quaylinsims

[quaylinsims]

Round 7: City Living with Noisy Neighbors

In a detour from the original structure of the Globetrotting challenge, Ruby and Paolo moved into a one-bedroom apartment in San Myshino’s Spice Market because that’s my favorite one. It’s so fun!

As you can see, they furnished the apartment largely with Ruby’s crafted furniture and got a TV upgrade! By the end, they splurged on a talking toilet, too. Because who doesn’t like to get a massage or watch the news while they poo?

With her loving husband’s help, Ruby was able to complete BOTH CL collections: the posters and the snow globes. 

The aspiration required Ruby to visit all four festivals, too. Which was so much fun! Paolo and Ruby both joined the Jokesters at the Humor and Hijinks Festival and won! 

During the Romance Festival, they renewed their wedding vows. It was very romantic. You may recall from this random post that Paolo likes to (autonomously) serenade his lovely Ruby despite hating singing. And she is so smitten by him! It’s no wonder that when Ruby asked about her current relationship, the Guru said, and I quote:

A match made to last the ages.

I literally do not think I’ve ever had a sims couple so in love. I usually end up just getting them together, having babies and then they never talk again or something. But with Ruby’s outgoing nature and busy lifestyle, her social need decays quickly, and Paolo is always there to pick her up.

Ruby picked up a couple new skills in San Myshuno! Sure, she needed the singing skill for the aspiration, but she didn’t need to win 2 separate karaoke contests! Mic drop.

She also picked up the guitar and became slightly famous. On the right, you can see her in her party outfit that she never gets to show off. She put it on to entertain fans at the Arts Center. I think I have those boots...

Paolo started painting because he didn’t have much to do. Turns out, he loves it! He helped out tremendously when the aspiration wanted Ruby in an apartment worth 100,000 simoleons. 

Ruby also picked up some more programming skill to compete in the GeekCon Hackathon. She went a total of 3 times. We really had to extend the time in the city, since the second GeekCon got rained on, destroying the computers. You can see the rain didn’t damper the Roccas’ romantic spirit, though. ;) 50-mile high club!

I also converted the rooftop bar at the Uptown gym into a little spa. Ruby got some face masks, a pedicure, and both she and Paolo got massages! 

TBH, that was my first time using the Spa Day gameplay items. It was exciting. 

It was a long aspiration to complete because of weather, and there was hardly any walking room when we finally filled the apartment with enough valuables to make it worth 100k, but boy, was it fun!

What adventures await our lovely couple?

The challenge gives the following options: Glimmerbrook or Forgotten Hollow. 

[quaylinsims]

I returned to New York after the Gettysburg patients were either sent home or transferred back to their units. Reuniting with Henry and Rachel was bittersweet. I missed them dearly, but of course, it was heartbreaking to share the news of dear Joseph.

I continued to receive letters from David every week like clockwork, but they stopped after two months. I assumed there was just a delay, but a few days turned into a few weeks, and I started panicking, fearing the worst and crying nearly every night.

Until he came home.

I was on my way home from town when I saw him alight from a coach. My heart had never felt so light! I quickened my pace until he saw me, at which point, I ran into his arms.

"I promised I would come home to you," he whispered as he held me tight.

He then kissed me, and it was not a kiss I ever wanted to end.

He explained that I was right: that the war was ending and that President Lincoln and General Sherman essentially had it under control.

A few months later, William returned home as well. Soon after, David and I were married. Ten years prior, I would have laughed if anyone would have suggested that. But he was so changed. He was tender, gentle, kind, passionate[hehe, you weren't supposed to know that part]...

After we were married, David asked me if I was happy. Of course I was! We were both sad that Joseph couldn't be there.

"So what comes next, time traveler?" he asked.

"Well we were not part of history."

He suggested we change that, with a cheeky grin, and then asked what happens after the war. I sigh and tell him about how the president is assassinated and his successor essentially does everything opposite of what Lincoln would have done.

David then comes up with one of the most reckless ideas he had ever had. And I am including going back to war with a serious injury.

"And how do you suppose we do that?"

"Simple," he shrugged. "You know where he will be and when, and we just persuade him to not go."

"Oh yeah," I snort. "So simple. And how do you propose we gain access to the most powerful man in America?"

He stopped to think, and as I imagined the Secret Service swarming the president, I realized that the Secret Service as I knew it in the future had yet to exist. I had a plan.

