Changing Seasons. Autumn II, part 2

Autumn II, part 2 Euan lifted a smiling Hope up out of her crib. “Good morning, my honeybunch.”
Joy was snuggled quietly in Patience’s arms.
“I’ll take Joy with me over to see Annette’s and Marcus’s hard work. Who do you want to take to the library when I get back?”
“Hope, I think. What about the laundry?”
“I’ll do that tomorrow with Barnabas. He really likes the ship and the horse.” “Are you planning pie for breakfast?”
“Well, it’ll only go off otherwise,” said Euan unrepentantly.
“Hmm. You might have a point…” “I’ll be back in a little while. Bye-bye Hope. Bye-bye Barnabas.”
The corral Blake had built for the children was so useful! It kept them away from the pond (dangerous), the bikes (oily), the garden…Presently, they’d have to think about fencing the pond off instead of fencing the children off, but that would keep for a little while longer.
“What colour do you fancy for the bedroom?” Patience added. “Just in case they’re planning a Newborough trip really soon. We don’t have to have a pink bedroom!”
“Blue. Blue’s nice.” “I can’t believe what you’ve managed to do! No wonder you’re so tired!”
“Go see upstairs! Upstairs! We have an upstairs!” The bedroom was still pretty bare, but much cleaner and nicer than their own bedroom. Paint, Patience thought, and wallpaper. I’m begging a ride on the very next trip to Newborough! Her bedding looked good on Marcus and Annette’s bed, she was pleased to see. Marianna and Lachlan’s wedding present to them had been an old map they’d found and that Lachlan had made a frame for out of recycled timber. That looked good too.
Patience eyed up the windows professionally. She’d finish off using up all her scraps and then make the curtains for Annette. A couple of weeks should see this room finished. Might be a bit longer before it got furnished, of course! Right, when were they next going into Newborough? “So, what do you hope to get done today?”
“Finish painting,” Euan said promptly. “And then hopefully paper that window wall this afternoon.”
“Is there enough paper? There were just those three rolls in the bargain bin, but they were so cheap…”
“There’s enough. That was a good bargain buy!” “And just think,” Euan went on. “We’ll have a beautiful romantic bedroom, and we’ve got children who sleep through the night now.” He seized Patience and kissed her with great enthusiasm. “I’d better let you get on then. I’ll go downstairs and keep an eye on the mob!” Patience sat on the floor and listened to Barnabas telling her a complicated (and incomprehensible) story – and thought about making Annette’s curtains, new bedding for themselves, painting their bedframe, when she could find time to see Clara and give her the rug she’d almost finished for her. And about making sure that one of them got to Minnie’s shop and made sure that they had all the supplies that they needed for a romantic bedroom. Three children were enough! That looked really good! The new-paint smell had faded, she’d made the bedding and the curtains, painted the bedframe – and now they had a bedroom that looked welcoming and lovely and romantic and… “Hi Euan. Hello Hope – are you helping Daddy read? Tell Patience Annette says the curtains look great. How are you all doing?
“We’re fine,” Euan said, choosing another book. “And we have a bedroom as nice as yours now.”
“Bet we’ve got more plants though.”
“Just possibly.” Euan thought of saying, “Bet we’ve got more children," and decided against it. It was pretty clear that Annette wanted children – and Marcus would slip easily into cheerful father mode. Maybe not just yet though! No point in giving Marcus ideas: his natural enthusiasm ran away with him all too easily! Which reminded him: talking of having new bedrooms and not having more children, he’d better call in at Minnie’s shop on the way home. It was Wednesday, so she’d be there today. The sun was beginning to set, but fortunately Minnie was still there, though it did look like she was cashing up. Euan paused for a moment to admire the plants at the front and the general improvements all round before he headed inside. They needed more tea as well, now he thought about it. And some jam wouldn’t come amiss either. “These, please. And I n-need something out of the c-cabinet too.”
“You’re in luck. I’m almost out. I’ll get some more stock next weekend though. My, Hope, you’re just the cutest little girl ever. I love the clothes your mummy has made for you.”
Minnie really cared about the children in the neighbourhood, Euan thought. This was going to be a good place for them to grow up. “Perfect timing,” said an unusually grumpy Patience, as Euan came in.
“Barnabas has just thrown his food everywhere! Including over me! I’m going upstairs to take a bath.” And she stomped off.
Euan gave his son A Look. And then he set about cleaning up his high chair, muttering softly to himself. His plans for the evening had included Patience being in a good mood… “Let’s try this again. Do not throw it on the floor.” Hope heard the sternness in her father’s voice. So did Patience, from the bathroom, and she relaxed a little into the warmth of the water. Euan would sort them all out. “That’s better,” Euan said to Barnabas as he lifted him out of his chair.
“Did you get to the shop?” Patience called down from the bathroom.
“Yes. I bought the tea, some jam – blueberry this time – and cleared Minnie out of you-know-whats.” It might be worth mentioning that. Patience sounded a lot happier.
“Last packet! The girls are already in bed and I’m just finishing off Barnabas too.”
“Not literally, I hope,” Patience called, laughing, over the noise of the bathwater running away. “Hello, handsome,” Patience said, as Euan came into their lovely bedroom from the still-grubby landing. “Hello, beautiful…” “I love it. It will keep my little tootsies so much warmer on those cold winter mornings. Just let me get out of this gear, sort out my hard-hat hair, and I’ll be with you.” “You’re doing an impressive job there. Where did you get the scaffolding from?”
“One of Minnie’s son-in-laws – sons-in-law? – knew someone who knew someone. It’s a bit rusty, but it’s all sound. And the hard hat gear? That came from a builder whose son had a growth spurt. All Minnie!”
Clara started one of her all-to-accurate impersonations. “Old Tench, he said to me, ’She’s that determined, young Clara, that she’ll be riskin’ life and limb iffen we don’t step in. Ain’t no use sayin’ no to her for ever, so we’re needin’ to fix up a way for her to do it in safety. Iffen she can see we’re on her side, she’ll hold her horses for a bit…’ So they did some fixin’ for me! Anyway, come and see my houses with me.” “And this one is The Wabash. The first thing you notice is a useful and enjoyable screened porch…”
“You’re quoting the catalog, aren’t you?”
“Yep! From the screened porch, you can enter direct to the combination dining room and living room without disturbing the women in the kitchen.”
“No! It didn’t say that in the catalog, did it?”
“Did so too,” Clara said. Clara had been right, though. Patience did find these houses and their history fascinating.
“No bathrooms again, but looking at the plans, you could fit one in nicely between the bedrooms. Those smaller ones – the Natomah – you’d have to build on, or lose a room.” “I thought there must have been some shops near these houses. Look, here’s a bakery, complete with abandoned delivery van.” Patience peered a bit more closely. “Bakery and café as well from the looks of it. When the children are older…it would be so nice to be able to go out and have a cup of tea somewhere.”
Clara was surprised. Patience didn’t often sound wistful.
“D’you miss that?”
“Yes, I do. It’s a girl thing, isn’t it? Just going out and chatting with friends about nothing much.” Clara paused, and then, in a burst of uncharacteristic openness, said, “Actually, I didn’t have any friends until I came here. You’re the first people I’ve ever trusted in my life.” Wisely, Patience didn’t say anything. She just put her strong, mothering arms around Clara and hugged her tightly.

The scaffolding is by CycloneSue at TSR
The decorating stuff is by Sandy at ATS3, and so is a lot of the stuff in Minnie’s shop.
The amazing bakery was a lovely gift to me from LMC6254, made for the SummerFest gift exchange – and for this town! - and can be found here
https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9394968