Sophie's younger brother, Jean-Claude, had replaced him as Gertrude Silver's husband and, despite the relative amicability of their divorce (she spoke with him, albeit coolly and never about their sons), he couldn't help feeling jealous that she had moved on so quickly after their split.

Aurora, Ivan and Sophie's daughter, has thus far grown up much as her cousin Micah did, though without the same stresses he did (relatives with dyed hair caused him a bit, even if he accepted it and others did as well).  She has no plans to dye her hair either, though when she is older she does want to use temporary dye to see how she'd look with pink or green hair.  On the other hand, she knows perfectly well that if she did anything permanent like that, she'd be hit with criticisms on several different fronts since she, like her 3rd cousin Elaine Gold, arguably has the most familial connections in Old Town.

Family Base Income: $5695 (Theorist--$870; Exorcist--$1000; National News Anchor--$975; Senator--$700; Fashion Columnist--$1050; Rock Star--$1100)

The Silver Family (redux)

The Silver family made their fortune, oddly enough, from copper rather than silver.  However, though they were extremely wealthy, none of them had ever had political aspirations before.  That all changed when Gertrude Silver, the current matriarch and head of the Silver family, was appointed to serve out the last months of a city councilman's term in office after he resigned to run for mayor (he lost).  Though she didn't immediately begin seeking political office, she became a familiar face first down in City Hall, and later at the state capitol.

It was while she was working in a senator's office that she first met her future husband, a young corporal who was receiving an award from the governor.  The two met, fell in love, and corresponded and dated for a year and a half before the corporal--now a sergeant--finally asked Gertrude to marry him.  She said yes, and they were wed.

For a time, all was wedded bliss.  While he was deployed and reassigned several times, he was home often enough to get their family started:  six boys, all roughly two years apart in age.  Gertrude raised them to the best of her ability, frequently declining new appointments in the halls of power to be a good mother to her young children.  She loved her sons, but she had a feeling...just a feeling...that her husband didn't feel the same way.  She also had a feeling...actually more like a suspicion...that her husband was being less than faithful to her, but she kept quiet because that was what a wife was expected to do in those days.  Still...

All of that changed when her husband was wounded in the line of duty and was forced to retire, accepting an honorable discharge from the military.  Rather than deal with his depression and frustration all by herself, she urged him to channel his energy into political office.  To his surprise, he turned out to be a rather popular politician, and the political savvy he picked up from her--which Gertrude had gleaned herself from watching behind the scenes--quickly had him going places.

Eventually, once her oldest son was able to supervise his brothers without needing supervision himself, she finally did what everyone had been urging her to do and ran for office.  With her skills, it wasn't long before she rivaled her husband's political rank.  In truth, though she didn't quite reach the same level of politics as he did--he had become a United States Senator while she was a state Senator--she was a better politician than he was, and they both knew it.  Gertrude had a feeling...again, just a feeling...that her husband wasn't happy about this at all.

Because her husband had served with distinction until his discharge, Gertrude backed him in insisting that their sons also enlist.  It didn't matter which branch they went into as long as they served.  Five of her six sons did as they were told.  However, after their oldest son Warren chose not to reenlist and instead enter into civilian law enforcement, her husband summarily disowned him.  Gertrude was deeply saddened by this, but abided by her husbands decision.

Around the same time that Warren left the military, their fifth son, Michael was just finishing high school and was expected to enlist himself.  Michael, however, outright refused to enlist.  Gertrude's husband, outraged, now disowned a second son.  Gertrude, angry herself now, though she openly supported her husband, secretly sent money to Michael, ensuring that he was able to finish college and make a living for himself.  She only stopped when he told her to, not wanting her to get in trouble with her husband.

Gertrude continued to undermine her husband in other ways as well.  Though he had no knowledge of it, her second and fourth sons were closer than anyone else realized.  Lionel (the second son) and Warren had shared a room growing up, and Harrison (the fourth son) and his brother Jason (third son) had shared a room.  Now with Warren gone, Harrison moved into Lionel's room.  Ostensibly it was so Jason could study for deployment overseas, but the truth was a bit different.  Gertrude accidentally found out how close Lionel and Harrison really were when, bothered by insomnia, she peeked in on them as she had done when they were little boys and found them sleeping in the same bed.  She kept it secret from her husband, however, having a fairly good idea what his reaction would be.

