New Residents

There are rumors that Apple Valley may expand it's borders and accept some more residents. That would be a welcome change since this hood is so small and every resident is basically related to the other. I think our children will have to look beyond the hood for life partners if they do not want to intermarry eventually. Jolie doesn't like the thought of more residents, she says it spoils the small town charm of AV, I don't know.

Recording Data

Jan wants me to record as much medical data and information from the Medical Centre as I can. When Elle died, her work was in disarray and it took simdays to muddle through it all. Thankfully we had plenty of experience and knew what she was referring to, but Julio...he doesn't has as much experience and he will need all the help he can get. Jan has him studying and preparing every simday during his shift while I spend my shift getting records in order. I wonder if we should move to an online record storage system? That would make things easier, but it would also be more upkeep on our part and on Li's part and I have a feeling that with all the new iniatives that she wouldn't welcome the additional work.

Election?

Well, it is out of my hands. The election is in the hands of the residents, they will judge who will sit in the new hood council. I am nervous. This election has caused my friendship with Carmela to suffer, so I will be glad once everything is done to restore our friendship. She is like a mentor to me, if I didn't love the bakery so much I would stay at home just so that I could be a member of the Homemaker's Society.

Food Expo Thoughts

The residents here have been very good to us. Some of them decided to hold a "Build a Pantry" for us this simSunday. Basically sims will donate food items to us for our pantry so we can save money. That is great since I barely get a salary for my work as pastor and Nicole is bringing in most of the income-not to mention with three growing teens and three hungry pets, costs can get a bit out of hand.

I talked with Grex to discuss the details of the Charity Fish Fry. I am still collecting fish from the residents and Nicole will grill several fish plates. We're either going to sell them in the church yard or have Grex sell them in the market and then the profits will go towards the new church renovation project.

When I'm not fulfilling my pastoral duties-which isn't often-I try to spend some time with the kids. Faith is growing up so fast and Susie and Harvis are right behind her. I try to talk with Harvis-mano y mano-but...well, he always wants to discuss the stars and the state of alien sim relationships. I'm trying to keep my eye open for all the things they warned us about the twins, but Harvis...well, he's beginning to scare me a bit.

Overrated Juice

I decided to try the new juicer since I had a few pieces of produce that couldn't be packaged so I made some juice. It was ok, I don't like the face that so much produce only makes a single serving of juices, so we probably won't be using the juicer anytime soon.

Strange Blogs

I have been browsing the web for science articles and stumbled across a strange set of blogs detailing blue and green aliens. It is well know that there are two part blue alien sims here in Apple Valley. I try to keep an eye on one of them, the boy, he is always looking through his telescope searching the sky. Now I have found some blog that details a lonely blue alien searching for his family and is sending signals for them to pick him up...could that be the same one?

Changes Ahead

The hood is slowly being replaced by the younger generation. I have no doubts that they can manage it, but already so many changes. Automatic cash registers even! I made sure that sims would not have to worry about unemployment, so I feel confident now. I spoke with the future Medical Director, he was with the Explorer group fishing. It was interesting to hear his goals and dreams for the Centre-especially since I will use it more as I age. I've been spending more time with Grex in the fields, the harvest arrived fast and furious, so we are working to gather everything. I feel like my days are numbered and I don't like it.

Supporting the Hood

As chef at The Peacock, I wanted to make sure that I participated in the Food Expo. So that meant a lot of early morning or late evening trips to sites for food discussions or participating in the events.

At home I am making the kids rotate chores, Lyndon said it would be easier to assign them all permenent chores. I guess so, they still have to clean thier rooms and make thier beds, but one could clean bathrooms, one could make breakfasts or lunches to take to school and the other could feed the animals and clean thier bedding.

O! The family is going to stop by Sokitumi during our vacation. I am excited and nervous to see the old village, I wonder if my relatives will recognize me without my native attire.

Explorers

Two children signed up for Explorers and our first event was participating in the fishing contest for the Food Expo. I taught them how to bait and cast a reel, we didn't catch very much, but that's alright. I mostly wanted to bond with the children. This simweekend we're going on a camping trip to Schatazweitzier Mountain. I am still searching for acceptable uniforms or at least shirts/sweaters so we'll see.

Whew!

The pounds are melting off, I don't know how long they will stay off. I am a baker afterall and you can never trust a skinny baker! Perhaps my other cookbook should be a healthy eating cookbook. Low sugar sweets, high fiber meals, beverages packed with vitamins and minerals.

Ugh, anything other than this stupid exercise bike! But I won't let Jorge see me struggle. It's bad enough that he said that I looked fat and he perfered me thinner! I mean, aren't you supposed to accept your spouse as is? I love him dearly and am very attracted to him (so are a lot of other women-grrr!), I wonder if I would feel the same if his six pack became a keg, or he started to lose his hair.

Big Life Updates

I am learning to play the piano, like my grandmother Squirly. I'm not as good as I heard she was, but I'm working on it. My foster parents support my efforts, they even let me play at the church for a special event, even though the congregation wasn't fond of my music. They are really nice people, they care about us a lot even though we're not thier kids, but neither is Faith-she's adopted. I sometimes wish that they would adopt us, but they can't. Something about some arrangement, but they said that they love us just as much regardless if they have a piece of paper or not. That's pretty cool.

We are going on a trip this next simday, my foster sister is signing a music contract and we all get to fly to the island for a free vacation with her! I'm excited, maybe one day I will have a record contract for playing the piano. I could be famous and have a vacation home by the sea...or in the mountains! I miss my other brothers and sisters, I wish that I could see them or they come here for a visit. I decided to write to them, maybe they'll respond.

