woodstoneb-b

[woodstoneb-b]

Welcome back to Woodstone B&B where stunning sunrises welcome you each day!

As well as stunning surprises I guess, because as I discovered after last entry, the Lady of the Manor and the ghost that has no pants have a...thing going on.

Flower: Oh yeah, they're all over each other like jellyfish!

Uh...huh...

The Woodstone property is pretty massive and one of the nicest spots is our very own lake!

Thor: Thor is jealous of pixel self, it has been half a century since Thor was able to fish for that greatest of all foods...cod.

Alberta: Oh lord, don't get him started.

Trevor: Can we fish in the lake in real life, Jay?

Ahem...unfortunately after consultation with the EPA, we've been advised that the level of heavy metals in the water is slightly too high so in the interests of our guests, fishing is off limits.

Now here's something of interest, here at Woodstone we have a secret underground vault! It was constructed in the 1890s by Elias Woodstone, no doubt to hold all the Woodstone family riches.

Hetty: Which he didn't get the chance to use, instead he ended up locked inside it by the builder. Which is where cuckolding will get you, so take note.

I assure all prospective guests that the skeleton in the ACTUAL basement is fake, I mean, obviously we wouldn't leave a real skeleton on the premises!

Er, Pete, what the Hell are you doing?

Pete: I appreciate worksmanship, and this is fine workmanship! It looks almost real!

Yep, definitely a fake skeleton.

Thor: Why would there be rain in this mythical space? Thor cannot fish in such weather! The cod I could be catching -

Alberta: I told you not to get him started.

In the meantime, rain and even a lack of pants doesn't deter some of the ghosts.

Trevor: A fudgiscle! Man, what I wouldn't give for one of those...

Sass: This game is making me hungry....hey, Sam, can we have a pizza to smell tonight?

Thor: Seems game is not always correct...Trevor never wins 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' in real life.

Trevor: I swear, it makes no damn sense. How do you always know.

Thor: That is secret.

Is this more accurate?

Thor: Hahaha, small man would never dare such move against Thor.

Um, Alberta? That's uh...not safe.

Alberta: This ain't real, Jay, and these microwaves...damn, you modern people don't know how good you got it!

Alberta: I mean, look at this convenience! In my time it would have taken like half a day to get a dinner like this!

Well, I'll pass on your compliments to Swanson's.

Oh God, what are you planning now, No Pants?

Trevor: Wouldn't you like to know?

I don't think I do, to be honest...

Flower: Eee buttefly chasing! My favourite thing!!

Thor: And Flower doesn't even need to worry about boundary now.

Flower: I'm supposed to worry about a boundary?

Thor *groan*

Trevor: Cool, horses!

Looks like the feeling isn't mutual.

Trevor: Wow, you've been fishing all day, Big Guy?

Thor: A whole day is nothing to Thor, Thor once spent two days fishing for a much spoken of and legendary cod, it is all colours of the rainbow and is longer than -

Alberta: Just walk away, Jay and come back in an hour or two...he should be finished by then.

Trevor: Broooooo!

Thor: Broooooo!

Well, that's something you don't see every day...a Viking and a Wall Street broker doing shakkas at each other.

Alberta: Jay, you nailed it! Here I am lookin' ready to paint the town red! Starting with a drink at this speakeasy!

Isaac: sigh I am feeling isolated and unfulfilled, there's no Samantha in this game to write my story.

Well, you know, you can write your own story in this.

Isaac: What? Why didn't you say so?! Fetch me a quill and all the parchment you can afford!

Yeah, that's really not necessary, you just need a typewriter or a computer.

Isaac: Right! Lead me to it!

Trevor: Hey nothing to see here..

Isaac: What are you talking about, you've got one of those typewriters!

Trevor: Yeah, but...this is a secret room....which you guys don't know about.

Isaac: I have never actually seen that room before, what do you do in there?

Hetty: Never you mind.

Here's an interesting development, Sass's simself rolled a want to be a sculptor so here we go.

Sass: You know, I wanted to be a storyteller...but being able to create art that will last for eons...sounds good to me!

Thor: Meanwhile, Thor has decided to keep cod and other fish to admire. Also eat if famine occur.

Righty-oh, good thinking.

On that note, we'll leave our ghostly pals for now. What hijinks will they get up to next time? Stay tuned!

[woodstoneb-b]

When we last left our Ghostly friends, Thor was engaged in a battle with the laundry overrunning the mansion (rest assured, in real life your laundry will never pile up when you stay with us!)

