Changing Seasons. Summer II, part 1

Summer II, part 1 Want to see how my world has changed over this last year? Check this out! I’d like to clean all the way up to the top, but I’ve been totally forbidden to do that by all and sundry. Lots of loud mutterings about needing scaffolding to go any higher and it not being safe. Ha! I could tell them a thing or two about not being safe. Still, it looks pretty good inside now, even though I say so myself. And who would have thought that filthy carpet had a pattern under it? Plus, let me show you my own space. Check this out! Patience made me the lovely bedding (and some clothes too) as a thank you for babysitting and generally helping with the babies. Marianna owes me too, but I don’t feel like it’s quite the right time to ask for anything yet. They still seem a bit at sea…Definitely improving, but there’s still a way to go yet. I want a vegetable patch. Miss Kirk threw a fit at the idea of me gardening in the graveyard, so we compromised with letting me have the back of the church. North facing isn’t brilliant, but never mind. “And what exactly are your plans for today, my dear Clara?” “I’m heading for the library…”
“Excellent. Study is always worthwhile…”
“No, I’m painting bookcases. Remember? And putting books back maybe. Old Tench and I…”
“Mr Tench, please. Old Tench sounds so – so vulgar.”
“Well, anyway, we’re painting bookshelves and so on. Which reminds me, Annette mentioned someone called Bess Malton? Married one Joe Preston?”
It was a while before I got away after that foolish question! “I’ve primed and undercoated that for you. Young Marcus is coming round with his truck to take the rest of them back. Iffen we get this one painted today, then we can see about puttin’ all the books back next time you’re free.” “Well, I can’t do any studying until the books are all back, can I? So I guess I better start painting!”
“You don’t want to neglect your studyin’. You’ll be real sorry later iffen you do”
Honestly! Between him and Great Aunt Addie – and Patience and Euan – I get hardly any peace at all. Which reminded me, talking of studying… “I was copying out some more of my great-aunt’s letters. And I found a mention of you and a Bess Malton. Seems you’d put frogs in everyone’s desks. Live frogs…” “…And then they all leapt out when everyone opened their desks at the beginning of the day!”
Old Tench roared with laughter. “I’d kinda forgotten that. Bess’d just moved here, to live with her aunt and uncle, and she looked all city-cute, so I dared her to catch a frog, thinkin’ she’d be scared. Heck, she went and caught a coupla dozen and then dared me to put ‘em in everyone’s desks. Or was I too scared? she asked, all round-eyed innocence. Couldn’t back down then, could I?” “Hey, this is looking really good now.”
Two days later, paint all dry and we were putting the last of the books away. It did look good. Amazing what you can do with some paint and sandpaper – and fabric, in Patience’s case.
“Wow!” Marcus said, coming in. I do like being appreciated!
“This is great! You guys want to come and eat with us tonight?”
“I’m a gal,” I said pointedly, but Marcus just laughed. “Let me check this out. Where’s How to Restore Old Stonework?”
“I thought you’d done yours? You didn’t have much to do. And instead of walking over the books, why not pick them up and help put them away?”
“And spoil your fun? No way!” After we’d finished tidying up – no thanks to Marcus! – I stayed and studied for a bit. That would keep Addie quiet and give her something to quiz me about. Besides, it was Annette cooking that night, not Marcus, so I’d go with the dinner invite. “So…” This was Addie in full what-did-you-read-yesterday-and-have-you-understood-it mode. She knew the answer to the first question: I’d found an ancient book called Kings and Queens of England that had looked interesting enough to read. “What would you say were the main challenges facing Queen Elizabeth the First?” “Enemies,” I said promptly. Elizabeth I was one gutsy lady, according to that book. I quite liked the sound of her.
“Plus, her dad was a psycho. Didn’t like someone? Just have them executed. Starting with her mother. I mean, that can’t do you any good, can it…?” Talking of feisty redheads – I went over to see Marianna a few days later. Now there’s a lady who’s a fighter against the odds.
And working with glass totally suits her as an art form. It’s all fire and danger. I know enough to stand well back – and she’s said she’ll teach me one day. When she’s really got her old skill back. Me, I like fire too… Euan came in through the back door. We’d hatched a plot, Patience and Euan and I – and told Lachlan what his part would be. He’s okay, Lachlan, but he doesn’t seem to have a lot of initiative, for some reason. Addie alternates between despairing of him and having high hopes for him. “I like the modern art by the front door. How much are you going to charge for it?”
Marianna laughed. “Lachlan’s collecting them to do them up – make one good bike out of three tatty ones. They’re all over the place round here. People just didn’t bother taking them away with them.”
“Talking of away, go and get changed into something cooler and come with me to Patience’s house. She needs our help with something.”
“But the children…”
“Euan’s come round. Together he and Lachlan can handle any crisis that pops up.” See, the thing with Marianna is that she’s, like, a total fighter. But she’s been fighting for her children and her husband for so long that she’s kind of forgotten to fight for herself. So I’m giving her a helping hand or two there. She’s got back into the glasswork. Only a little, but it’s a start, and she’ll do more as the children get older. Now Patience and I are planning to remind her that she matters too: it’s not all about Lachlan and the children. When Patience came in with a trayful of hair styling things, I think that Marianna began to suspect that something was up. And to protest, but I gave her my best steely-eyed glare (learnt from Addie, who has had strong men quaking in their shoes. Well, Lachlan, anyway) and she sat down again meekly. “Pass me those scissors, Clara – the red-handled ones, remember.”
“I know, I know, never touch the sewing scissors. What are you planning to make next? I like that fabric.”
“Clothes for the babies – they’re not going to be babies for much longer. I need to be ahead of the game! Right, Marianna – do you want to keep the length or go shorter?” “This is amazing! How did you do it?” “Washed it, took off the split ends, thinned it a bit, shaped it a bit and blow-dried it. You were here! Blow-dry it straight a bit after you wash it, and it’ll be a really easy style for you to keep. Come back every eight weeks or so for a tidy-up – I’m not sure how fast your hair grows.” It was kind of moving really, seeing Marianna’s delight. I was quite pleased to be hugging Joy. I could hide my face in her – didn’t want anyone seeing Clara Hayes with a tear or two in the corners of her eyes.

If you want to try Clara for yourself, she's an AlphaFen creation, and can be found here:
Not Quite A Runaway Success
A renovacy made for MamaDragon by AlphaFen as part of the Amayzing Gift Exchange
https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9310815
Back story here: https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/17074021/#Comment_17074021