I am investing the money that I recieved from my family in Simmerville, I spent most of it (well the amount that we could) on my new room, but now I wish I had brought a piano instead. I am going to use the rest for university. After I graduate, I want to move to the urban area and get an apartment (and a piano) and maybe get married. No, not maybe, I do want to get married. I have to look beyond the borders of AV for a husband, the only teen boy not related to me is dating my foster sister Faith and that would be gross. Though he did say I was cute, I felt all tingly inside when he said it, but Faith would kill me if she knew that I felt that way about him. So I try to avoid him, I still want Faith to be my friend and my almost sister.

I started Level II at school. My focus is creative arts so I spend my days playing the piano and sometimes practicing at the ballet barre. I also got a job at the AV Gift Shop as a cashier, but with the new technology coming out, I have to find a new job. Maybe I could tend yards in the hood, I hear that a lot of families hate tending thier gardens. I could rake leaves and water plants and weed. I love flowers after all! But it's almost winter time so the gardens would probably die anyway. I'll keep looking.

Harvesting

I am harvesting as fast as I can before the frost destroys the plants. With the Food Expo lectures and mingling with residents, I think that I will install a greenhouse. I will not have to worry about pests and can grow crops year-round. Of course that will take funding, so hopefully we will get the Chamber of Commerce prize this simday.

Time is Passing

My time is near, nothing can stop that. Thankfully my will is updated so that all our children and grandchildren benefit, including our children in other hoods. There isn't much left here to leave behind. Jolie is heir to the house and I do not fear about her future, she has a wise head on her shoulders. I have noticed that my tongue escapes me and I spend my time talking about the past with my daughter, about her favorite nursery rhymes and how I, too, had to learn how to be a better parent.

Women Weekend

I am visiting Tiki Island with Sandy and Li, I am so excited! I hope that we can meet some new sims and learn more about the culture. I sent my family another update-hopefully they will see it. I miss them and I miss the big hood, but I am getting used to small hood living.

There's some new technology so my old job is obsolete, and I am working on my other love-arranging flowers and making pottery in my spare time. The twins are growing up pretty well, they are a bit needy, but then again once they get older they can fend for themselves.

Clear Skys

With winter here the sky is much clearer, I have been searching for remarkable objects. Nothing in particular, just stars and the occasional planet or constellation. I have not left my first love of health and medicine.

Even I know that my time is limited, especially so since I can feel the ache in my knees, the shortness of breath. Yes, my time is coming. Until then I am training Julio to take my place at the Medical Centre and am enjoying time with the family and my books. Ellsworth is doing the same. Sometimes at night when everyone is asleep we stay up talking about the fact that death is upon our back, waiting to steal our breath. We then turn the conversation to things of a lighter note such as the newest advancements in medical technology and training the new generation for the medical centre. There isn't enough teens interested in medicine and technology to continue the clinic, eventually there will be a need to pull staff from other areas.

Food Expo

The Food Expo is wrapping up, but I've enjoyed it so very much! I brought a nectar bar for the kitchen so that I can continue my culinary studies.

O! I am starting a daycare-once the twins become toddlers of course. Since Grex is going to build a greenhouse, I will take over the lower protion of the barn for the daycare. A few toys, some sleeping mats and there-a daycare!

Slow Life in AV

Life is slow here in AV. I work at the Medical Centre, it keeps my logical skills strong. I am still looking to the stars, hoping that my blue ancestors will come for me and take me to the home planet.

My foster mom doesn't like it , she thinks something bad might happen. What is so bad about my ancestors picking me up? I would love that! Susie doesn't say much when I tell her about my plan, but I see in her eyes that she doesn't like it. She doesn't need to worry, I will make sure that they bring her along as well. I know that she would like to go to the home planet. I would also arrange for them to come for my other siblings in Simmerville and we can be reunited.

I started Level II at school. My focus is logical studies, so I am hunched over a microscope all day trying to find traces of alien remenants in the soil. So far, very little success. There are traces of other prehistoric cultures, but not alien. We are going to the islands, so I will bring back samples to analyze as well.

Fitness for the Family

Jolie has gained a few pounds after the birth of our daughter. I must admit, I hate it. She often asks if she looks fat and I made the fatal error one time of telling her the truth-let's just say I learned my lesson. So now Jolie joins me for my morning jog and we even have plans to visit the medical centre to experience the rehabilation gym there.

Listening

I am very aware of the pulse of the hood, what residents want in thier community. The election is almost over and I feel success at the tips of my fingers. Residents are approaching me saying "when you are on the council, please remember..." I feel very confident.

I have almost convinced Antonio to buy a vacation home near Hacienda Bay. We are going to take a vacation and visit Hacienda Bay so the boys can see the home of thier ancestors and I...well, I can show them that I survived and that they can not keep me down. I escaped and so can they...maybe, maybe I can find information about my daughter...or maybe we can help a young girl who is in the same situation I fought and escaped from...we could bring her back, there is room. But that means telling Antonio what I went through...am I ready for that?

Chilly Winter

Winter is breathing down the back of our necks and I am aging even more. Ginger decided to redecorate the living area, I admit it, I like the more contemporary style-it reminds me of when we lived in Greymount and the house was decorated in an Art Deco style. Wow, how far we have fallen. No longer are we living in a large mansion with awards surrounding us, but we're in a farm...a farm!

Girl's Weekend

I am planning a girls weekend trip to Tiki Island with my friends Sandy and Jadhira. We're going to have a lot of fun! I am looking for a nice tropical resort for us to stay in and also some hula shows. Sandy wants to take fire dancing lessons, so that will definately be on the list while Jadhira wants to learn more about the culture so we're doing some tours and visiting the Lost Ruins. I just want to visit the beach and get a tan...and do some shopping :)