Friday, December 23, 2011

Hi Mum, It's Sammy (Clone 63 - Part 3)

Well, no matter what you get up to in the evening, the next day it's back to the grind. Or at least so it seems. I should have the weekend off but that's never going to come quickly enough for me.

I had to head back to the station and get buried alive in books again. Damn, this police stuff is very tough.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Hi Mum, It's Sammy (Clone 63 - Part 2)

Well, Mum, there's not much to report on the work front. They won't let new police recruits anywhere near the streets until we've completed training. From the size of the manuals they dropped on the desks on the first day, that's going to be months or maybe even a year from now.

So, at the moment, my police career combines two of my least favourite activities. I have to sit and read. It's mind achingly dull.

There are exams every week so I can't skip on the reading and hope to make it up later. I do have a partner assigned, he's acting as a mentor to help get me through this. He does promise that some day, I will be on the streets and sooner then I imagine.

I came home to find this stray dog scratching on the back door, hoping for a handout.

"Hey boy, you hungry?"

Monday, December 12, 2011

Hi Mum, It's Sammy (Clone 63 - Part 1)

Hi Mum,

I'm just getting settled in to town and a new home. I found a roommate wanted ad, it's a share house toward the edge of town. The ad promised a separate bedroom and a very reasonable rent.

When I arrived, I was both impressed and surprised by the house. It's a really nice place and quite big. I thought it would be another run down bachelor pad.  I was introduced to the three guys already living here.

First I met Eddie Starr, musician. He's very intense when he's working on keyboard or guitar. His hands are just magic dancing across the keys. He's a big bloke, though I'm not sure if it's height or personality that give that impression.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Monday, October 31, 2011

Revenge of the Ghosts - a Halloween tale (alt ending for Sam clone 36)


“Can we hear the ghost story?” the children sat in a circle around the oldest.

“A ghost story? What makes you think I know a ghost story?”

“Anna, don’t tease. It’s dark enough and the little ones need to remember,” Orson said with a small frown.

Anna smiled at Orson. “You’re right. It’s a good time to tell it tonight.” Anna got out her flashlight. “Once there was this very pretty lady, whose name was Susie. Susie lived with her six children. There were all those children but the daddies were gone.”

“The daddies?”

“That’s right my little one.  Each child had a different daddy. The oldest was Anna, and her daddy was Antonio who starved. Then there was Orson, whose daddy was Oliver. Oliver died in a fire. Next was Christopher, whose daddy Christian drowned one day. Then was Wendy. Her daddy Wyatt was electrocuted. The fifth child was Jeremy. Jebidiah, his daddy burned to death. The youngest was little Sarah. Her daddy was Sammy, and he starved too.”

“Why were they all dead?”

“Susie was crazy. She wanted them to stay with her forever and so she killed each one after she had his baby. Then each of them had to stay near their urns in her house forever more.”

Then late one night, all the ghosts came out at once.

“We must do something about Susie,” said the ghost of Antonio. “She has gotten away with this for far too long.”

Several of the other ghosts agreed.

“But,” said the ghost of Sam. “What will become of our little ones? Susie doesn’t care for them. She has always locked her current lover with them so that person tends the children.” He was still sad that he’d never had a chance to cuddle his baby before he died.

“Surely it would be better to stop Susie from adding more to her collection? Even if that does put our little ones at risk,” replied Wyatt.

“Revenge, damn it,” cackled Jebidiah. “I want revenge for what she’s done.”

“How?” asked Ollie. “We can’t do what she did. We can’t set things on fire, or drown her, or electrocute her.”

The ghosts had a problem. Their limited influence in the physical world prevented them from murdering the lovely woman that had once murdered them. If evil thoughts alone could do it, she would have been dead. However it would take more than their desire to prevent Susie from adding even more children and ghosts to the house.

“Do we have a choice?” asked Christian.

“We’ll just have to frighten her to death,” replied Jeb with a smirk.

"I suppose that's the only option we have," said Ollie. "While we can, we can keep her from eating, from sleeping and frighten her every chance we get."

“Will it work? She’s rather used to us.”

“At the very least, we can be sure that no man stays the night. Keep at least one from falling into her clutches.”