We went to Washington in early April. As I knew would happen, Lincoln was reelected. Not long after his second inauguration, the fall of Atlanta and the end of the war were announced. The exact date was hazy for me, but we went to the theater every night after the announcement until we ran into President and Mrs. Lincoln.

As the sun was setting, we approached and greeted them. It was way easier than I had expected, but then times were different. David introduced us and remarked that we were there for his address in Gettysburg.

"I remember you, young man," he said. "And you were the brave young woman acting like a doctor."

I was surprised he remembered David, let alone me. We hadn't even said "hello" to one another.

"Mr. President," I started, "I implore you, please do not attend this theater tonight."

He was taken aback and momentarily speechless. I took the chance to go further.

"Mr. President, there is an actor named Booth who intends to assassinate you tonight."

"Which Booth?" Mary asked.

Oh, right. He had brothers.

"John Wilkes Booth."

"And how do you know this?" the president asked, suspicion growing on his face.

"It will sound crazy," I said, taking a deep breath, "but the same way I know that you just created the Secret Service and that Napoleon very nearly supported the Confederacy."

His eyes widened in shock.

"How on Earth could you have known that?"

"Is she a spy?"

"I assure you both," David interjected, "that she is not a spy. We, meaning my family and I, thought she was insane when she told us the southern states would start seceding."

He continued on explaining how everything I had told them, as unlikely and insane as it all sounded, was true.

"Mr. President, please," I pleaded. "In the year two-thousand and twenty-one, you are widely regarded as the greatest president the nation has ever had."

I explain how his Vice President would give control back to the southern states, thereby allowing them to create a legal system that was close to slavery all over again.

"If I can keep that from happening, I think the future could be brighter than the one I lived."

In the end, the president agreed not to attend the play that night. Med were dispatched to find Booth on an "anonymous tip," and he confessed to his plot.

"Now what?" David asked a few nights later.

"I know about as much as you do now," I smiled. "I am more than happy to live in ignorance of the future, so long as that future is with you."

He smiled back, took my face in his hands, and kissed me for a very long time.

David was offered a position in the Lincoln administration, but he opted to return home and run for office himself, which surprised everyone.

He became a successful state senator and then a successful governor. I decided to work on an old passion from another life and took up writing, though my stories were not much to the stylistic preferences of 19th century publishers. Though I did make a name for myself playing piano, both solo and as an accompaniment to orchestras and plays.

When he was 45, David ran for President. I and our children were, of course, fully supportive, as was William. Henry and Rachel would have been immensely proud. He won.

Henry had given William half of the earnings on his railroad and telegraph investments, and my brother-in-law made his own career of investing. Then he started a bank.

I mentioned our children. David and I were blessed with two charming boys and a beautiful little girl. Henry was the oldest and had a talent for the arts, not unlike his father, who continued to draw and paint. Oliver had a brilliant mind and followed in David's footsteps, though he went with a law career before politics. Our youngest, Elizabeth, became a doctor and a poet.

We lived with Henry and Rachel until they passed, both from a bout of what you would know as pneumonia. Then the house was ours, as William was living in New York City.

I watched my beloved husband transform New York and the nation in inspiring ways. The day he died was the worst of my life, but I followed not long after.

My story became somewhat of a family legend: my children, their children, and so on were well aware of my connection to the future. The journal I had written in when I arrived in the 19th century, which contained both what I knew of the time and what my life had been before, has been carefully locked away, treasured by those in Oliver's direct line. Henry had one son who died of the Spanish Flu before he married. Elizabeth had four children, but she thought it best that the family history stay with the one making history.

The Baldwin House, as it became known, was turned into a museum by Oliver's children. People came from all over the country to see how two of the country's most notable presidents lived. David's paintings of his wife and children were hung throughout the house.

His presidential library was constructed across the street, with a public library built right next to it. That was to honor me, as I had written that libraries were important to me and that I had wanted to be a librarian in my past life.

I had been terrified of being stuck in the past and not being able to get home to the 21st century. But along the way, I found home in the 19th and with a man it turns out I couldn't live without. It did not take long for me to stop missing the technology I had grown accustomed to. While I did miss my family, I believed they were still happy. I had to believe they even still existed after we changed history.

My former life had been full of depression and anxiety and also love and passion (not that kind, unfortunately). My new life in the past was perfection.

The End.

[quaylinsims]

Paolo Is So Romantic

I need to share this because I love Paolo. He hates singing (hence the tense moodlet), yet he serenades Ruby all the time. Love trumps hate! I need a Paolo. Who else needs a Paolo? 

