My Time is Close

Sometimes I can't believe how old I am, I feel fit as a fiddle. But looking at Fiona ready to take charge of the hood...well, I am feeling my age. I wish I could travel to the other hoods with her, but I feel it would be best to stay and keep an eye on my grandson, Bill. He seems to have a way with the ladies and I'm not very fond of that. He must be careful, especially since he represents the Kent family now.

Working Hard for the Council

Since Fidel's death, I've been spending more and more time devoted to the hood and the council. I often find myself working late into the night paying bills, making notes and keeping contacts with other hoods. Fiona on occasion has had to send Bill to the office to bring me home.

Alone

Sleeping alone is so hard ever since Fredic died. He left §20.000 to the family with his life insurance policy-at the moment we have it invested in silver. I think I will talk to Fiona about remodeling the home. Yes, we did just move to the house, but I don't think it's fitting for a hood president, perhaps more of an island-traditional style. Yes, that would be nice. The main level needs to be expanded a bit more-it's crowded there around meal times, or else rearrange some rooms, or open up the basement...I miss Fidel. Thank goodness for my family, even my nephew in Simmington Hills sent his regards to the family. Thank goodness he was raised right...somewhat decent.

Funeral

We held Fidel's funeral this simday, Fredic couldn't make it in time to attend. It was fairly simple. We held a private wake at the house with the family and then Lyndon walked with us to the church to bury him. I think I will commission a painting of him, that would be nice to hang in the hallway.

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.

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.

Daughter's Wedding Celebrations

Fiona is engaged and I have three simdays of celebrations to plan for her nuptials on simWednesday. Actually I am in charge of her bridal shower this simMonday, her cousin-Rebecca-is in charge of her bacherlorette party on simTuesday and then the wedding on simWednesday.

I must send invitations to all the area spokessims, Fiona must begin to make contacts now so that when she steps up as hood president, she will have the contacts already.

Things

Things are going well, the hood council is moving along nicely-we still have about ten simdays left in the term. That would give Fiona plenty of time to prepare for her campaign. I wonder if we should decrease the amount of time served on the hood council? I must do research.

Hood Council Note: Publishing Hood Council Meetings

The online hood council meetings are not going well-residents are not visiting the online forum and there isn't much incentive to maintain the forum. Instead we're going to publish the notes of the hood council meetings. This will be done on the website-not a blog type posting-but actual minutes of the meetings and concerns raised.

Travels

With the new deal, I find myself spending a lot of time discussing travel plans with residents and customers who visit The Centre. We may have to place an ad for a travel director. The sim would be in charge of giving direction for travels, selling packages, leading tours to our three sister destinations and around Apple Valley as well. Must look at our budget.

Emmigration

Emmigration has become a large cause of our population decreasing. I must send a personal letter to those hoods that accepted our residents with open arms and thank them for thier hospitality. I hope Apple Valley will be able to do the same for them when the time comes. I know that in a few simweeks, we will need to accept immigrants for our residents to successfully marry and to increase the gene pool. Currently there are few families that are not related, in fact, my dear Fiona is in need of a beau!

Representing

I am taking my new position as congresswoman very seriously. I spend my days giving speeches at local schools and events, gathering research and representing Apple Valley in the greater city.



I feel like I'm experiencing my second life-the twins are off in college and my career is booming, my body is nice and in shape, I'm not as old as the other political players, but age is creeping up on me.

Moving on Up!

I am moving on up in my career!!! I was elected to the congress. I will mostly spend my time covering Apple Valley from the local office. That means I have more time to networking with neighbors gather and keep political support.



We should celebrate! A trip to my ancestoral home of Tiki Island? Better yet, let's buy a vacation home!

Hood Council Note: Hood President Report

Update on my progress this term-I must say, things are going rather well.

Construct a Bank

• Add bank office at The Centre.

Re-Establish fines/community service for conflicts

• Construction of jail .


• Find Jailor: Interiem jailor will be Jarvis Forrester-Miller.


