Wedding Inspirations

I talked with Li and she recommended a great website to look for wedding inspiration, so I found some ideas.

Honeymoon Planning

Li wants to know where we're going for the honeymoon. It's a surprise! I plan on taking her to Kimikura, the home of her ancestors to visit her grandparents whom she hasn't seen since she was a toddler. I was able to find them and convince them to keep the trip a secret, I hope Li will like it.

Education Note: Hobbies

Johan Dawson Shazad

With the new deal, the responsibility seems to have fallen upon me to expose the hood's youngest residents to the world of hobbies and leisure time. Students can become exposed to cuisine through family activities of dining out. Also, students will be exposed to various lesiure time activites when they study for thier skill tests.



Here are some ways in which students will be exposed to leisure activities. I will post another note detailing changes in curriculm and class schedules.



Arts and Crafts

Art Class: Students will take pictures and paint to expose them to art.



Film and Literature

Classroom reading assignments and field trips to art gallery.



Fitness

Physical Education class students will practice tai chi and yoga.



Games

Recess: Students will have access to darts and chess.



Music + Dance

Physical Education class students will pratice ballet. Music class: students will practice violins (take up less space).



Nature

Science class: students will maintain a class aquariam and participate in bird watching and bug collecting.



Science

Science class: students will maintain a class ant farm.


Sports

Physical Education class-students will practice soccer and boxing. Recess, students have access to various balls for playing catch and basketball.



Tinkering

Science class: students will learn to repair objects.

New Family and Babies

My in-laws and I want children, well-they want grandchildren. The only thing is that Rebecca doesn't want a child right now. Perhaps she will think differently in a few simdays. I think a little one running about would be wonderful. A little girl that looks like her mother. My twin brother, Jorge, and his wife are trying to have a baby. I wish them all the luck in the world. I need to visit with him, perhaps we should go out for dinner. Invite Antonio as well, and have a brother's night out.

An Unexpected Visitor

Ayanna Kent stopped by today right before I walked the children to school. Her husband died during the night and she wanted to chat about funeral services. I told her to call me later or I'd stop by The Centre to chat with her.

Well, the funeral will be rather small. A wake at thier house, I'll speak a few words and then the family will walk to the church to have his tomb laid at rest. Such a sad time, especially with thier daughter getting married soon. A damper on the events if you ask me.

Election Time

I'm running for Community Director. It's official. I threw my name in the hat and now I'm trying to campaign. Mostly chatting up residents and finding out the issues. I don't know how much I'll be able to campaign with the pregnancy, but I will try my best. Right now Jorge is helping me develop my platform, I'm thinking of something along the lines of building the arts and culture of the isle.

Walkingz Withz the Kats

Theres lots of katxz on this isle, i saw another one at the centrals park. i think it's jadhira's kat. i haven't seen much of jadhira-shez not happy with me much, since i got married and had babiesx b4 her. i think she may have a babi on thez way. i saw her huzband at the store buyins a nursery crib. it wasz cute crib. maybe she'll letz me throw her a babi showerz, that would be cool.

Election

With the upcoming election I will have to give up my post as Financial Director. That would be fine if there were lots of candidates, but thus far, it's been quiet. Lots of sims have declared candidancy for the Community Director position, but only a few have indicated interest in the Financial Director position. I think I'll poll the business owners and see who's interested.

New Life

I was shopping this simday at The Centre, checking out investment options for the granddaughters and I ran into Cassandra Grey. She was going on and on about her daughter's wedding and how excited she was to gain a new son-in-law since her sons are both dead (tragic, dead so young). I know her pain since her son married our daughter, Elda and together they (along with our grandchildren) died in the storm. It was exciting listening to her go on about the newness of life. She said that we should consider donating to the church fund and having one of the pews dedicated to our children. I wonder if that would help us grieve.

Bonding

Faith and Susie seem to be bonding quite nicely. They share a bedroom and it's decorated in purple (for Faith) and flowers (for Susie). Susie isn't as outgoing as Faith, but Faith seems to have taken Susie under her wing-even though they are the same age. However Susie does teach Faith new things. They were playing chess and Susie talked to Faith a little bit about the blue alien history. It was the first I heard of one of the twins discussing thier history and I wasn't aware that Susie knew so much...I wonder if she was taught or was it inate?

Dead

Fidel is dead, old age finally claimed my husband. I am in shock, but must be strong. I am the hood president and the pillar of the community. According to protocal the family must take a day and mourn Fidel, so this simTuesday we're staying home and having a wake. I must order the family some appropiate attire and Fiona will have to cancel her bacherlorette party.

