Changing Seasons. Summer IV, part 3

Summer IV, part 3 Let me give you a guided tour of my latest harvest. As you can see, it’s bigger…
Item: 2 nice potatoes. Item: 1 normal pumpkin, 1 normal potato. I’ve got them all sorted by quality. I bad pumpkin, 1 bad potato, 2 foul pumpkins and 4 putrid ones. More planting! More fertiliser! And then more work at Marcus and Annette’s to keep me fed and clothed. And now it’s time to hit the old fish bucket again. I’ve planted everything out by quality – unfortunately, my longest row is those putrid pumpkins. I think the next ones from there will be going in the fish bucket as well. This is a nice way to cool off after a hard days’ work. Annette is huge and hot – I’m sure she’s bigger than last time – and grumpy. I actually feel quite sorry for her – it must be odd, having your body change so much, so fast. Clara’s doing a good job of keeping Annette from hitting total meltdown. It’s to be hoped that baby arrives soon though. I know, I know, they do look neglected! But I’ve got a day off today, so the garden – it’s not really a farm yet – is going to get some serious tlc. And then I’m going in to Newborough – Marcus is lending me the old truck – to pick up some stuff for them, and to buy some parts for an irrigation system for me. That’ll stop the plants wilting while I’m at work all day. Mary is so cute now! I mean, she was cute as a baby, but now she’s just adorable. She’s as blonde as me or Annette: Marcus’s red hair hasn’t shown up here. She’s not walking or talking yet – I mean, she’s only just past her first birthday – though she can crawl at speed, and there’s not a lot of that blonde hair, but it’ll grow. This is the playroom! There’s a grown-up sitting room as well, all decorated, but a bit short on furniture at the moment. Marcus bought a new van instead, one that’s big enough to transport wine or children. He’s kept the old one too, as a spare, but it does mean that the trip to the hospital (when it comes!) will be a lot more comfortable for Annette. And if she goes into labour in the middle of the night, I’ll be here to babysit Mary. Isn’t that right, gorgeous? Your Aunty Clara will look after you. Annette came in and joined us.
“Clara, I swear I am going to explode at any moment!”
“You said that last time. Didn’t happen then either.” “Where’s my sympathy?”
“You know you have it. But you’re not going to explode. Though if you get much bigger, I think that dress might give way at the seams.”
“Oh, you!”
But I could see she was fighting not to laugh. Once I get her to that point, she’s on her way back to normality – well, what passes for normal in their household. Only two weeks more to go… Not two more weeks to go! More like two hours…we were just putting Mary to bed. I’d carried her up, done all the full-on nappy and baby-grow wrestling match and Annette was “Waddling upstairs!” to do the bedtime kiss, when suddenly…
“I think that was a contraction!”
Well, she should know. “For definite! You’d better find Marcus. This is not a Braxton-Hicks!”
I went in search of him. Smartish. Mary woke in the night – I think she’s going to be cutting some more teeth soon – and I went in and rocked her and sang to her and told her that her mummy and daddy were at the hospital but they’d be back soon with a new baby brother or sister for her. She fell back asleep really easily. It was past midnight now, which meant it was my birthday! I’m seventeen. One more year and no-one will be able to touch me. One more year to go. “Happy Birthday!” The giant bump had turned into a small bump and a baby!
“You’re going to be sharing it from now on though – she was born half an hour after midnight. Meet Clara Anne Winter.”
They’d named the baby after me! I had no idea they were planning this. They’d been saying Anne for a girl, after Annette, and James Marcus for a boy. “She’s beautiful. How are you feeling?”
“A bit tired,” Annette admitted, sinking gratefully down onto my bed. “But it wasn’t a long labour – less than five hours from that first contraction to delivery. And she’s not a big baby.”
“She’s smaller than I would have expected from the size of that bump!” “There’s a reason for that,” said Marcus, coming into the room. “Meet Sarah Jane Winter. I’m now officially outnumbered.”
Annette let a small cat-like smile appear on her face. I reckon she’s going to have all the female company she needs in a few years’ time.
“Told you I was enormous and about to burst, didn’t I? No wonder!”
“No wonder you went into labour early either. Chris’ll be convinced that there’s something in the water!” “There you are, honey. There’s your milk. And you have two little sisters. How about that?”
Mary just laughed. I mean, it’s not like she understands what I’m saying yet, let alone what’s happened. But I think they’re going to have a lot of fun, growing up together here. And they’ve always got their Aunty Clara to give them help and advice. I’m full of bright ideas… The scaffolding’s up and the workmen are (slowly) starting to do things. Mostly look at things and make that sucking noise between their teeth and say things like, “Oh dear. This is going to cost more than we thought.”
“I hope the noise doesn’t disturb your sleep,” I said sweetly. Addie almost smiled! I went inside to chat, so that it didn’t look quite so weird if someone came past and saw me talking to thin air. And I had some things I wanted to ask Addie. Important things.
