The Starr Immortal Dynasty - The Final Chapter *happy dance, happy dance*

[Katluvr]

Beautiful house~!
Do the Starrs not have a butler anymore?

Thank you, Simstar!  Nope, no butler for several generations.  I switched to maids around generation 2 because all my butlers kept moonlighting at other jobs, so they were never around to do housework.  I cancelled maid service after Jasmine retired because she is neat, so once I day I just set her loose on the house.  In my next dynasty I'm going to try to fit the neat trait in as early as possible - it's very helpful.

Love the redecorating, I admire all of the players that redecorate with each generation, I don't have the patience for it.

Thank you, lilygirl!  I try to make it easy on myself - I only redecorate the common areas, the master bedroom, and the nursery.  For me redecorating is mostly recoloring because I'm very happy with the layout and style of the house.  I may occasionally do a small remodel (like turning the butler's quarters into a bathroom) or upgrade a piece of furniture, but that's about it.

Big congrats on everything since my last post. House looks lovely and the patterns are amazing where do you get them all from?

Thank you, SimMania!  Some patterns are from our own swap shop (the ones in Jamie & Grace's bedroom are recolors of ones by Ausette and Gheez), some are from the exchange (I don't think I used any of those this time around), and the rest are recolors of ones that came with the game or with items from the store.

Three cheers for Jocelyn's first tase of fishbrosia! And of course congratulations to the newlyweds! Maybe Grace will bring in a light-haired Starr child

Thank you, Phyre!  I am hoping for a blonde in gen 7, but unless Carmelo dies pretty soon (sorry, I know that sounds awful) Grace may not be able to have a child.  I think Carmelo wants to hold a party to celebrate Jamie and Grace's marriage...maybe Grim will crash it.     I can hope, at least.

I love the makeover of the house! You are great at re-colouring objects! The idea for the kitchen is smart. I'll better use that in my dynasty as my soon-to-be Immortal has gotten a level in the skill! 

I love the house! Very clever way of hiding that stove from sneaky immortals

Thank you, Gogowars and Natsuko!  I had to do something about stove because Jori is already at level 3 and Jess is at level 4.  I still catch them trying to cook, but it is much less frequent now that I have blocked off the stove and all the counters.

[Esther1981]

Happy birthday everyone and Congrats Jocelyn! 5 Immortals, awesome job! Congrats to Grace and Jamie too!

[SimMania :P]

ok thank you i will have to have a look around.   

[Katluvr]

ok thank you i will have to have a look around.   

If there is a particular one you like, let me know and I can tell you exactly where I got it.  I didn't have much luck before when I tried to share wallpapers I made in the swap shop, but I'm willing to try again if you want some of my recolors. 

Happy birthday everyone and Congrats Jocelyn! 5 Immortals, awesome job! Congrats to Grace and Jamie too!

Thank you, Esther!

[Katluvr]

Cutting It Close

It seems like one day Grace and I were classmates in high school.  The next thing I knew she was a young adult - but that was no problem, my birthday was only a couple of days after hers.  The day after my birthday I called her up and invited her to the park to tell her how I felt about her.  I was blissfully happy to learn that she felt the same way and had only kept her distance because of my relationship with Janelle.  I told her that I had broken it off with Janelle the day before because I realized there was only one woman for me...Grace.  Before I could think about what my family would say, I proposed and we exchanged our vows on the spot.  She made me the happiest man in the world!

Only then did I learn about Grace's 'condition'.  You see, Grace was a babysitter, and babysitters in Sunset Valley are on a different timeline than the rest of us.  In one instant my happiness was shattered when I learned that she had aged up quite unexpectedly the night before we married.  She turned out to be a whole life stage ahead of me.  All of a sudden the horror of our situation dawned on me.  I didn't care that Grace was older than me...we are soulmates and no quirk of the space-time continuum can stand between soulmates.  I could even accept the fact that our future had been cut almost in half in the blink of an eye.  What horrified me was that in order for Grace and I to fulfill my obligation to my family someone had to leave the house.  There was no room for a nooboo and only weeks before Grace could no longer bear a child.  