And after that, the beautiful Susie could find no peace in her home at night. There was always a ghost nearby. They haunted the plumbing. They haunted the bed. They haunted the kitchen.

Susie tried to pretend that all was fine. But her few male friends never visited her home twice, and it wasn’t long before the entire town knew that Susie’s house was haunted by an angry ghost. Only Susie and her children knew that there wasn’t one angry ghost but many.

The ghosts had little effect on Susie at first. But they had all of eternity on their side, so they persisted with their haunting. And some weeks later, they found they were having an effect. For Susie took longer and longer to recover from each fright. She slowly lost weight and she rarely slept, she stopped caring about her appearance. “Go away!” she would scream at a ghost.

“You said you wanted me to stay forever. I can’t leave you now.”

“I changed my mind. Be free. All of you be free,” cried Susie.

“Only your death can set us free. Die now, Susie. Let us all rest.”

“You want me to die?”

Jeb frightened Susie from behind. “Of course we want you to die. Did you expect any different when you killed us?”

After that day, Susie lost her will to live. The ghosts were haunting the house in twos and threes, she was never allowed a quiet moment alone at night. One night, it was too much and one of the ghosts frightened Susie to death.



“And then what happened Anna?”

“Well, the oldest child had to decide if she was going to keep her brothers and sisters together or let them be adopted by new families. It would have been easy to let her siblings be adopted but Anna decided she wanted every last one of them to stay.”

“Hurray Anna.”

“And I eventually found a way to bury all our daddies properly here. They rest forever in a circle around the grave of our mother Susie so they can keep an eye on our mother’s ghost.”

“I don’t think ghosts are scary.”

“Well, they are our daddies. They still love us. And now they only come out when we’re here wanting to talk to them.”  So each of Susie’s children spent some time talking to their ghostly daddy on the night of the dead.



----

Note, it needs about 6 to 10 more pics and I'll probably update it someday with them. However, it is a Halloween tale and so either post now or next year. 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Hi Mum, It's Sammy - celebrates 2 years

Yes, the Hi Mum, It's Sammy blog is celebrating its second year of existence today. We can celebrate his many clones and the two spin-off blogs; World Adventures with the Grant Family, and Art Flows Through.

The average clone has humble beginnings; cheap furniture, a tiny home, no career.
We've seen Sammy been married lots of times. He's had many careers over his many clones. And there are nearly an infinite of Sammy spawn offspring across those clones.

I'd like to say thank you to Sammy's fans and followers. To those who have contributed Sims for Sam's stories. To those who comment on the posts. To those who read the stories. To those who have decided to run their own set of clones. I am thankful for each and every one of you, dear readers. Consider yourself virtually hugged.

Two years and over a dozen clones. Are we done with Sammy? Hell no.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Hi Mum it's Sammy (clone 59 - part 15 - final)

Little Merry decided it was time to hold a royal court. It was very cute.

She had a paper crown, paper chain necklace, even a royal 'cape' and scepter.

Apparently she knighted someone who didn't bow low enough to please her royal highness. She started waving that scepter around most alarmingly.

"Merry, careful. You don't want to fall off the chair."

"That's Princess Merry to you, daddy."

"Yes, Princess Merry. Still, be careful and don't fall off the chair. I don't want to run you over to the hospital."

Our little princess, finally ready to try to sleep. Presiding over a court is a lot more work than she realised it might be.

--------

"Hi, Tulip."

"Hey, Charlie. What's up?"

"Well, if you don't have other plans, want to go on a date tonight?"

"No work or school stuff tonight. So sure."

"Dinner and a movie sound ok?"

"That's great, Charlie."

"Hey, Charlie?"

"Yes, Tulip?"

"There's a rumour around the school that you set the frogs loose. Did you?"

"Yeah, wasn't it great? The teachers were finding frogs everywhere all day."

"Charlie! Don't you remember what my daddy does for a living?"

"Umm."

"He's the principal and he gave me the works last night."

"He yelled?"

"Oh no, if he yells, it's not too bad. It's when he gives you the 'I'm so disappointed in you' routine. That one is very bad. He doesn't want me to associate with someone who pranks the school, it sends a bad message to the other kids."