Edit (like 2 seconds later):

They are so stinking cute. 

I don’t think I’ve had a sims couple this in love. <3

[quaylinsims]

The Sims 4: New Game Patch (September 21st, 2021)

There’s a new Sims 4 update available for PC/Mac and Consoles. 

PC: 1.80.69.1030 / Mac: 1.80.69.1230

Console: Version 1.48

Hello Simmers!

We hope this Game Update finds you well!

As Summer has ended and the Pumpkin Spice season starts (you all know I’m ready for my pumpkin spiced coffee!), our Art Team has a treat for Simmers that love to build. If you are not an expert builder that is quite alright, I’m not either, but I do enjoy trying a few styles and choices so no worries in that regard.

Thanks again for your continued support, we truly appreciate it!

Chaus!

-SimGuruRusskii

Over 1000 new swatches for over 100 base game items!! https://t.co/7yjIIBvwLQ pic.twitter.com/KNqpViEfSd

— LlamaGuruFrost (@SimGuruFrost) September 21, 2021

What’s New? 149 assets – 1,200 vaaariants

149 assets – 1,200 variants to enjoy so dear

149 assets – 1,200 vaaariants

How do we tell you about these… easily?

In pictures, in writing, in cups of coffee.

In gameplay, in video, in pictures, in laughter.

In 149 items – 1,200 variants – how do you measure this new thing we did with this in hand?

How about you just show? Yes, how about you just show?

Don’t measure at all, just show.

Our art team took over this Game Update and they have added about 1,200 new variants (yes, you read me correctly, about 1,200 variants) to 149 Base Game items in Build Mode. The Art Team’s vision was to complement and enhance these assets so Simmers have more choices and have more use out of them. Also, why not?

I will list the names of the assets, with images, that we have added variants to. Huge props to SimGuruBeth for providing these fabulous screenshots! In these screenshots you will notice some arrows and green dots, those represent the new additions.

Ok – enough of me rambling about, are you all ready? <takes deep breath>

Illusion Shades

Flaunting Flounces Panels

Minimalist Drapes

Sooner or Ladder Contemporary Dining Chair

Tabula Rasa Coffee Table

Tabula Rasa End Table

Tabula Rasa Console Table

Grand Hall Dining Table

Grand Designs Dining Table

Simplicity Dining Table

Square Meals Dining Table

Floored by Symmetry Standing Mirror

Carina Dining Hutch

Simple Symmetry Bookcase

Intellectual Illusion Wall-Mounted Bookshelves

Great Wall Mirror

Capped Wall Plank

Dodecagon Contemporary Clock

Honeycomb Bottle Holder

On Phantom Wing Framed Art

Apple of Your Eye Framed Watercolor

Pear Essentials Framed Watercolor

Terminus Reclaimed Pipe Towel Rack

RAW Bookshelf

Reclaimed Plank Shelf

Wainscott Gardens Dining Cabinet

Form & Function Industrial Coffee Table

The Barnish Bed

Boardwalk Trashcan

CONCEPT Coffee Mug Rack

Cluttered Mind Box Set

GrammyFone Old-Fashioned Music Player

In Session Novelty Chalkboard

Three Framed Skeleton Keys

Ordinary Things Shadowbox Display

Cooking-U Pro

Crisponix Ultragreat w/ Deluxe Crisper

The Omniwaver

Café Immodéré

London’s Choice

The YumCooker

The Schmapple Oven

The Schmapple Coffee

Garbelle Wastebasket

Popped Color Curtains – Left

Popped Color Curtains – Right

Sunny Shades – Left

Sunny Shades – Right

Junior Wizard Starter Set

Mega Couple Of Books

The Purple Protector Action Figure

The Purple Pursuer Action Figure

The Chessmaster

Chess under the Stars Patio Table

Grand Plans Chess Table

Cabin Slats

Simplicity Shade

Limber Lumber Traditional Hardwoods

Rustic Subfloor Slats

Eco-Craft Hardwood Flooring

ForestFine Wood Flooring

Old World Wide Plank Flooring

Herringbone Hardwood Flooring

VAULT Modular Counter

VAULT Modular Island

VAULT Wall Cabinets

VAULT Pro-Level Bar

BlandCo Contemporary Counter

BlandCo Contemporary Counter Island

BlandCo Contemporary Cabinet

Country Fieldstone

Mega Stacked Stone

Windowbox of Superiority

Neighborly Windowbox

Garden Planter Box

Garden Pot

Bonsai Tree

Oopsa Daisies

Red, Red Shrub

Pink Aster Nots

Purple Perennial Flowers

Shaggi-luscious

Passion’s Kiss

Baby’s Bottom Rose Bush

Red, Red Rose Bush

And all 64 windows present in Base Game!

