Ringing in the New Year in Palatial Heights

Hapar, spring, 2001
Jesse is 35, Fiona is 32, Bill is 17, Veronika is 3


Hapar started off with the Kents visiting Palatial Heights to ring in the new year. With the new dimension seperating Fiona and her twin brother, Fredic, the siblings decided on last hurrah was in order.

It also helped that they wanted to have the new cousins meet for the first time. Veronika was now an active toddler, her birthday party being a small hood event. When the first born child of the hood council president turns 1, it's an event. Members of the press and hood council were in attendence. Presents overflowed the tables and the adults mingled with the happy giggling toddler. The neccessary family photos were taken and it was all over before midnight. That was two years ago and time has flown by.

A long flight and long line in customs finally ends for the Kents and Jesse, Fiona and Veronika find themselves in Palatial Heights. Fredic and his girlfriend, Gin, quickly show off thier twin baby boys and the couples take some time to relax in the backyard. Needless to say, Veronika enjoys the snow and literally must be pulled inside once the temperature gets too much for the young girl to handle.
Of course, no trip can be all pleasure for the young mover and shaker. Fiona meets with Palatial Heights mayor, Liz Niven, to discuss the changes affecting SimNation.
"Quite a few hoods have lodged offical complaints against the new dimension."
"I know, however each hood has the choice to accept or reject the new dimension. We've chosen to accept the challenge."
"This new revolution is so unlike the last revolution. From the historical records, hoods converted in record numbers, now...not so much."
The women nodded.
---
Finally, the party and part of the reason for the Kent's trip to Palatial Heights started.
There were plenty of celebrities and political movers and shakers in attendence.
Each refusing to discuss "business" but each making it thier business to discuss business.

Finally, midnight came and the fireworks lit the evening sky. The party raged on for another respectful hour before the sleepy parents retired upstairs.
---

To recover from the party, Gin and Fiona decided a trip to a spa would be in order. So they packed thier bags, gave the men careful detailed instructions about caring for the kids (which were not needed since Fredic and Jesse are often better parents than the women are) and hopped on a plane to Gin's favorite exclusive spa.
Thier days were filled with exotic foods such as noddle bowls,

luxury massages that made your body turn into butter,

soaks in natural hot springs,

and tending to the meditation garden.

Or course, the women did spoil themselves with midnight room service of lobster, coconut creme cake, chocolate covered strawberries and champagne.

"I wonder what the boys are doing?"

"Probably mopping up vomit, changing dirty diapers and trying to entertain a whiny toddler."

However, all too soon, thier spa getaway was over and the women were saying goodbye to thier zen paradise.

"We'll have to do this again." Gin said over a quick dinner as the women waited for the shuttle to pick them up and take them to the airport.

"Yes, maybe we'll get the chance before the transformation occurs."

One last photo op before boarding the shuttle!

---

Jesse and Fiona returned to Apple Valley to find thier home intact. Bill hadn't caused any scandals, thank goodness.

 

 

Now the most pressing thing on the president's mind was of course the economy and it's slow climb upward. Every resident has been effected, even the Kents. Thankfully not as much as other households. Jesse works at Apple Valley Academy as the Junior High Teacher, so his salary and position are secure. Fiona's salary as hood council president was surprisingly minimal, less than $1000 a simyear, especially considering that many other hoods supplied thier president with housing, hefty salary and other benefits. However, Apple Valley is a tiny hood with only a few taxpayers, so any suggestion of a raise or other benefits to support such an extravagent liftstyle would be murder on any hood president's career. Instead, Fiona called a few contacts and managed to reach her former boss at Stern & Clerks.

After a few hours of catching up, Fiona went for the kill.

"How are things at the office?"

"The same, I wish you were not the hood council president right now."

"Why?"

"I have an opening for a Family Law Attorney and you were the only sim I could think of that would be perfect for the job."

"Really?"

"Yes, but I understand that your position as hood council president takes up a lot of time-"

"It does, but I wouldn't mind rejoining the law field."

"Really? If you're available, the job is yours."

And with that, Fiona found herself employed with Stern & Clerks as a Family Law Attorney with a much better, and stable, salary.

----

• This is an example of the greatness of sim-to-sim hoods. You can send your sim to another hood for a nice vacation. Sometimes thier actions-or inactions-in that hood can change the direction of thier life in your hood.
• So what do you think of the new format? Do you perfer 3rd person or 1st person?