The Journal of Phillip Grant - March 24

After our visit to our first granddaughter, I took Vanessa to one of the more remote fishing spots. It's a lovely secluded spot brimming with rare fish.

"I wish Kari didn't avoid us like that," I told Vanessa.

"Phillip, I've tried talking to her. It's better that she stays outside, I don't think we'll ever get along."

Sad but true. I don't think we will ever be friends with Kari. She may love our son but she doesn't feel any need to get along with the rest of his family.

Vanessa and I really don't spend enough alone time together. At home; it's all kids, painting, writing, with the occasional romantic moment.

It's good to find such a peaceful spot. On a weekday, there's just no one here.

Vanessa was extremely happy to catch her first piranha. Me? I'm happy if I catch anything at all.

She's mastered the art of fishing, I'm so proud of her.

She's tried giving me some pointers on fishing but so far, it's not helping. Then again, I understand gardening and Vanessa has yet to plant her first seed.

We returned home and I was in a romantic mood.

"You are so beautiful, to me.
You are so beautiful, to me.
Can't you see?
You're everything I hoped for
You're everything I need"

Then it was time for the birthdays. It was the normal assortment of family, friends and the usual party crashers.

Stephen was the first to blow out the candles on his cake.

There was the usual cheering and horn blowing.

Finally he found the right moment to blow out the candles.

I wonder what the boy wished for? We've tried hard to do right by each of our children.

Then our second oldest son became a man.

I think he takes after his dad, don't you?

Once Stephen was done,  it was Abbey's turn to celebrate.

I have to admit, I thought it was a bit rude of Emerald to wait until her daughter's turn to show up to the party. Brad and Nicolas at least came for Stephen as well.

Emerald was obviously proud of her lovely girl.

Quite frankly Abbey looked a bit smug about growing up.

Abbey was smug with reason, she is a lovely girl.

Emerald and Bradley can be as proud of their daughter as they are of their boys. And I know Bradley is quite proud of all of them.

There is always a problem with parties. No matter how many tables and chairs you have already, it still takes forever to find one free when you have cake to eat.

I had hoped that with the other birthdays today, no one would notice mine.

My hopes were dashed, lots of the guests and family realised that I was having my birthday as well.

I've made it. I've joined Vanessa as an elder.

Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm elder too?

Stephen went back to our bar to practice on his mixing skills.

The boy is happier handling a shaker than any other time. He's producing party drinks for our guests.

I spent some time thinking about life. It isn't every day you reach official senior citizen status.

We've had a few downs, but very few downs really. We have never been as wealthy as some of the other branches of the family but we are a very long way from poor.

Stephen and Abbey had a long and serious chat.

I can't be positive what they were talking about but I do have an idea what it might be. We'll have to see if I'm right.

Ok, enough feeling sorry for myself. It's time to get it on.

Get it on and dance with the hottest lady in the city.

After chatting to Abbey, Stephen was back at the bar.

For some reason, he was worrying over something. I'm not sure what he'd worry about. He has friends, family and a home for as long as he wants it.

Vanessa and I had no such problems. We spent the rest of the evening dancing away.

Stephen came to talk to me early the next day.

"Dad?"

"I have a question."

"Yeah boy, time to move?"

"How did you know that?"

"It's just one of those things your dad should know."

"I need space."

"One bedroom, cheapest house in town is all I have to offer."

"What?"

"The pub has been doing fine and there's time before one of your sister's needs a home."

Stephen then rang Abbey with his news.

So that's what the two of them were discussing. They were thinking about sharing a house. Well, at least it won't break their budget.

Stephen left and now we are down to the girls.

My latest painting. It's very cute. Should I sell it or give it to one of the girls? Hmm. I have to think about that.

Penny went home with yet a different boy the next day. This is Charles. It's Penny's second visit to the house, the last time was with Dustin, Charles's little brother.

Ronnie so dedicated to her homework that she fails to have any fun at the pub. Ronnie takes her work very seriously, we need to help her have more fun.

Penny takes fun very seriously and needs to be reminded of other important stuff. I hope we can get the girls to balance their lives a bit better over the next few years.

The Journal of Phillip Grant - March 21

The Grim Reaper has been exceptionally busy around town lately. He's been claiming many elders around the city, some we don't know, like this guy that died at the pub.

Others we do know. Malia, my oldest brother's wife, died yesterday. Then my sister's husband Malcolm died early this morning. I think my siblings will be following their spouses soon.

An advantage to owning a pub is that you get to see people a bit more often. Like my nephew, The Shrimp. He has taken to muttering "Jerod, damnit," if I actually say Shrimp to him. Needless to say, Shrimp he is and Shrimp he'll always be.