Her expectations were proven true when their youngest son, Casper, was forced to leave the military after being caught fraternizing with another man.  Gertrude didn't even get a chance to welcome her son home: her husband sent him a letter telling him that he was disowned and to never come home again.  Furious, Gertrude sent a second letter to Casper, telling him to go to one of his brothers, either Warren (who had married into the Gold family) or Michael (who had taken the name "Smith" and now had a family of his own).  Then she set about planning to divest herself of her less-than-worthy husband.

She needn't have bothered.  Shortly after disowning Casper, her husband asked her for a divorce from his side, and she readily gave it to him.  He wanted some of her estate...he got practically nil.  At her insistence, they had kept their accounts separate, and they reasonably divided what they owned jointly.  At her late father's insistence, her husband had been forced to sign a pre-nuptial agreement--the only way her father would agree to the marriage.  All Gertrude had to give to her husband--now her ex-husband--was a lump sum of roughly 25,000 simoleons.  Gertrude felt this was more than fair, especially since the family he was marrying into was hardly poverty-stricken.

With her former husband gone, she set about rebuilding her family.  Sadly, the home was now too small to welcome her absent sons back--both Warren and Michael now had families of their own, and Casper's boyfriend had now moved in with him at Michael's home.  So, it was a bit of a relief for Gertrude that Jason met and married a young woman named Wanda who was, he told her, also in the military.

In truth, Jason--though he maintained he pretense--was no longer in the military.  After seeing what happened to Warren, he kept his decision not to re-enlist a secret from his parents.  Instead, using contacts he'd made during his overseas deployments, he had begun building a criminal network that specialized in smuggling.  In short, Jason was now a Smuggler.  And his wife Wanda was actually his partner in crime, a Smuggler like himself.  Despite this, they kept up appearances, even to the point of having children (though it was more of an accident with consequences, both Jason and Wanda are happy).

Shortly after the birth of their daughters--first Kendra, then a year later Irene--Wanda decided that it was time to leave the world of crime behind and make something of herself.  Jason, though reluctant to allow it, agreed to it, and helped Wanda find new employment.  She entered into the sciences and, making use of long-dormant skills, quickly became a Theorist.

Although Gertrude was happy to have grandchidlren--and resigning herself to the fact that she wouldn't see her other grandchildren (Warren's and Michael's kids)--she was deeply saddened when Lionel suddenly brought home a lovely young woman and announced that they were getting married.  It didn't surprise her when her son Harrison moved out, but she made no mention about it since neither he nor Lionel had ever acknowledged their relationship openly.  She accepted Michelle into her family readily enough, though she was very disappointed in her second son.

With his father gone, Lionel left the military and embraced his love of music.  It was a bit of a struggle, but he soon became a Rock Star.  Surrounded by groupies, both male and female, he was sorely tempted to stray from his wife.  Michelle, however, who was famous in her own right as a Celebrity Chef, warned him in no uncertain terms that if he ever did wander, she would never agree to a divorce and would instead do everything to make his every meal a nightmare...and since she had studied the cuisines of many different countries and cultures, she could do it, too.  Needless to say, Lionel doesn't stray...the fear of being served obscure, exotic dishes that sometimes stared back at you or moved on your plate is sufficient to curb his interests.

Gertrude herself found new love.  Although she, as a Senator, was supposed to avoid scandal like a plague, Gertrude married the younger (much younger) man who had brought love back into her life.  Jean-Claude was scarcely older than her son, Michael, and was coincidentally the cousin of Warren's wife.  Despite the age difference, they are deeply in love with each other, and their intimate moments are all the better for her experience and his energy.

Jean-Claude, though he dons a suit to fuflill his role as CEO of a major company, very much prefers shorts and a windbreaker--no shirt.  Athletic and fit, he knows Gertrude likes how he looks and does all he can to keep her happy.  Though it wasn't really his thing, he began wearing a skimpy thong to bed, just for her.  Now he's used to it, and besides, she loves the way he looks in it.

Gertrude would gladly have all her sons back with her, but the Silver estate can only accommodate so many.  And though she knows it's impossible at her age, she would love to give Jean-Claude a son or daughter.  Still, he seems happy, so she's happy, and, really, that's all that matters, so she's satisfied with how her life turned out.