There is only one person who can leave the house...my best friend...my father...and only under one condition...death.  So you see how in the blink of an eye my joy turned to despair.  Do I pray for my father's demise or do I condemn the woman I love to a future with no children?


Jocelyn writes:

I'm worried about Jamie.  I know the signs of depression when I see them.  What should have been the happiest day of his life quickly morphed into a waking nightmare.  Such is the curse of youth...rushing into action without considering all of the implications.  If I could spare him this, I would, but all I can do is stand by and offer whatever support I can.  Each of us has sacrificed our happiness in some way for this dynasty and yet with each generation the sacrifices seem to be greater.

I'm not ready to lose you yet, my love...




Carmelo writes:

Jamie is my pride and joy - no man could ask for a finer son.  I'll miss him when I'm gone, but I've had a good life and I'm ready to go so that he can have his turn at happiness with his new bride.  The problem is I feel wonderful...never better.  Had I known this was how things would end up I wouldn't have exercised so much and eaten a few more greasy cheeseburgers!  I've got to do something to get Grim's attention without actually hurting myself.

I know, A PARTY!  Grim looooves parties!  If I can just get him to show up so I can explain the situation to him, maybe he'll help me out so that my son can start his own family.  I invited everyone we know to Eugi's for a party to celebrate Jamie and Grace's marriage.  And just as expected, a visit from Grim...



...but not for me.  Joce's friend, Nicolas Moreland did the honors instead.  Grim did his work and vanished before I could plead my case to him.  Apparently he doesn't enjoy the ambience of our local watering hole!

Now what to do?  I briefly considered some foolhardy activities - sculpting in metal when I was tired, tinkering with electrical appliances even though I have no skill in handiness whatsoever, taking the ladders out of the pool and going for a swim.  Joce could always read me.  She figured out what I was thinking before I got a chance to actually do anything and put an end to my notions of self-sacrifice.  She reminded me that I had to live my natural life-span and, if Grace became an elder before I went with Grim, Jamie could still produce an heir after Grace passed on.  Reluctantly I settled in to wait for the sand to run out of my hourglass.  I kept busy by painting and sculpting, spending hours in the studio with Jess.  She's been a wonderful friend over the years and I'll miss her most of all except for Jamie and Joce.

Finally one evening my prayers were answered.  I started to feel funny as I was finishing up a sculpture.  My chisel made an awful racket as it slipped from my now ethereal hand.  Jamie came rushing in to see what happened.



When Grim finally showed up I walked over to him and shook his hand.  At 93 I was more than ready to go.  Grim seemed surprised that I was so calm - every other mortal Starr had begged for more time.  I turned to my family and told them that I loved them and would always be with them.



You know, the afterlife isn't so bad.  My family is across the street and I can visit whenever I like.  I'm keeping busy chauffeuring V.I.G.s (very important ghosts) around in a stretch limo.  My new neighbors include a mad scientist, a simbot, and a master thief to name a few.  I think I'm gonna like this!




Epilogue

By the time I got to the studio it was too late.  Dad was a shimmering ghost, waving at me and telling me he loved me.  Once Grim had taken him to his afterlife I looked around the room where he spent nearly every moment that he wasn't with me or mom.  The painting on the easel behind dad's sculpting station caught my eye.  It was unlike anything I had ever seen him paint.  I picked up the canvas and written on the back in pencil was 'Bouquet for Jocelyn' and today's date.  It was dad's last painting.  Grace and I took it to the living room where we framed it and hung it in a place of honor where everyone could enjoy it.



I dried the tears from my eyes and took Grace's hand to lead her to our bedroom.  There were a mere 5 days before her elder birthday and I wasn't going to let dad's passing be in vain.  Grace and I would start our family...we knew it was what he wanted for us.

[Alexandria_]

Aww... that was so bittersweet. On one hand, it's horrible that Carmelo is gone, but it's good that Jamie can have Grace move in before it's too late.

[Gogowars329]

That was so sweet yet sad.. R.I.P Carmelo and yay to Grace and her impending nooboo!

[Ricalynn]

RIP Carmelo - you were a good man.