"So?"

"Well, the gist of it is, if you prank the school again, we can't see each other. I have a feeling you are getting an extra chance because my parents really like your parents."

"So, you wouldn't like, sneak out, and meet up somewhere?"

"Charlie, how well do you think that would work in a town this size? Even tonight, my daddy is just over there." Even at night from a block away, that red hair of Thomas's is unmistakeable.

"Yeah, true. Do you want to keep dating?"

"I'd love to, Charlie. But not if daddy disapproves."

"Ok, Tulip, no pranks. I promise."

---------

My sweet Sunny had a change of heart and went back to her career in music.

As for me, I'd had enough of being the Fire Chief. I'd had enough of getting home late, exhausted and starving. It's been the same for weeks. Emergencies keeping me up and out until far too late. I may officially have coworkers but they have yet to assist at a single fire.

It was time for me to make a phone call.

 "This is Sam Grant."

"I quit."

"Yes, I know I won't be able to get the pension until retirement age. But I'm not going to live until retirement age if I stay in this job."

"Sorry, but the lack of decent fire fighters in town is your concern, not mine."

It's done, I'm officially unemployed.

"Hey Sunny, I see you bought some new clothes."

"It was a complete makeover, Sam. New from hair to shoes."

"You are looking gorgeous, my Sunshine. Say, umm, could we have a chat?" God, my heart is attempting to leap from my chest. This conversation could be very painful.

She settled with her plate. "Well, what did you want to talk about?"

"Us. You. What's happening." I took a deep breath and tried to convince my heart to stay in my chest. It felt like it was trying to escape. "You quit the career you loved. I've heard rumours about you and other guys. What are your plans, Amelia? Do they include the family? Me?"

"Sammy." Sunny took a deep breath and my heart stopped. I guess that's an improvement over my heart attempting to leap from my chest but not much of one. "I went back into music. Politics is too dull and boring. I don't have to start from the bottom but I'm not quite at the employment I had when I quit."

"And the guys?"

"It was only a bit of harmless flirting Sammy. It was," she paused for a moment while she considered, "it was a test of sorts. Flirting with a guy is a way to see if they think you are worth flirting back to. I've been feeling so old and ugly, Sammy."

"You've always been beautiful to me."

"That's what you say, Sammy, but how am I to believe that's what you mean?"

"But flirting could so easily lead to more."

"Don't worry, Sam. I'm starting to feel better. And I'd never do anything to hurt you. Weren't you ever tempted by other women?"

"No Sunny. Not even for a moment. You are the only woman in my life since the day we started dating."

"I should tell you that I quit the fire department today. The hours are too long when you look at my emergency calls. And the stress is too high. I'm sure it's not doing my blood pressure any good."

"Did you like the job?"

"Well, it had some points but I won't miss it."

"So what are your plans?"

"I'm thinking about it. Something dull with regular hours. Maybe politics, I hear that's pretty dull." Sunny smiled. She has the prettiest smile.

"Would the lovely lady like some pretty flowers?"

"Oh thank you, Sam."

"By the way, since I'm at home all the time, I was wondering about another baby."

"Sam Grant, you know very well I want to get somewhere with this career. Three children are plenty."

"Sunny, I was thinking adoption. Take in a baby that's an orphan or abandoned or neglected."

"Adopt? Well..."

"We have money to spare and I expect Charlie to move out soon after graduation."

"Maybe, Sam, maybe."

That little chat that Tulip had with Charlie turned him around entirely. So much so that he was a participant in the annual student award presentation.

His grades are up, his after school activities have proven excellent skill building opportunities.

The entire family turned up to cheer Charlie on. It's a good moment when your child gets some awards for their school efforts.

And that night, it was time for even more celebrations.

Merry was about to become a teen, and Charlie a grown man.

Merry went first, with the usual amount of noise and fuss.

Then our youngest was a teen. Where does time go? I've never understood it.

Merry is quite the beauty. I expect that the boys will really be buzzing around her.

Sunny and I both had a bad moment when we realised that all our babies were teens. And one was about to be an adult.

All too soon, it was Charlie's turn.

Our son, officially grown to manhood.