Family Base Income:  $5280 (Senator - $700; Rock Star - $1,100; Smuggler - $900; Theorist - $870; Celebrity Chef - $760; CEO - $950)

The Nocturne Family

Long time residents of Old Town knew there was something...different...about Selena Nocturne almost immediately when she moved into town with her adult son, Ereban.  Maybe it was the strange knowledge she somehow knew about people she'd only just met.  Perhaps it was her intention to open a boarding house in town instead of letting overcrowded neighbors live with her, as the Millers and the Generics did.  Or maybe it was the rumors coming out of Magic Town of how she visited every day, and won an obscenely high number of duels with even such potent spellcasters as Vicki the Vampiress.  Whatever the reason, people regarded the Nocturnes with wary friendship, cautiously, the way one would approach a dog or cat that appeared friendly enough but might actually turn out to be vicious.

Selena didn't really notice, but her son Ereban did.  His mother had obviously been a beauty when she was younger, and he had inherited her good looks, metabolism, and overall physique.  Having learned from his mother at an early age how to mend and make his own clothing, he got a job in the Fashion industry, first as a clerk, then doing very well as a tailor.  Eventually his good looks got him noticed, and in no time at all he was a model very much in demand.  With his skills he could have risen to become a very wealthy designer, but he had no desire to suffer the need for constant innovation and creation, and he grew tired of traveling almost constantly for fashion shows around the world.  When it presented itself, he jumped at the opportunity to settle down.  Now, as an internationall syndicated Fashion Columnist, Ereban can do much of his work from town instead of having to travel around the world.  Ah, the wonders of modern technology!

Selena, deciding that she needed to do something about the reputation she'd acquired (and needing an income to help make ends meet while she worked on her boarding house idea), went back to work.  The hours were a little unpleasant at first, but she finally managed to become a Personal Tour Guide.  Now out and about in town and wherever else, people became a bit less wary around her and much more friendly.  Socializing with others also helped to ease the antagonism that had arisen in Magic Town following her uncanny winning streak in dueling.

Finally able to open her boarding house--financed though it was primarily by Ereban's income--Selena welcomed her first customer, Asteria.  What she didn't expect, however, was that Ereban would fall in love with the young lady.  After the two married, Selena had no choice but to stop charging Asteria rent.

Asteria is something of a daredevil.  Although not circus folk herself, she loved the circus, loved the bustle of the crowd, loved the gasps and screams at the death-defying stunts of the performers.  So when she got the chance, she joined the circus.  She aimed for the top, but since the Ringmaster position was filled (and wasn't likely to become vacant any time soon), she settled for working with the big cats as a Lion Tamer.

Selena, after her husband died, had never considered marriage again, but when Ereban married Asteria and Asteria's father Morphien arrived for the wedding, she fell in love again.  After a very brief courtship, the two were married.  With space beginning to run low in the house, Selena gave up the idea of a boarding house and just settled for being a housewife...albeit one with a secret she hadn't shared with anyone yet, not even her son.

Morphien shared his daughter's courage (some would say recklessness).  It took a little while--people weren't sure about an older man trying to do things even young men feared--but his skill on the track makes him one of the best Grand Prix Drivers around.  As an older man, though, he's less inclined to travel and has no desire to become an International Spy.

Shortly after their wedding, Asteria visited Studio Town and met a young man looking for a place to stay.  Although she knew things were tight at home, she also knew that Selena was looking for an excuse to find a larger house to live in.  She therefore invited Benjamin Anybody to move in with them.

Benjamin was a Wedding Singer hoping to make it to the big time.  He had been hanging around Studio Town hoping to get noticed by an agent.  However, becoming a little desperate to get his chance, he made the conscious decision to do anything--even to becoming somebody's love toy--to get ahead.  And he did just that.  What he hadn't planned on, however, was actually falling in love.  With his career now taking a backseat to his lovelife, he devoted himself to making and keeping his Somebody happy.