OK...once again the game seems to know we're dealing with ghosts... that looks seriously uncomfortable though...

Thor: If Thor only feels discomfort during a battle, Thor has done very well!

Thor: Yes!! Thor has triumphed! No clothing shall ever defy me again!

Ooookay...

Trevor: Awesome work, Big Guy! You kicked that laundry in the ass!

Damnit, No Pants, don't encourage him *shakes head*

Right, not sure what to make of No-Pants and Hetty hanging out with each other all the time...

Trevor: Hey, we have heaps in common!

Hetty: I don't like to advertise it too much, but Trevor does indeed have the most interesting stories about modern business practices. No orphans required, but the returns are just as good!

Ooookaaaay...

Isaac: Excuse me! Can't a gentleman undertake his daily ablutions in privacy?!

In the meantime our resident Jazz singer (if you hear ghostly tunes while staying here, you can be rest assured. It's Alberta!) is putting on a concert for her fellow ghosts.

Alberta: Thank God this is only a photo, because apparently I gotta start from the bottom in this game of yours and my piano skills are terrible!

Alberta: Although, my man Trev is being supportive, as always.

Trevor: Hey, supporting bros is what bro's do.

Sure, although I don't think Alberta's gonna return the favour with your painting there, because yikes

Ooo what's this, Trevor and Flower having an argument...over electronics?

Trevor: Hey c'mon, are you telling me you don't think TV is the greatest invention ever? You think it's the washing machine?

Flower: Hey, man, ask your girlfriend about the benefits of a washing machine...

Trevor: Oh yeah... :D

Wait...girlfriend?

Flower: Jay, you gotta keep up.

Albert: Girl, I can't believe there was a secret passage in this place...and we never used it!

Hetty: Used it? For what?

Alberta: Girl...

Alberta: What the HELL

That's your outfit for the singing career.

Alberta: Oh, Hell no! I'm a jazz singer, I got a certain look, and that is not it.

OK, OK, I'll fix it for you.

Alberta: You better!

Hetty: Oh, I don't know, I rather enjoyed it! Reminds me of this small child who danced for our entertainment when we opened one of our mills.

Ooookaaaay...

I seriously had no idea our Ghosts loved reading so much!

Thor: Thor would like to read, but cannot...

Flower: That's OK, I can read aloud to you! "One day Mr Twindlewink went to the market..."

Thor: Thor hopes he was properly armed.

I guess having to read to Thor was pretty testing because then Flower had a day out!

Which honestly, I'm kinda jealous of? Like a swim, building a sand castle, seeing a wild horse, flower picking and roller skating? That's one fun day!

And incidentally, something you too can enjoy when you visit Ulster County and stay in our B&B.

Hetty: What in the name of our Lord and Saviour is this representation of me DOING?! Laundry? I never did laundry in my entire life.

Flower: But you learnt to appreciate washing machines in death at least, right?

Oookaaay...

Thor: With no battles, Thor needs other ways to keep self occupied, this thing called exercise is keeping Thor battle-sharpened.

Flower: With energy to burn! Bet Sim!Flower hasn't even been in the laundry!

It's kind of fun seeing what these guys get up to, Hetty reading and Isaac snoozing makes sense, but Sass and Trevor hanging out? Not so much.

Sass: I wouldn't say hanging out, more like I was watching TV and Trevor just happens to be in the same place.

Trevor: Hey!

Wow, No-Pants you've finally decided to deal with the clothing sitaution!

Sam: Jay, since you designed all these Sims, it's pretty much your fault Trevor looks like this.

Trevor: Thank you!

I wanted them to be accurate!

I did want them to be accurate, but then stuff like this happens...

Flower: Totally accurate!

Wait, what?

Oh my God, No-Pants, what did you do?!

Thor: The laundry machine is rebelling! Thor will go into battle and bend it to our will!

No, you just need to call the repair dude...

Thor: Thor is secure enough in self to allow that others are more able to take on the task of defeating enemies. But Thor can still be helpful in clean up.

Oookay...

In closing...this game has some seriously weird attraction system...and there's no better example than this...Hetty is attracted to the repair dude. But I mean, there's no shame in that, he's a handy guy!

Hetty: This is pure slander!

On that note, I'll wrap this up here!

Join us next time, when hopefully the laundry wars are over!

[woodstoneb-b]

So another day dawns at Woodstone! And here are two of our heroes getting down to the business of reading.