“You know how I could see you from the start? And Lachlan too? And you said it was because we were both so unhappy? But now I’m becoming happier. I’d – almost – say I am happy now. Does that mean I’m not going to be able to see you eventually?” Now that thought did make me sad. And Addie could tell that it made me sad. The tear on my cheek was kind of a giveaway for a start. And I could tell that she was - well, really touched by that.
“No. I am here for the heartbroken, for the deeply distressed, for the grieving. For the very lonely. And I will be here until I’m not needed any more. But you and Lachlan will be able to see me for as long as you want to.”
Well, that was kind of a relief. I didn’t want to lose Addie – she meant too much to me. Then she got all brisk and efficient again.
“Now, tell me how your exams went. I hope that you weren’t too distracted from your revision by Annette’s pregnancy…” “There you are, Old Pete. Let’s get you fed. I’m going out early tomorrow – Frank’s going to try and run the legs off me again, so we’ll get you sorted tonight.” “This is a really nice salad!”
“Thanks.” Artie was pleased and flattered by Sal’s praise. “Annette’s been saving recipes for me to try. You still up for helping me paint my bedroom tomorrow?”
“Like, totes! Chas’ll be waaay too tired after he’s been out for a run with Frank.”
“Hmmph!” Chas said.
“Promise you’ll tell me some more of your stories though?” To Chas and Sal’s delight, Artie had a seemingly inexhaustible fund of stories from his racing days. “You should write those stories down,” Chas said, as he slid the plates into the sink.
“I couldn’t do that.”
“Then see if Amber will do it. I’ll ask her tomorrow! Frank and I are running over to the far side.” “You ready for this then? Sure?” The sky was paling into dawn. And Frank was definitely teasing him!
“Any day,” Chas said. “No problem!” “Head past your ancestor,” Frank said as they came to the corner. “The other way just goes past the old Preston place and then to a dead end. Nice for a short fast run though.” They were setting a slower pace today and talking was easy. “That’s where Honey works. Four children so far, but plenty more on the way.”
“So who’s her employer?” This had intrigued Chas ever since he’d heard about the school.
“Everyone!” “We’ve got this house anyway…” and Frank was definitely speeding up as they passed it, “…and as you know, power and water are free. We get fresh fruit and veg given to us! And we have credit with Minnie for the other stuff – people put in what they can afford: everyone wants the school to work. And I have odd jobs from time to time as well – we get by nicely.”
Chas did notice that the house was, like Artie’s, in need of a lot of sprucing up! Frank was easily extending his lead! And Chas was realising that he wasn’t quite as fit as he used to be. I need to get to the gym again, he thought. They ran past the back of the estate where Clara was busy doing up her house (she’d shown it to Sal with pardonable pride). So many houses, all empty. Chas hoped Clara wasn’t going to feel lonely there. “And this is the far side.” Frank had dropped back so that they could talk again. “Used to be two big lakes here – that’s how the town got its name.”
“Artie told us some of that story. And Old Tench gave us the full technicolour version.”
“Technicolour language and all?”
“No – Sal was listening too!” “Lachlan and Marianna and their four live here.” Didn’t this guy ever get tired! How come he wasn’t out of breath at all? “And this is our goal.”
Good.
“D’you think we can use their loo? And maybe get a drink here too? I get why Amber called this a work in progress.” But they obviously had a lot of space, and that was giving Chas an idea. “Frank’s so fast! I need a gym – I know, there isn’t one here! But actually, I do need a gym: I need it for Sal to help her with her training. And we will have some money presently, to buy some gear, but no space at Artie’s house to put it. So I was wondering if you had a corner over here that I could possibly use for the time being?” “We can do better than a corner. We can give you a whole building to use.”
Leo laughed at Chas’s surprised face. “We actually own nearly all of the buildings here on the far side. And it’d be great to have another one being used. Why don’t you come and have a look around while you’re here?” “Look!” A bit further over on the grassy area Amber was getting really excited.
“I didn’t plant the stuff beyond this hedge. The green is spreading! Apparently, the roots create underground channels for water to flow. In Senegal, where they’re planting a green barrier to hold back the Sahara, 12 million trees so far and counting, the wells are filling up again.” Amber’s delight was really appealing and infectious, but Frank just looked so serious still. Maybe the thought of making a gym would cheer him up a bit. “We’ll give you a lift back,” Rafe said. “Or it’ll be just too hot.”
“Shame I can’t phone and let Sal know – she’ll think I’m ducking out of the painting.”
“Hey, where did you get this?” Frank sat down at the table to investigate the seriously old-fashioned telephone more closely. “This is intact, and looks unused.” “Amber found a whole load of them in one of the buildings. She brought this one back and dusted it down just for the fun of having it around.” Leo paused, an idea striking him.
“Hey, you know loads about electricity and electronics and so on…We’ve got telephone wires everywhere, and this is a telephone, and we’ve got more – couldn’t you sort of connect them up somehow?”