He has translated his love of outdoors into a profession. He is self employed as an angler. It's not likely to make him rich, but it will keep him happy.

----

So, Mum, after Charlie grew up.

I managed to convince Sunny that adopting a child would be a good thing. Then little Arthur came into our lives.

He's a bit underweight and small for his age. He's also very quiet. We don't know if he's a bit shy, still timid from moving here or he's just a quiet youngster.

Arthur is a very good baby, and he's adapting well to his new home and siblings.

Sunny wasn't sure about this adoption until she met our new son. It wasn't long before she fell in love with the boy.

Charlie and Tulip really turned up the heat in their relationship.



It was no time at all before they were engaged.

The whole town knew, Tulip still practically has her own personal flock of paparazzi. At least we'll always have newspaper clipping of everything they do together, if they forget to tell us.

And it's only a matter of time until the wedding.

Me? Well, I'm still unemployed but we have a fair sized bank account. And I'm enjoying actually being around home more. While we have two teens and one toddler, I'm sure that somehow it's all going to work out, eventually.

So Mum, it's farewell from this Sam. I wish my other clone brothers well.

------
Bonus pics

Kaleeko's Amelia Kane isn't the most compatible wife Sammy ever had. But he's a truly faithful Sim once he's committed to a relationship. Even throwing temptation at him, I could not get him to have any midlife crisis wishes about new relationships. I did try but he wouldn't fall for it.

I had ideas about where the story would go if Mia wanted a divorce or if Sam did. And Mia flirting was as far as any of their midlife crisis wishes went, which was pretty innocuous really.

Charlie does his parents proud as a young adult. Not a Sammy clone but a very good looking Sim.

Seaweedy's Junior Notorious - he has reached the top of his career but that isn't making him popular.

Fiona Fleet, her new baby and the 'father' of the baby. In two different instances of Barnacle Bay, Fiona is lesbian.

You can download the family; Sam, Amelia, Charlie, Donna, Merry, Arthur and Tulip Tomasi  from the exchange.  Donna is almost entirely Grant genetics but the other two are an interesting mix of both parents. I put in Tulip so Charlie has his girlfriend and little Arthur because.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Hi Mum it's Sammy (clone 59 - part 14)

Hang on, must be something in my eye. Because I wouldn't be depressed about getting old. A teenager in the house and one of my little girls about to be one.

Nope, not depressed at all. Just a bit of soot got in my eyes.

Why do my kids end up doing homework just about anywhere? Donna could be sitting comfortably inside, with good lights and yet she came out here to do her work.

"So, Donna, what's the homework assignment?"

"Politics, Daddy. We are supposed to explain how elections work."

"That seems pretty straight forward. Any questions?"

"How often are elections held?"

"The city holds elections once in three years. The state holds them once every four years. But there are a few things that it's once in two years."

"Daddy, that doesn't make sense."

"True, but we don't get to vote on how often to vote. It was decided some time ago by people who thought they knew how everything should work."

Charlie finally managed to create a potion and not have anything explode.

Actually, all three kids have managed to create potions. It's just that no one is willing to test them. It's good to see young minds applying themselves. Learning to make a potion improves their logic skills. However, drink some potion from random chemicals my kids put together? I'm not that brave or that stupid.

Sunny has been having a hard time since that last birthday. She looks in the mirror, and goes into a deep funk.

"Hey, Alec?"

"This is Amelia. I quit."

"Yep, seriously. See you around."

I wonder if I heard that right. She quit her career in music? But she loves music.

"Sunny, are you all right? Did you really quit your job?"

"I did quit, Sam. I need change. I have been feeling so restless lately."

"Ok dear. If that's what you want." Maybe someday, someone will write a book that explains the moods of women and what to do when that mood hits. It will be a runaway best seller.

"I'm going out for a while, Sam. Think about what I want to do."

I wonder what conclusions she'll come to.

-------------------
It wasn't long before the gossip mill spread the latest about where Sunny had gone.

"Hey there, handsome, what you got cooking?"

"Just seeing you, beautiful, makes me hot all over."

"Do you really think I'm beautiful, or is that what you tell every woman?"