Ron Somebody had his share of women, and had enjoyed many a night in the arms of one woman or another.  However, he quickly became disgusted with their mercenary attitudes--his fault, he supposed, for choosing from the would-be models and actresses and singers who frequented Studio Town.  For his next conquest and love toy, then, he would choose a man...and he chose Benjamin Anybody (now Nocturne).  At first, he was a little suspicious of Benjamin's motives for letting himself be used so, and Ron had been ready to throw him out at the first sign of being used himself.  However, it quickly became apparent to him that he was falling in love with Benjamin, and that Benjamin was genuinely in love with him.  Not fighting it any longer, Ron moved in with Benjamin into the Nocturne house, which was now quite crowded.

The Stranges of Magic Town would swear that Alfred's B&B had stood on a hill overlooking Magic Town.  However, between the day that Selena purchased the lease to the old, dilapidated house on the hill and the next morning when her family moved in, the hill had mysteriously vanished, and the tall, narrow B&B had been replaced with a fairly large, sprawling manor house.  No one could explain how it had happened, but--as was the way of the Stranges--everyone simply accepted it and moved on with their lives.

It wasn't long before Ereban and Asteria welcomed their first child, a boy whom they named Deimon.  In short order they also welcomed his younger sister, Hecathia, into the world.  The two children, though not twins, very closely resemble each other in mannerism and in fashion choices.  The chief difference between them (besides their genders) was simply that Deimon resembled his father and grandmother with his dusky tan skin, while Hecathia resembled her mother and grandfather with her light complexion.

Now, finally living with the love of his life, Benjamin has given up on making it to the big screen like his Superstar main man Ron, and has settled for seeing his name in lights as a Broadway Star.  Ron, on the other hand, is being recognized wherever he goes.  To date he has earned two SIMMY awards, as well as a gold and bronze award for bringing fashion to life on the runway.

Family Base Income: $4200 (Fashion Columnist--$1050; Personal Tour Guide--$450; Grand Prix Driver--$825; Lion Tamer--$775; Broadway Star--$1100)

***Update 27 August 2010***

Not too long after moving in with his boyfriend Benjamin, Ron Nocturne finally attained his long-sought Superstardom.  With his new status comes new hardship as women--and men--now try to hook-up with him.  However, though he may flirt with them, especially if he's working with them on the set for movies and such, he remains devoted and true to Benjamin.  Not that it hasn't been easy--despite himself, Ron can't help noticing that some of the women are very beautiful and that some of the men are hot.  Still, knowing what they actually want from him helps to ground him...after all, what's a short, unsatisfying affair compared to a loving, long-term relationship?  For Ron...nothing at all.

The Naturos Family

Not much is known about the generally reclusive Naturos family, not even the correct pronunciation of their family name.  What is known is that they are of Greek ancestry, they are all brothers and sisters (4 of each) with the same parents, and that they all have some strange, unusual talents that defy rational explanation.  Then again, since Old Town is connected to Magic Town, the citizens are used to not having rational explanations for a lot of things.

Nychtos Naturos, the oldest brother and the oldest child, has an unusual fondness for black.  With black hair and predominantly black clothing, it's easy to think him somber and serious.  However, despite his color preferences, he has been making it big as a Rock Star...it seems the babes (and some buds) dig his pseudo-Goth civilian persona, even if his music doesn't quite match the image.

Lumina Naturos is the oldest sister and the second oldest child.  Unlike her brother, she enjoys the light and dresses in the colors of the sunrise (or sunset).  With her golden hair, it's hard to believe that she and Nychtos are related at all.  However, what they do share is a notable physical beauty, which stood her well as she pursued a career in fashion.  She retired from active modeling to become a Fashion Columnist, though she occasionally returns to life in front of the cameras as favors for dear friends in the industry.

Pyros and Hydros Naturos, the second and third boys, are twins.  However, they are markedly different in personalities and preferences.  Pyros is really big on physical fitness and has a fiery personality that really ignites passions in others.  Hydros, by comparison, though no slouch physically, has a more relaxed, go-with-the-flow personality that more or less goes along passively with what others say.  However, Pyros knows better than to go directly against Hydros in any way, because while Hydros generally yields to others, if he feels strongly enough about something, his will won't bend and he will wash over and carry away anything in his path.  With their differing personalities, Pyros uses his charisma best in the boardroom as a CEO, while Hydros can be counted on to carry floundering stage shows to success--supporting weaker, less experienced performers as needed--as a Broadway Star.

