Changing Seasons. Winter V, part 3

Winter V, part 3 “As you can see, it’s in a bit of a state. But as far as I could tell, nothing’s missing: it’s just all junked up, seized up…What do you think?” “I can’t do anything major until after Christmas. I’ve got an oven to build! And a science set… But old machinery – well, it was built to be repaired, built to last. Not built for obsolescence! So we might get lucky. I’ll do that first assessment now, and then I can tell Marcus and Annette what might happen and what it might cost…” While Lachlan was clattering around downstairs, Georgie went upstairs for the first time. And found…the archives, presumably. Old newspapers in bundles, but also copies of old newspapers, carefully collected and bound. Going back years. Stories. Stories of the past just waiting for someone – for her! – to sort through them and bring them back to life. “Well, that was a mighty fine meal. I think I’ll just be pausin’ for a moment afore I tries that cake. I ain’t sure as how I said you’re lookin’ pretty as a picture in that red dress.”
Artie made agreeing noises, Grandpa Geo looked at her fondly, and Georgie blushed shyly, at a loss for words for once.
“So was the present a success than?” Artie asked Grandpa Geo. They’d all had a hand in helping him get Georgie’s present – in fact, half the town had been in on it! “It’s fantastic,” Georgie said, glancing over at her new – not second-hand! – sewing machine. “I can make the curtains! Cover the settees! Turn this room into even better yet…I can’t thank you both enough for all the help you’ve given us.” “That clock – it was a wedding present form everyone at work – and it still keeps good time. Long as I remember to wind it! And the stripy pig – we bought that on honeymoon and used it to put our savings in, when we were saving up for something.”
“Mary ‘n me, we had a hollowed out wooden horse,” Old Tench said reminiscently. “Put our odds ‘n ends of change in it, ‘n it was surprisin’ how it’d add up to somethin’ we wanted.” “I see you got one of Blake’s honey boxes.”
“Yes, it was a Christmas present from him – so kind! He’s high on my list of people to interview once Christmas is over. It sounds like he’s got a good story to tell as well.” “You’ll want to be talking to Chas and Sal as well. And maybe sending that article to some of the racing papers too. A bit of publicity for the horses wouldn’t come amiss.”
“I’ve got so much to do! I want to clean up and tidy up the newspaper offices as well, sort out all the archives, Lachlan’s going to have a really good look at the press after Christmas and see if he can get it working, but from his brief inspection, he thinks it might be possible…” Grandpa Geo relaxed further. Georgie wasn’t going to be bored. Better than that, she was alive and sparkling with the plans she was making. He hadn’t spoilt her life by accepting her help with this move back to his old home. “So what made you decide on bees, and honey?” Georgie was interviewing Blake, of Smallcott Honey fame. Well, maybe not quite fame yet, but he had buyers in Newborough for both the the honey and the wax. “Actually, it was something Caleb said.”
Several somethings in fact, and all of them a bit unpalatable at the time.
“Speaking of Caleb, if you want to talk to him and Chris, you’ll have to catch them soon. And they’ve really helped with the transformation of the far side, and the main shopping street, so it’d be a shame to miss your chance.” “I’d been growing pumpkins and potatoes, but they weren’t doing amazingly well. And they were big to transport. Caleb suggested doing something with lower transport costs – and the bees came from that.” “I love your cottage. It’s almost fairytale.”
Blake laughed. “All thanks to Lucie Hunter. This is a façade. It didn’t start off like this.” “It was, basically, the old barn. The farmhouse itself was long gone. Lucie said I needed to make the place tell a story for the visitors: she used to do stage scenery, and this was her inspiration. I need a bit of inspiration for the inside though – come and see.” “See what I mean?” Blake said. “Sorry about the breakfast dishes – I haven’t got round to washing up yet.”
Inside, it was still very clearly a barn.
“I need to do something about this, because once I get people coming here, they’ll look in through the windows for sure. I don’t suppose you’ve got any ideas?” Had she got any ideas? Having ideas was her stock-in-trade!
“What’s the story you want to tell? Traditional? Modern? Family-oriented? Young entrepreneur?”
“Family,” he said slowly. “This used to belong to my grandparents, this farm…” His voice tailed off.