It's not surprising to see him here, he always has been a bit of a party boy. Give him a drink and a dance floor and he's very happy.

My teenage daughter, a teenage boy and a hot tub. Should I be worried here?

No, I shouldn't. It will be fine. Penny and Nick are both good kids and the hot tub is too close to the house for them to get up to too much mischief.

Apparently life with Kari is driving Vincent to distraction. Honestly, playing for tips in a park way out of town in the middle of the night? He must be doing it to stay out of the house, surely Vincent knows you'll never get many tips at that place and time.

I've mastered painting but I'm still not happy. I want to create a few masterpieces. So far, I've managed to create some brilliant works of art. However they don't quite cross the line to masterpiece.

Someday, I will get there.

Stephen worries all the time about every little thing. Just home and he's already fretting about homework and about all the sinks in the house.

It's hard to say if the breakup with Abbey was a good or bad thing. She's just the same about worrying, if they lived together, would anything but sink and stove checking ever be finished or even started? They would understand each other on those worries though.

Stephen is gaining a lot of confidence at mixing drinks. His party drink are usually just fine to drink now but we've learned to check carefully before drinking the skill or romance ones. Drinking the badly mad ones is very hazardous to your health.

We do pay for a lot of broken glassware. Stephen has mastered the toss up but not the catch on the way back down.

Penny is a bit of a socialite. One day she brings a boy home from school. Today she went home with a boy called Dustin.

She practices her charm on all of them, at least a bit. Still the only one who has ever been around the house more than once is Nick.

Stephen and Abbey worked through their issues and are now BFFs. I'm glad that they are friends again, Abbey is a lovely girl.

Brad and I have decided to have a joint birthday party for them tomorrow, they are pretty much the same age.

Brad and Em are nearly down to one teen in the house. James had his birthday recently.

He's still Ronnie's official boyfriend but they don't have much chance to see each other. James has a job and Ronnie takes her school work very seriously.

A beautiful view and a gorgeous wife to share it with. What more could any man ask for?

Penny went looking all over town for Nicolas and finally found him outside the hospital. She arrived in time to see Kari and Vincent headed in.

While she was chatting to Nicolas, Kari came out with our first grandchild, Miriam Grant.

Penny told us the news about Miriam the moment she got home.

Much later, she had a chat to Vanessa.

Mum, I have a problem. Can I talk to you?

Of course, sweetie. Do you want me to wake your dad?

No, it's about a boy and you know Dad gets a bit weird about us and boys.

Ok. What's the problem?

It's Nicolas. He's fallen in love with another girl and it's like he's forgotten I exist.

Sweetie, it can't be that bad.

No, really Mum, we're not even friends any more. He's just cut me out of his life. The other day he was here like everything was normal and today, it's like we're meeting for the first time.

Well, Penny, your dad didn't really think you were that serious about Nicolas.

I'm not sure if he's the one but we've been friends since forever. He is the only boy I've ever wanted to kiss. Why did he forget me?

Penny, it's that first glow of a new love. If you really want him, you'll have to prove that to both of you. Your dad proved to me that I was his one and only back when I was only a little bit older than you.

Another brilliant painting - sigh - will I never get to masterpiece?

Very early the next day, Vanessa and I went over to visit Vincent and our new granddaughter.

I managed to claim the baby first. Isn't Miriam just the cutest little mite?

Vanessa had a nice long talk with Vincent.

While I got to cuddle the cutest baby in town.

Then it was my turn to talk to our oldest.

While Vanessa took her turn to meet Miriam.

I think we've agreed, this is the most beautiful baby in town. Our first grandchild. I'm hoping we have lots more. The grandparent gig is good. You do the fun stuff then hand the baby over to a parent for anything else.

We didn't realise at first that Kari was actually home. She'd rather stand outside and play guitar then come in and talk to her in-laws.

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Bonus pics

In this game, I tend to be so focused on the family, I forget to look around town from time to time.

I was waiting for Veronica to finish watching a movie and suddenly noticed how many Sims were in front of the bookstore. Obviously the place to be that night. There were at least three more just out of camera range.

Most of these Sims do have a family history that I know, the only ones that really matter to the blog are the blue-skinned white haired male, Jeffery Grant Hill and his red haired husband Elmer Grant Hill. I was happy to see them flirting away. Elmer is one of Phillip's nephews, one of Eric Grant's twins (younger brother of Jerod the Shrimp).

Speaking of Shrimp, he and his wife and son were part of the crowd outside the Bistro. As is Travis Kane. Kaleeko may be pleased to hear that Travis rushed into marriage in this game but not babies. I think it doesn't help that his wife is a firefighter and is rarely home.

Elsa started to teach the boy to talk but after a moment, she got up.

She got up because Jerod came over to cuddle his boy. AWWWW.