Whew, that was quite the list! And now to our bug fix of this Update.

Bug Fixes The Sims 4

Sims living that career lifestyle but their outfits were… not up to par? Were your Sims’ career wardrobe a bit stale as you moved up that career ladder? Not exactly dressing for success, right? No worries, we have fixed that issue and now all career levels should have appropriate outfits. Go you, good luck!

[quaylinsims]

Two Final Past Perfection cc Objects

I've made two more sepia photo sets of the Baldwin family.

Both are BGC.

The first is a series of "photographs" of the family members and couples. The second is a desktop frame with two family "photos".

Below, you can see all of the portraits in the first file.

---

D O W N L O A D S

Wall Photos:

Dropbox | Google Drive No ads. Always free!

Family Photos:

Dropbox | Google Drive No ads. Always free!

---

Credits EA S4S GIMP

[quaylinsims]

Uh oh. Darth Vader using the cover of GeekCon to build a new spaceship? This. Cannot. Be. Good.

Look at him peering over his shoulder. Is he making sure no one suspects him (even though the act itself is suspicious)? Or is he waiting for his stormtroopers?

Let’s just hope there’s no JarJar in this installment.

[quaylinsims]

Round 6: Evergreen (and black, white, yellow, blue, houndstooth, red, grim, and orange) Harbor

Perhaps Ruby’s first foray into the more creative arts got off to a bumpy start. The blizzards in Evergreen’s winter kept her from getting too much done at first. She used her archaeology skill to make some money at first, selling off fake relics.

The Rocca home in Conifer Station was a bit sparse at first, and they couldn’t quite afford a fabricator yet. Trough dumpster diving and selling less than amazing artifacts, the funds trickled in. 

Fun educational fact: “Conifer” is basically another word for “evergreen” when referring to trees. It’s derived from Coniferophyta or Coniferae, which is another (or rather, 2 other) names for the taxonomical Pinophyta division of the Plantae kingdom. 

Another fun fact: IRL, I have masters degrees in Education and Library Science, so it’s near impossible to resist the urge to include educational tidbits. :p You’re welcome.

Ruby essentially furnished their home (what wasn’t already long part of their inventory) with fabricated furniture.

Ruby still had to use a public recycler for a little while, but she eventually voted to turn that community space into a marketplace. 

Ruby learned a lot from trying to sell her stuff. For one, be careful how you put your candles on display. They will melt. 

Ruby likes the carved candles the best. Especially the mood ones! 

Happy New Year! Ruby managed to get an extra resolution in, too, since she was so close already to completing an aspiration milestone. 

This one took a little longer than the challenge’s timeframe, but we kept at it. It’s amazing, considering Ruby is Never Weary, thanks to all her aspirational success. But she started greening up the neighborhood a bit, too. 

Thankfully Paolo was there to help out with little things like tending to the creepy crawlies and the plants, even when he wasn’t feeling up to it. Ruby is so glad to have run into him on that beach in Sulani.

What’s next? The challenge says Forgotten Hollow or Glimmerbrook, but there’s one more pack I have that has a location-based aspiration I want to try. I can’t remember if I’ve ever completed it.

[quaylinsims]

Round 5: Selvadoradan Secrets

Ruby brought Paolo along again on this adventure. He has been a supportive companion through her journeys, increasingly helping with some of the less appealing and/or more repetitive tasks. For example, when Ruby was hacking her way through thorny vines and dodging spiders and plasma bats, he made sure the garden at the rental didn’t rot away. 

I rebuilt the smallest lot by the bar and museum into a studio house not unlike the little trailer in Strangerville. I don’t care that the eco roofing doesn’t really affect anything on a vacay lot. The more eco, the merrier! 

Ruby’s outdoorsy nature was a boon for this chapter in her journey. She thrives under the open sky, whether skiing, rockclimbing, fishing, or hacking vines and digging in the dirt. 

All her skills and preparations did not guarantee she’d be safe from the jungle’s dangers. An encounter with a scorpion sent her to the marketplace to get an antidote!

Ruby got a little sciencey again with her archaeological digs and artifact analyses. She unearthed dozens of clumps and artifacts, with some help from Paolo <3, and even maxed that Archaeology skill!

