#boo bertram

[curiousb]

The DBU Alumni Newsletter: Volume I

Welcome to the first edition of the De Bourgh University alumni newsletter, where we catch up with all our recent graduates, as they take their first steps in the world beyond academia!

Engaged couple Martha and James have moved back to Merybury, to take up residence at the Knightley family home.

~ Scorpio  8 / 7 / 5 / 2 / 7

~ Animal Lover / Bookworm / Coward / Absent-minded / Vegetarian

~ OTH: Nature

~ Favourite colour(s): Turquoise / Orange

~ Aspiration: Knowledge / Family

~ Turn-ons / -off: +Animal Lover / +Mechanical / -Rebellious

~ Major: Mathematics (3.6)

~ LTW: Have 6 Grandchildren

Almost as soon as the young couple move in, there's a sad loss to endure - of family pet Tiger.

But this animal-loving family have since opened their home to former stray Sake.

~ Scorpio 6 / 3 / 7 / 6 / 7

~ Athletic / Brave / Loner / Night Owl / Frugal

~ OTH: Tinkering

~ Favourite Colour(s): Blue

~ Aspiration: Fortune / Knowledge

~ Turn-ons / -off: +Adventurous / +Reserved / -Daydreamer

~ Major: Economics (4.0)

~ LTW: Have $100,000 Mansion

Marmaduke has moved in with his older brother Ambrose, to share a rented apartment in Merybury, while he looks for the right opportunity to exercise his business acumen.

He's already winning new friends and influencing people.

~ Gemini 4 / 7 / 9 / 1 / 3

~ Genius / No Sense of Humour / Dog Person / Diva / Ambitious

~ OTH: Sport

~ Favourite Colour(s): Primaries

~ Aspiration: Fortune / Romance

~ Turn-ons / -offs: +Athletic / +Serious / -Rebellious

~ Major: Biology (3.7)

~ LTW: Own a Top Business

Also returning to the family home is William. Although he's a Literature graduate, he's decided that he would really like to follow in the footsteps of his mother Fanny, by pursuing a career in Natural Science, which will mean dedicating himself to many years of further study. He's also still considering what the future might hold for his relationship with fiancée Keziah.

~ Cancer 7 / 3 / 6 / 4 / 9

~ Coward / Shy / Natural Cook / Eco-friendly / Avant Garde

~ OTH: Cuisine

~ Favourite Colour(s): Mauve

~ Aspiration: Family / Knowledge

~ Turn-ons / -off: +Reserved / +Tidy / -Infamous

~ Major: Literature (3.1)

~ LTW: Become Ecological Guru (Literature is going to be a big help with that 🙄 - yet another example of the Maxis criteria for rolling a Want to study a particular Major making no sense!)

Former family pet Boo puts in regular appearances, to remind them that nothing is really gone forever - not in this world anyway.

Over in Sanditon, Keziah is dismayed by the light fixtures in her rented studio apartment, and I'm dismayed by her postgraduate attire.

With her signature look re-established, she too is reflecting on the current status of her relationship with William, and hoping that they can move beyond a certain unfortunate misunderstanding.

~ Pisces 3 / 4 / 5 / 4 / 6

~ Absent-minded / Rebellious / Eco-friendly / Brooding / Avant Garde

~ OTH: Film & Literature

~ Favourite Colour(s): Orange / Blue

~ Aspiration: Knowledge / Pleasure

~ Turn-ons / -off: +Reserved / +Unique / -Fitness

~ Major: Mathematics (3.7)

LTW: Job Hopper

And finally, for this edition, we catch up with Marmaduke and Ambrose's sister Olivia. Although the Military has decided that it's not a good match for her unique talents...

...she and boyfriend Elliot have a much happier event to report. We're sure that this dynamic young couple are set to take Merybury by storm!

Olivia's adult stats:

~ Scorpio 4 / 5 / 7 / 5 / 1

~ Ambitious / Vehicle Enthusiast / Handy / Mean-spirited / Workaholic

~ OTH: Tinkering

~ Favourite Colour(s): Burgundy

~ Aspiration: Fortune / Knowledge

~ Turn-ons / -off: +Occult / +Serious / -Daydreamer

~ Major: Biology (3.9)

~ LTW: Earn $100,000

Elliot's adult stats:

~ Pisces 8 / 5 / 10 / 6 / 3

~ Grumpy / Virtuoso / Born Performer / Workaholic / Anxious

~ OTH: Music & Dance

~ Favourite Colour(s): Black

~ Aspiration: Fortune / Knowledge

~ Turn-ons / -off: +Cultured / +Serious / -Daydreamer

~ Major: Economics (3.7)

~ LTW: Become Criminal Mastermind

[curiousb]

The Bertram Family Album: Volume X

It's a long while since we've visited the Bertrams, so let's see what they're up to.

We're just in time to catch a touching moment between father and son. Edmund found the news of the unexpected demise (aged only 60, in my game years) of his contemporary, George Knightley, to be rather sobering, but William tries to reassure his dad that he's going to be around for a good while longer yet.

Although the Bertrams aren’t really party people, it's pretty much open-house for friends and family to drop round whenever they like.

Theophilus in particular has quite a collection of chums, including Anthony,

...Giles,

...and his cousin Francesca.

William, being a caring, but Shy lad, prefers hanging out with childhood pal Boo,

...dancing self-consciously, even when he's alone,

...or immersing himself in his favourite culinary pursuits. He clearly still needs a bit of practice with a chopping knife though.

Doofus Boo also still has a lot to learn. After all these years, he still hasn't figured out that the sofa is not an acceptable place to pee.

He's so good-natured though that no one has the heart to be too hard on him, especially not Fanny.