Hetty: Is that sarcasm I detect? As ghosts we're unable to turn pages of books, I am truly jealous of these... pixels?

Alberta: That reminds me...Sam has the new People come in?

Thor: Thor far prefers the moving picture box, a whole world is contained in there -

Sass: The fact you can't actually read has nothing to do with that -

Thor: Also plenty of attractive people, removing clothes because of increasing temperature.

Sass: Actually...television may be a far better use of one's time...

Isaac: Well, I for one am far more partial to the written word than the trivial tales of man versus temperature. I imagine I'm reacquainting myself with the plays of Shakespeare or one of the great poets.

It was actually a children's book about rocket.

Isaac: Well, one must start somewhere.

Hetty: I must say, this is quite a faithfully recreation of my beloved family home.

Thanks, Hetty. By the way, to all our readers if you come to stay at our fine B&B you'll find my discerning eye in all dishes, which are all prepared on site.

Hetty: Well, once again I'm impressed by the accuracy of these little pixels.. Isaac and I often discuss the nature of death...

Isaac: It's spectre does tend to haunt us...

Right, yeah...haunts you.

Meanwhile here's No-Pants showing his amazing *heh* dart skills.

Trevor: Hey! I haven't played in 20 years, I'd like to see you do better.

Flower: Gee, Thor, I didn't think this show of yours was so literal.

Sass: No, Flower, this is Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares.

Thor: Thor often have nightmares involving flames...

Thor: Wait, what is this?! Who is this hairy man that has captured my Flower's attention?! I will rip his head from his body and -

Woooah, OK, let's settle down, it's just a game, Thor.

Flower: Yeah, although...I like the furriness -

No, no, let's move right on.

Hetty: Hmm, Isaac and I usually have a pondering sessions in the Upstairs Den, but I think this location is far better.

Uh, no, the Library of Woodstone is for use of guests, at least in the daytime.

Hetty: ARRRRRRRRGH!!!

Yikes, whoa...what is this all about?

Hetty: I imagine Pixel me is realising that the life of a ghost awaits her and is suitably distressed by this.

Right...uh...well, in the real B&B, there's no screaming in the night.

Alberta: Well, not screaming, but -

There's no disturbing noises at all in this place, I promise you.

Er, this is an interesting development...No-Pants and the Lady of the House talking?

Trevor: Hey, we've got heaps in common!

Hetty: That's true, we both partook in the magical medicine known as coca-

COCOA, yep, hot cocoa is another speciality here at Woodstone B&B, we purchase it fresh from the local market in the nearby town. You can request it be brought to your room every morning.

Hetty: Oh, the portable telephone device! I can't believe Pixel Trevor has one of his very own!

Actually, in this game, you all -

Trevor: Shut up and let me have this, bro.

We also have this fine lake on our property (where there's absolutely nothing like a dead body submerged in it or anything like that)

Thor: But does it have cod? Thor would be very happy to find out!

Alberta: Well, when I was alive I had to wash my clothing myself, and not with these new-timey automatic washing machines, so I won't even complain about doing it.

Flower: Besides! Washing Machines are fun.

DON'T continue that sentence, please.

Hahaha this is just hilarious!

Hetty: Excuse me! The Lady of the Manor should not be shown in such manner, even in pixelated form.

Now, usually the well-stocked and appointed kitchen of Woodstone is the domain of yours truly, but here in the game, our heroes are free to use it.

Alberta: Eating something prepared by Flower? Boy, that could end up very interesting, if you know what I mean.

Sass: Yeah, I know exactly what you mean, Alberta, and I'm not going to risk it.

Flower: Come on, guys, I'm not going to slip weed in your food, I mean unless you want me to.

This is something that will not happen at Woodstone, where all state and federal laws are strictly followed.

Oh geeze, isn't in bad enough you're No-Pants? You want to be No-Shirt too?

Trevor: Hey, if you've got it...flaunt it ;O)

Isaac: I have to admit, your confidence in yourself is quite something, Trevor. How exactly did you come by it?

Trevor: Well, you know a lot of it is just natural, but you -

Let's move right on from that.

Thor: Alberta did not actually do final part of cloth-washing process, drying.

Alberta: Why would I do that when we've got a clean-freak like you to do it?

Hahahaha, did you get sent to the naughty corner, No-Pants?

Trevor: Hey, my favourite colour is green, so I'm just enjoying the ambience here.

Isaac: He was being extremely annoying and when I told him so, he went off to sulk.

Thor: By the Mighty Fist of Odin! How does so much clothing accumulate in this game?!

