#sim: ruby vaneault

[simstryingtheirbestok]

🎵 a beautiful sight we're happy tonight the kids are off to boarding school at last 🎶

David and Ruby chose to celebrate this milestone by immediately jetting off to Champs Les Sims.

I know, but I can explain!

I mean, yes, it's true that

the Vaneaults are not swimming in cash after paying all the boarding school tuition

David didn't exactly bring home the bacon with that Cheetah McGee nonsense

he's only made it to level 2 of the Journalism career, so that's not raking in the Simoleans, either

this will only drag out achieving his Jack of All Trades LTW, which he should earn once he hits level 4 in Journalism

It's true that there are numerous arguments against sending David and Ruby to Champs Les Sims right now.

On the other hand, this is the fun save.

These two never got a proper honeymoon and they could use some time (and scenic surroundings) to reconnect, what with them both suffering midlife crises.

Because I'm trying to indulge them in those crises, it's perhaps worth noting also that David rolled both a regular wish to visit Champs Les Sims, particularly, and an MLC wish to travel abroad, generally.

Besides, with a little strategic foraging, they could actually make a profit on this expedition, even if right now they're down to their last §800. 😬

And even if, just as in University, David is often easily distracted by some of the scenery.

[simstryingtheirbestok]

Back home and watching the stars from the covered front porch. In the rain. 🫤 Well, it's what they both wished for, and they seem happy enough.

Tomorrow, though, they're both going to therapy for these midlife crises. I'm over it.

[simstryingtheirbestok]

After David completed his quest and Ruby grew tired of hanging around the town square, they met for dinner at Base Camp, where Ruby prepared spaghetti with veggie sauce.

Ruby had something on her mind, something she wanted to discuss with her husband, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up. She wasn't sure whether to bring it up at all.

Luckily, David brought it up himself.

"This spaghetti is delicious," he said between bites. "It reminds me of home. Hey! If we were at home, we could watch the stars and maybe go skinny-dipping after dinner."

"I would love that," said Ruby. "In fact... David, would you mind if we cut this vacation short?"

"You mean, go home early?"

Ruby nodded. "I know this trip cost a lot of money--"

"Aw, that's all right. I don't want to stay here either, Ruby."

"You don't?"

"No. I want to go home! I don't like frogs' legs, I don't like damp smelly tombs, and I don't like reaching my arm into holes and pulling it out full of bugs. And sleeping in a tent sucks. My back's hurt all day."

"I know what you mean," Ruby said sympathetically. "'I'm sure sleeping in a tent is worse than sleeping in a bed--" ("It is," said David) "--but the Base Camp beds aren't good, either. I miss our nice fluffy bed at home."

"Then let's go."

Startled, Ruby said, "Now?"

"Sure," said David. "Why not? Why spend another night in a lumpy bed?"

"Oh honey, I love you. I was afraid you'd be mad at me!"

"I'm never mad at you, Ruby. Do you want to call the travel service or should I do it?"

"You do it? I take longer to pack than you do."

"Okay. I'm pretty hyped about this!" David said as he took out his phone. "It'll be so great to get home."

[simstryingtheirbestok]

While David explored The Forgotten Burial Mound, Ruby visited the nectary and chatted awhile with... um... oh come on... all right, I tried to find the name of Ruby's new friend in a TS3 Wiki and came up empty, so I have no idea who this is.

Let's just say Ruby socialized with others in the nectary, like a normal adult. I should ask her what that's like sometime.

David finally reached the final room of the burial mound he was exploring, and retrieved the missing item that Edith Morel had asked him to find for her.

After harvesting some grapes from the Nectary grounds, Ruby was hungry enough to warrant a trip to the cafe off the town square. She then needed some fun, so she took a chance on one of her more recent purchases, Flo and her Kenspa, until she was interrupted by some goofy kid.

[simstryingtheirbestok]

The Vaneaults cruised into the weekend with David trying out for a gig at the coffeehouse on Friday. Sadly, he was turned down, told to come back when he had more experience.

When I checked, he had only just reached level 3 in the Acrobat career. Only one more level to go! but also, I've noticed that it seldom does any good to audition at the low end of the job experience scale, when the Sim is only at the minimum career level required. I therefore put him on a schedule of workouts and performing for tips around town, and vowed to try again.

Saturday, all the teens beseeched Ruby for help learning to drive. Emmaline got her request in first. Ruby looks about as thrilled to be doing this as you'd expect.

Unfortunately, Ruby's job means she works weekend nights, so Emmaline is the only one she was able to teach Saturday. Evan eventually corralled David and learned from him, leaving only Eloise remaining.

When she got home Saturday night, Ruby informed me that she'd been promoted again. That's great!

She also informed me that I'd forgotten her birthday.

She promptly joined David in having a midlife crisis. 😞

[simstryingtheirbestok]

David had his first gig at the coffeehouse! I thought I'd send Ruby to see it as a show of marital support.

That was a mistake.

[simstryingtheirbestok]

Sunday, Eloise learned to drive and later met up with Emmalline at the diner for some lunch.

Then they went to the library to finish up their respective novels. Eloise has actually maxed the writing skill, thanks to a head start as a toddler; a sci-fi novel published in childhood, Esto es mi roboto; and I think a whole lot of tabcasting when i wasn't paying attention to her, as I am otherwise at a loss to explain it.

At the library, Eloise completed her hit sci-fi followup, The Timeline Tangle, while Emmaline published a flop drama novel, Melodramatic Melancholy. Well, they can't all be winners, but how that must have wounded her Diva soul I can't imagine.

I didn't know what to do with Evan, so I sent him over to the Ivanov's to visit his new niece, Bellatrix. He taught her to walk, because heaven knows her parents aren't going to.

Meanwhile, time to attend to my midlife crisis-havers, David and Ruby! David wanted a tattoo. I got him a small set of flames on his left forearm in tribute to his firefightin' days.

Afterwards, he thanked the tattoist profusely, then displayed the maturity of his advancing years in the way that only he can.

Ruby wanted a makeover.

The stylist's original vision

was to put Ruby in a vivid green and purple coat dress, add 1980s-themed Day-Glo eyeshadow out to her temples, and do nothing about her sad flower-child hairdo. Atrocious. Ruby liked it, but I am the boss here, and I did not like it one bit.

Somehwere in the midst of all this, I sent David back to audition at the coffehouse again.

Success this time! In fact, nailing this audition propelled him to level 4, his max level for the Acrobat career according to the dice roll. So, technically, I shouldn't let him play this first gig of his on Monday. I should have him quit now and begin working in the Journalism career that he rolled for his next track.

But c'mon. Does that sound like any fun to you??! Me neither. The show must go on!

[simstryingtheirbestok]

While David delivered papers, the kids went off to school. This will be their last day of it--there has been no formal dance announcement, plus Lucky Palms seems to be weirdly short on teenagers, plus they've all learned to drive, plus I'm bored with them. So boarding school it is!

Evan's headed to Fort Starch; Eloise to Peace & Love; and Emmaline to Le Fromage.

Ruby had the day off. She has a midlife crisis wish to become more muscular, so I got them an exercise bench and she got to work pumping iron.

After the kids left for school I heard a bunch of yelling outside the front door. It was the mailman

hollering that he can't get to the pool to go swimming. I had set their back doors and their gate to permit passage by "Only My Household," because swimming and hot-tubbing are all the maid was ever doing, too.

Now the mail carrier wants in?! Nah, bro.