Chapter 18: The Astronaut's Pride

 
Randy reminds Fiona that her mother was only a criminal because she loved her family. Fiona seems to wish he'd be quiet and watch the ball game, like a "normal" Dad.

Sacha's dream workplace. It loops an Italian instrumental all day long.

She never counted on how annoying that would be.

Leona achieves her lifetime goal of becoming an astronaut. She's over the moon, naturally, and plans to not retire. Leona has only a day or two left before she's an elder. What good is being an astronaut if you're only an astronaut for a day?

Halen is unimpressed. Astronauts are just military shills in the world of Sims 3.

A wild child, Halen plays her music at all hours of the night.

Finally a picture of teen Zoya. She wants to make sure Fiona knows... the neighbors are starting to talk about Halen.

Every time Sacha visits Jazz, she is reminded that her own home is less aesthetically pleasing.

Jazz feels short.

Jazz just wants to leave his home. His uncle Bobby Sargeant has really been a hit with the ladies, young and old alike. Though perhaps Bobby will simmer down once newly-young-adult Patricia surprises him with a daughter she can't take care of.

Sacha knows she wants to stay in her grandparents' house. Her grandparents built it from the ground up; she feels this spot on the Earth is somehow a part of her digital soul. But the house needs renovation, if she's going to bring Jazz and a family into it. Won't Leona agree?

Leona isn't keen on handing over the purse strings to her young adult daughter. Leona isn't an elder yet, she can't sit back and watch someone else take control.

In the end, a little begging goes a long way.
Sacha is the genius daughter. Surely she can handle a little responsibility.

"Only because of all those toddler books you read to me, Mom." 

A little bit of stroking Leona's ego also goes a long way.

Intermission: Randy and Lorraine Cantina meet outside the book store. Lorraine is much older than Randy, but was "turned" as far back as chapter two. Now she's the governor, and pregnant with a second child.

Randy reminds Lorraine of his own indirect contributions to the ranks of the vampires... and wonders if, perhaps, Lorraine's political power has a hand in keeping the Belmonts of the world away.

Moon base. Leona works on one.

Now, about Halen's "music" in the middle of the night...

Excuses are made. Hasn't Leona ever had a dream? Composer and astronaut are comparable fields.

Fiona is so flipping childish! Letting her kids run around doing whatever, keeping everyone awake at night!

Leona's perfect daughter would never behave that way.

Zoya tries to defuse the situation by changing the subject. She saw the awesome purple Tofunda Wagon Sacha bought for the newly built garage...

 Changing the subject doesn't work. Halen is mentally disturbed, Zoya explains. Let's cut her some slack.

Leona is an astronaut, thank you very much. She knows how to raise children. It's Fiona who knows nothing.

Has Zoya read all of her toddler books? Leona thinks not.

Meanwhile, Sacha and Halen discover they love the same book series. The one about the mummies in love.

Halen is definitely not tired. Ever. Thanks for caring, though, cousin Sacha.

Uh oh.

Leona doesn't handle her age-up very well. The first thing she does is go to China, to reassure herself that she's still everything she always was and more.

Is... is that...? Nooo, it must be his son.

The peaceful atmosphere brings Leona back to her senses. With some help from an aching back. After finding the last relic in the legendary Chinese Vases collection, Leona returns home.

The display case Sacha bought for Jazz and placed in the new garage is not big enough.

That's better.

"You gave me that vase when I was a kid, Mom. No take-backs. 

It's going back in my bedroom."

______________
Etc.: And the waiting-for-Jazz-to-be-YA sets in.

I was relieved to see Leona collect all of the vases and reach the top of her career. That probably goes without saying, but I said it anyway!

Too bad the "wondrous collection" moodlet is broken. I never got to see it. =(

Though not mentioned in this entry, Sacha is progressing steadily in her career. She's finally mastered cooking and made friends with her boss via "suck up to boss" option whilst working. Unfortunately, the game loves to assign ancient bosses and coworkers to my sims, ensuring that they die off and work performance suffers sometime down the line.

The garage might be considered sufficient expansion, but it's small and I plan to do a lot more with the house during Sacha's reign. She's just getting started.

Recap: Sacha's rolled goals are couple, three kids, expansionist, culinary career, collector, and no strangers.