Well, there are 8 of you, and you change clothes at least once a day, so do the maths.

Thor: Thor is not good with numbers.

Speaking of numbers...once again we've reached the maximum photos allowed! Stay tuned to see Thor's continual fight with the laundry and No-Pants refusing to even put a shirt on.

Until next time.

[woodstoneb-b]

OK, so it turns out that when you've got a B&B the Christmas season is hella busy - which seems like something that should have been obvious. But yeah, the wife and I have been run off our feet.

But, I've finally had a chance to play the game so let's get into it!

Not gonna lie, this hits a bit too close to home, we just started the game and the kitchen sink is already broken!

Flower: Wow...a waterfall indoors, this is totally groovy, man!

Hetty can be...kind of dramatic.

Hetty: I did not give permission for such an image to be shown... Although...are there Cheetos in this game?

Afraid not...but that looks pretty good.

Hetty: Yes, as you can see I'm simply thrilled.

Hetty: I will say that I very much appreciate the punctuality of the workmen is this game... Certainly not Irish.

Hetty: When I was alive I never would have allowed outsiders to see me in my swimwear, but...seeing as this is not actually me, I suppose I can allow it. And I'll even admit that I was most fond of swimming, a very refreshing pastime indeed! I can't say I ever went swimming on the ocean however...which is a shame if the scenery is like this!

Meanwhile back at the Mansion, these two are fully immersed in reading.

Isaac: I say, that's a most accurate representation of myself! These computers are amazing.

Thor: Isaac speaks for himself, Thor does not read.

Sass (low voice): It's more like he can't.

OK, I'm not sure why No-Pants went down to the beach...

Trevor: All the babes hang on the beaches!

Hetty: I'm not sure if I should be flattered by that...?

Trevor: Your Simself obviously thinks so, you got me a little gift!

Hetty: Well, now I understand why it's called virtual reality...

Thor: This is more like it! In life Thor was well-regarded as a fisherman, Thor could name all varieties of cod in the area, there was the -

He had a lot more to say, but...yeah, there's a word limit on these posts, so...

Hetty: Why on earth am I sleeping on the beach like some sort of vagrant?! And why am allowing you to show such outlandish images of me?

Trevor: Sleeping on the beach is totally cool.

Hetty: In the middle of summer? I'd think not.

Thor: Jay's game is learning, Thor does not abide messiness! If only Thor could clean in real world...Jay leaves sink in unspeakable state.

For any current guests and possible guests reading this, this is not true.

Sam: It really, really isn't, our B&B has received the highest hygiene certification.

Hehehe, Sims have to do whatever you tell them to, so here's No-Pant's being useful.

Trevor: Seriously?!

Trevor: Oh hey, I did it! Not that I'm surprised, I've got the magic touch.

Hetty *giggles*

My eyes! MY EYES!

Trevor: Hey, just giving the ladies what they're asking for.

Pete: Why am I there?

Trevor: Well, it's my bedroom, so...you tell me.

After that horror, I sent my man, Pete, downtown to the library, now I feel like this is a Sims 3 thing, because the one nearest us sure doesn't have tropical drinks!

Pete: Wow...somewhere that's not the mansion?! It's so...weird. Almost as weird as me drinking out of a coconut. That's strictly a vacation activity

Pete: This takes me way back! Identifying animals out in the wild was something I was a master at in the Pine Cone Troopers.

Sass: As much of a master as you were with archery?

Thor: Heh, burn.

Isaac: Thorfinn, you're asking about my book! :D

Thor: Game has once again not lived up to reality.

Alberta: I am loving my look here, Jay, you've got everything right.

Thor: Even funny hat.

Alberta: I'm pretty sure Sass is telling me a secret about you, Cod-man, so watch it.

Flower: Hey, Trev! Isn't this so cool? We're in a game!

Trevor: Totally.

Flower: Except...why do you still have no pants?

Sass also headed out...and proved to be pretty good at pool.

Sass: I did hear a phrase once... "Talk softly and carry a big stick" and that's a pretty big stick. I approve!

Thor: By Odin's beard why so much mess?! Why is puddle even in room of Jay and Sam?!

Sam: I really don't want to know...

Okay, and on that note, I've reached the image limit, so I think I better wrap this up here...

And yeah, we totally have that hygiene and safety certificate, and can produce it on request, I swear.

Until next time.