Actually, originally Pyros used his charisma for stirring up audiences as a Rock Star while Nychtos' dark preferences allowed him to bully weaker personalities in the board room as a CEO.  However, both felt unfulfilled, and because their talents and skills were complimentary (Nychtos had always followed Music as a hobby, and Pyros had a business degree and did his own self-marketing to great success), they wound up switching professions with each other.  It didn't take long for both to find new success, with Pyros carrying Nychtos' company to new heights and Nychtos' career eclipsing Pyros' in no time at all.

Unlike her brothers, Eartha Naturos is a more down-to-earth person.  Not for the second sister the path to fame and fortune.  Eartha instead chose to pursue education as a career, believing she could do a better job helping others find glory than she could finding it for herself.  Still, she's done all right.  As a College Dean, she does occasionally figure into news stories and politics, but she does her best to avoid the publicity, feeling that it distracts and detracts from the goals of education.  There are some who might say she lets others (including her family) walk all over her, but that's because they've never come up against her directly:  she can be as immovable as a mountain if she feels strongly enough about something.

Windia Naturos, the third sister, doesn't seek fame and fortune either, but that's more because she doesn't really have the focus and determination to see things through.  Except for her career, she flits from one thing to the next, jumping from one fad to another, her opinions always shifting depending which way the figurative wind is blowing.  However, if she does ever settle onto one thing--such as her career--it's a risk to go up against her:  once she sets her mind on something, she will bowl through anything in her path to achieve it.  Thus, her path to becoming and Astronaut was filled with angry and disgruntled fellow recruits who couldn't make the cut, many of whom had actually helped her along her way but who had been unable to follow her as she assimilated everything they had to teach and surpassed them all.

Lectros Naturos, the youngest brother, has a lot of things going for him.  Besides sharing in the family's good looks, he also has a sharp mind, a quick wit, and devastating sense of humor, and an utterly inappropriately uncanny timing for inserting quips and puns, striking suddenly and without warning to change the mood of the room, should it ever be needed.  All his friends in school like him, and it's not unusual for him to be surrounded by a group of boys and girls, planning for outrageous (but never dangerous) pranks to amuse and entertain even the strictest, sternest, stodgiest teachers in school.

Frigia Naturos, the youngest sister and the youngest child, often watches her older brother's antics with disdain.  Though she shares in her family's beauty, her cool personality either makes her seem more mature or less mature than she actually is.  She has her friends, of course, and her own gang of hangers-on in school, but while she knows she is far less popular than Lectros, she also has a clear career path in mind for herself:  Journalist.  She sees herself as being the cool, impartial investigative reporter able to present the facts objectively, without the political commentary or clever plays on words that so many reporters and news anchors seem to employ.

From the moment of their arrival in Old Town, the Naturos family has been the subject of a great deal of gossip.  Rumors have been flying that pedestrians walking by in the street have caught glimpses of a little man in a blue shirt and a tall red cap has been puttering around in the family garden, but on subsequent visits, only an immobile stationary garden gnome could be seen.  It's also been reported that someone saw one of the Naturos sisters spinning some sort of thread on a spinning wheel--a thread the gleamed and shimmered in the light.  One night-time stroller recalls seeing one of the Naturos brothers picking toadstools out of the lawn and sticking them in his pocket instead of throwing them into the trash.  And among other things, the Naturos brothers and sisters have made names for themselves as excellent duelists and performers in Magic Town.  Other citizens believe it's all part of the show, and their skill as performers in the sideshows isn't unlikely since so many of them are or were in performance-related industries...but people still wonder what the Naturos family is all about.

For a brief time, Nychtos considered moving the family into Magic Town, because they already spent so much time in Magic Town anyway.  However, after seeing the available properties, he felt that his brothers and sisters--especially Lumina, Eartha, and Lectros--would be unahppy there.  He had no problem with the darkness that was so prevalent in Magic Town, but his family's interests came first...always.  So, he's content to being the occasional visitor instead of the long-term resident.  It bodes well to make life a little harder...but it would be nothing compared to how difficult life would be if his family was unhappy and made their feelings known.

