#chopsticks bertram

[curiousb]

The Merybury Chronicles: Volume I

Can you believe, it’s already time for some of my second-generation babies to head off to uni?

Over lunch, Crawford gets some rather shocking last-minute advice concerning balloon animals from dad - the mind boggles!

And then off he goes, to his exciting new life!

Bennet hosts a final get together for his many friends and love interests before he leaves, where Walter and Anna have a bit of a tiff while vying for his fickle affections, and Jasper gets flirty with Georgiana, re-igniting her earlier interest in him.

Joining them is Bertram, who makes the time to say a fond farewell to Josie - his faithful companion since early childhood - before he goes.

We also say goodbye to Julia - for now.

We’ll find out who else is joining the new intake, when term starts. :)

(Let’s please just ignore that the seasons at the different households don’t align - the kids are actually all the same age, and I’ve got a spreadsheet to prove it!)

But sadly, we also say a permanent farewell to messy pup Chopsticks.

[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.

[curiousb]

The Bertram Family Album: Volume IV

Fanny Price: still Shy, after all these years, even with her fiancé. 

Teenage daughter Julia is much more confident about strutting her stuff.

A few kids - and Frederick - drop round after school.

Typical Eliza - everyone else is playing a game together, but she’d rather closet herself away with a book.

Hmm, this is a rather unlikely friendship - these two couldn’t be more different!

It also happens to be Thomas’s birthday!

~ Cancer 10 / 2 / 6 / 4 / 7

~ Eccentric / Neat / Loves the Cold / Computer Whiz

~ OTH: Science

~ Favourite Colour(s): Blue

~ Aspiration: Knowledge / Family

~ Turn-ons / -off: +Alien / +Tidy / -Daydreamer

No, Frederick, put her down! Thomas and Sophia are suitably shocked by their respective parents’ indiscreet behaviour, but Anna really can’t see what the fuss is all about.

Before long however, Thomas and Sophia are distracted by a romantic moment of their own.

Thomas, you might want to make it a bit less obvious that you’re looking at her chest.

And that was that. They’ve been best friends since childhood, so I think it’s rather sweet. 💕

Life has been rather too full to squeeze in dog training, but Chopsticks is living his best life, snoozing on the family’s beds and terrorizing the mail carrier - he couldn’t be happier!

[curiousb]

The Bertram Family Album: Volume V

Major changes are afoot in Edmund’s life. He always thought that he would find fulfilment in rising to the top in the Architecture career, but sadly he just hasn’t found it as satisfying as he imagined it would be. Now he feels that his talents really lie in shaping young Sim minds - as a teacher. Getting a promotion on his first day would certainly suggest that his career change was a good decision!

Now they are both at the same high school, Thomas gets to know Bennet.

There’s even a little mild flirtation between Bennet and Julia, although I wouldn’t have thought she was his type!

Just like his older sister, Thomas is also very keen to go to university, so Fanny decides to teach him her old school cheer, to give him a head start with college life.

Julia, that’s very sweet of you, but I think Thomas is a little too old for bedtime stories now, don’t you?

One fine summer morning, there’s an epidemic of heatstroke in the house.

And everyone’s being very dramatic about it!

They need to get over it quickly though, as today is a big day!

Thomas instantly forgets all about his discomfort when his girlfriend Sophia arrives.

He has a VERY important question to ask her...

...and she was delighted to answer with a ‘yes’! They are now officially going steady - bless!

It’s arguably an even more important day for his parents, as they finally tie the knot! It’s a quiet family affair - Sophia has been as good as family for a long time. :)

That wedding dress is positively indecent! I think it must come with the custom wedding arch I used for them (and for Edward and Elinor too), as it’s definitely not the demure gown I chose for her.

And finally, after many years of trying fruitlessly, Fanny is delighted to discover that she is expecting for the third time, as she arrives home stinky and tired from a day of algae-wrangling at work.

But as one life is about to begin, unfortunately another is reaching its autumn years.

[curiousb]

The Bertram Family Album (aka A Tale of Two Families): Volume II

Winter fun with Julia, who is a bit of a solitary soul.

But she still enjoys playing with the blocks, along with little brother Thomas.

And occasionally brings home a friend from school for a game of cops ‘n’ robbers - this time it’s Samuel Bingley from down the road.

The Matchmaker is being rather generous with these around Merybury! She must have a job lot to dispose of.

True to form for my game, Thomas catches me by surprise and ages up in the bathroom. Look at those ears (rumour has it that dad Edmund Bertram has some alien ancestry, although it’s never been proved)!

~ Cancer 10 / 2 / 6 / 4 / 7

~ Eccentric / Neat / Loves the Cold

~ OTH: Science (another scientist!)

~ Favourite Colour(s): Blue

After a bit of hairstyling, and acquiring a pair of glasses, he is the lucky one who discovers the mysterious lamp on the porch.

Now, what to wish for...

Money for bedroom curtains, of course!

Julia brings home Sophia Wentworth from school this time. Living up to her Socially Awkward trait, Julia’s opening conversational gambit is a commentary on potty training. Let’s just say that Sophia is not won over.

In fact, Sophia gets along much better with Julia’s younger brother Thomas! And ends up staying for tea.

Daddy, why does your spaghetti taste like brains that a zombie chewed up and spat out?

When I wasn’t looking, someone in the family adopted a pooch, who rejoices in the unlikely name of Chopsticks!

~ Scorpio

~ Genius / Hyper / Independent / Aggressive

He’s a bit of a mucky pup, and can’t resist begging for scraps...

...but they love him nonetheless.