“And you brought it back to life? What sort of state was it in when you arrived?” “Pretty desolate when I first found it. It was really hard to recognise it at first, from the old photographs I had.” “I do have some budget set aside. I knew I’d need to do this, and to be honest it would be nice not to be camping out like I am anymore. So you think I should go for old-fashioned interiors?”
“Yes, if you want it to look like the family farm sort of thing. You know – good furniture that was made with care and then handed down, repaired if needed. Which means scouring all the second-hand places – if you want a hand with that, I’m your woman! I love doing that! I think Grandpa Geo and I found all the ones in Newborough, and I can think of stuff we saw there that would be perfect for here.” “That would be such a help. If you really wouldn’t mind? I can borrow the old truck from Marcus one day.”
Georgie smiled at Blake. She’d always had a bit of a soft spot for lame ducks, and he did have that feed about him.
“And you can tell me more of your story. I think it would be perfect for the paper.”
“So you really think we can get our own newspaper?”
“Lachlan thinks he can get the press working again, so that’s a yes. And I think, as we get visitors, we can get advertising – a local paper with the stories behind the buildings and businesses should sell to visitors.” “Hey, Caleb, remember what this place looked like when we first saw it?”
Caleb groaned gently. “I do. It was a wreck and then some. Used to be a family furniture store, isn’t that what Minnie said?” “I think it was seeing this store in particular that got us wondering what we could do while we were here. Because we knew it was only for a couple of years, it had to be manageable short-term things. So we started digging and planting. Here and over on the far side as well. We made those borders – well, we dug them and planted them. Annette grew the flowers: she’s got a total production line going. It started with her doing a few for Euan for the graveyard and just sort of went on from there.”
“So these two units are empty. Do you know what they’re going to be?”
“Chas told me,” Caleb said. “An estate agent, he said. A realtor.”
“No way!” Georgie said. “How come? I mean, who’s selling their house?”
“It’s for selling the other ones on your estate. The ones the town owns. I’ll tell you all about it on the way over to the other side – we want to show you what we did over there too. Plus, we want to say a last goodbye to it all.” “This was the first place over here that we started on,” Caleb said. “Remember how it looked, Chris?” “All too well! And we were working so hard at Marcus and Annette’s as well, what with all those babies. It’s a wonder we survived!” “We made this garden at the side of the gym as well,” Caleb said proudly.
“I saw that – and admired it – when I was here the other day with Marianna.” “Let me guess. This was you as well.”
“Got it in one. Can’t do much there until someone takes over the building, but it cheers it up a bit. Now come over to Leo’s place with us. It’s beginning to get too dark to do anything else.” “Want a game of darts? Do you know how to play?” Caleb asked. Georgie grinned secretly to herself. Grandpa Geo had taught her how to play darts as soon as she was tall enough and sensible enough.
“That’d be nice,” she said sweetly.
Chas had drifted in and challenged Chris to a game of table football. “I was on my way back from the gym and saw you through the window. One last chance to hammer you at this.” “Wow, you’re good,” Caleb said as Georgie went over to pick her darts out of the board. “Shame we’re leaving. I like a challenging game, and Chris just doesn’t give me one.” “Nooo!” Chas cried as Chris scored yet another goal.
“Good on you, bro!” Caleb said, interrupting his answer to Georgie, and then picking up the thread again.
“Yes, we will be sorry to go. I think we’re leaving a bit of ourselves behind here – and we’ll definitely visit, to see how much things have changed.”
How sad, for them to be going, Georgie thought, just as everything was going to get so much more interesting. For herself, she was glad she’d arrived.

Caleb and Chris were made by Suzses, for BreeMiles for the Homebound Holiday Gift Exchange 2020 Link here: https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9432116

The bookshop was made by Cyclone Sue at TSR (it’s called The Old Clockwork Factory).

Blake and his house were made by Jessabeans. Link here for Blake
https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9352926
and here for the house
https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=9352888
which I tweaked slightly to fit in with the landscape and the story.

The Christmas wine, cake, sewing machine and fabric were made by Sandy at ATS3.