Traditional Kimikurian, 2005

Resar, fall, 2005
mini-update

Beautiful, intelligent, cunning, sexy, ambitious. Li may be a lot of things, but she wasn't a homewrecker. She simply made business like transactions with sims in order to get her needs met. That was how she liked to view her relationship with her ex-husband, until recently. She sighed. Unfortunately, Tobi had been a bit more aggressive in making their transaction a more permenent merger and that was something that she had no desire to do again, at least not now. She wasn't a bitter woman swearing off men and marriage, but she was enjoying her life and career and the lifestyle it afforded her.

That was the biggest reason why she declined a joint family vacation with Tobi, she knew that he would try to take it to the next level and while Li could care less about his new girlfriend, she really didn't want to go down the same path again. She couldn't understand the desire to revisit your past. It was the past and sims usually were ex's for a reason and not because they wouldn't put the toliet seat down. She was more interested in the present, meeting new sims and having fun. Maybe she was this way because she married so young, fresh right out of college and fairly quickly had children in an effort to keep the roaming eyes and hands off her handsome husband. Things were so different now, she was more mature, she loved her children and her ex-husband was still sexy, but she didn't have to be the one worrying about other women gladly bearing his children. That was Cameron's job now.

However, she did have a nice little savings cushion with her recent projects and the addition of several new projects. She decided to use that cushion to take the triplets to Kimikura so that they could experience first hand thier culture. The first thing she did was purchase traditional kimikurian dress for the triplets and presented it to them when she visited the house. Needless to say they were excited about the trip, their first time leaving the hood.

Li wanted her children to experience it all. She taught them the basics of Majhong and patiently explained the rules several times as their young minds tried to grasp the concept. She wanted them to have experiences, to know that they didn't have to marry young and pop out children if they didn't want to. There was a whole world out there waiting for them to explore and maybe even conquer.

Her children taught her some things as well. After a very traditional photo, they convinced her to make goofy faces for another pose.

Li couldn't remember laughing so hard before. Her children were actually pretty fun sometimes. Maybe because they were out of diapers and could form complete sentences...most of the time.

Maybe it was thier tall tales and active imaginations. Simora swore that she met a real live ninja.

She said that he challenged her to a riddle and she guessed right.

Then he told her the secret to being able to teleport.

Li tried not to giggle during her daughter's story, but the thought of secret hand shakes and incantations to make a sim disappear was a bit too wild for her to imagine. Perhaps she should enroll her daughter in acting or writing classes, after all, most great actresses and writers are also good liars, she thought as she bent down for a kiss.

She didn't have to worry about Ping, he seemed to have his entire life mapped out.

"I am going to get promoted so many times when I start working," he bragged over tea.

"Really?"

"Yep, and then I'm going to buy a big huge house. It's going to be bigger than our building, or even your building, okaasan." He continued, trying his hand at the new word he learned.

"Come on," Li said standing up. "I see your uncle, Troung. You should call him Bac Troung, ok?"

The triplets nodded and headed towards the man that their mother indicated. After giving their greetings, the family entered the warm springs.

"So, do you watch much TV?" Troung asked the children.

"Sometimes we watch sports with dad, but we can't watch TV on school nights."

Simora nodded in agreement. It was a shame really, how else was she going to see Pennelson Production's Tatiana's Tidbits if she couldn't watch TV during the simweek.

"You should have them involved in some sort of activities, Li. They are getting older and soon can be getting in trouble."

Li tried to ignore her older brother, but she knew that he was right. "I will. I'm thinking of putting Simora in acting class or maybe a cooking camp, I want to put the boys in a sports."

"Like bowling?"

Li lifted that famous eyebrow of hers. "Um...I don't consider bowling a sport, it's more of a game."

Troung grinned, "That's how much you know. I think the boys might enjoy bowling."

"Perhaps."

After spending time with her brother, she said her goodbyes and took the children to a traditional kimikurian food stand.

"What is this? Can't we have ice-cream instead?" Simora asked.

"Eat it," Li commanded. The triplets quickly obeyed, they knew that their mother wouldn't tolerate too much of thier foolishness.

"I like it," Simora said. "It's yummy. I taste salmon and trout and ... and..."

"Pickled squid."

"EWWW!" Aaron squealed, pushing his bowl away. "I can't eat anymore."

"I'll eat it," Simora volunteered, pushing her empty bowl to the side.

"So, this is a zen garden?" Ping asked looking at what appeared to be a giant litter box with a bush in the middle.

"It's called a karesansui," Li explained. "You rake it to improve concentration."

""Oh, it's like a big sand thinking cap." Aaron volunteered.

Li smirked. What it time for that tai chi lesson yet?

Thankfully the lesson started within minutes and Li tried to concentrate on her breathing and the flow of her hands. She wasn't a natural at this sort of thing, she perfered to do her relaxation underneath the knowledgable hands of her favorite masseuse or in the steam filled sauna or with her legs wrapped around the waist of-

"Look okaasan!"

Li's thoughts of pleasure were interrupted by her children begging her to admire thier skill. She agreed that they were naturals at this sort of thing, moving thier bodies in time with the instructor.

There was one more thing she wanted the triplets to experience before leaving. Her legs ached as they neared the top of their long climb. The triplets trailed behind her, not one of them complaining about the long trek. Once they reached the top she paid her respects to the wise man.

When did he get so cute? Li wondered as she sat down on the ground with her children.

Ugh, it's been far too long since the last time I had woohoo. Does he even have all of his teeth? she wondered as he began his ancient tale.

He did, but by that time Li had already turned her thoughts to recruiting one of her friendly aquaintances to become a bit more friendly.