it's your day: Jack & Nessa

April 24, 2087. Happy 10th wedding anniversary to Jack and Nessa Phoenix! 

digging through the old family photo albums, from April 24, 2077

(click for bigger)

 

—

After ten years of enduring marriage, in good times and bad, in sickness and health, Jack and Nessa knew they wanted to splurge on a special trip to celebrate this important milestone. It was only a matter of where to go. They were hesitant to leave the country and leave their kids behind, but maybe a few hours on a train wouldn't be uncalled for. Jack's brother suggested California, where he and the old gang all lived now. But they could visit the old gang for some other occasion. Jack's cousin, Stephanie, then suggested Copper Hill, which sounded quiet and quaint and isolated. Perfect for an anniversary trip. Jack was sure that Steph and Uncle Jeremy wouldn't smother too much of their private time.


After lunch, they checked into their hotel at the Lost Falls Botanical Gardens, which Stephanie suggested for them. It was lovely and quiet, and they would thank her for the recommendation later. Though the springtime flowers were in full bloom, the high peaks still had snow cover. It was the middle of the week, and they shared the gardens with only the squirrels and birds.


What next? Stephanie left them with a long list of attractions to check out while they were in town, but they both decided that with no children to demand their attention and a whole weekend alone, there was only one thing they could think of doing.


Trying out the bed.




They paid enough for this hotel room. They might as well spend their time exactly how they wanted.



But they also agreed that they didn't want to sleep away their precious childless time. A lost hour or two was fine, but no longer than that! So they dressed and took themselves on a self-guided tour around the gardens.



A casual vow renewal by the falls.



Checking in with the kids back at home.

The kids were all alive, happy, and fed, although their grandparents looked a little exhausted. Three children under the age of six is a lot to handle for anyone, even seasoned parenting pros like Sophie and Micah!

Learning why the hedge maze is called "Lost in Love." 

They spent the morning of day two in town, seeing the sights along the bay.



First, some touristy pictures on the pier to post to their social media accounts.



Then some gift shop browsing.


And a little hookah before lunch, in a quaint little arts shop that reminded them of college. 

That evening they decided to visit with the "up north" gang, cousin Stephanie and uncle Jeremy, for some drinks and dancing. Stephanie and Justin also ditched their kids for the night. This would be something of a double celebration tonight because it was also Justin's twenty-seventh birthday. But he said he didn't feel like making a big deal about it. 

Jack really loves group dancing. But he only knows one dance, so he always appreciates when everybody else can do it. Luckily, Stephanie and Justin know ALL of the silly group dances anyone might know.


Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Alice joined them a little later. It was fun catching up with some of the family they don't get to see as often.


Then back to bed again. As you do on an anniversary trip without the kids.

—

April birthdays: 
1: Gabrielle Roseland is 15
2: Keri Riley is 26
3: Pamela Collins is 39
7: George McCarthy is 33
10: Ally Lind is 33
12: Oliver Trudgen is 11
14: Sarah Harris is 19
16: Sloane Martin is 41
19: Brady Lind is 73
19: Bryson Riley is 65
20: Chad Hathe is 36
21: Gwen Palmer is 36
23: Justin Kim is 27
24: Poppy Grimes is 25
26: Yvette Bachman is 23
27: Desmond Banks is 17
29: Nicolas Rodriguez is 13

April anniversaries: 
4/24/2077: Jackson & Vanessa Phoenix, 10 years

health strike: 

Moses Rodriguez moves from 0 to 1*

lot deterioration:


Marcus Sylvester graduates high school in just a few short weeks. He's eighteen and ready to take on the world by storm. He'll attend Dresden Arts College in the fall, which is far away from his desert home. Wherever he goes next, he just wants to leave his mark on this place. To say, "Marcus was here. He lived, he thrived!"


However, before he got very far, a timid man approached and caught Marcus off guard. He didn't share Marcus's opinion of the great artwork. He called it graffiti and insisted that it was wrong.

Marcus scoffed at him and puffed up his shoulders. He was a little scrawny in bulk, but he was nearly six feet tall, offended, and raging with teenage hormones. "What do you know, loser?"

The timid man did not put up a fight. He just mumbled a curse under his breath, then he scurried away.


Marcus turned back to his work, but he was overcome with doubt and shame that his great mural—a testament to himself and his existence—might be construed as graffiti. What did that mean about his whole life? Was he nothing but a stain on the world? Was he capable of high art? Knowing his mother taught him better than to mouth off to his elders and deface public property, he lost his confidence.

He heard a bustle of voices, one of which seemed to belong to his sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Rodriguez, and she sounded angry. Feisty as he may be, Marcus was never the "getting into actual trouble" sort of kid.



He decided to scram while the scramming was good. The half-finished scrawl across the side of the community center simply read, "Marcus was..."

—

gameplay notes: his combination of "argumentative" and "good manners" traits weren't working out too well for him! I might have to rethink whether it makes sense for him to be both, especially if they're going to conflict like this. Unless it might be interesting for his character to walk around being an asshole, then feeling bad about it, lol! 

So, the events roll dictated the crime and the place, then I had to decide for myself who might do such a thing. Marcus came to mind, not because he's a "bad" kid, but because he's eighteen, artsy, angsty, a little bit vain, and heading away to college soon. It seemed like the kind of thing he might do to leave his mark. 

I also thought maybe he'd get away with it if nearby sims left him alone, but they didn't, lol! (Also, graffiti/mural painting takes like EIGHT HOURS in sim time. He might have finished before anyone saw if it didn't take so long!) But no cops or authority figures passed by, just that one meek townie. So I figured he'd cut it short before he got into any real trouble. Unlike the Harry/Eric fight, where I let them be "caught" because a cop sim was actually in the area.