[curiousb]

The Bertram Family Album: Volume XIII

Back at home with the Bertrams...

...Theophilus seems to have once again barged in on a tender moment.

And then it's family time again, with William visiting from college to eat burgers with them. He and big sister Julia were were not especially close when he was growing up, but they're forming more of a bond now that they're older.

Theophilus and cousin Francesca are still enjoying their regular chess games, but she's becoming a much more challenging opponent these days.

Francis clearly doesn't have a great deal of respect for his grandfather. Or maybe - knowing what a science fan Edmund is - he thought he might enjoy taking part in an 'experiment' on static electricity?

He also has his reservations about Boo, even though Edmund tries to reassure him that the family pooch is just a big old softie.

He prefers the ants, to be honest.

But like most of the family, William certainly loves the daft old dog.

And Theophilus is heart-broken, when out of the blue, it's time to say goodbye to him - they've been pals all their lives.

Fanny is distracted from their loss by finally getting a promotion that she's been looking forward to for a very long while (and a genie lamp into the bargain).

While Theophilus becomes embroiled in a love-hate relationship with new school chum Tosha Go. (I guess it's not serious with Alexander?)

In the end, they settle for a nice friendly game of rock-paper-scissors.

Until Fanny ruins the vibe with an ill-timed school cheer.

[curiousb]

The Bertram Family Album: Volume XI

An unseasonal Snow Day means plenty of time to hang out as a family.

Disappointingly, Edmund makes very little effort to disguise that Theophilus is the favourite son.

After a promising start - bonding over snowman building - the boys are finding that as they get older, they have less and less in common.

And then, with one ill-advised display of affection (Sims have absolutely no sense at times!), Fanny and Frederick’s secret attraction finally comes out...

That’s really not a happy face!

Both Boo and Fanny are sleeping in the living room tonight.

Boo doesn’t understand why Fanny is in the doghouse with the rest of the family (after all, he’s allowed to enjoy a good scratch behind the ears from any of his friends, so why can’t she?), but he still loves her anyway.

And certainly loves her enough to be a good boy in the bath.

Kid dancing is the cutest.

Theophilus is more of a bouncer.

Edmund and Fanny manage to smooth things over in time for William’s birthday. (You’re facing the wrong way, kids.)

I think he’s growing into his features rather nicely, and looks so cute in those dungarees that a change of favourite colour is definitely in order.

~ Cancer 7 / 3 / 6 / 4 / 9

~ Coward / Shy / Natural Cook / Eco-Friendly

~ OTH: Cuisine

~ Favourite Colour(s): Mauve

~ Aspiration: Family / Knowledge

~ Turns-ons / -off: +Reserved / +Tidy / -Infamous

Now that he’s finally as tall as his best friend Nathan, William can challenge him to a game of punch-u-punch-me.

The evening ends with Edmund and Fanny fully reinstating their relationship - after all, Edmund has hardly been a paragon of virtue either...

[curiousb]

The Bertram Family Album: Volume IX

We pop back to the Bertram’s today, to join in with some birthday celebrations!

Julia and Thomas are back from uni, along with Edmund’s daughter Eliza (I wonder whether Fanny knows?!), to cheer on Edmund and Fanny as they blow out their candles.

Here they go!

Well, some makeovers are in order of course (why has blonde Fanny now got black eyebrows?!), but altogether they aged up well.

Before long, it’s also Theophilus’s birthday too, and Edmund feels the need to give his daughter a formal greeting to welcome her back home for the proceedings.

The birthday boy!

Cute t-shirt - he’s clearly a fan of pink - but that hair is all wrong for him. (Such a shame his toddler hair isn’t available for kids too.)

Theophilus’s child stats:

~ Capricorn 8 / 4 / 9 / 4 / 7

~ Neat / Hates the Outdoors / Disciplined

~ OTH: Science

~ Favourite Colour(s): Pink

Boo meet Julia, Julia meet Boo.

~ Capricorn

~ Doofus / Friendly / Finicky

Yes, he really likes pink. Not sure why he’s rolling around in the snow if he Hates the Outdoors, but there you go! (Sorry for the entirely unseasonal screenshots - they are making me feel a bit cooler in this heatwave though!)

Boo wants to play too.

William and Theophilus could almost be twins (except that one of them is blue). They are becoming great friends. :)

I leave you with Mr Flipper McFlipperface, expressing his deep concerns about an imminent crime wave in Merybury.

[curiousb]

The Bertram Family Album: Volume VIII

It’s William’s birthday! And Thomas and Julia are back from uni for the family celebration - Julia brings her boyfriend Samuel with her, to show him off to her parents.

It’s a double celebration, with Theophilus ageing up too!

Samuel seems determined to prove just how good he is with kids, maybe to get on Fanny and Edmund’s good side.

Later that night, with all the guests gone, Chopsticks decides to pay a visit of his own from The Great Beyond.

For some reason he chooses to terrorize little William! The poor kid didn’t get a wink of sleep, as every time he got back into bed, Chopsticks stuck his spectral head through the mattress again!

It’s definitely time to lay their family pet to rest for good. (Well done, ghostly Bella, for giving that scoundrel the Unsavory Charlatan a scare!)

Edmund is completely devoted to his little alien son.

Theophilus’s toddler stats:

~ Capricorn 8 / 4 / 9 / 4 / 7

~ Neat / Hates the Outdoors

His parents figure that the best way to banish William’s trauma from Chopsticks's nocturnal visitation is to get another pup - enter Boo!

Getting to know each other.

William’s child stats:

~ Cancer 7 / 3 / 6 / 4 / 9

~ Coward / Shy / Natural Cook

~ OTH: Cuisine

~ Favourite Colour(s): Burgundy

Boo is a big hit with Theophilus too.