Changing Seasons. Summer V, part 1.

Summer V, part 1 Who would have thought that two extra children would have made such a difference to the school? Every room was in use now – thanks in no small part to the Prestons, who had cheerfully put aside work on their own house and farm for a couple of weeks here. And used their network of friends from their former life to scrounge equipment for the school. The other children knew that when there was a science lesson going on, Honey had to be in there all the way through the lesson. Fletcher had abandoned colouring and was deep in a book again. Harper was in the library, very slowly typing a bit more of her story about the Wuggles. “I’ll type for you later on," Honey had promised. “You can just tell it to me and I’ll type it in for you.” But for now she was soldiering on determinedly on her own. This was how Amber did it, so she could too. And Mason and Taylor were painting in the clean and decorated art room.
“And when we get round to needing more space,” Molly Preston had said, “we can always build on the playground. There’s room enough there.” “This is really interesting,” Richard said happily. “I love science. I wish we could do it all day.”
“I like it too,” Janet piped up. “But I wouldn’t wish to do it all day. I want to do other things as well.”
“Well, after lunch we’re doing dance again, remember? So you’ll get your wish even if Richard doesn’t get his.” “Is Lucie coming over again?” Janet asked.
“No, she’s busy today. But she will come again when she can.”
They finished off with a wild, fun, free-for-all dance, a session full of music and laughter and joy, before all the children headed off to their various homes. “Who’s this beautiful woman looking at me? How was your day, darling?”
The change in Frank since they had sent Maddie packing was really noticeable, Honey thought. It was like a stone being lifted from over a spring of fresh water: the old silent, reserved Frank was now so much more free and easy. “My day was lovely, and coming home to you made it even better.”
“Well, Mrs Enstein, what shall we do next?”
“Well, Mr Enstein, I have some ideas…” With Maddie gone, life felt full of promise. Frank hadn’t realised how far down his spirits had been until he felt them lifting. Two years’ time and they’d think about starting a family: that would give them time to get the house and garden sorted, this old wreck restored and sold, the school running smoothly for someone else to take over for a while…and now they had each other, they had friends, they were part of something that was bigger than themselves: a town coming back to life…This was good. He could hear, faintly, Honey’s music coming from upstairs, as he poked the settings and got into a rhythm. He’d got a reputation to keep up! Chas was getting fitter and faster, and Frank wasn’t minded to be beaten by him. Feel the movement, the balance, the poise, Honey thought. This was all coming back to her. They weren’t going to be turning out any prima ballerinas, but she and Lucie between them could do basic classes.
I need some better clothes for this, she also thought. I’ll move that up the priority list, put it on there as a school need, rather than a just-for-me need. They were slowly getting back onto their feet financially after Maddie’s raid on their savings, but they still needed to budget carefully. “No! No! How could you do that to me?”
“Aha!” Frank said. “It’s all that time I’m spending with Chas – don’t you know that all English men are mad about football and it’s catching?” “I’ll get you yet!” She had to get better at this game! But Honey didn’t really mind losing – it was worth it to hear Frank laughing. “Oh, I don’t know,” Bess said. “I kind of like the oil lamps. Reminds me of coming here when I first got married…”
“You don’t want to go keepin’ them oil lamps. They’re a heap of work – I remember havin’ to spend part of my Sat’days polishin’ them when the sun was shinin’ outside. ‘Sides, they’re a fire risk iffen you’re not careful.” “Don’t worry, they’re going,” Molly said firmly. “Frank’s booked to come and do our wiring as soon as he’s got a free stretch. Well, redo the wiring. What’s in here at the moment is more of a fire risk than those oil lamps. And we are really careful with them.” “I quite like going to bed by torchlight,” Richard said. “It makes me feel like an explorer – a naturalist or someone like that.”
“I don’t,” Janet said. “I can’t read in bed by torchlight.”
“No,” Bess said, firmly but kindly. “It’s not good for your eyes.”
“So when’s Frank coming?” Janet asked. “Or should I say Mr Enstein? But that sounds wrong.” “Hmm, that is a tricky one. Honey is definitely Mrs Enstein to you at school. But should Frank be Mr Enstein?”
“Don’t reckon as how he’d thank you for it,” Old Tench said, grinning. “But you could try it on him and see iffen he likes it. You got this room lookin’ real nice now.”
“Grandma is really clever with her sewing machine. She made all the curtains…”
“Miles and miles of hemming! Next thing I’ll be doing is curtains for all the bedrooms. Especially once we’ve got lights in all the rooms. Doesn’t matter so much when you’re doing everything by torchlight…”
“Talking of bedrooms,” Molly cut in, “it’s bedtime for you two as soon as you’ve finished eating.” “Well, I was in Minnie’s store earlier an’ spotted these so I thought I’d bring them with me, kind of to say thank you for havin’ me for a meal. Real kind of you.”
“Tom Tench, you didn’t have to do that and you know it. But it’s a real nice thought just the same,” Bess said, while Molly simply got up from her seat and said, “I’m coming closer.” “Didn’t want to get them out earlier, just in case you didn’t want Janet and Richard havin’ chocolate just afore bed. That Marianna said it leaves her kids buzzin’ like Blake’s bees iffen they eats sugar too close to bedtime.”
“Ten out of ten,” said Molly. “But it won’t affect me!” “Yes, we’re aiming to get the farm running at a profit again. We’ve got enough in the bank to tide us over the setting up costs – hopefully! First thing will be to get the pastures greened up again – and we’re thinking of going for milk production. Specifically for cheese making – artisan cheeses: another local product to go with Blake’s honey and Marcus’s wine.” “Do you know, I swear I remember these teacups.”
“You do. You and your Mary and me and my Joe, taking tea on a Sunday afternoon before the evening milking. They’ve been packed away for years but this seemed like the right time and place to get them out.”
“More ‘n once, takin’ tea with you two, as I remember. You an’ my Mary still wearin’ your pretty dresses from church that mornin’, chattin’ away…”
“And you and my Joe talking fishing. Mostly about the ones that got away from you both…”
“All four of us courtin’, and Joe findin’ it easier to invite you over with me and Mary rather than just by yourself…” “Artie and I, we were plannin’ to go out for a walk together tomorrow, just kinda lookin’ round the place. You want to come too, iffen you’re free? Talkin’ bout old times – it’s kinda nice thinkin’ on them now. Ain’t so sad as it useter be.”
“That sounds like a real nice idea. And this tea should be brewed by now – let’s get it poured. Never did like coffee last thing at night, but tea’s kind of settling, I think.”

Frank, Honey, Maddie and house were made for me by Hidehi as a lovely gift.
I’ve tweaked them slightly to fit the scenery of Two Lakes, so if you’re going to play them, they won’t look quite like this. I’ve tweaked Maddie’s personality too…
Link here for the house:
https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9351879
And for the family:
https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9351878

The teacups and teapot are by Sandy at ATS3