She easily finished her aspiration before the season was over, but in order to find a new temple she hadn’t already visited (oops?), she and Paolo had to pop back to Strangerville to schedule another vacay!

She got about halfway through the Jungle Explorer aspiration before it was time to change her home address from Strangerville to Evergreen Harbor. 

I’m pretty sure Ruby and Paolo will be back. Paolo loves music, and I’m sure they would both love to learn the Rumbasim.

Ruby’s on her way to being a WonderSim! 

Next adventure: Dumpster Diving!

[quaylinsims]

Future Cube

I don’t know about everyone else, but townies have been obsessed with their future cubes today. For the last hour or so, anyway. 

My current sim has even gotten 2 in the mail (from Strangerville fans), and there may or may not be another in the box for me to collect. Let’s call it Schroedinger’s Cube. 

Anyway, I asked about the future, and the above screenshot is what I got. I don’t think I’ve seen this one before. Anyone else?

Could we be getting another announcement soon? Usually I see things like this from @thesims4blogger...? 

[quaylinsims]

It was surreal and frightening to witness the coming of a war that I had studied and watched documentaries about. As it was becoming increasingly evident to the Baldwins that I was indeed not making any of it up, they started asking more questions about the future.

By the time summer rolled around, men of all ages were beginning to enlist in and be drafted by the army. Including William and David.

Henry was the only one brave enough to see them off, though the rest of us had said our farewells and offered our best wishes.

I knew community groups, often led by women, would be having fundraisers and collection drives to support the troops, and Rachel and I participated in some.

I wrestled with whether I should do more. Would it affect history? Would it be a bad thing if it did? What could I do?

Joseph had mentioned he wanted to join the army, too. Rachel was concerned he would be too soft on the field and end up getting hurt. I stayed out of the argument, though I did know how he could at least stay healthy, or healthier than his fellow soldiers.

I had offered some advice to William and David that they should make sure to boil all water before drinking it, to take water from upstream to make sure it was cleaner, and to wash their hands with clean water after contact with sick people. I knew illness ran rampant in war camps. In fact, I had done some genealogical research and found a document about a camp around the capitol my 2x or 3x great grandfather had served in where a large portion of their ranks had died from dysentery and other such illnesses. I thought of this as I listened to Rachel and Henry discuss their concerns for not only Joseph enlisting but also the others.

The doctors during the war couldn't even pass the MCAT in the 21st century. I had greater understanding about the spread of disease than they did. I knew leeching was useless and that you had to keep instruments clean to help avoid infection.

That night, as Rachel lost her cool and all but begged her youngest son not to go to war, I decided there was something I could do. The next day, I paid a visit to Mrs. McIntyre, a woman who lived down the road and whose daughter had just left to serve as a nurse.

It did not take much for me to become a battlefield nurse. I knew how bloody war could be, but I was underprepared for witnessing it. The doctors initially scoffed at my suggestions for cleanliness, but before my first year was up, I had earned their respect. And in time, I did nearly the same work as the doctors. We frequently used barns as field hospitals, and with every battle, I dreaded not only the casualties, but the possibility of seeing a Baldwin on an operating table.

Then one day, a familiar but hoarse voice reached my ears.

"Just a few more steps, Hawkins," he said.

I looked up from cleaning my tools (not as well as I would have wished we could sanitize them). David's eyes met mine from across the barn, and I thought I saw looks of confusion and fear flash across this face before he settled on determination to get his injured friend over to where I stood. He helped Hawkins up on the table in front of me.

"Where's the wound?" I asked.

There was no time for greetings or pleasantries. Before the words left my lips, I found an oozing bullet hole and began helping the young man undress.

"You sure you can do this?" David asked.

"Have you been boiling your water?"

I was already working on cleaning the wound. I had learned early to work quickly; the adrenaline helped.

David stood quietly by, watching me work. Hawkins grimaced and shouted in pain.

"Is there nothing you can do for the pain?" David asked.

"In this century? There seems to be only alcohol."

Eventually, as I was extracting the bullet from the young man's leg, the pain got the better of him, and he passed out. I did my best to irrigate the wound and sew him up. David and another soldier carried him over to an empty spot.

When he came back to thank me, I noticed David had a wound on his upper arm. He said it was just a scratch, but I demanded he let me clean it and suture it.

"Should that become infected and kill you, David Baldwin, I would not be able to face your parents."