“You need an exchange as well,” Frank said seriously. “Phones and wires by themselves aren’t enough.” “This one might well be the one you want – come and have a look inside,” Rafe said. “It was too small for the art gallery, but it might be just right for a gym.” “Basically, it’s just a big square space, but that’s all you need really, isn’t it? A load of white paint on that brickwork and some serious floor scrubbing…” “They’re right,” Frank called out to Chas from the other big downstairs space. “This could make a good gym. If you can afford some gear…”
“Sal’s going to need it,” Chas called back. “And this is why we’re here, for her. And I’m really missing it!”
“I’d enjoy it too,” Rafe admitted, “Sculpting’s pretty physically demanding and anything that gets my fitness levels up is good. I’ll give you a hand with the painting. And if we wanted to put a sprung wooden floor down, there’s bound to be some timber we can salvage from somewhere else.”
“It’s a plan then,” Chas said happily. “Might as well look at some of the other buildings while we’re here,” Frank said, and Chas agreed. Rafe and Leo left them to it – “We’ve been round all of them, but feel free to explore. Just don’t fall through any floors. Some of them have holes.”
“Just a couple. I really do have to go and help with the painting.”
“There’s always another day, another run!”
“I reckon this was the boss’s office.” Chas sat down in the dusty chair and tried to make it swivel. It screeched in protest. “I’d hate to have to sit down all day.”
“Me too. Or push a pen over paper all day – well, nowadays, I’d be staring at a screen.” “Do you reckon this was his ensuite bathroom?”
“It’s not big enough for a bath – oh, you mean loo. Not in his office – I mean, imagine the smell leaking out after he’d had a too-rich business lunch.”
“Bet you it is.”
“Bet you it isn’t.”
“Only one way to find out.” Frank reached for the handle. “I don’t believe it!” The door had opened a little reluctantly, and now Frank was peering into the grubby recess behind it. “I haven’t seen one of these outside a museum or a living history kind of place.”
“Not a toilet, then, I guess,” Chas said, laughing. “Told you so.”
“It’s a genuine Strowger.”
“A whatger?”
“An automated electromechanical exchange. Telephone exchange.” That got Chas out of his chair and peering in at the dusty machinery in the cupboard.
“A telephone exchange? Could you make it work – so that we could at least all phone each other? I’m guessing automated means that you don’t have to have someone sitting there plugging in jacks. I mean, if those phones that Amber found do work?”
“I don’t know.” Frank was being his usual cautious self, but Chas could hear the undercurrent of interest and excitement in his voice.
“In theory, yes. I’d need to take a good look at it, clean it up first. And then check all the switches, the electromagnets, check all the connections are electrically sound…” “That sounds great,” Rafe said to Frank. “Anything you want to salvage from any of the other buildings, just help yourself, you don’t need to ask. And then if there’s anything you’re going to need to buy…we’ll all get together as a whole town and see what can be done in the way of budget. We’ve got nothing to lose by trying.”
“And then do you want that lift back?” Leo asked. “After all, you don’t want to miss out on all that painting!” No, Chas thought, he supposed he didn’t. “Half the room done! And he’s not back yet. How about a tea break? And what colour are you going to do the woodwork in here?”
“Well now, that Annette, she’s real fond of yellow. And you’ve got yellow paint on that old tee shirt of yours – seems like a sign to me. Be real cheerful to wake up to.” They’d just got downstairs when there was a knock at the front door.
“You put the kettle on, while I get the door. That’ll be Annette: she promised me some fruit. Said they’ve got plenty on their trees and you need your vitamins. Put a third mug out.”
Sal smiled a little as she headed for the kitchen, the kettle and the teapot. She did love the kindness she was finding from everyone here. “Well, Artie, I’m glad to see that inside is looking better than outside. And judging from these clothes – I hope you don’t go round dressed like this all the time – you’re getting on with the job. You’ve still got a fair way to go though, I see.”
Artie stood, rooted to the spot.
“Well, don’t just stand there, gawping at me. I know I’ve changed, but not that much, surely. Is that the kettle I can hear boiling?” “You must be Sal Woodside. Artie told me about you and your brother in his last letter. I’m Bess Preston. I must say, you make a good cup of tea.”
“Well, I am English,” Sal said demurely.
Bess laughed. “I see you’ve been helping Artie paint…”
Artie was just deeply thankful that he’d done so much painting already. Imagine if Bess had seen the house in its original state!
“Reading Artie’s letters, I kind of got curious. I didn’t think I’d ever come back here again, but now…I want to see the place for myself, meet folks, see what’s going on and how things are changing. So I fixed things up with Minnie, and I’m staying with her for a few days. After that, we’ll see…”

An Old Jockey’s Nightmare is here: https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9394756 and that was by LMC6254, for the SummerFest gift exchange.
So were Artie and Old Pete https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9394755 I’ve altered the buildings very slightly, to fit in with the town – the telegraph poles are by Cyclone Sue at TSR.

The art gallery and the would-be gym are both by Cyclone Sue at TSR

Sandy at ATS3 has provided a lot of other little touches.

I'd like to thank one of my husband's work colleagues for being my technical advisor on the Strowger exchange. Any mistakes are mine, not his!