Improving Hapar 2004

Hapar, spring, 2004
Johan is 43, Jadhira is 42, Myra and Naraj are 9

Jadhira picked up the cat, Mayla and gave her a squeeze. It was going to be a wonderful day. She found out that it pays to have plenty of friends as Charlie called in a favor to Fiona. When she arrived to work yesterday, she was told that not only would she be getting an office near the hood council office, but she would also be getting a raise and a bonus!

With the extra money, the family had finally saved enough to take a real vacation, unlike the cheap vacation Johan booked from them 3 simyears ago. To ensure that they would have a quality vacation, Jadhira booked the vacation package. Three simdays in Kimikura. She had prebooked a few tours for the family and even purchased kimonos for the entire family to wear.

The trip would have to wait until the summer when the twins and Johan were released from thier educational duties, but the family was excited nevertheless.

Myra decided that to celebrate mommy's good news and her great grades the family needed a television set.

"Absolutely not." Johan declared. "Not only are televisions too expensive, but they cause brain cells to die!"

Oh, well. It was worth a try, Myra thought. She wasn't too sure what a television was, but her classmates always talked about it at school.

The family quickly gathered around the table at the first smell of oatmeal pancakes. Johan and Jadhira attempted to whisper in thier corner of the table.

"I would love to plant a few trees and maybe some flowers."

"You know we don't have the yard space for that."

"Perhaps we should look into moving. The new luxury subdivision is complete and families are going to be moving into there soon. Maybe you could talk to Rebecca and the rest of the hood council about considering some moderate housing to be built."

"I doubt it. Too many families are moving to the outskirts. The Dawson and Greys have moved to Apple Plains and the Sweenys are moving to the Metro. I think if we want yard space, we're going to have to move. Besides, all the talk about a combined terrain has a lot of building projects on hold."

"Maybe you could talk to them about renovating this complex. Maybe making the yard space a little larger or at least accessible?"

"There still won't be a large amount of space, at least not for a swing set. Maybe a tree or a few flowers."

***

After school, Naraj allowed Marty Cho to stay over for an hour before the afternoon ferry arrived.

Marty wasn't so sure about the very hyperactive boy standing in front of him, but then again, he was nice enough to let him have cheesecake as a snack and play with his cat. Marty's mother told him that there are not very many nice sims left in the world.

"I think we would be good friends, maybe even BFFs one day."

Naraj nodded. Right now his only BFF was his sister Myra and lately she had been consumed with studying.

***

After dinner, the Shazad family caught an evening ferry to the Metro for a surprise for the twins.

Naraj and Myra had been begging to go rollarskating and now were beyond excited to step onto the slick wooden floor with thier shoes with tiny wheels. They even managed to stay upright most of the time.

Jadhira and Johan skated to the middle of the floor and held hands for support. It had been ages since the couple had worn rollarskates.

After a while, the family got the hang of things and spent a few hours circling the floor.

Amoung other things.

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I'm trying to get the families out of the house more often. How about your hood? How do you ensure that families don't become home bound? Do you implement a Family Day, make required weekend trips, cycle vacations? Share your methods.