With each battle came a seemingly endless parade of injured men, some old, some young enough to be in high school if this were the 21st century. Many were grateful for my lifesaving skills, and yet they rarely listened to me when I told them to rest.

I started getting letters from David, each friendlier and/or more personal than the last. The years of mockery and cruelty from him were being healed by his kind words and support. It seemed as though he was making amends and reaching out to someone who understood the war and its frights. I grew more anxious for him as the war raged on.

Three years into the war, I found myself heading for one of the bloodiest (if not the bloodiest) battles of the war. I was terrified, not only of the violence, but of whether I would be able to handle it. But before I could prepare myself, sounds of war could be heard from the barn we were setting up in.

I was surprised when I saw William on the first day. He was helping some of his men seek care. I quickly cleaned and bandaged a graze on his hand.

I was even more surprised when I later saw Joseph helping a fellow soldier into the barn. He was unwounded and lacking any bit of that youthful, innocent cheer we al loved in him. He only nodded at me before returning to the fight.

I worked around the clock, relying on adrenaline and horrible coffee to keep me going. I no longer have the time or the will to look at the faces of the men before me. Until I hear a Baldwin.

"Take me to the beauty," David was telling his men.

An amputee patient was just being carried off when two soldiers helped David onto the table.

"I have not the time for a prank," I told him as I began cleaning my tools.

"It's not a prank, miss," one of them men said.

I turned back around as David lost strength and nearly fell off the table. His men helped turn him onto his back, and without his jacket on, I could finally see the wound. Blood spilled from a hole in his abdomen, staining his shirt, and he passed out.

I worked as carefully as I could, worrying about the blood loss. I had had patients die from less severe injuries. But I did my best to push the fear aside. I did not want to have to tell to Henry and Rachel that their son died.

At the end of the battle, David was still unconscious. William got leave to stay beside his brother until he woke, and I did my best to continually provide care, cleaning and otherwise tending to his wound. One of the nurses had approached me with news I didn't dare do anything with just yet. We had put David's coat back on him to keep him warm. William had found his personal bag, and among everything inside it were all the letters I had written back to him and a small book filled with sketches, many of them of me.

When he finally awoke, we had to struggle to keep him resting.

But William had to catch up with his unit. So before he left, I sat the two of them down to share what news I had heard from one of the other nurses.

Joseph was among the fallen. I told them that I was going to go back to New York after I was done treating the wounded at that site and that I would share the news directly with Henry and Rachel so they would not have to read about it in a letter from a stranger.

Then I had the honor and privilege of witnessing a great moment in history when President Lincoln visited the battlefield. He even stopped to talk to William and David and to thank me and the other nurses and doctors.

After William had left, I continued to worry about David's strength and urged him to recover more before heading to catch up with his own unit.

I told him everything I remembered of the end of the war and how this had been a major turning point. I even asked him to return home with me.

"I would love to go home with you," he said, his voice low and tender. "But I cannot forsake my men."

He pulled me aside and walked me around the back of the barn where no one could hear.

"I will return to you," he said.

"You mean home."

"No, I don't."

He took my hands in his.

"I did not always treat you kindly, and for that I cannot apologize enough. But through the years, especially the last few, I have come to see you as the most compassionate, intelligent, and beautiful woman in the world. I admit I do not know how it happened or when, but my heart has become entirely yours, Emma."

I was speechless. I truly hadn't seen this coming. But my heart began throbbing.

Could I feel the same?

"I must complete my role in this fight. And when I return to you, I intend to take your hand and never let go. If you will allow me to do so, of course."

"General Sherman will do fine without you, but--"

He shook his head, cutting me off.

"I will see you when this is over. I promise you, it is not easy to leave your side."

He raised my left hand to his lips and left a gentle kiss on my ring finger knuckle. My heart and stomach both dropped as he climbed onto a horse and rode off in the direction of his unit.

[quaylinsims]

Quick note for anyone reading my tumblr (not sure if there are any readers out there):

I am playing through the globetrotter challenge and posting shortly after finishing a round (or two). 

The Past Perfection posts have been queued up since before they started posting, so don’t get discouraged by all the challenge posts. (3 more PP posts left!)

[quaylinsims]

Round 4: Summer in Granite Falls

This is basically how I garden irl. I just look at the plant. lol 

Ruby, being an outdoor enthusiast, loved the Outdoor Enthusiast aspiration. She and Paolo popped a tent up near the A-frame “cabin” on their campsite and lived in simplicity. He even helped her collect some plants and icky, disgusting, creepy bugs!