***Update 27 August 2010***

Deciding to take a chance, Hydros left the Broadway stage for Studio Town.  After some ups and downs--though really, more ups than downs--he came out on top and joined the elite as a Superstar.  Despite some initial competition with Ron Nocturne, who was wary of any up-and-comers, the two collaborated on a few projects and became good friends.  However, because their careers are always moving in different directions, since achieiving Superstar Status Hydros has been unable to work with Ron.  They maintain their friendship with occasional chats in Studio Town and infrequent visits with each other at home.  On the really rare instances when neither is working or when they both have early calls for film shoots, they get together in Downtown for some...er...down time.

Family Base Income:  $4425 (CEO-$950; College Dean-$700; Astronaut-$625; Rock Star-$1100; Fashion Columnist-$1050)

The Goth Sr. Family

Gunther Goth brought his family--his wife Cornelia and their son Mortimer--from the old country.  After a bit of hard work and a bit of good fortune, he founded--with a bit of assistance from the Landgraabs--what would one day become Old Town.

Eventually, as is the natural progression of things, Mortimer left to strike out on his own, leaving behind a gracefully aging Gunther and Cornelia.  With only each other and their cats, Hecuba and Menelaus, for company, Gunther left the life of a professor emeritus and became a College Dean.  Cornelia focused on Society (with a capital S) and, given her wealth and her family connections, became the focal point of what was developing into a rather elite and exclusive grapevine.

When Mortimer moved back into the neighborhood with his new bride, Bella, Gunther and Cornelia couldn't be happier...at least not until their first grandchild, Cassandra was born.  Glad to take a backseat to their son, Gunther and Cornelia became the Goth Srs., allowing Mortimer to step forward as a new player in Society.

After incorporation into Old Town, the Goth Srs. led a more reclusive life than before.  Gunther continued on as College Dean, and Cornelia continued with the Sim City Bridge Society, continued hosting high teas, and continued studying the shapes of people's heads.  Cassandra didn't come over as often (Bella was working to bond with her strange, unusual daughter), saddening both Gunther and Cornelia.  All that changed when a certain woman--two or three years older than Mortimer--arrived in Old Town and calmly told Gunther that she was his daughter.  This news stunned Gunther and Cornelia and Mortimer, certainly, but also all of Old Town as scandal seemed to raise its ugly head.  However, the young woman's story quickly proved that there had been no wrong-doing at all, just a bit of pre-marital hanky-panky.

Before Gunther and Cornelia moved from the old country--indeed, before Gunther and Cornelia even met--Gunther had served in the military.  While on a week's leave with his friends, they did a bit of traveling and wound up in a Danish tavern.  After becoming rather intoxicated, Gunther wound up in bed with a beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, buxom Scandinavian girl.  As they had to return to their unit, Gunther and his friends left the next morning.  What Gunther didn't know was that the one-night stand was sufficient to result in a pregnancy and, later, a baby girl, whom her mother named Hildegaard...or Hildy for short.  Gunther finished his term, went home, met and married Cornelia, and had a son with her:  Mortimer.  He had no idea that he also had a daughter.

Hildy, upon her mother's death, gathered up her belongings and moved into Old Town.  She hadn't planned on settling there--or even meeting Gunther.  But, upon learning that the man who might be her father was the town patriarch, she naturally had some questions...questions that her mother had never bothered to answer (or known the answer to).

Cornelia, naturally, became a bit upset that her husband had kept a secret from her all those years, but after getting to know Hildy, accepted that it hadn't been a secret so much as an unknown truth.  She graciously invited Hildy to stay with them until she found a place of her own.

Hildy, however, upon discovering that much of the family's wealth had been passed along to Mortimer and that Gunther and Cornelia were surviving--not living, but surviving--on his meager salary as College Dean, decided that she couldn't simply abandon the father she was just getting to know and the woman she was quickly becoming good friends with.  She began working as a Department Store Clerk, and--capitalizing on her striking Scandinavian features--became a much sought-after model.  In no time at all she became a Fashion Columnist.  But the income wasn't enough...not yet.

Around this time, Hildy met and fell in love with a struggling Subway Musician named Charles.  With her support and the permission of Gunther and Cornelia--who allowed them to marry and move in with them permanently--Charles worked his way through the industry, finally becoming a Rock Star.  Now, with a substantially improved financial situation, Hildy was ready to settle into her career, let Charles settle into his, and allow Gunther and Cornelia to retire completely and not worry about anything.