[woodstoneb-b]

Hello and welcome to Woodstone Manor - I have been here since the beginning, this house growing up in my shadow. A majestic mighty tree that has stood the test of

Nah this is weird...I'm Jay Arondekar and this is all just a simulation. Because video games are awesome and so is this ability my wife, Sam has. She can see ghosts!

She inherited this house from her Great Aunt and after falling down the stairs and kind of dying for a bit - she got better! - she can see actually see and hear ghosts.

There's 8 of them haunting here (well...not exactly, but more on that later)

This is them! Well, almost all of them... From left to right - Trevor aka "No Pants" (fortunately this game doesn't let Sims go pantsless, but he absolutely insisted on me putting him in tiny underpants after this...weirdo.) He's a finance bro from 2000 - he worked at Lehman Brothers (yeah those guys), despite this he's not as shitty as you'd think.

Then there's Sasappis, he goes by Sass (a well deserved nickname my wife tells me), he's a Lanape who's tribe used to live on the land here and he died back in the 1500s. Despite that he really loves TV.

Next to him is Flower - and you can totally guess where she's from right? The 1960s. She died on the property after trying to hug a bear, drugs were involved. She's cool though, if a bit spacey.

The guy next to her is an honest to God Viking from like the year 1000. Did you know there were Vikings in New York?! I did not so this was pretty epic to find out. According to my wife the good news about Thorfinn aka Thor - he's learnt to speak English, the bad news - he talks a lot about murdering and pillaging, also cod, salmon...any fish really.

And your eyes do not deceive you, next to Thor is a soldier from the Revolutionary War - Captain Isaac Higgintoot, who you can learn all about by reading my wife's recently released book on him The Forgotten Founding Father: The Isaac Higgintoot Story - available from all good bookstores! He died from dysentery, but we don't talk about that

The guy in front who looks like boy scout, is not a boy scout, he's Pete, Pine Cone Troop Leader and awesome travel agent (kids ask your parents about that), he's from the 80s, loves D&D, basketball.

And in the back wearing the eyecatching red, is Alberta who you may have heard about from the monthly Murder at the Manor?! podcast hosted by my wife and Todd Pearlman complete and a total loon who has one of Alberta's toenails and wants to clone her she was a raising star in the Jazz Age and her loss is utter tragedy for the music world.

And this is Henrietta "Hetty" Woodstone aka the owner of Woodstone Manor - well, that would actually be my wife, since Hetty is a ghost, but yeah. She wanted a screengrab of just her because as the owner of Woodstone she deserves it. She and her asshole (we're not striking that out? No? OK) husband/cousin, Elias - Mill Owners and Robber Barons built Woodstone in the 1850s. Apparently, there was a house on it when they started, but they made it the place it is today.

Here's the ground floor layout, there's a Ballroom, a Library, a Music Room and a Games Room. So yeah, the Woodstone's were rolling in it!

The first floor, where the bedrooms are, there's actually 9 of them - well 8 if you don't include the Owner's Suite, or 6 if you take out the ghosts' bedrooms (why do ghosts need their own bedrooms? Because getting walked through hurts. They bunk up, Thor and Trevor share the Private Living Room so that means only 3 bedrooms are out of commission. Although the one marked "Spruce" isn't actually available yet because of a terrible mould issue so there's actually 5 guest rooms at the B&B in real life. But for the purposes of the game here, each Ghost gets their own room, again! They're pretty jealous of their simselves to be honest.

We have a basement with an actual secret Vault in it! Sadly, the visions I had a piles of gold ala Scrooge McDuck did not come to be. But you can drink wine down there now, it's accessed by a secret room and passageway. Where exactly is the secret door? You'll have to visit us to find out!

There's also a whole group of ghosts in the hot water heater room that died of Cholera, my wife says be glad you can't see them.

And finally the attic, you don't wanna go up there, it's full of old stuff including metal things that are probably a tetanus hazard. Also there's a ghost of a teenage girl up there, she got murdered on her way to prom in the late 80s and she's pretty pissed about it. Which is totally understandable, although she's also a huge mean girl and that sucks.

So now you have a bit of background! Tune in next time to see how the Ghosts settle in and their excitement at actually being able to leave the Manor grounds! (Did you know Ghosts are bound to the places they haunt? Turns out they are...which is why my wife and I have to put up with them)

[woodstoneb-b]

Welcome to my first post on this sideblog for my CBS Ghost Sims :)

I spent a lot of time creating Woodstone Manor on Sims 3 and I think it looks pretty awesome!

I need to take some more screenshots, but I figured I'd at least make a start with it.