I have to say, Ruby has had the worst weather luck during her adventures! First it was cold in Sulani, then it was raining and storming almost every day in Granite Falls!

She even got struck by lightning twice! So did Paolo! 

Ruby did a lot of bug catching and plant harvesting. That was probably a good 30% of her trip (the other 70 being sleeping, getting struck by lightning, fishing, and enjoying Paolo’s company). 

It seemed to take forever, but she was able to max the Herbalism skill by the end of the trip. Silly me, I could have helped her out if I had thought of helping her get focused. Guess I could have used that help, too!

Finally, the last full day in the forest was nice and clear. 

Ruby was able to get some fishing in by the hermit’s house and caught some rare specimens! She mounted the mountain lionfish so she would always have proof of her fishing mastery, which she did, incidentally, master during this camping trip. Level 10 Fishing! Woohoo! Yay! 

And another aspiration complete! Also yay!

Next up: Selvadorada! Hopefully Ruby and Paolo can dry off!

[quaylinsims]

Round 3: Strangest-ville

I get it now. These creepy housewarmers are why it’s called Strangerville. They came every day and never left. It was always a different bunch, but they were always there. With the fruitcake. Creepy.

Ruby and Paolo moved into the little house that almost looks like a trailer. It was perfect for their needs; they just lowered it to the ground. He continued his part-time job as a lifeguard that he took after he joined Ruby’s household. In fact, he slow-ran his way to the top!

If you do not have Strangerville but intend to get it or haven’t played through the “adventure” yet, you may want to skip this one.

Thankfully, I had done this gameplay before. I mostly just bought the pack for the Victorian build mode items. 

Ruby got started talking to the townspeople right away! She found plenty of evidence, even learned some programming skill to hack into the Secret Lab’s computers. She planted bugs on a few military personnel and a couple scientists, and she listened to them from the listening station she set up in her... garden. And yeah, Paolo likes working out under the sun...

This weirdo town got Ruby doing some things she never thought she would do.

Like wear a hazmat suit. “Babe, does this make me look smexy?” He was into it. Weirdo.

And science. Ruby scienced a lot more than she ever had. And saw some pretty freaky things. She thought that constant welcoming party was creepy... Man this stuff is getting scary. Why did Ruby get herself involved in this?

I mean, come on! If it’s locked, it should stay locked! For Pete’s sake, Ruby!

But she managed to defeat the ultra-weird giant sentient alien plant, with the help of some recruited townsfolk. 

They laud her as a hero now, but I still think she should have left it alone.

At least Ruby was able to do some normal things during that spring. 

She did get to go fishing in a little pond up on the ridge. 

And she caught a what!?

Next adventure: Camping! Oh goody. Bugs. Bleah!

[quaylinsims]

A Brief Update on the Baldwins and Emma

So we've seen how the story has progressed, but how have our characters grown?

For one, Emma is not a little girl anymore!

We've seen her grown up and learn the piano and chess. She became a teacher at the girls' school Mr. Baldwin sent her to. She still knows a lot more than her contemporaries, considering she grew up in a different century. At least her health and hygiene are better than a lot of people's! She's also a bit of a romantic, frequently fantasizing about being in love, which she had never had the opportunity to do in her past life. She worries about a future life of idle gossip and domesticity, quietly hoping she can become a writer.

What about everyone else? Well, Lizzy moved on to another family, since Joey -- ahem -- Joseph is no longer in need of a governess. Maggie is still with the family, though! And you can read more about the Baldwins below the cut!

Henry hasn't changed much. He's still the kind, generous, warm-hearted father Emma has wanted for over 30 years. He is getting a little gray, though. He has come to see Emma truly as a daughter and can't imagine life without her in his family. He wishes there were a way she could truly be a Baldwin, though he knows William is too serious and not gentle enough for her and that David is too aloof and carefree.

Rachel has upped her style game, if you ask me! I think it's the influence of Emma and her distaste for a lot of 1850s fashion and preference for more tailored looks. She volunteers for a couple charities and has even secretly been attending meetings on women's suffrage. Emma's open opinions must have sparked her own curiosities on current affairs!

William is as much like his father as he isn't. He is rather ambitious, desiring to grown the family fortune, but he isn't as generous and prefers to save money. He's highly intelligent and is always reading up on new research. And he's still as serious as ever, refusing to give anything but his all and demanding perfection of himself. His intense focus on studies and work, however, lead his loved ones to wonder if he will be able to soften enough to find love.