Gunther, however, refused to retire and Cornelia--with the finances no longer in dire-straits--resumed her high teas and bridge games.  Moreover, Hildy had to go on maternity leave, not once but twice, thanks to her loving, virile, vigorous husband.  Now, with two children--Emily and Arthur--to take care of and whose needs (and wants) needed to be met, Gunther had more reason to remain at the college.

Fortunately, though, Cornelia is happy to have the chance to spend time with her step-grandchildren (her own grandchildren are infrequent visitors after all) and help raise them while Hildy and Charles work.  She has even taken it onto herself to find ways to earn additional money to provide the children with allowances.  At a suggestion from Mama Hick, whom she knew through a mutual acquaintance, she looked into crafting Garden Gnomes or carving Stone Gargoyles.  The work was a bit much for an elderly woman, though, so she also looked at making homemade butter, canning preserves, and harvesting honey.  It isn't much, but she makes enough on the side to keep the children happy and contribute a bit to the family budget.

Hecuba and Menelaus, who only had the other for entertainment and society, now enjoyed the petting and hugging and games they play with Emily and Arthur.  They find the two children a welcome change from Cassandra, who always made them uncomfortable with the intensity of her observations of them.

Family base income: $2850 (College Dean-$700, Fashion Columnist-$1050, Rock Star-$1100)

***Update: 18 August 2010***

Despite Cornelia's contributions to the household income through selling Garden Gnomes, churning butter, spinning gold thread, and making preserves, Charles and Hildy felt it better if one or the other of them could earn more money.  So, Charles left the Music Industry and instead worked hard to become a Venture Capitalist.  It's only $200 more, but every little bit helps.  So, the income changes as follows:

Family base income: $3050 (College Dean-$700; Fashion Columnist-$1050; Venture Capitalist-$1300)

The Hick Family

Mama and Elden Hick woke up one morning to learn they were residents in a newly incorporated community named Old Town.  It didn't matter much to them because life pretty much went on for them and their three dogs, Leroy, Duke, and Bobo.  Elden was still unemployed, and Mama was still struggling to make ends meet with a minimum wage job as a Dishwasher.

That all changed when Elden met Sally.  Like Mama, Sally was a single parent who had struggled to raise her son Brody and put him through school and college.  Sally had given birth when she was just fifteen, so she was still a relatively young woman when she met Elden.  It was love at first sight...although Elden was aware of Sally's salary as a Security Consultant.  Despite that, there was no denying the chemistry between them, and in short order the two were married, and Sally moved in with Elden and Mama and the dogs.

Brody, who had by this time graduated from college (in three years, thanks to summer school, advanced placement classes, and carrying full loads of classes each semester), was living at home and looking for a job.  He moved in with the Hicks as well, determined to protect his mother after all she'd done for him.  Having never known his father--whom his mother had told him had possesed a "love 'em and leave 'em" mentality--he was suspicious of Elden's intentions, especially after seeing the Hicks' run-down trailer-park home.  But, seeing how truly in love Sally and Elden were, he gave the couple his blessing and did what he could to improve the house.

After going on numerous interviews and getting nowhere, Brody asked his acquaintances and friends in Old Town about what he should do.  Finally, after all the talking and all the interviews, he finally found a job in a field that suited his skills and his temperment: he became an athlete.  The first few days as a Mascot were torture, especially since he was always tired from doing odd jobs around the house before reporting for work.  Finally, though, something at home changed that let him get more rest, and he was finally promoted.  One opportunity led to another, and he quickly rose to become a Coach.  Though he briefly toyed with the idea of trying to become a Hall of Famer, he decided that he was happy where he was helping others to succeed in athletics.

Sally, happy that her son and her new husband were getting along, and that she was getting along with her new mother-in-law, was able to focus on her career and quickly became a Venture Capitalist.  The hours were long and hard--for 9 hours work she earned 1,300 Simoleons, the most someone at her level could earn--and the pay-per-hour wasn't the best (she would have needed to be a Theorist for that), but she didn't see how becoming an Information Overlord would have made that great a difference, especially since the risks were so high (one mistake and no one would trust her for information again).  So, she settled into her job with something approaching contentment.