Ginger is Finally Married

I say finally, but she's the first of our three daughters to marry and she might be the only one. Marilyn has went off exploring the world and she maintains that she's not the least bit interested in men. Hazel Starr has moved to Bottom Beach to be closer to work opportunities and her modeling contract. Thank goodness for that, otherwise she would simply be adrift without a job. She and Etta Leigh are sharing an apartment, for the time being, but the modeling keeps her busy while she looks for more acting opportunities.

A New Generation

Rebecca and Julio are finally married, soon Rayne and I will step back in the home. We've already turned the reins over to Rebecca for the business, but we still maintain control over the home to some degree. It's strange with the newlyweds in the house. At the wedding we met the new resident everyone has been buzzing about, Li Yoo. She seems like a nice individual, a bit quiet but very articulate...cute too.

A Son

Boys are different from girls. At least Harvis is very different from Susie and Faith. I shouldn't expect them to be the same, but...

I sat down with Harvis at CupaJava (I wish we had taken the kids to the park instead, but Nicole wanted to pick up some baked goods and she ran into friends and got into a long conversation) and we chatted about his recent move from Simmerville to Apple Valley. He talked about his aunt and his older siblings. I encouraged him to post on the SUN boards, but he said that he rather stare at the stars.

I think I should keep him away from the telescope, there were warnings about the blue and green aliens. What if his blue alien ancestors want him to return to thier planet? What if the green aliens kidnap him? No, perhaps he should look into another hobby...like music.

Helping

I attended the Bridal Shower for Fiona. It was a nice event, I was able to help two women who had questions about babies. I guess they knew that as leader of the Homemaker's Society I would have the answers. I think it would be good to write an article and send it to be published somewhere like Simmerville. Maybe even have a parenting book! Wouldn't that be wild!

Making New Friends

I shared a table with Grex Mendenhall, the farmer of the isle. He's a bit shy, I wonder if it's because we kids used to tease him about his mother being green. I hope that's all under the bridge now. I mean, we were kids and it was all in fun. My brothers want to meet for a "bros nite out". Until something like a sports bar or nightclub gets built, it will be a pretty boring nite out.

Married Woman

Finally I am a woman. A married woman! The wedding was nice, very simple. And I think I'm pregnant! How wonderful! Soon there will be a baby...perhaps. I haven't been feeling very well and all I seem to think about is babies and baby stuff. Mom is helping Grex with the market by preparing turkey dinners. I am studying under her, learning to cook and she's teaching me some cleaning tips as well. Things are going wonderful!

Scoping the Crowds

The election is coming soon and I put my name in the hat for Financial Director. I wondered what was on the resident's minds, so I grabbed some simoleans and walked to the Green Tables. There I played the card tables (and lost quite a bit to Li and Tobi-I still think they cheated, but you can't accuse the Security Director of cheating and expect to be dealt with lightly) and picked the brain of my fellow residents. I am developing my platform and it seems like most of the residents have complaints about the lack of entertainment options on the isle. Since the FD is in charge of builds and real estate, perhaps I could give incentives to area businesses to add more entertainment. Heck! I have an empty upper level at CupaJava, I could build a nightclub...or sports bar for after hours. It would require more employees and perhaps some shift work, but it could work...hmm...

Archives/Technology: Website Changes

Li Yoo Sweeny

I think the online paper could use a little more "jazz". Especially the annoucement pages. Perhaps we should ask residents for photos with thier annoucements (Engagement Photos, Birth Annoucements, etc)

Also, Blueberry Bluff allows other hoods to display thier news. I think that Apple Valley should participate in the endeavour, also we should aire local news broadcast on SBN. I would be the natural choice for news anchor.

Another thing, I think we should have id photos of the residents with thier resident profile. Perhaps similar to Simmerville's listing of households.

Bachelor/Bachelorette Party

Tobi and I had a joint bachelor/bachelorette party. Tobi sent out the invitations since I don't know a lot of sims here on the island yet. I met quite a few women and we all had a blast drinking and dancing and being silly. It was wonderful!


Unfortunately, the conversation drifted into politics quite a bit since the Hood President's daughter was there and another woman who was thinking about entering the election. Thank goodness I won't be entering, my position as a civic employee means that I don't have to be elected, I just need the skills. The elections are weird here-especially since the island is so small, but that's a topic for another day.

Growing Family

Rebecca is married and our sons are settling into thier new hoods. Things are going nicely I must say and my new son-in-law is very sweet. I adore him. I told him that he should consider running for the Community Director position in the upcoming elections. He has a few simdays to think about it before he needs to declare his candidancy, but he would be the perfect fit.

Owning The Peacock

There are rumors that The Peacock is up for grabs and I'm considering buying it, but I'm not sure about it.

I love baking and my job at CupaJava is wonderful, I get to create wonderful baked goods and sometimes even wedding cakes and catered events. I would have to give up my job with CupaJava (possibly)

I'm not sure about running a business. I'm not the best chef out there-besides baking-so being the chef at The Peacock would be very hard to say the least.