Congratulations on the upcoming birth of generation 7!   You excited yet or you feeling more stressed than ever?

[TheChronicR]

Congrats on everything that has happened since my last comment - I have been reading, but didn't want to clutter up your thread, so not posting.
First of all, huge congrats to Joce on immortality. Wow, you are nearing the end!
RIP Carmelo. It is very sad to lose a Sim that you have been rooting for - he was the one for me. So sad now.
And, of course, I am curiously awaiting the birth of Generation 7 - what's her name?
Thank you for sharing your super awesome story with us, Kat. Starrs are wonderful!

[Phyre]

Alexandria took the words out of my mouth. That was one bittersweet update.

I feel like Carmelo's been with the family too short, but he wanted Jamie and Grace to have a child, so despite my sentiments his wishes were honoured.

Hopefully Jamie and Grace will teach their son or daughter all about Grandpa Carmelo, who wanted to die to give him or her life.

[Esther1981]

R.I.P. Carmelo. It was nice that he wanted to give his son and future granddaughter life so bad he considered self-sacrifice. (I say granddaughter cause it's generation 7, has to be a girl right?) If not, grandson!  Can't wait to see the baby!

[SimMania :P]

R.I.P. Carmelo. so sweet of him wanting to give his son a son before it was to late. another nooboo hopefully a girl, good luck.

[Lilygirl]

Wonderfully written, Katluvr! I vote for the name Carmen in honour of Grandpa Carmelo's beautiful heart. R.I.P. Carmelo.

[Katluvr]

Thank you everyone for the condolences, congratulations, and lovely compliments!  I tried to sleep after Carmelo died, but I couldn't calm my mind down.  I had to get up and write his update.  The result was more somber than I expected, but it just came pouring out and I cried as I wrote it.

You excited yet or you feeling more stressed than ever?

Both excited and stressed - I'm having trouble with my last requirement for supermaxing nectar making and I'm not sure if it is bugged since I think I've already done 3x more than what is required and it still isn't showing complete.  I have a PM in to Metro to ask his advice.  Unfortunately every other skill is either supermaxed or maxed by another immortal or is reserved for gens 7 and 8.  Hopefully there will be enough time to do the challenge over if that is Metro's decision.  *fingers crossed*

I feel like Carmelo's been with the family too short, but he wanted Jamie and Grace to have a child, so despite my sentiments his wishes were honoured.

Hopefully Jamie and Grace will teach their son or daughter all about Grandpa Carmelo, who wanted to die to give him or her life.

RIP Carmelo. It is very sad to lose a Sim that you have been rooting for - he was the one for me. So sad now.

Carmelo was also my favorite spouse.  Whenever I left him alone he always went to spend time with Jamie, and he and Joce were in love right up to the end.  They would spontaneously start with romantic interactions more than any other couple so far.  It was so sweet and it was really awful to sit here hoping he would go with Grim ASAP.

R.I.P. Carmelo. It was nice that he wanted to give his son and future granddaughter life so bad he considered self-sacrifice. (I say granddaughter cause it's generation 7, has to be a girl right?) If not, grandson!  Can't wait to see the baby!

And, of course, I am curiously awaiting the birth of Generation 7 - what's her name?

Gen 7 is indeed a girl - I couldn't go to bed last night until I knew all was well.  As for her name, well it starts with 'J'.      Seriously, I'll have another update today.  She is already a toddler and cute as a button.  I picked Grace as a spouse in hopes of having a blonde heir and when she aged up to toddler she was BALD!  Talk about frustrating - I got her to a mirror ASAP and put hair on her...did all those generations of brunettes win the genetic lottery...hmmm

Wonderfully written, Katluvr! I vote for the name Carmen in honour of Grandpa Carmelo's beautiful heart. R.I.P. Carmelo.

Thank you, lilygirl!  What an awesome idea!  Where were you at 1am this morning when I could have used that inspiration?!  Alas, the deed is done and she has a J name like everyone else.   

[Lilygirl]

You could always add a middle name with a quick trip to City Hall.

I can't wait to meet the nooboo.