David is proof you cannot judge a book by its cover. His devil-may-care attitude is evident by his more youthful and frivolous style. But under the surface, he is far more intelligent than he appears. He keeps his true self rather hidden, though, and even his family is unaware of how he yearns for love and family. They don't know about his secret passion for creating art, either. He often acts indifferent, but deep down, he cares about an awful lot.

Last, but not least, we have Joseph. He is like the family's angel, always kind, always trying to find the good in every situation and person he meets. He'd rather rescue animals than hunt them, not that any of the family is fond of hunting. His compassion lets him see when others are hurting, and he often tries to comfort them. He wishes he were smarter so he could be a doctor, but he doesn't dwell on even his own shortcomings. He may be the only one who can tell when David is upset. Because of all this, his family cherishes him and often seeks to shield him from not only danger, but also hard decisions and upsetting conversations.

How will the upcoming war affect Emma and the Baldwins?

[quaylinsims]

Round 2: Sifting Sands in Sulani!

Ruby was certainly surprised by the cold in Sulani. She expected even in winter to be able to be able to hang around in short sleeves. Sadly, that was not the case most days.

Fun fact: You can place windows and doors on roofs if the roof is tall enough. Ruby opted for an eco-friendly power-producing roof. 

There was plenty of room in her little roof-hut for a bathroom (concealed by bamboo fencing), a kitchen (@rvsn’s beautiful counters and barstools), a sitting area, and a double bed (kinda hidden back there behind the tall lattice-like fencing).

Another thing Ruby did not expect to find in Sulani: love. She met the handsome young Paolo Rocca, and her “Single and Loving It” lifestyle was instantly upended.

I wish I knew why Paolo didn’t show up to his wedding in formalwear, but Ruby didn’t care. She was just happy he showed! (Note the breath steam!)

Well, he finally changed his clothes for the party, and Ruby changed into a less constricting dress and did something nice with her hair. All their friends showed up, and because it’s Sulani, some uninvited guests showed up, too. But hey, all are welcome to celebrate love!

There was so much excitement and adventure in Mt Komorebi that it was hard for Ruby to just chill. She found quite a few treasures while beachcombing and fishing, though! How else could she have paid for that wedding?! 

Maybe that’s why she decided to run off and take a cold shower in the waterfall?

She managed to find her inner zen and doze off just before the sun rose on spring. 

Another aspiration complete!

Now it’s off to Strangerville! Wonder why it’s called that...

[quaylinsims]

Round 1 Complete: See you later, Mt Komorebi!

Ruby wrapped up fall in Mt Komorebi just shy of being able to go on her first excursion. But that’s okay. There will be time after she has globetrotted all over simsdom. (Note that I keep forgetting to remove her climbing gear. lol)

Ruby got really good at skiing. She’s not quite a master at it, but she can perform some pretty slick moves on the difficult slopes! Look at her go!

As I mentioned, she hasn’t quite gotten to the excursion level in rock climbing, but she’s not bad! That’s certainly too high for me without a harness!

There were two festivals in Ruby’s last week. She met Yamachan at the Festival of Light right after making a wish! It’s like those old Disney commercials where the kids are upset because they didn’t meet Mickey, but then he ends up making their day at the end of their trip. (No joke, that happened to me when I was 6!) Except she had already met Yamachan before. Still noteworthy!

Ruby also checked out the Festival of Youth (not in a creepy way). She got to taste the delicious strawberry ice cream crepe. There were a few kids enjoying their holiday, too, and she even saw some hunting for voidcritters!

Next up: Sulani!

I wonder what kind of tropical fun Ruby’s going to enjoy there!

[quaylinsims]

The Baldwin Residence

The lot I used for the Baldwin's home is this lot from my gallery (ID: QuaylinSims). It is listed as a museum, and if you wish to use it as a house, it may require some small edits, most notably removing velvet ropes and some signs. It is CC free, but I will list some of my favorite Victorian BB custom content below the break, some of which you can see in the screenshots throughout this story. Best to use [bb.moveobjects on] before placing.

Simpler Parlour Organ (plus an oil lamp, Princess Cordelia cameo portrait, standing vintage camera) by vampireloreskill

Magnolian Farewell Book Computer by TheSims4VersaillesCollection

Deco Books by Kyta1702

PSB Victorian Icebox Refrigerator by Pandorasimbox

Heritage collections (one) (two) by Harrie-cc

Samantha Bed (separated) by Linzlu