I could simply manage The Peacock and keep my job with CupaJava, but the more I think about it, the more I simply don't want that responsibility. Maybe another sim...but not me, I don't want to spend my days managing a business and running employees.

Chilly

I ran into Carmela at CupaJava and we chatted about the weather and the need for the children to get new coats and sweaters to prepare for the chill. She said that the next time I stop at The Blossom Salon, that her husband would give us a discount on our purchases. That would be nice, with three sets of coats and sweaters to buy and Susie needs a haircut as well, any discount would be appreciated. Thankfully the twins inherited some simoleans from thier father in Simmerville. a little of $11,000 each. We are only allowed to use 25% of thier funds for help with thier upbringing now-but that will be plenty to add an addition to the house so they can have seperate rooms, getting thier clothing and of course food and bills. We're investing the rest in some silver so that they can use it for thier apprenticeship guild funds and future families. I must visit the bank and get some advice about investing-I wouldn't want thier funds to be depleted

Bridal Shower

My bridal shower was very nice. I recieved plenty of presents and I made sure to chat with the residents about things they would like to see changed in the hood. Since we are in a new landmass, there were not many complaints, but some residents wanted more decor and green space. I wonder how that will work since the terrain is so small as it is.

Rain and Farming

Thank goodness, there is some rain, there was fear that it would be snow. Ginger came to the market for a visit. She helped cleaned up a bit and gave me some lunch so I wouldn't starve during my working days. She's doing well with her side business of cleaning homes. She cleans the Kent house twice a simweek, I think she sometimes prepares meals for the family and puts them in the freezer for them. I can't imagine coming home to a meal in the freezer to eat. Ginger and her mother spoil me with fresh food each evening after a long day at the market or in the fields.

Bridal Shower

Fiona's Bridal Shower was this simday. Such a nice shower. I invited plenty of women and she recieved lots of gifts. Thankfully she networked and chatted up everyone-hobnobbing like a pro. Yes, I feel very comfortable leaving the hood in her hands. But then again, I am getting older and soon I will have no choice.

Crazy Cats

With two cats running about the house, I wonder how much room there will be for the children and kittens if the cats breed. I want them to, but you can't rush these things. We're trying to allow them time to get to know each other and us, and maybe they'll breed and we'll have kittens that we can sell to the other residents. That would bring in some money...I wonder what will happen once Johan's tenure as teacher is up? Thankfully he gets to decide that, but what about our children? They will have no home. Our cats won't have a home either! Well, I won't think about that. Instead I am so excited about seeing my family again soon. I hope I remember to take lots of photos, I would love to print some snapshots for the wall once I return.

A baby!

We're pregnant!!!

Jolie took a pregnancy test and she's pregnant. We're going to have a baby. I hope her parents stay alive long enough to see at least one of thier grandchildren. Jolie's sister, Jodi, has twins, but she lives in another hood; her brother Joey has no children (and emmigrated after the storm); Johan and his wife are expecting; and her youngest sister, Janet, is engaged with no children.

I wonder what we will name the child?

The Little Ones

My granddaughters. They are a bundle of joy. S'Ahmisa is learning how to play softball, I wonder if she would try to play professionally. If she did, she would have to leave the isle. I would miss her a lot, of course. But you can't hold children back. She seems to have her mind on seeing new places and traveling. I want to make sure that she has the opportunity to go. Elle and I are taking our own vacation the next simday and this simweekend (once Si'Enya is a child), the family is going to take a joint vacation...I'm not sure that I'll be around that much longer. My body seems much older.

Future Book Club

During my firzt sportz party on d isle (whichz waz lotz of fun, i may have mnores partiess) we talkez aboutz a book club...book klub! I thinkz thatz cool! Lots of simz think that sinze i didn't go to uni i amz dumb, but iz not. i juzt a bad spellers and itz not good for my blogz. my brains thinkz faster than my findgers typesz! I tolds Li that we should meet and chooze a books from the news Caribooks from simmerville. maybe the 1 about the vacations, i thinkzs that would be a goodsz book for a book club!

Busyness

What a busy time. Sandy wanted to throw a party and since the big game (Llamas vs the Rabbits) was on, we threw a sports party. Lots of sims showed up, including the new resident. Sandy seems intrigued with her, I guess since they both immigrated from big hoods and now they're living in a teeny tiny hood. To keep the children occupied, we allowed S'Ahmisa to invite a friend and even they were struck with sports fever, talking about the vollyball competition on North Shore.