• Update Fines


• Create a process for punishing residents and townies.


• Renovate The Centre to add a courthouse.

Increase tourism

• Order additional custom objects: maps, cups, postcards, poster prints, trinkets, etc. Also get map created of the hood to hang in the Welcome Center instead of the TV.


• Keep online Office of Tourism updated with flights and events.


• Hold raffle for a free trip to Apple Valley. Including airfare, accomadations, food, and spending money. ($5000)


• Create a Apple Valley Flag

Change timetable

• Follow Baleen Island's way of keeping time: instead of simdays, use Season # Simday #

Further relationship with affliates

• Email/chat with spokessims from affliate hoods more often


• Travel to affliate hoods

Hood Council Note: New Deal

Apple Valley will sign the new deal allowing access to popular vacation locales. As a result, the hood council has voted not to resume rotation until after the new deal is finalized. We're at a great point-simMonday-to resume a new deal. We're expecting a great deal of residents to take advantage of the new deal and plan vacations for thier family. We don't know as much about the vaction homes option, but we're exploring levying a tax on such luxury items.

Hood Council Note: Networking

I've been networking with residents of the hood, basically having espresso, chatting with them in the park or in stores. Anything to see how the pulse of the hood is going. Making sure that all concerns are being voiced and met. We have re-established the online forum for hood council meetings. It was a good place to sort out ideas and residents could submit thier concerns without fear. My goals are going along nicely, we have a nice surplus in the budget which means we can afford to be aggressive with our plans.

Hood Council Note: Population

The population is decreasing. It's nothing to be concerned over especially since Apple Valley totes a philosphy of quality over quanity. SimMonday started with 81 sims, we end this term (simSaturday) with 66 sims. The decrease of growth has come mostly from death: many sims were elders on thier last leg (accounting for 33% of the loss), there was a tragic accident (20%), and a suspicious death; then there were several families/sims that emmigrated to other hoods including Simmington Hills, Harper's Cove and Riverdale. Couple that with the low birth rate. Though I do think Apple Valley will approach another plateau soon.

Hood Council Note: Food Expo

The kickoff ceremony for the Food Expo has begun! I gave a speech and introduced some key players. Thankfully, the Food Expo is pretty standard in Apple Valley, we've been participating for so long that things run like clockwork. I've been trying to encourage other hoods to participate in the Food Expo as well, who knows, maybe we'll have the honor of hosting the Expo again someday...we'll see.

Newspaper

Should we publish the paper online? Clark wants more exposure than the local newspaper, hihi, too bad he didn't marry a Kent, then he'd be Clark Kent-hahaha!

He already manages the website now and he's the correspondant for STAR, but I suppose an online version of the paper won't hurt...I guess.



We're waiting on our customized paper dispenser to come from the factory and we're going to order some signs for the buildings as well.

Affordable Housing

I wish mama was still around, she would know what to do.


Apple Valley needs to address the affordable housing situation. Instead of allowing sims to own multi-family housing units, we are now leasing them by the week. This only affects the housing on Fuji (The Fuji Flats I like to call them) and the townhomes on McIntosh. This doesn't affect the Fresh Flora property since it's owned by the owner and they sublet space to thier current trainee...for now. I hear that they will stop subletting the space.

After reclaiming some of the units, we now have four units available for rent. Two flats on Fuji and two duplex units on McIntosh. The Apple Valley Boarding Home has three rooms available now. The Forrester-Millers are moving to the new jail and that will free up a home for sale on Granny Smith. I'm curious to see how that will pass. There are two families living in flats that are eligible for the home, but I'm not sure if one of them would buy it since...well, they seem a bit more on the modern side and the homes on Granny Smith (and elsewhere in the hood except on Fuji) are a bit more traditional.

We might start having a limit on how long sims can stay in the rental units-perhaps two simweeks (14 simdays) would be enough. That would give graduates enough time to save money and then buy a home or move into the family home again.