The influx of Sally's and Brody's salaries into their finances meant that Mama could relax a bit and reassess her life.  She had once been a beauty queen, but the years had taken a toll.  She decided instead to continue in the food service industry, but she would definitely get away from the sink and do something more with her career.  Now able to study a bit, Mama did just that.  Experimenting on the family and taking tips from Brody, who was the best cook in the family, she proved herself and managed to become a Sous Chef.  The pay is only double what she was making as a Dishwasher--not much at all--but it was a start.

It took a little while, but Elden and Sally had a son, William.  As the individual who truly joins the family together, William found himself very much loved and indulged.  He was by no means spoiled, however.  Active and playful, he also has a keen sense of responsibility.  Although everyone would rather he focus on his studies, William has taken it upon himself to also bathe the dogs on a regular basis.  He shares a bedroom and a bed with Brody of necessity--the tight budget couldn't really allow for building a whole separate room for him--but he doesn't mind.

Although Elden knows he should really be contributing to the household finances, his laid-back personality really doesn't allow it.  Instead, he has improved his skills as a cook, and now gets up early to prepare breakfast for the family.  He also does dinner.  He also feeds the dogs, bathes them when William has friends over, and cleans up their messes (the dogs are housebroken, but they do sometimes go in their enclosed yard--outside by the fire hydrant, nature takes care of itself).  He does all he can to shoulder the stresses of house management so his family can come home to a clean, comfortable atmosphere where they can all kick back and relax...when they're not juggling relationships, that is.

Leroy, Duke, and Bobo are happy with their expanded family.  They all sleep in Mama's room, but their food bowls are in the back yard.  William plays with them and also slips them treats at the dinner table.  Leroy prefers doing his business out-of-bounds by the fire hydrant, but Duke and Bobo are so obsessed with some wind chimes that Elden gave Mama for her birthday years ago that they often wind up relieving themselves right around it.  They also all love teasing the paper girl by barking and threatening to chase her each morning.  They also enjoy a good fight with El Bandito, the raccoon--unfortunately, they don't always win.

***Update 20 June 2010***

Mama graduated from being a Sous Chef to Head Chef, then she took time off from the kitchen to study other restaurants by becoming a Restaurant Critic.  Then, capitalizing on everything she had learned, she wrote a Cook Book, and finally opened her own restaurant--the Welcome Home Diner, where you'll always be able to enjoy a taste of Mama's cooking.  Now, as a Celebrity Chef, she's famous in another way too:  she's the first Celebrity Chef to work in hair curlers!

Elden, who previously was satisfied with just taking care of the house while the rest of the family worked and studied, became tired of being dependent on them for everything.  Then he discovered that people were willing to pay for what he did for fun--make things!  Now he spends several hours each day carving and painting Garden Gnomes or chiseling out Gargoyles for people's gardens and homes.  At 100 simoleons a piece, and making between 12 and 18 of these a day, he makes more than even his wife!  No longer feeling like a burden, he's happy to share the chores of cooking with his step-son Brody.

***Update 21 June 2010***

Although Sally and Brody reportedly had no ties to anyone in Old Town prior to moving into town and subsequently entering the Hick family, rumors have surfaced that there is at least one individual with a direct blood connection to Sally and/or Brody.  The gossip network suggests that the individual is one of Sally's parents (confirmed false), Sally's brother or sister (generally discredited), Sally's cousin (accepted as potentially true) or some other relation (deemed unlikley), Brody's unknown father (greatly favored and hinted at but not yet proven), or Brody's half-brother or half-sister through his unknown father (second most favored but unconfirmed).

***Update 28 June 2010***

Family income: $3060 (Celebrity Chef-$760, Venture Capitalist-$1300, Coach-$1000)

The truth is out!  Sally and Brody DO have a connection to Old Town, but it is one that even they didn't know:  Grant Steele is Sally's grandfather, and thus Brody's GREAT-grandfather.  [Player's note--I did the math.  If Grant met Sally's grandmother when he was 17 and she was 15 and got her pregnant, and their daughter had Sally when she was 17, then Grant would only be 35 at the time of her birth.  By the time Sally had Brody when she was 15, Grant would only be 50.  And when Brody graduated from college at 19--he graduated from high school at 16 because he was so smart and diligent--Grant would only be 69.  So it's entirely possible.  Highly unlikely, but not impossible.  And given the dramas the Silver family is prone to, entirely probable.]