Education Note: Trades School

Johan Dawson Shazad

Based on my earlier reports, I indicated that the hood would benefit from a trades school on the isle. This trade school would allow students to study closer to home without taking the long ferry ride to the BAP campus, allow students to study the skills and trades that are necessary to life in Apple Valley and still have the benefits of university life (dorm living, advanced classes and more). Talks with deans at Bryant A Pierce have resulted in a large educational grant for the new campus to be named: Pierce Apprenticeship Guild.


Campus

The campus will not only house rooms for six students and the full time Master Scholar, but the classrooms where students learn thier trades. Students will reside in either single or double rooms. The single rooms are reserved for the student voted Guild Hall Assistant by the other students. Guild Hall Assistants are responsible for ensuring that students are in thier rooms by curfew, the hall bathrooms are presentable for daily inspection and conduct is acceptable on campus at all times. The classrooms will house the best equipment for instruction where the Master Scholar and community partners teach the students necessary skills and training. There is a small yard, dining room and relaxation room, however students may desire to visit community lots for thier recreation needs. Also, parents are not allowed on campus except during designated visiting hours. No visitors are to be allowed in the dorm rooms


Admission
Teens with four simdays remaining until adulthood will be eligible for entrance into the school.



Entrance will be determined by the following rubic:

Interview with the Master Scholar (50%)
Entrance Score Exam (50%)

The entrance score exam details will be listed on the guild's website, however it consists of thier marks in secondary school, number of skills and extracurricular activities/jobs.


The interview with the Master Scholar will be scored on a scale of -100 to 100 points. Interviews are 3 hours long and the beginning interview score and the end interview score are subtracted so that each applicant is on equal footing with the Master Scholar.


Master Scholar
The grant covers the salary of a Master Scholar to manage the school's day-to-day operations. The Master Scholar must be a FENSA society member with a fair number of badges and dedicated to the art of knowledge.


Apprenticeship Opportunities
Students will be given opportunities to work with community partners in thier business for hands-on experience in thier chosen guild. Not all guilds have this opportunity and students must check with the Master Scholar first. If an opportunity exists, the student must have completed two simdays of study and be on track for thier graduation requirements before they are able to accept the opportunity. They will recieve a small stipend for thier work and many students may even recieve a full-time offer once they graduate.


Community Partners
Community partners are asked to open thier businesses for the students to receive hands-on training. Community partners pay a small stipend of §1000 for each student in addition to thier wages. Students can work a maximum of four hours simdaily for the two simdays. Upon thier graduation, the student is free to accept a full-time offer.


Community Partners are also asked to teach some classes to allow students to gain appreciation for how thier skills and badges will be used after graduation.


Guilds
Seven guilds were created as a result of the campus. Community Partners were inducted as founding members and guild members will be in charge of leading the guild (after graduation). Each guild must submit a proper name and insignia. This insignia will grace the guild diplomas. Each guild is free to have thier own induction ceremony for graduates, in addition to the school wide graduation.

Settling In

We are settling into the new teacher's home. I spent the simday preparing lessons and going over the roll sheet, there will be six children starting school. Many have various levels of learning and I'm sure that they will all meet thier benchmarks in no time. I must be aware of lunch time and recess of course, but to be honest...it will all depend on how the first day goes.
With the long break bewteen rotations, Jadhira decided that we should visit her family in Simborough, so I'm packing up my files and reports and headed to the big city!

Business

The Blossom Salon is doing rather well, but I miss the gallery. I am thinking of installing a permenant gallery. That would require some remodeling as right now the salon and boutique is the bottom level and I have a private gallery and photography studio on the top floor. I would move the massage room and hair salon upstairs and have the boutique downstairs. Then the gallery could take up the right side of the building. It would only be open on certain days and only include my artwork, nothing else, only custom paintings and photographs. I might start an art series...I wonder of what? Verde asks about Hacienda Bay, the home of our ancestors. I think a trip might be in order for the family. Once Rojo ages into a child.

Marriage?

Janet is engaged? I think my ears are getting old. I never thought that child would marry! And she's marrying a scientist! Joy! Music to my ears! At least the grandchildren will be a bit calmer. I'm not sure what quite happened with Janet. True, she was our "little surprise" but she didn't follow any of the scholarly (or even family oriented) pursuits like her siblings. Well, Jan and I are making the trip to meet the young man and see our daughter. Time is limited since we both know that we are not getting younger. Already sims our age are dying and that is not comforting to see your friends die around you.

Traveling

Ellsworth and I are making a trip to Roswell to visit Janet and meet her new fiance. I am still shocked that her sister found out about the engagement before I did and that she found out from her cousin. We were thinking about taking some souveniors, but we're going to travel light and have her engagement present shipped ahead of us. That girl! She'll be the death of me yet!
We're also going to stop by Riverdale and see Jodi and the twins. As usual, we will ship the presents for the grandchildren ahead of time. I can't wait.