"Tell you what, Amelia. I'll take you to lunch and tell you all the ways in which you are beautiful."

"Really?"

"Possibly not. It may take more then just one lunch."

"Thomas, you are such a charmer."

"Dear lovely lady, charm is my middle name."

Sunny then went off to get a job in city hall. Politics? Since when did she give a damn about politics?

I don't think I was the only one who heard whispers about Thomas and Sunny. Because it wasn't long after this that Marta announced she and Thomas were expecting another baby. Given how fond the Tomasi family are of babies, that should keep Thomas at home quite a lot more.

---------


As for me, it was another average day at work. A large house fire had trapped someone.

So I had to dowse enough of the flames to make it safe.

Then break down the door.
The moment I kicked open the door, the frightened occupant fled for open air. So it was just a question of me putting out the rest of the flames. It took hours to quell the rest of the fire, the flames had widely spread.

Unfortunately, this meant I missed a big event at home.

Our middle child was having an important birthday that evening.

Donna has become a teenager. My god, we have two teens in one house?

I didn't even make it home in time for the cake. The rest of the family and a few friends did celebrate the birthday party properly.

By the time I finally got home, all was quiet and everyone in bed. What good is being the fire chief if you miss out on family events because of work?


"Is that another wrinkle? And another grey hair? Crow's feet, I definitely have crow's feet." Sunny spent ages examining herself in front of the mirror. "I'm ancient. I'm ugly. My life is falling apart." I'm afraid that my Sunny is behind some serious storm clouds.

"Sunny?"

"Yes Sam?"

"You are still a gorgeous woman. Truly." Nope, no answer. Does she believe me?

Donna had some teens over for a sleep over. It mostly the kids that Charlie has gotten to know but now Donna will have a head start on making friends in high school.

Poor Tulip. She has a small horde of paparazzi follow her everywhere these days. She came to Donna's sleep over and had three followers.

It was a warm and cloud-free night so the teens crashed outside this time. I'm glad all the kids bring good pjs and their own sleeping bags. They actually aren't too much trouble. Which stuns me any time I think about 6 teens sleeping in one small area.

 Very early the next day, Charlie headed for school. School on the weekend? I'm sure that this is not a good thing.

The way Charlie was snickering later, I suspect that it was seriously not good. I wonder if my son had anything to do with the thousands of frogs hopping through school on Monday?

A lovely spring morning. See the teens sprouting up from the lawn, their delicate little arms stretching slowly toward the sun. See them decide it's time to go home and rapidly leave our lawn.

Thank god, my kids only have their friends over occasionally. Eventually, this many teens would surely add up to trouble.


Just one can cause quite enough mischief. Charlie, not willing to rest on his pranking laurels, decided to annoy a random household with a doorbell prank.

Better have another talk with the boy. If the cops haul him home, he's grounded until he's 30.


"Juan, how is my favourite ultra sexy musician?"

"All the better for seeing you, lovely lady. Why on earth did you leave the theatre? It's just not the same without you?"

"Well, I've been needing change. I thought a new career might be it. I'm beginning to wonder though."


Charlie followed up his pranks with a visit to the local bar. What will I do with that boy?


Donna is now fascinated by the chemistry set. She says she's researching how to make her best friend real.

I feel like everything is is spinning out of control. Sunny is in politics and flirting around. Charlie is pulling pranks often and trying to order drinks at the local dive. It's only a matter of time before he comes the attention of the police. Donna is worse then ever about that invisible playmate of hers.

How do you handle so much? Ignore it? Lay down the law? Run away and pretend complete ignorance? Scratch the last, I don't run from anything.


----

Bonus pics

Not Donna's best look. 

Donna's IF as a teen. I just don't quite know what we are going to do with them.
Mobile motial or whatever. While it is an amazingly ugly vehicle to me, the effect of maxing all motives of the occupants is pretty stunning. Sam taught Donna to drive in a single session with this puppy. Don't let anyone drive it at night, they won't need to sleep.

Ruby Pesce - Travis Kane and Sophie Pesce's girl.

Charlie's IF grew out of doll only phase. I didn't think that would happen, he's been a teen for a week. But I got the message that his doll wanted to look around and then she became a full IF after some hours.